Specs for Buying a Used Truck

[Papa Rick]

Well I have made it 9 months as a O/O hauling logs. It has had it ups and downs, but I really do like it. The reason for this post is when I first started out I bought a 1985 FLC, with the original 350BCC in it (Motor had been rebuilt approx 250,000 ago, or so I was told.

I have started working with a company that is steady work year round, so I am looking to get a newer Truck, 1999 to 2000 FLD Classic.

My questions are this:

what type of gear ratio should I be looking for? I still want to get good gas mileage, longest travel is 125 miles one way.

Does a 10 speed work better than a 13 or 15? I currently have a 15 speed overdrive with deep reduction.

I plan on gettting an oil test done when the time comes, but is there a way to hook the truck up to a computer and tell exactly how many miles are on the Truck?

Is there a place on the net that will let me know how much a Truck is actually worth?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[special k]

If you want a fld in those years it's probably going to have a 430/470 Detroit in it. You can't beat a Detroit for fuel mileage so thats a good thing. If you're running 22.5 tires I would go with a gear ratio around 3.73 matched up to a 15 spd like you have. You're probably not going to find a late model with a 15 so a 13 would be my second choice. Both of those are more versatile than a straight 10 spd IMO

[furbis]

for usred truck prices I check truckpaper and can usually get a good idea of what they are asking for the truck I want.


http://www.truckpaper.com/default.as...60E243315A901D



what type of freight do you haul? you might want to look at an 18 sp tranny instead of the 13 especially if you need the really low gears.

[GMAN]

Well I have made it 9 months as a O/O hauling logs. It has had it ups and downs, but I really do like it. The reason for this post is when I first started out I bought a 1985 FLC, with the original 350BCC in it (Motor had been rebuilt approx 250,000 ago, or so I was told.

I have started working with a company that is steady work year round, so I am looking to get a newer Truck, 1999 to 2000 FLD Classic.

My questions are this:

what type of gear ratio should I be looking for? I still want to get good gas mileage, longest travel is 125 miles one way.

Does a 10 speed work better than a 13 or 15? I currently have a 15 speed overdrive with deep reduction.

I plan on gettting an oil test done when the time comes, but is there a way to hook the truck up to a computer and tell exactly how many miles are on the Truck?

Is there a place on the net that will let me know how much a Truck is actually worth?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

If you are going to continue with the logging, you may want to consider something with a few more gears than 10. If you plan on running otr rather than in the woods, a 10 speed works fine. That is probably the most common transmission.

Any Speedco can do an oil analysis for you for about $15. If you want to check the actual mileage you can go to most any truck or engine dealer and they can connect their computer to the truck's computer and check the mileage, along with a number of other things. The cost should be minimal, if at all. There is a website which will tell you the value of a truck for a fee. I don't recall the website.

[furbis]

my reading comprehension must have been a little slow when I replied to your post since you mentioned hauling logs in the first sentence of your post sorry about that :withstupid: in that case I would want more gear choices than a 10 sp but you know what would work best. how often do you use the deep reduction in the 15?

There is a website which will tell you the value of a truck for a fee. I don't recall the website.

Anyone know the website?

[Bobby]

This outfit always seem to have alot of used KW logging trucks to check out, (No affiliation)
http://www.internationalmachinery.com/Inventory.asp

[rank]

I agree with Gman. 13, 18 or stick with the 15 but I would shy away from the 10.

[geomon]

Anyone know the website?

http://www.trucks.com/services_blackbook.asp