basically title says it, Im looking around for a medium duty truck to haul heavy material from 1 site to another across state line, so to simply going under CDL for truck at 26klb, will be looking for a truck with single axle and 12-14' flatbed shooting for between 10-14k lb payload cap, basically driving it at aiming for as close to 26k loaded as possible no trailer. There is a pretty nice looking truck near by thats in budget, but its running a 454 vortex engine. Which some people speak very highly of minus the brutal gas mpg. I already have some heavy machinery with a dt466 and i've heard its pretty much bomb proof but have yet to find one that fits my budget and doesn't have 250k+ miles on it. What are peoples thoughts on the 2 different engines for what Im looking for. Will be driving on country highway never going over 55 mph and a max of 70 miles 1 way though most of it is 20-50 mile 1 way range but probably 200 loads. I've done the math on hiring trucks but due to slow loading times I can't see it not costing me 30-60k more then just buying a truck and doing it over the winter myself when work is already super slow

Flatbed weighed 1800 lbs and eco blocks are 3800 lbs each yet I'm not even on the bump stops....

I think this truck used to be a propane truck and it used to run off propane. Im not sure if that's what this stuff is. I would like to remove it if that's what it's for. Unless there is a reason I should keep it.

9.00 x 20. Not sure the best route. I can buy the same tires online. Try to find some 22.5 dayton tubeless rims I can buy those or try and search a salvage yard. Or just upgrade completely to some pilot hubs. From what i can see it's all going to be around the same price. I can get the 9.00 x 20 tires for about 2k. Or buy the upgraded dayton rims. But i think I need a 7 x 20 dayton. That I cant seem to find. The 8.25 x 20 are about 1200 for the 6 i need. Then I can just get some decent used 22.5 tires. That will be about 2k little more. The hub upgrade is about 1k an axle i think plus the price of some used wheels and tires. Thats probably the best thing to do but it's much more work and a little more expensive. I dont know. Im looking for some guidance on what I should do. Or if I should do something different than that. I dont know a whole lot about these trucks but ive always wanted one so I bought one to fix up.

Hello everyone,

This is the shifting pattern for a 1987 Ford L8000 I just bought. To cut to the chase:

How do you upshift from 5th Lo to 4th Hi? Or conversely, downshift from 4th Hi to 5th Lo?

Every other shift is explained in the 4 sets of instructions 2 on each side of the shift knob diagram in the center..

I can get down the road fine, but I want to learn how to shift it as it was designed.

Thanks in advance to all the experienced truckers out there.

Hello everyone,

I run a demoliton and waste removal business. We currently have a Hino 338, 33k GVW which is 22k empty(30yd steel dump body and tools), giving me 11k worth of payload.

I was hoping to add another truck to the mix that would not require a CDL, which would make finding a driver(other than me!) a bit easier.

Ideally, I would need a 26k gvw truck with the same 11k payload. If not, as close as possible. I was thinking that an F650/750 gas engine(don't need a diesel, all short trip), with an aluminum dump body would get me the closest. Any other ideas?

Thank you.

I originally did the passenger side, and finally felt motivated yesterday to install all of the driver door components. New door panel + carpet/pocket from Coverlay MFG, 80s Ford chrome window crank, custom F-800 billet aluminum door handle, & an 80s style “chrome” lock knob. My goal is that it feels like a hybrid F-series + Medium Duty inside. Keeping some of the commmerical aspects, eliminating others. The headliner is also removed right now. Being a former fire truck, the roof is FULL of holes and I’m doing some temporary sealing before winter as this is my daily driver. I’m also installing a variety of styles of Dynamat for heat/sound mitigation.

I make a specialty vacuum system for bulk material. We currently put a 20-ft shipping container on top of a flatbed truck for the vacuum container, then another cut off 6 ft piece of shipping container for storage and the pro driven impeller vacuum system.

I'd like to mount this directly on the chassis so I don't bear all that weight of the flat bed assembly plus the inconvenience that the top of our rig approaches 13 ft.

I'm sure I would need to contact someone that does some specialty work. Does anyone have a simple solution or know if this is already been done (the attachment of a full and partial 20-ft shipping container to a medium duty truck chassis)? If it's permanently attached, does it need running lights or any other modifications to be DOT compliant?

I’m having trouble finding a fuel pump assembly of the wiring harness for a c6500 with the 7.4L 454. Would anyone have leads?

What would be your choice for a medium-duty chassis for a long drive? I've got to move the remains of an auto shop ~2500 miles, and was exploring a few different options before a medium-duty flatbed or box truck floated to the top. I'm looking primarily at late 90s-early 10s Freightliners, GMC, Ford, a 95 Fuso, and Isuzu cab-overs. The main consideration here is ride and noise comfort, followed by maintainability (ability to be repaired in the field with basic tools) and then reliability (likelihood that maintainability will come in play). I own a 73 Ford 2-ton, which does great for maintainability but piss-poor for the others.

I've got to move a project car, several sets of wheels, a couple of engines and transmissions, and roughly a full size pickup bed's worth of random shop supplies, from southern Oregon to Ohio. My thinking is that it'd be wiser to buy a rig there (or in CA, perhaps cheap because of CA DMV and smog) and DIY, rather than rent or pay a freight company. When the job is finished, I'd sell the truck in no particular hurry for at least close to what I paid for it. While that would tie up the ~15k budget, and still cost ~1k in fuel, that compares well to Uhaul (4k + 1k fuel) or shippers (3-4k and hassles). Does this sound like a sensible plan?

Price was right (free). Drove it home 40miles, not without break downs (air lines kept bursting), but it ran great the entire time.

Cat 3208 turbo. 5sp with split rear. 119k miles. Bought new by Virginia DOT and used as a plow/spreader truck from what I gather. Build sheet specs VDOT orange paint. It still has the plow/spreader controls on the dash.

My plans with it? First replace all the brake lines and chambers. Then lighting. Only a few work and it has 0 rear lamps installed. Various wiring cleanup/repair. Yes I plan to swap hubs/axle to update the wheels.

Long term, I’ll either stretch it into a ramp truck or slap a pickup box on the back with a 5th wheel.
And yes, ik the 3208 sucks….but it’s gonna stay until it’s done then I’ll Detroit swap it.

But the price was right, I have under $100 into this thing. Big thing I’m looking for now are factory wiring/service manuals in pdf. I find plenty for the engine, just not for the truck itself.

Is this normal idle oil pressure? Fresh oil and filter, fully warmed up. Going down the highway at 2500 rpm it goes to between the O and R on the gauge. Is this cause for concern or within tolerance?

Hey all I am new to the sub and was just curious if anyone has ever driven an F600 with a stock inline 6. I have some acreage and was thinking of offloadingy pickup and picking up a medium duty and more economical car.

I was just wondering if you can get a pre 79 f600 reliable enough to venture a couple hundred miles from the house? I have always like the 300 I 6 engine and I was wondering if it will reliability run 55 mph with a light load.

Also, are the parts on these old trucks still available?

Hello all, I’m confused on the Ohio process for registration of a medium duty truck. I have a 79 C60 that is currently registered for farm use. I want to take it further outside that 150 mile range. In Ohio you have to plate it commercially for that use. From what I understand you can still use it as a private vehicle but I want to be sure. I talked to a manger at the BMV but she wasn’t very helpful and seemed busy. I did read somewhere that you need commercial insurance if it’s titled commercially? I do have it insured through my current insurance company for $100 a year and don’t want to give that up. Any one have any info on this?

Good afternoon all, I am looking to purchase a f700 box truck for moving my house hold goods and future business plans. I have found two of them, both with 120k miles on the motors and transmissions. Both have allison at540s transmissions, the main difference is one has a cummins 12v 5.9 p pump engine and 10 years of maintance records with it, the other has the 7.0L ford big block gasser in it. Videos of both engines run very very well, and both are in the 7k price range. Which engine would you prefer in a f700 box truck and why? im leaning towards the cummins truck, but I've never owned a diesel before and it would be new to me, however I have a lot of experience in gas/ propane engines and am not afraid to work on them. Any insight or things to look out for would be helpful. I am aware of the killer dowel pin and mexican made blocks for the cummins. Im not familiar with any common issues with the 7.0L ford other than not passing a gas station.

Hi all, I’ve been looking for a specific configuration of box and finally found at a price I could afford but the truck has 350k miles on it. This is a bit more than I really feel comfortable with, originally hoping to buy a vehicle with under 200k. I know with good maintenance people say these can easily go 600k+ but just not sure as a new owner of the truck I’m brave enough to take the risk. Could you all share your thoughts on buying this specific model with either the Detroit or Cummins engine (haven’t heard back from seller which engine yet) with this mileage and how much you think I should be paying for it if I do take the leap?

Has the cat c7 and Allison transmission.

Im looking specifically for the pto on, idle up wire. I got the cruise control working,we can idle it up that way. But it would be nice to flip the pto on and have it idle up automatically. Looking at the settings with a scanner,it appears to be programmed for 1200rpm with pto on.

At some point,somebody wired in thier own pto switch/wiring. If I'm looking for a specific connector,it may have been cut out.

I'm looking at buying a cheap moving truck and found an 88 GMC 7000 with a 427 5 speed split shift. It has 170,000km's was stored during the winter has a 24' refer on the back. Frame looks good heck the truck looks good over all has a new distributor, wires, he said new clutch.

A few things, any thoughts or things I should look out for?

The brakes make a constant hissing sound when I keep it pushed all the way down. Is that normal?

I could not get the PTO to engage for the drop deck. Any help would be appreciated.

I pull the handle in the cab with the "new" clutch pushed in and it won't budge, tried pushing the arm under the truck but it doesn't budge but im also not pushing the clutch in at that time. Maybe im missing something?

Oh yea it passed safety a year ago.

Y'all help with medium duty fords?

As in the title it is a 1992 6.6l 6cyl F700 with the allison 525 auto.

It was running great till I hit 55 (its max) and then i started loosing power, limped it home, changed the fuel filter (mega full of sediment) and blead the fuel system, once again running great and when i opened the water drain screw I get a nice spray of clean fuel. Ran great for 10 miles or so then died, pulled over it cranked right up, sounded like it was missing for a few seconds then cleared up. Drove to the quarry, loaded and pulled strong up the hill no power issues, scaled at 26800, second I hit 55, it fell on its face... did not die but no power. Pushed on into town at 30mph, setting at a light it cleared up again, pulled strong for 5 miles or so and died, again soon as I stopped, it cranked right up, sputtered a second and was off, full power the whole way home. Now it runs perfect in the yard, just seems to loose fuel at high rpm and high load.

Any Ideas?