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Looking for tandem dump truck.

K

kingold11

Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2024
Messages
9
Location
Mississippi
Hey y'all,

I'm just now getting into excavation work, and I'm looking for a tandem dump truck for hauling dirt. I’m just looking for a good starter truck. I care more about the engine and a truck that is more easily repaired (more available parts, less electronics, etc.) than the age/looks of it. I'd like a truck that would be hard to beat into the dirt. My father-in-law is the best diesel mechanic around though (I got his opinion on this as well), but I like to work on stuff myself.

I'm in central MS and know little to nothing about dump trucks. I'd prefer an older machine that's under $15k or so that I can learn the ropes and work my way into an additional nicer truck if needed. But I wouldn't mind keeping this truck around the farm. I've read Cummins M11 engine is the way to go from what I've read, but there is a LOT of information to take in on everything, and I'm new to the hauling world.

Do y’all know of anything or does anyone have anything? If not what make, model, age truck should I be looking for?

Willing to take any knowledge as well.
 
P

PeterG

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2015
Messages
777
Location
United States
Occupation
Contractor
International 4900 with Dt466. Do you have CDL? Old Municipal trucks purchased at auction.
What do you have to load dirt into it? That will determine how tall a dump box sides need to be.
 
crane operator

crane operator

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
10,158
Location
sw missouri
There are no running and driving tandem dump trucks, in my area, under $15,000. You can find one that needs engine/trans, rear end work, for 15, but a more realistic number would be 20-25k in my area.
 
Truck Shop

Truck Shop

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Messages
25,237
Location
WWW.
Forget finding something in the midwest--everything there is {Higher than a Cats ass
in a 100' tree}.
 
M

MG84

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2023
Messages
1,396
Location
Virginia
I just upgraded to a tandem this spring, $20K is about the bottom dollar for anything halfway decent. I picked up a 1997 Ford LT9000 tandem, 485K on the clock, L10, 9spd, walking tandems, full lockers, floats on the front, gave $21K. It's setup like I wanted and I looked for a long time, on an off for a couple years. For me a clean, rust free, not abused truck with the features I wanted was more important than the mileage/hours/wear. I will eventually go through the engine, transmission, etc as needed, but for now its out making me money. In fact, the jobs I've done with it this year have already more than paid for it.
 
M

MG84

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2023
Messages
1,396
Location
Virginia
I'll also add, if you are going to make a cheaper truck pay, you must be able to do virtually all the work on it yourself, and have the tools and facilities to do so. Most big truck shops have zero interest in helping a guy like me, and if they do they charge out the *** AND it takes months to get anything done. Just my personal experience, YMMV.
 
CM1995

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
15,971
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
kingold11 said:
Hey y'all,

I'm just now getting into excavation work, and I'm looking for a tandem dump truck for hauling dirt. I’m just looking for a good starter truck. I care more about the engine and a truck that is more easily repaired (more available parts, less electronics, etc.) than the age/looks of it. I'd like a truck that would be hard to beat into the dirt. My father-in-law is the best diesel mechanic around though (I got his opinion on this as well), but I like to work on stuff myself.

I'm in central MS and know little to nothing about dump trucks. I'd prefer an older machine that's under $15k or so that I can learn the ropes and work my way into an additional nicer truck if needed. But I wouldn't mind keeping this truck around the farm. I've read Cummins M11 engine is the way to go from what I've read, but there is a LOT of information to take in on everything, and I'm new to the hauling world.

Do y’all know of anything or does anyone have anything? If not what make, model, age truck should I be looking for?

Willing to take any knowledge as well.
Click to expand...

Welcome to the Forums KG! Glad to have you, I'm not far to east in Central AL.

Couple of questions first of all -

What kind of excavation business? Residential, commercial, landscaping, farm?
What equipment do you currently have or plan on acquiring?
Do you want to get into hauling for other contractors/owners or just for your projects?

Just my $.035 adjusted for massive inflation - If you don't know much at all about dump trucks buying a $15k tandem is going to be a baptism by fire.

Funny thing is I won a $15K L9000 tandem dump with L10 and auto trans on a Govdeals online auction. IIRC it was 4-5 years ago. The truck was located in Northeast AL owned by a small municipality. Minimum bid was $15K so I threw my hat in. Couple weeks later I get the email that I'm the high bidder. To be honest I had forgotten about it.

Here's a link - https://www.govdeals.com/dump-trucks

Fast forward to today and that truck has earned way more than it's purchase price. Of course inflation has driven those $15-20K older useable trucks much higher, how much higher depends on location.

As others have said the Ford parts - cab, some engine bay components and the like are difficult to very difficult to find.

Best of luck and keep us posted.
 
Truck Shop

Truck Shop

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Messages
25,237
Location
WWW.
crane operator said:
$20,000 for the Mack and trailer that truckshop posted is the golden ticket. It looks like a clean old truck. That's a $8-10,000 trailer here.
Click to expand...
There's about five like that spread around the northwest on CL. But past the Rockies and the
tune changes. Plus the big factor {Mid West Rust}, paying allot for rust.
 
M

MG84

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2023
Messages
1,396
Location
Virginia
Tyler d4c said:
Tho I still have a soft spot for the ltls
Click to expand...
I'm not too worried (yet) about the parts situation for these Louisville series Fords. There were so many made there are still tons of them around and many of the cab parts can be adapted from other models to be made to work. Worst case you may have to fab or modify something to make it work. Heck, look at Cuba....
 
K

kingold11

Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2024
Messages
9
Location
Mississippi
CM1995 said:
Welcome to the Forums KG! Glad to have you, I'm not far to east in Central AL.

Couple of questions first of all -

What kind of excavation business? Residential, commercial, landscaping, farm?
What equipment do you currently have or plan on acquiring?
Do you want to get into hauling for other contractors/owners or just for your projects?

Just my $.035 adjusted for massive inflation - If you don't know much at all about dump trucks buying a $15k tandem is going to be a baptism by fire.

Funny thing is I won a $15K L9000 tandem dump with L10 and auto trans on a Govdeals online auction. IIRC it was 4-5 years ago. The truck was located in Northeast AL owned by a small municipality. Minimum bid was $15K so I threw my hat in. Couple weeks later I get the email that I'm the high bidder. To be honest I had forgotten about it.

Here's a link - https://www.govdeals.com/dump-trucks

Fast forward to today and that truck has earned way more than it's purchase price. Of course inflation has driven those $15-20K older useable trucks much higher, how much higher depends on location.

As others have said the Ford parts - cab, some engine bay components and the like are difficult to very difficult to find.

Best of luck and keep us posted.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply and help! I was looking on Facebook Marketplace, and that is where I came up with the $15k price tag. Guessing the ones below that price are junk? Mississippi is typically a place to find some well kept and low cost equipment though (in my personal experience anyway).

I started out just purchasing a 5 ton mini-excavator for my farm, then my local rural water association needed an operator. Now I am getting calls from residential customers for odd and end tasks. I am loving it so far, and I would love to acquire a dozer, larger excavator, and dump truck in the near future to expand my possibilities on the farm and for other jobs. I have loved it so far, and it works out well with my current full time job where I have plenty of time for it as well. I am small scale with just tractors and a mini-excavator right now. Most of my hauling would be for myself to start with, but once I feel comfortable and get some experience, then I plan to haul for others as well.

My main concern for sure (just like with my other equipment) is being able to find parts easily and a decent price, because every vehicle will need to be worked on. From my own personal research, it doesn't seem as easy as "just buy a 2008 International '74, and you will have very little problems." It's more of which engine, transmission, etc., and that's mainly what I am trying to get everyone's opinion on that has the experience where I have none.
 
K

kingold11

Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2024
Messages
9
Location
Mississippi
PeterG said:
International 4900 with Dt466. Do you have CDL? Old Municipal trucks purchased at auction.
What do you have to load dirt into it? That will determine how tall a dump box sides need to be.
Click to expand...
No CDL currently, but I have no problem acquiring one if needed.

Just a 5 ton mini-excavator right now. Am looking at acquiring a larger excavator in the future though. Makes sense though on determining how tall the sides need to be. Thanks!
 
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