Somethin' to pull my Tractor with!

[loudsam]

I've been sitting around for a week "obsessing" about what I was going to pull my tractor with.  Sooo....., I decided I needed a one ton dually, and here it is.  The BIG reason I'm bragging about it is I  got it for such a, (IMHO), good deal.  One owner, (a lady), who used it a few times a year to pull her two horses with.  49,430 original miles. A 1996 5.9L Cummins 12valve diesel Dodge Ram one ton Dually.  4spd auto, cd, power everything for, (GET THIS), 13,500. dollars!  What a GREAT day for me and my tractor!!!  Now, if I'd ever get off my duff and put the new clutch on my sawmill motor, I'll be MOBILE!  Here it IS!!!  And the lucky tractor too! 8)

[tnlogger]

Talk about a deal  ;D congrats on the new ta you truck

[jpgreen]

Beautiful..  8)

[Troy]

Sam - The truck is too pretty to be pulling that tractor.  Now you are going to have to buy another tractor that matches the truck!

[Shawn]

WOW, you sure are dropping some dime. I, as well as others, would like to know your convimcing the mrs. on all these purchases. How do you do it? Come on doug, give up the secrets!!!! ;D Keep all the great deals coming. Lets make some more sawdust!!!!
Shawn...



BTW, did you get my PM?

[loudsam]

Thanks for the Congrats guys on my "wise" bargaining skills,( :D )!  I'll probably start to "obsess" about taking care of the truck and end up pulling the truck around with the TRACTOR! :  And Shawn, I don't know why the Mrs doesn't complain about the bucks I spend on this stuff.  I think it's because I'm so handsome she just can't bring herself to say anything!!!   Plus, I've got her convinced that in order to ever start making money with all the stuff I've already bought, I'm going to need the rest of the stuff to pull it off. :D  To be fair to Her though, I think she wants me to be happy and productive when I retire!

I got ONE of your messages Shawn.  Your going to start the welding of the mill this weekend, aren't ya?  I'm really looking forward to seeing the results of your planning.  I want to build a trailer, or a backhoe, or somethin'.  Ever since you've been talking about building the mill, I've been trying to come up with an idea for something I could build!  I found plans online for a really terrific gooseneck trailer, but, I'm scared!   I got this feeling that I might really get in over my head if I attempt something like that!  But heh, what's life worth, if you don't try to do something others won't usually try to do??? 8)  That's why THIS FORUM ROCKS!  Because people here do things others only DREAM of!!! ;)

[Jeff]

I still LOVE dat tractor 

[thurlow]

Build the gooseneck;  you can do it and you'll never be sorry.  Just like building a house..........or a journey of a thousand miles; one step at a time..........A backhoe?  Build something simpler first...... 8)

[loudsam]

I still LOVE dat tractor 

Thanks Jeff!  Coming from you, that means alot.  It's kind of like you think I was smart for buying it!  Hope you don't mind me quoting your post, but it was a short quote anyway! ;D

Thurlow, thanks for the encouragement!  I might take you up on the challange!

Doug

[barbender]

Sweet truck, sounds like a good price, that thing is like new with only 49K on it.  The cummins is just starting to get broke in.  I've got a '97 dually I bought at an auction 3 years ago, wasn't really even interested in it cause I didn't want a dually.  They started the bidding at $7000 and nobody was interested, so all of the sudden I got interested cause I knew what it was worth.  Ended up getting it for $9500, the trade in value on it at the time was $13,500.  My wife was at the auction with me, she was like 'did you just buy that?' Yes I did. :D  I've never regretted it, it had 180,000 miles on it when I got it, now it has 225xxx, I've put a clutch in it, and today I'm going out to put a tie rod end in it. Heck of a good truck, the cummins is awesome, I get 21 MPG if I keep my foot out of it. 

[Shawn]

Doug,
Build the gooseneck! You can't go wrong. As long as you foolow directions and have some common sense, you'll have a great trailer for pennies-on-the-dollar. I'm still collecting parts. Bought a 11hp tecumseh yesterday. I've been in robotics school all week and not able to order my steel. First thing monday or tuesday. I'll sent a pic when I get everything.
Shawn...

[loudsam]

Barbender!  21 mpg sounds awesome!!!  I wasn't even hoping for anything close to that.  Sounds like I may have gotten a better truck than I even figured!  Thanks for the info Barbender.

Your probably right Shawn.  I really think I might start planning on building one.  I think I'd better wait till I get back to work before I spend any money though.  I will do the welding myself, and I think I'd better get some scrap metal, and brush up on my welding technique.  Sounds great about the engine.  How did you get involved with the Robotics class?

[beenthere]

...... I've been in robotics school all week ...........

Now, I'm wondering if this school is one of those human resources training sessions where one is to learn to be caring and sensitive (the kind Charlie did so well in at IBM  ) and now you will be in 'lock-step'   OR  is it really about robotics and computer control and good things  ??? ??? : ;D

[loudsam]

Is it, (the school), like cnc cutting??? :P

[barbender]

Loudsam- my truck has a 5 speed manual, you could probably expect to get around 19 MPG with the auto.  I'm still drooling about the 49K miles part.  I was just out replacing a tie rod end on mine today, looks like my ball joints are shot too, so I have to replace those too.  The cummins engine is the way to go, I've read reports of guys who deliver trailers cross country, kind of over the road truckin in a pickup, who have gotten over 1,000,000 miles!! And I don't doubt it either.  The powerstrokes and Duramax's are alright, but I think there is a reason all of the big diesel's are straight sixes.  Superior engine design, so far as I am concerned.

[loudsam]

Thanks Barbender!  I'm feeling better about buying that truck everytime I read a post from you!  It really does make me feel good that your able to say such great things about these trucks.  I wanted that Cummins diesel.  The 7.3 PowerStroke, and the Duramax are probably real good engines.  But, I just wanted to go to bed at night thinking I have a Cummins in my Dually!!! 8)  I love this truck.  I think I'm going to keep it till the bitter end!

[jpgreen]

Doug-

I love the truck..  8)

Be extra sure to keep that auto tranny running cool (BIG trans cooler etc.,), and the oil real clean.. 

[loudsam]

Thanks JPgreen!  I'm really happy I've bought it.  Along with the good things Barbender has been telling me about his Ram Dually, and the stuff I've read in the researching I've done, It should be a good truck for ALOT of miles.  It's got a complete towing package, and I'm going to keep the engine oil spotless!  I joined the Turbo Diesel Register forum, and I can't believe what I'm reading about the Cummins diesel engine that Dodge put in these things.  There are literally hundreds of guys on that forum with 200 and 300 thousand miles on these trucks!  Buying my little mill and joining  the Forestry Forum has sent me reeling off in a totally different direction in my life, and I love it!   I don't have alot of money, and I should be saving/investing it for my retirement.  But, I feel like just maybe I am investing in the future.  Irregardless, I'm having alot of FUN!

[LeeB]

Go Dodge smiley_clapping smiley_clapping. LeeB

[Shawn]

How did you get involved with the Robotics class?

My company sent me for training. We use Fanuc robots on our assembly line, mostly the robots are pick and place. They pick up a part from the and place it over there. We have one robot thay applies sealant (red loctite) to the aluminum havles before we put it together. The new GMT900 axles use a gasket.  No one was replaced by a robot when we built the new assembly line. I make the front axle for the GM 4x4 and AWD trucks. My company makes axles and suspension componants for GM (79%) and Ford, DCX, some foreign stuff too.

AAM

[jpgreen]

Fanuc...  :D

(The Italian definition)

[loudsam]

How did you get involved with the Robotics class?

I make the front axle for the GM 4x4 and AWD trucks. My company makes axles and suspension componants for GM (79%) and Ford, DCX, some foreign stuff too.

AAM

KOOL!  I LOVE heavy industry.  I was born in Detroit.  I was in the Union when I was 18, and I've been a Union member all my life.  I LOVE STEEL!!! ;D

[ksu_chainsaw]

That Cummins will outlast the truck body.  I have a 94 Dodge 3/4 ton 4x4 with the cummins and a 4.10 rear end.  I regularly get about 16-17 mpg out of it, and never worse than 12 in the two years I have had it.  The only suggestion for you would be to keep that tranny flushed regularly.  At one job that I had, the auto tranny would shell out completely at about 90K.  Looks like an awesome truck!

Charles

[Sanford]

Good luck with your new ride! My experience with the Cummins has been very good also. My company work truck is a Ford F-800 with the 5.9 and a 6 speed tranny. It has been pulling around 27,000 lbs. for 226,000 miles of abuse, sometimes with a trailer with around 10,000 more pounds on it!! It is a 1998 model with a mechanics body, 6,000lbs crane, welder, plus tools for fixing heavy equipment. With all the abuse it has gotten it is just starting to feel it's age, so in a pickup it will last a loong time.  Sanford   

[barbender]

  Loudsam- I did a little research on building a gooseneck once, and I figured by the time I bought the axles, wheels and tires, steel, etc. I really wouldn't be saving much money for all the time I put into it- don't get me wrong, I love building my own stuff, and I've always got some homebrew project going on.  But for instance, I wanted to build a 20K gooseneck, if my memory serves me right just the axles are about $1800. 4 tires and wheels would probably be another $400.  I'd guess about $2000 in steel, lights, wiring and you are fast closing in on the $7000 or so that a factory built one goes for. I ended up buying a used 14K gooseneck for $2600.  All that said, I do have a nice set of plans for a 20K trailer, unused, if anyone is interested  :D. I pulled them out of the tube they came in and that was it.  I paid $40 for them, I'd sell them for $20.