Looking for a truck for Buttonwillow

[MattR]

Split from the main Buttonwillow thread

Originally Posted by sperry

Speaking of trucks, my boss offered me his trailer if I can come with a truck to tow it... anyone got a truck I can borrow? Hey Matt, is that friend of your still selling that Ford, and you think it'd be capable of towing my WRX long distance?

Yes, It's still for sale, and I'm pretty sure it is up for the trip. Can 2 cars fit on the trailer?

[Kevin M]

Just rent a truck. U-Haul trucks capable of towing that much are only like $40 a day. Cost you maybe $200 when it's all said and done. U-Haul owns.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by BAN SUVS

Just rent a truck. U-Haul trucks capable of towing that much are only like $40 a day. Cost you maybe $200 when it's all said and done. U-Haul owns.

The mileage will kill you on any Rental truck I am aware of. I think around $.25-$.50 a mile...

[AtomicLabMonkey]

Originally Posted by sperry

Well, I'm pretty sure I'm good for the weekend LA trip... it's just the Buttonwillow part of it that might be canceled for me. I'm working 12+ hours days for the next 13 days to try to keep that window open for me.

As far as the truck/trailier.... I'd love to be able to tow two cars, but we'll need to find a rippin big trailer, and hope that truck can haul 7000lbs over the Grapevine. :shock: I've never driven a truck/trailer before, so I'm a little nervous getting it and going to town w/ such a big load.... we should talk on the phone tomorrow at lunch or something Matt, fill me in on the dilly. Plus, I still need to figure out how to afford a truck/insurance... I might have to cash in my ESPP stocks, which I didn't really want to do yet (not to mention that money's ear-marked for CC debt )

1st of all, don't get a truck/trailer and do pay off your CC debt.
2nd of all, if you do get a trailer make sure it has load leveling, anti-sway and good brakes so you don't end up in any Pucker Factor-11 (PF11) scare situations coming down the mountains.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by AtomicLabMonkey

1st of all, don't get a truck/trailer and do pay off your CC debt.
2nd of all, if you do get a trailer make sure it has load leveling, anti-sway and good brakes so you don't end up in any Pucker Factor-11 (PF11) scare situations coming down the mountains.

Well, I just did a little research into that F-250 Matt's friend is selling for $1500 IIRC. A 1980 XLT 4WD Extended Cab Long Bed F-250 in "Outstanding" condition (basically as good a '80 F-250 you can get) is worth about $500. The truck Matt's friend is selling is beat to hell on the exterior (but the drive-train is supposedly in excellent condition), older than 1980, and not 4WD. So unless he's willing to sell in the $500 or less range, there's no way I'm buying it.

Perhaps I'm missing something regarding that truck Matt, but $1500 is at least $1000 too much.

[MattR]

Originally Posted by sperry

Well, I just did a little research into that F-250 Matt's friend is selling for $1500 IIRC. A 1980 XLT 4WD Extended Cab Long Bed F-250 in "Outstanding" condition (basically as good a '80 F-250 you can get) is worth about $500. The truck Matt's friend is selling is beat to hell on the exterior (but the drive-train is supposedly in excellent condition), older than 1980, and not 4WD. So unless he's willing to sell in the $500 or less range, there's no way I'm buying it.

Perhaps I'm missing something regarding that truck Matt, but $1500 is at least $1000 too much.

Yeah man, i don't know. Its got the 460 and trailer breaks, but I don;t thinnk that's worth 1000. if you have a trailer, my sister may let us burrow her truck but we need to haul 2 cars, I doubt the trailer is that big. Does anyone rent 2 car hauler trailers?

[AtomicLabMonkey]

How much mileage is on that truck, anyway? I heard from Mike (who used to have one) that those Ford 460s have a solid reputation for blowing up after around 150,000 (if I remember right) miles.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by AtomicLabMonkey

How much mileage is on that truck, anyway? I heard from Mike (who used to have one) that those Ford 460s have a solid reputation for blowing up after around 150,000 (if I remember right) miles.

IIRC the drivetrain's been totally rebuilt recently... which is his excuse for the high price.

BTW Matt: what does the truck have to do w/ trailer brakes? Most trailers I've seen have brakes actuated by the hitch... as the truck slows, the trailer pushes on the hitch, which triggers the trailer's brakes.... so the brakes are a feature of the trailer, not the truck.

Oh, and the $500 price for the 1980 F-250 included the 460 V8.

[MattR]

you are right, It's basically set up with heavy tow package, and a time-bomb 460. skip it.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by sperry

BTW Matt: what does the truck have to do w/ trailer brakes? Most trailers I've seen have brakes actuated by the hitch... as the truck slows, the trailer pushes on the hitch, which triggers the trailer's brakes.... so the brakes are a feature of the trailer, not the truck.

I beleive these are hydraulic brakes, and are very common on boat trailers, but many trailers that will never be submerged have Electric brakes. They are cheaper, and easier to maintain, and best of all can be adjusted from the cab as needed. In a way, they are the poor mans air brakes.

My trailer has them, as do others I have owned. Only my boat trailers have had the hydraulics.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by Dean

I beleive these are hydraulic brakes, and are very common on boat trailers, but many trailers that will never be submerged have Electric brakes. They are cheaper, and easier to maintain, and best of all can be adjusted from the cab as needed. In a way, they are the poor mans air brakes.

My trailer has them, as do others I have owned. Only my boat trailers have had the hydraulics.

Wait, you have a truck *and* a trailer? Hey, um Dean... how'd you feel about help out by loaning my your setup?

[Dean]

Originally Posted by sperry

Wait, you have a truck *and* a trailer? Hey, um Dean... how'd you feel about help out by loaning my your setup?

Sorry man, my trailer needs tires, and some other work on it before it could be used for that distance, and is currently the storage for my 66 Mercury.

Also since my truck is only an F150, and I wouldn't want anybody but myself driving it with that kind of weight behind it.

[sperry]

How big a truck do you need for one of these 2 car haulers!?

[AtomicLabMonkey]

I'm no towing expert, but I think you'd need a lot of truck to safely haul two cars on that monster trailer. The trailer itself probably weighs at least 2000lbs... so with two Subarus, the trailer and whatever equipment you're carrying that could be up to 9000lbs. You'd probably have to look at something like a big F-250 to get that done.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by AtomicLabMonkey

I'm no towing expert, but I think you'd need a lot of truck to safely haul two cars on that monster trailer. The trailer itself probably weighs at least 2000lbs... so with two Subarus, the trailer and whatever equipment you're carrying that could be up to 9000lbs. You'd probably have to look at something like a big F-250 to get that done.

Well, I'd like an older F-250... but my guess is you need a Diesel F-250 SuperDuty w/ duallies, and a gooseneck. Chances are stopping is the hard part, not going... you'll need a pretty heavy truck out front to be able to slow that thing down w/o getting pushed all over the place.

The trailer costs $6000 new, and has two 7000 lb axles, so it should be able to haul 14000 lbs of cars! :shock:

Trailer Info:

Length: 40'
Model: 2 Car Tag
Load Deck: 8' x 48'
Capacity: 14,000 Lbs.
Axles: Two 7,000 Lbs.
Suspension: Spring
Hitch: 2 5/8" Adjustable Ball
Deck: Perforated w/ Open Center
Landing Jacks: Single
Brakes: Electric
Tie Downs: 8 Wheel Lashings
Toolbox: 36" Underbody
Options: Spare Tire
Color: Black
Price: $6,000

http://www.florawrecker.com/sales/new/3004.html

[JC]

Originally Posted by sperry

IIRC the drivetrain's been totally rebuilt recently... which is his excuse for the high price.

BTW Matt: what does the truck have to do w/ trailer brakes? Most trailers I've seen have brakes actuated by the hitch... as the truck slows, the trailer pushes on the hitch, which triggers the trailer's brakes.... so the brakes are a feature of the trailer, not the truck.

Oh, and the $500 price for the 1980 F-250 included the 460 V8.

Trucks are never worth 500 if they run ok. We sold our 67 ford for $1500. If you can get it for 1200 or so, you are doing ok.