With the growth projections in my apiary operation, the need to transport my hives efficiently are becoming greater. With this in mind, the need for a dually takes precedence. I have considered a gooseneck trailer and its still not off the table. 

 

The popular method for beekeepers of commercial sizes use flatbed dually trucks and then pull their loader on a trailer. 

 

The only consideration i would make for a dually is a 12v or 24v. But i need the towing capacities and hauling. Usually 96 hives fit in a flatbed over the axle and then trailer/loader. I'm looking for a 5 or 6 speed transmission and ex cab, 4x4.

 

Hard find at a decent price!

I think the bigger problem at hand is how to negotiate with us Cummins owners on what a fair price is for these trucks. 

 

Here's another truck:

 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/184940012102246

 

It's got 300k miles on it but he wants 17k for it. Good grief, i can buy a newer 3rd gen for that. 

4 hours ago, hex0rz said:

 

https://moseslake.craigslist.org/cto/d/dodge-dually-1-ton/6510280867.html

 

^This is about the fairest ad i have seen yet... but it's an automatic. I still might consider. Fair price?

 

Talked to this guy, checked the vin, was clean. He has paperwork on the transmission. Its a 618? Huh?

This white truck seems okay with new tranny, but then again why put new tranny in and sell it right away. Unless he's just done with it. 

You're right about putting price on our trucks, there are some obvious ones that you know being beat and not taking care of, easy to spot. But then there are other ones that are well taken care off and have all the important things done to them. Like for example my truck, I know it's not perfect but I know what I have and what I have invested in it and there is just no way I would let it go for less than 18k, now that sounds like a crazy price for something that has a rust hole in a rocker they would think I'm off my rocker. Then again if they have no clue  or knowledge  to what  we do  and what we invest in these trucks, definitely takes special group of people to buy these. So maybe trucks that people want more money for is worth it if they truly are what they say they are.

10 hours ago, hex0rz said:

I called the person on it and they were like, "yes it's a salvage. Bed was replaced and axle too". AXLE? ok, so frame damage too...

 

She won't take less than 12.5k. I won't give more than what i do to my toilet every morning...

https://moseslake.craigslist.org/cto/d/dodge-dually-1-ton/6510280867.html

 

^This is about the fairest ad i have seen yet... but it's an automatic. I still might consider. Fair price?

 

That truck I would consider. 

Yea he white dually ain’t too bad there in Moses Lake. Just too bad he didn’t drive a little further out to Dynamic to have the trans work. I’d still be a little hesitant with the trans work being so recent and now selling. Also be worth knowing how long the edge had been on so you can gauge whether that’s what did the trans in or if it was installed afterwards. I’d offer 12 and see what response you get.

Being that @hex0rz is right up near @Dynamic he could have that transmission inspected. 

On 2/13/2018 at 6:19 PM, hex0rz said:

With the growth projections in my apiary operation, the need to transport my hives efficiently are becoming greater. With this in mind, the need for a dually takes precedence. I have considered a gooseneck trailer and its still not off the table. 

 

The popular method for beekeepers of commercial sizes use flatbed dually trucks and then pull their loader on a trailer. 

 

The only consideration i would make for a dually is a 12v or 24v. But i need the towing capacities and hauling. Usually 96 hives fit in a flatbed over the axle and then trailer/loader. I'm looking for a 5 or 6 speed transmission and ex cab, 4x4.

 

Hard find at a decent price!

 

Do you know about what the RAW is on a loaded fladbed with the trailer hooked up?

 

The beekeepers that have hives in our pasture only use LD (3500 DRW) trucks for servicing after the hives are delivered. Sometimes I'll see a LD truck towing the loader but I haven't seen them put hives/trailer on a LD truck. All the hives arrive on a MD flatbed truck, like a 6500-7500 series. 

 

Just looking at some numbers a light hive is ~50 lbs, so 96 of them is ~4800lbs, plus tongue weight. That's more than a 2nd gen DRW, or 7.3 F-350, is rated to handle. That's also a light hive, they should be much heavier when you take them to extract. You would do better with a 24' deck gooseneck that holds hives/loader. You should be able to get as many hives as a flatbed and loader on one without overloading your truck, and you already own your truck. 

Buying a decent truck here in the NW is such a pain in the butt... Everybody thinks they're worth a fortune, and they're all beat to crap. When I bought my Ford, I must have looked at 25 or 30 different trucks. My wife and I even drove 4-1/2 hours (each way) to Butte, MT with a fist full of cash to buy a truck that, by all indicators, seemed great. I didn't have to look at it for more than 2 minutes to realize that I didn't even want it...at any price. I drove all the way home, with that same fist full of cash. Now, granted, I'm completely anal about my vehicles, but come on...!

 

I ended up expanding my search area and finding my current truck (2008 Ford F-350 King Ranch) down in Upland, CA. It was in immaculate condition, no rust or corrosion, and even after figuring the air fare and the fuel cost to drive it home, it was still $2000 cheaper (and 3 years newer) than the one in Butte, MT...

Could have been the exhaust brake that did the transmission in.

7 hours ago, notlimah said:

I’d offer 12 and see what response you get.

I'd start at 10.5 or so and work my way up, haven't you seen pawn stars. Lol.

44 minutes ago, Dieselfuture said:

I'd start at 10.5 or so and work my way up, haven't you seen pawn stars. Lol.

 

Oh, yea I misread the price. Shoot I’d offer 10! Although it’s a clean looking truck for up here in the NW and honestly his obo price is low for the area as well especially with basically no ‘crap’ mods IMO. 

11 hours ago, AH64ID said:

 

Do you know about what the RAW is on a loaded fladbed with the trailer hooked up?

 

The beekeepers that have hives in our pasture only use LD (3500 DRW) trucks for servicing after the hives are delivered. Sometimes I'll see a LD truck towing the loader but I haven't seen them put hives/trailer on a LD truck. All the hives arrive on a MD flatbed truck, like a 6500-7500 series. 

 

Just looking at some numbers a light hive is ~50 lbs, so 96 of them is ~4800lbs, plus tongue weight. That's more than a 2nd gen DRW, or 7.3 F-350, is rated to handle. That's also a light hive, they should be much heavier when you take them to extract. You would do better with a 24' deck gooseneck that holds hives/loader. You should be able to get as many hives as a flatbed and loader on one without overloading your truck, and you already own your truck. 

 

I popped that question to the guy i know, but He hasn't gotten back to me yet. I don't understand it either! When he moves his hives they are not honey laden. He harvests the supers and transports them separately. 

 

I was going to go the gooseneck route, but if i did that im limited in towing capacity. 14k is all i would want to pull. My loader is 5300lbs and a gooseneck is variable. But by the time i figure on hive weight, i can only haul 48 at best. 

 

The other issue is i would be very long and some places are too difficult to get into with being that long...

 

This will end up being my DD for a while and the wife will drive the current one until things change and funds become available for a car. This is my stop gap for the bees and another commuter until later..

 

 On the flip side...

 

I talked to guy a little more and he said he has too many trucks, lol! He's willing to negotiate on price some. The previous owner hauled a boat from west washington to the basin. He said he went to get the transmission serviced and his guy found debris in it. So he did a rebuild.

 

I really wanted a manual transmission, but i guess if i need to beef up this thing, so be it.. i might do a manual conversion down the road instead. 

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/153133462052318

 

Here is another..

Edited March 3, 20187 yr by hex0rz

Built auto is niiiiiiiiice

You know those Mitsubishi NPR box and flatbed trucks are doing real good for long lasting mileage. You have to find one with no EPA garbage on it because its causing some major problems on the newer ones. The only problem is if you need 4wd., but if your always on gravel rds and not making winter runs, it might work out. They are priced pretty decent and some businesses have not dumped a bunch of miles on some of them. I almost bought one simply cause the cab folds forward and you can stand there and easily get to anything on the engine needing work.

I've looked into the npr trucks. They're outrageously expensive for a flat bed. Orchards are hit and miss. Can be muddy and rutty to the extreme. 

 

Nonetheless, if i could get one i would. They're neat. 

Hey guys, may have found another potential truck. 

 

For you facebook users:

 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1674444989267906

 

I kbb'ed it and median appraisal was 7.5k with a high of 9k. I told him this and he said he appraised it and high was 10.5k. I offered 9k.

 

He said at the moment he wouldn't take less than 10k.

 

Truck is fully stock except a pesky kn air filter, flatbed and a lift pump. He said he's never hailed anything heavy with it. 312k miles, 2nd owner since about 75k miles. Meticulous upkeep with all paperwork. 

 

Original transmission never rebuilt... baby's it. Said he will turn the od off if he ever did pull anything which he said was a double horse trailer or some hay bales or lumber. 

 

Front end rebuilt, 4wd works fine, fluids maintained constantly. He said he had to replace the vp44 i dunno how many miles ago. He went through 3 or 4 oem lift pumps and then eventually got a fass lift pump. But he said his pressures will go down to 7psi WOT, so i don't get that part...

 

Doesn't burn oil, doesn't smoke, doesn't leak, starts right up first crank in the cold. Plugged in every day its below freezing, parked under a car port. 

 

Said tires have about 5-7k miles left on them. Fairly new batteries. Interior is meticulously clean and bucket seat and bench seat re-upholstered. No dash crack. Only has a fuel pressure gauge since its stock. 

 

It's a 1998.5 because it's a 24v and new dash style. Asked about the KDP  and he didn't know what i meant. I dunno if i need to worry about it being a 53 block?

 

All in all sounds like a decent truck. It's a 4 hr drive for me so i want to make any informed decision. I know it being stock there will be things i have to address. So is it worth it? What says you guys?

How many miles on it? To me it looks like it over detailed like trying to cover actual use. New upholstery and the new shine kinda says be wary to me, do a car fax and get the miles on it before going there, is best I can say.

 Its got 312k on it. He sounded like an anal guy on the phone. Maybe not A type personality but particular. 

1 hour ago, hex0rz said:

 Its got 312k on it. He sounded like an anal guy on the phone. Maybe not A type personality but particular. 

I would try staying under 200 k miles JMHO. I would keep looking with the idea that there is a good one out there. Keeping in mind you want a low mile truck that just hit the market and has not been available for long. Keeping in mind too, that often there is a reason they are available. If a seller acts and continues to express an anal attitude it sends up a flag to me about possible issues, but thats just me. The miles are just too high on that one. 

If a truck is well maintained, really what is the issue? 

 

There ate a couple others I've been looking at as well:

 

https://kpr.craigslist.org/cto/d/1999-dodge-ram-3500-diesel-4x4/6540155526.html

 

https://spokane.craigslist.org/ctd/d/2003-dodgex4-6-speed-cummins/6516128404.html

 

https://spokane.craigslist.org/cto/d/1997-dodgex4-12-valve-cummins/6505523644.html

https://spokane.craigslist.org/cto/d/1997-dodge-cummins/6543405433.html

 

Anyone know much about the 12v? What do i need to know about these years?