Asplundh bucket trucks, that bad ?

[TDunk]

I'm looking at buying a used bucket truck sometime this year (with a chip box) to retire my other bucket with no box. There seems to be alot of '97-'00 Asplundh trucks coming up for sale, and was looking for some opinions on them. I know there all gassers witch doesn't bother me to much because there cheap and easy to rebuild but other than that i'm looking for the good and bad on these trucks. My one concern is i'd have to travel to go get one and didn't know if they could handle 9 Hrs. of interstate travel or not. Thanks for any help.

 

[treeclimber101]

I'm looking at buying a used bucket truck sometime this year (with a chip box) to retire my other bucket with no box. There seems to be alot of '97-'00 Asplundh trucks coming up for sale, and was looking for some opinions on them. I know there all gassers witch doesn't bother me to much because there cheap and easy to rebuild but other than that i'm looking for the good and bad on these trucks. My one concern is i'd have to travel to go get one and didn't know if they could handle 9 Hrs. of interstate travel or not. Thanks for any help.

There worth every penny just try to get a LR3 and mileage should be between 50 /60 K no more those engines need major work after 80k no matter how they were maintained

 

[lxt]

Depends on how many pennies your spending?? not a big fan of the 366 its a pig all around, asplundh usually trades out every 5-7 years due to utilities not wanting trucks older than that on their property.

Be careful with any of there stuff, check the boom pins!!!!! not to mention raise the dump bed & see how it holds alot of those units had bad seals on the dump pistons. CHECK THE CLUTCH & ADJUSTMENT!!!


Good luck! diesel would be better!



LXT..................

 

[Sunrise Guy]

Watch out for those outfits that advertise huge inventories, online, and in the trades. I drove all day and night to check out a truck and chipper. The owners of the place assured me that the truck was fully reconditioned and had just had a brake job. Only a half-mile from the place, on a test drive, the brakes locked up and caught on fire! So much for their "quality reconditioning." The dump body, when up, revealed badly leaking cylinders. "Oh, that's nothing out of the ordinary" they told me.

These "nice guys" even tried to keep my deposit, but I assured them I would contest the charge to my credit card and I would prevail. They refunded the complete deposit.

These outfits spend their money on painting facilities, mostly, where they white-wash all trucks and chippers they buy so you're fooled into thinking you are getting a nice rig. No way!

Be careful.

 

[Taxmantoo]

I drove all day and night to check out a truck and chipper. The owners of the place assured me that the truck was fully reconditioned and had just had a brake job.

I hope you didn't drive all the way to Michigan for that.

 

[TDunk]

I would prefer a deisel, and have found a few, but they all seem to have high miles and the trucks look whooped. I definetly need a 60 FT. W.H. and i think those were all LRIII booms. The biggest thing i was worried about was the boom. I can do all the other work, but have never monkey'd with a boom. There's a place in Rockford IL, that seems to have some pretty good deals. Any where from 16K to 25K, for retired Asplundh trucks. Thanks for the help.

 

[gr8scott72]

I hope you didn't drive all the way to Michigan for that.

Yeah, sounds like a Harv special. lol

 

[tree MDS]

There worth every penny just try to get a LR3 and mileage should be between 50 /60 K no more those engines need major work after 80k no matter how they were maintained

I have the same boom as you treeclimber. Mine is rearmount and six wheel, it kicks some ass indeed.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

IMy one concern is i'd have to travel to go get one and didn't know if they could handle 9 Hrs. of interstate travel or not.

If it won't hold up to 9 hours of interstate travel, why would you think it will hold up to the stop & go driving of daily use? That's a LOT harder on a vehicle than 9 hours of toodling along the interstate!

 

[jefflovstrom]

I would make sure it has had an inspection. The papers should come with the truck. Our last inspection cost $3000.00 but if we sold a truck it would have the papers.
Jeff, CTSP

 

[TDunk]

If it won't hold up to 9 hours of interstate travel, why would you think it will hold up to the stop & go driving of daily use? That's a LOT harder on a vehicle than 9 hours of toodling along the interstate!

What i ment was basicly if the top speed was 50 MPH, i don't want to have to rev the cr@p out of it to try from getting ran over on the interstate. If i don't think the truck will mechaniclly hold up to the trip, there's no way i'd buy it and chance it.

 

[Rftreeman]

There worth every penny just try to get a LR3 and mileage should be between 50 /60 K no more those engines need major work after 80k no matter how they were maintained

I just curious as to what you mean by "major work"........

 

[tree MDS]

I just curious as to what you mean by "major work"........

The only "major work" I would be doing to one of those motors is picking up the phone and dialing jasper with the vin#... those motors are only like $2500 remanufactured. I'm sorta hoping my 366 blows up so I can put the 427 in it like its supposed to have.

 

[jefflovstrom]

The only "major work" I would be doing to one of those motors is picking up the phone and dialing jasper with the vin#... those motors are only like $2500 remanufactured. I'm sorta hoping my 366 blows up so I can put the 427 in it like its supposed to have.

Dude, Ask to look at the most recent BIT inspection and if all is good , OK! Still, I would check out how old the hoses are!! For real.
Jeff, CTSP

 

[treeclimber101]

I just curious as to what you mean by "major work"........

An engine ....I have two one with a cat and one with a 366 and the cat has about 220K and the 366 has a little short of 58K and I bought it with 30K and I have noticed that 366 is now starting to nickle and dime me death , I would love to tear it out and throw in a 454 but than I my aswell move next door to a gas station to save that daily drive...

 

[jefflovstrom]

An engine ....I have two one with a cat and one with a 366 and the cat has about 220K and the 366 has a little short of 58K and I bought it with 30K and I have noticed that 366 is now starting to nickle and dime me death , I would love to tear it out and throw in a 454 but than I my aswell move next door to a gas station to save that daily drive...

Idiot in my opinion!
Jeff

 

[treeclimber101]

Idiot in my opinion!
Jeff

So you are a fan of the 454 or the 366 they are both pretty good engines..

 

[jefflovstrom]

So you are a fan of the 454 or the 366 they are both pretty good engines..

Damn good!, Would not use them for the production I need, but yeah, in my car or truck? hell yeah!
Jeff, CTSP

 

[Rftreeman]

An engine ....I have two one with a cat and one with a 366 and the cat has about 220K and the 366 has a little short of 58K and I bought it with 30K and I have noticed that 366 is now starting to nickle and dime me death , I would love to tear it out and throw in a 454 but than I my aswell move next door to a gas station to save that daily drive...

my one ton chip truck has over 180k on it with the original gas engine and runs strong....

maintain them and don't beat the hell out of em and they will last....

 

[tree MDS]

So you are a fan of the 454 or the 366 they are both pretty good engines..

The 366 and 427 are tall deck big block chevy motors, made for big (or "medium duty") trucks. "Tall deck" refers to the longer stroke/lower rpm's. These only came in bigger trucks.

What you are talking about is a smaller truck or car engine (to my knowledge anyway) with the 454. not the same deal, its all about torque..