Ford L8000

mills · July 17, 2018, 09:46:06 PM

Been looking around for a newer single or tandem axle truck to haul logs with. My old C-70 is just flat worn out, and I'm tired of working on it. Was looking for one that I could swap whatever bed it had for the set of racks on my old truck. Came across a 92 Ford L8000 already outfitted with log racks powered by a 8.3 cummins motor. Truck seems to be in good shape. The boys that scale my logs at one of the mills knew I was looking and told me about it. They said the guy that had it took good care of it. It shows. Only thing that concerns me is the dead axle on the back. Its fitted with air bags to lift the axle when empty or if you lose traction with the front one. Anybody have any experience with one of these trucks?

sawguy21 · July 17, 2018, 10:34:02 PM

The fleet I managed in the late 90's had two Louisvilles, a 9000 and a single axle 700. Gave me fits because they were high maintenance and parts were getting scarce. I would pass but it's your call.

mike_belben · July 18, 2018, 12:29:39 AM

Ford L series is a simple old truck and the 8.3L with bosch inline pump is a good old engine with decent power. Plenty of folks made their living with them and still do.

So its a single axle truck with an air lift pusher axle? Is the drive axle leaf sprung or air ride?

mills · July 18, 2018, 04:42:48 AM

The rear axle has leaf springs. The sticker weight on the door reads 33,000, but he had it licensed for 44,000. I'm assuming that's legal when the back axle is down?

Skeans1 · July 18, 2018, 06:01:05 AM

3 axles is normally 46k, here's the kicker with drop axles they always have to be down well on the road well loaded even if you're not running full weight.

KyLogger · July 18, 2018, 06:13:50 AM

As long as you can lift its probably ok. All the guys around here hate dead axles, say the places we have to come out of are too rough and all they do is get you hung up.

snowstorm · July 18, 2018, 06:41:54 AM

ford built as good a truck as anyone. look at how many are still around. the last one built was in 97. the air tag should give the same gvw as a wheeler. no it will not get around off road as well

mike_belben · July 18, 2018, 09:13:29 AM

If the pusher is snug up against the drive and lifts pretty high, id expect it to get a little better traction than a single drive axle truck with no pusher. But if youre really working in the bush a think a walking beam tandem with locking power divider is mandatory. 2 sliders in the dash is much much better than one.

Bruno of NH · July 18, 2018, 07:48:28 PM

Some of those trucks still moving logs around my area

Maine372 · July 18, 2018, 08:24:28 PM

dads had the cat motor but it did its job for a long time. what finnaly did it in was the corruption between the frame rails (double frame) and the louvre at the base of the windshield. sawdust, leaves, needles etc settled in there and finally rotted the cab out. the back of the cab was clean thanks to hydraulic leaks on the loader.

sawguy21 · July 18, 2018, 08:39:45 PM

That is what finally did both of ours in.

mills · July 18, 2018, 09:18:54 PM

Quote from: KyLogger on July 18, 2018, 06:13:50 AM
As long as you can lift its probably ok. All the guys around here hate dead axles, say the places we have to come out of are too rough and all they do is get you hung up.

Back in the day before semis became popular grain farmers had replaced their single axle trucks for tandems. And most of the old tandem grain trucks I drove had dead axles. You could hang one of them suckers on a dirt clod if you caught it right. :D Farm boys learned real quick not to take a leak behind the truck. That's about all it took to hang one. :D I would think that this lift axle would be considerably better as long as it doesn't bottom out.