Freightliner FL80 Questions/Build

smcox1

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Well I think I want to get myself a medium duty truck and have been searching around the internet and came across the fl80's. I have been looking around the 1998-2002 trucks and I'm wondering if anyone has any good or bad news about these trucks? I came across a 98 yesterday with an 8.3 Cummins and a 6 spd Allison MD3060 auto transmision but saw the auction to late and it sold for $6700 seems like a heck of a deal. So my biggest concern is how reliable is that cummins and auto transmission setup? I would prefer an automatic so I can just jump in and go and not have to worry about shifting gears(lame). This truck will primarily be for pulling my 35' show cattle trailer that will weigh less than 20,000 pounds fully loaded. I did notice that the speedometer goes to 85 and can this truck do 85 easily if necessary? I know I won't need to go 85 but the interstates are 75mph and I prefer to not get my ass ran over LOL. Also do you need a CDL to drive this? I think that's it for the questions and here's a picture of the truck I missed yesterday.
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So on to the build side of this. These trucks are way to "industrial" looking for my taste as I would prefer a sport chassis but that's just not in the budget plus I don't need a crew cab. So this truck will go through one hell of a makeover. First thing will be to get a dually dodge bed and remove the big fifth wheel plate and throw the bed on but I don't think the bed will be long enough as the axle is really far back and to center the bed and axle it will probably leave a huge gap so I will have to slide the axle towards the cab till the bed almost touches. Which actually reminds me, does anyone know the height from the ground to the top of the frame rails? I hope it's low enough that I won't have to raise the floor of the bed. The sport chassis trucks bed sits at 59" and your still able to pull a gooseneck so I need to be at that height or lower. I will also lose some height when I change out the tires to 255 70 r 22.5 so I think I will be able to clear my trailer. After I get the bed figured out the front end will get molded in custom headlights, shaved turn signals, mesh grille, big moose bumper and a hood scoop or I might just figure out how to put a sport chassis hood on it and that will solve all my problems. The sides will get custom running boards with led lights and some powder coated black 22.5 10 hole wheels. The cab will have the windows tinted, black powder coated mirrors the roof will be extended up a couple of inches with a more aerodynamic look, smoked cab lights and a visor. The interior will get custom leather seats, carpet, a bunch of layers of hush mat lol, and new door panels for a more high end look. The bed will have a hatch to access the gooseneck hitch down in the frame, a custom headache rack, roll pan, bumper pull hitch and custom tail lights. It will also be getting a nice amount of led light bars. This should be the end result but probably a different color.
Freightliner-SportChassis%203_zpskjjzn3mf.jpg
 
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Vader's Fury

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Nice. My grandfather had a late 90's FL60 that ran great. Had the 5.9 and a 5 speed Allison and towed great. Usually had a 48 foot 5th wheel camper that they lived in 9 months out of the year behind it. Every once in awhile they towed one of the Amusement rides that was a pintle trailer with it. Never had any issues. I pulled a 12 ton trailer loaded to 23k with it from MD to San Diego CA with out any issues. Made the trip in 3 LONG days.
 

smcox1

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That's good to hear. While browsing the interwebs I came across the business class m2 and they are essentially the same cab that a sport chassis has. So if anyone has any info on this I'm ready to listen.
 

bluedge8

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Don't take this the wrong way, but that blue truck looks like a tonka toy, completely disproportionate. Front wheels too small- front wheel wells way to big. Huge gap between box and cab, cab is way too tall for the box sides. Rear wheel wells way to small. Weird body work between fuel tank and box. I see with your obs that you do nice custom work, but I wonder if after all of those mods, a sport chassis isn't that much more? Sorry to rain on your parade, in the end, if you are happy with it don't worry about what I just said.
 

smcox1

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I definitely know for sure that it won't be everyone's cup of tea but I really do like the fact that it looks like a giant tonka toy lol! As for all the disproportionate pieces I didn't have anything to do with that I simply took a sport chassis and removed the rear doors here's what I started with.
Freightliner-SportChassis%204_zps4is1v6lp.jpg

As for price I will come in at a fraction of a used sport chassis including the truck I want to stay under 20k and that is very feasible as I will be doing ALL of the work myself. But I do appreciate the feedback :toast:
 

Pstrke96

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Ok a couple things, the platform is great these trucks are super reliable and very easy to work on. The 8.3 is an awesome engine with the correct transmissionon ratio and rear end gears they will fly. My 95 fl 70 with 8.3 and eaton fuller 9 speed regularly grossed over 45k and will roll every bit of 85 mph kinda scary. The Cdl ? Is a gray area depending on how the truck is registered. Hauling a 20k cattle trailer puts you in Cdl range alone. Most ppl don't know that any trailer weighing more than 10k is an automatic class A load. Your combined weight will be north of 30k also into Cdl range. Another thing to consider is also now being in DOT range as well and needing to register and hold a number. All of that being said does your cattle trailer have a living quarters in it? If so you register as an RV, letter the doors with private RV - not for hire forget everything I've said and go on with your life. If and when you get stopped play dumb!
 

smcox1

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Thanks for the information. Good to hear that the 8.3 is are pretty reliable and easy to work on. I haven't looked at the gear ratio on them but that's probably pretty important to get the correct setup for what I will be towing. By chance do you know what kind of mpg you were getting? The funny thing is when I bought the trailer it already has not for hire stickers on the side of it but it does not have a living quarters in it. It's actually going through a major renovation now and I'm going to turn the tack into a living quarters so I think I may be able to get away with that. So I think I may go with your last suggestion and play dumb if I get pulled over and they question it lol! The other thing I was wondering if it possible to register the truck as some sort of private coach to get away without a cdl? I do know this lady that has a sports chassis that lives near me and she has a massive living quarters horse trailer and doesn't have a cdl to drive that setup so she must get away with it by having it registered as a private rv. Good information to know. Thanks!
 

Izzybird

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My neighbor owns a small icehouse. Their old ice truck had the 8.3 cummins, with who knows how many miles when they got it. Shipped over from Brazil and hour meter and odometer didn't work. He flogged it for about 6 years before an employee laid it on its side. Been sitting last two years rotting away, kinda a shame. In those years I put a new oil cooler in it, that's it. She fired every morning like clockwork.
 

Pstrke96

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I get 8-9 mpg loaded, however I credit a lot of that to the 9sp trans.
I don't shift out of 8th until55 mph and have had it doing better than 80.
The broad too end gear keeps the rpm relatively low at normal cruising 65 ish.
When I left my gramps company this truck had 498k on it l, never any smoke but black.
In the 8 years and 90k I put on it all it ever got besides pm was a water pump.
The only downfall I can think of is the cylinders are not sleeved so an in frame isn't pheasable, that's just food for thought like I said never any trouble with mine wish we had more like iy
 

smcox1

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That's good to hear because you can really find these trucks for nothing with 200,000 miles on them. And to know that it's possible to get at least another 300,000 trouble free miles out of them is a plus. Thanks for the info guys!
 

87jumpy

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I'm looking for something similar to this to throw a flatbed on. Let me know if you find some deals!
 

ghohouston

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I'll agree the 8.3 is an awesome engine. We had a fleet of boom trucks with them, and never really had any "engine" problems that I recall.
 

smcox1

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I'm looking for something similar to this to throw a flatbed on. Let me know if you find some deals!
Will do!

I'll agree the 8.3 is an awesome engine. We had a fleet of boom trucks with them, and never really had any "engine" problems that I recall.

That's good to hear.
Can't wait to make this a reality
horse%20trailer%20chop_zpsxft0phwg.png
 
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Ad8 PRODIGY

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Simple answer, yes you need a CDL, Unless the trailer is tagged as an RV. Any weight RATING(doesnt mean actual weight) over 26k not RV means you need a Class A CDL.
 

PDT1081

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Simple answer, yes you need a CDL, Unless the trailer is tagged as an RV. Any weight RATING(doesnt mean actual weight) over 26k not RV means you need a Class A CDL.

RV doesn't matter when you're involved in COMMERCE. Yes, winning a trophy is considered commerce.
 

bluedge8

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It does amaze me that so many people have a different take on what is and is not legal, d.o.t. wise, if I was bumping up close to those boundaries, I would get accurate info first hand.
 

HOOV3R

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It does amaze me that so many people have a different take on what is and is not legal, d.o.t. wise, if I was bumping up close to those boundaries, I would get accurate info first hand.


Worst part is half of the officers interpret the law differently.

You should see how confused they are when you run a repair/towing plate on a pickup LOL.
 

smcox1

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Everytime cdl is brought up it always gets all kinds of opposite answers lmao!! We'll definitely get in contact with state police and cdot to get their opinion on the matter when the time comes to put it on the road.
 

PDT1081

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Everytime cdl is brought up it always gets all kinds of opposite answers lmao!! We'll definitely get in contact with state police and cdot to get their opinion on the matter when the time comes to put it on the road.

You're head will hurt. The more officers you talk to, the more different answers you will get. If you're close, get the CDL with medical card. It's extremely easy to get.

The most difficult part will be titling/licensing the truck and trailer. Farm plates vs commercial. Logbook needed, DOT number, etc. You almost need to contact a lawyer who would be willing to represent you should you have a disagreement with a compliance officer. That's the route I would take if I had a truck bordering the line. I already have a Class A.
 

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