Our New Trucks. Bought on eBay!!

Tractor I bought when I got back from Iraq. Held up for a couple of years until it started needing more work than it would cost to replace it.

1997 Freightliner FLD 120, 70" condo.
Cat C-12, 410 hp/1550 ftlbs
Meritor 10 spd direct.
Rockwell 40,000 lb rears, 2.93:1 ratio.
Air ride suspension, air ride cab.


The following are some mods done to make the tractor more usable in its intended role.
The cab extender panels removed as they were pretty wrinkled and dented.
The side turn signals were moved to the side panel under the rear corner of the cab and rear facing work lights added to each side.
Sliding 5th wheel was added before I picked it up in FL. It originally had a fixed fifth wheel. Note that the slide is from center back over the rear drive axle. This is the old way of mounting a fifth wheel used more for towing short throated trailers than for weight distribution. We've contracted to an outfit based in PA, although our base plate state is IN. We'll see how well it works out. If it doesn't, We'll probably go back with our old contract company, Bennett Motor Express in GA.















My current (and hopefully last) truck. 2005 Western Star 4900SA bought a year old and with only 95,000 miles. (not even broken in for a tractor)

515 hp/1650 ft lbs torque Detroit 60 series 14 liter engine, 13 spd Eaton RTLO (double overdrive transmission), 3.42 rears, low profile 22.5" tires with Centramatic automatic wheel balancers on all axles, 82" mid roof Starlight sleeper with fridge, double bunks, full gauge package, headache rack, rear work lights, low profile 5th wheel set to slide from center of drive axles to center of rear axle, LED chicken lights, dual A/C, chain box, dual exaust, dual stainless steel external air cleaners. The gearing gives the truck a top speed in excess of 100 mph. This means that at highway speeds the engine is running at fairly low RPM, which means better fuel mileage. (70 mph = 1400 rpm vs 1800-1900 rpm for most trucks)

The negatives: Heavier than my old Freightliner by almost 5000 lbs and not as good fuel mileage.
The positives: It has much more room in the sleeper, much better pulling power and typical Western Star ride. (The best riding tractor built.) It was the first year "Stars" were built in Oregon after being bought by Freightliner/Mercedes. It was built from the remaining high quality Canadian parts.

Still with the same company, but now base plated in Tennessee.

Western Star drivers are a very silent minority on the road. We hear drivers bragging about their Peterbilts and Kenworths (considered the "Cadillacs of trucks) and we just smile to ourselves as we pass them in our "Stars". (the Rolls Royce of trucks)


eBay pictures as it sat at the Salt Lake City, Utah "Star"/Freightliner dealer. Note the snow on the roof and fenders.

The dealer arranged a "swap" as part of the deal. Being winter, I didn't want to bobtail my green Freightliner into snow country for the trade in. The dealer sent the "Star" via their yard driver the 400 miles to my house and he drove the trade in back. The driver got into our 80 degree weather and didn't want to have to go back to the 20 degree weather in SLC.

The following pictures were taken after I had put my decals and base plate on. I since got new decals because the ink on the originals was defective and ran the first time the truck was washed. The new ones are on the luggage box doors on the sleeper.

The yellow cord is an extension cord that ties the built in household electrical outlets to household power. There are also telephone and cable TV connectors under the silver cover. I added an A/C inverter that allows using household appliances like a microwave and coffee pot when a house electrical source isn't available. The short, sloped hood and set back front axle allow for a much better driver's view of the road and much tighter turning than a standard long hood truck. (244" wheelbase vs 265" wheelbase and 107" from front bumper to rear of cab at the exhaust pipes vs 132" for a standard hood "Star".) This version is the rarest type of "Star" built. Note the row of LED "chicken lights" under the door and sleeper.

The fifth wheel showing the set back I need for pulling different length trailers. The fifth wheel is shown all the way forward, which is the rearmost setting for most trucks.

The headache rack, ladder rack (a ladder makes it much easier to chain stacked flatbeds and container chassis vs climbing their frames) and 3 rear facing work lights. The cables and bracket at the top of the sleeper roof are for an optional satellite communication system as used by some companies. Just one of the many standard features on a "Star" that cost extra on other trucks.

Locking chain storage box and a close up of a work light.

What you see in your rear view mirror. Note the addition of the fender mirror to cut down on blind spots on the passenger side. The forward facing "chicken lights" can be seen on the fronts of the air cleaners. There is no excuse for not seeing this truck at night!



Some mods done in November 2008.

The front of the truck took some chips in the paint from kicked up stones. I decided to make the "Star" a one of a kind. After painting the fenders a light yellow, I added chrome decal material to the vulnerable areas along the front edges. Some Chrome pinstriping around the edges of the chrome decal material, between the yellow and white portions of the body and as a frame around my fleet number. The side shot shows the new company sign on the luggage box.

The rear of the tractor with the addition of three red chicken lights over each mud flap. This is so people can see me better at night when I'm bobtail versus having only the two center mounted tail lights. The dealer was a Freightliner and Western Star dealer, but only had Freightliner mud flaps. I painted out the Freightliner name as I got tired of trucks behind calling me a Freightliner.

I had to retire from trucking in 2014 due to not being able to pass the DOT physical any more and sold my Star. It is out earning someone else a good income now.