What is a Sterling?

[RUSSELL5000]

I was walking back into the building from lunch yesterday when I noticed a C&C truck with a flatbed parked by the entrance. Looked like a 3500. It had the Cummins "C" badge on the fender. Something seemed different and I stopped and looked harder and noticed that the body styling of the front was different somehow; the grill was also different. Then I noticed there was no ram badge in the grill - it said Sterling. I did a web search on Sterling truck, looked at the website. It looks like they make medium duty trucks on up; nothing like what I saw.



Anybody know what this truck is?



When I was at the TDR ralley at CMEP in Columbus, IN, it was mentioned on the tour that the 6. 7 engines were also being supplied to Freightliner. Never heard anything about Sterling.



Thanks.

 

[WCPoe]

I searched a came up with this from the Truck Trend site: http://www.trucktrend.com/features/consumer/163_0708_chrysler_sterling_dodge_ram_pickup/

 

[Wayne M.]

I don't know the exact model name of the "Sterling Ram" as I call it, but I consider it a Daimler Chrysler miscarriage. There are a few running around, and NYC was real close to getting some. I actually have a small cardboard promo toy of one. They were sold through freight liner dealers. If you've ever seen a Mitsubishi pick up/ Dodge Dakota twin, you'll get the idea. Basically a Ram C&C with a different grille and badging.
I'm sure M Wilson will chime in on this.

 

[EB]

The truck you saw was either the equivalent of the Dodge 4500 or 5500. Sterling is no longer being made, I believe they were bought out by Freightliner. Most of the Sterling trucks were class 7 or 8 trucks not the class 4 & 5 like the 4500 & 5500 Dodge trucks. The ones you saw are identical trucks to the Dodge with the exception of the sheet metal.

 

[mwilson]

Rebadged Dodge is all that they are. Different grille, badges and cosmetic trinkets. Same under carriage and sheet metal as the Dodge.

Orphaned when the Sterling nameplate was dumped by Daimler.

Mike.

 

[Missouri Mule]

Freightliner who is owned by Mercedes bought out ford truck division and renamed it Sterling.

Don`t remember if it was heavy duty or med duty or both.

 

[TFucili]

Freightliner who is owned by Mercedes bought out ford truck division and renamed it Sterling.
Don`t remember if it was heavy duty or med duty or both.

IIRC it was the Louisville trucks that they made under the Sterling name when Ford opted out of the heavy truck business.

 

[Wayne M.]

IIRC it was the Louisville trucks that they made under the Sterling name when Ford opted out of the heavy truck business.

We have a recent Acterra (sp) medium, which was a spinoff of the Louisville and it uses an old style Ford aluminum key. Funny how things go 'round.

 

[JDinNY]

The truck you saw was a Sterling Bullet, built by Dodge for Daimler AG when they decided to enter the medium duty truck market.
As others above have stated, after the 2009 my, they no longer are produced.

 

[crispyboy]

I know somebody who has a 2008 Sterling which is used as a service truck. If he needs service where would he go? Dodge, Cummins or private shop? Is this a case where only Dodge can work on the ECU but Cummins Insite would not?

 

[AH64ID]

Serving them is a nightmare. None of the Steriling dealerships are setup for it, and Dodge won't touch them. My FIL used to work for a company with a few of them.

Like the GMC/Chevrolet pickups of the mid 90's they are identical except for the badges.

 

[JDinNY]

Our freightliner dealer works on ours

 

[AH64ID]

Our freightliner dealer works on ours

Good to know it's gotten better.

 

[sg5054]

Last Sterling i remember was a 50's vintage tandem axle tractor. Chain drive rears. Came to the heavy equipment dealership I worked at to pick up an excavator. We loaded that and and that old girl walked away with it like it didn't exist. That was back in 1979.
I think I just dated myself... ... :{