List Your Truck
STERLINGTRUCKS · LEGACY REFERENCE

STERLING FAMILY REFERENCE

Sterling A-Line / A9500

Sterling's A-Line carried the Ford AeroMax/HN80 highway lineage into the new brand, using 113- and 122-inch BBC identities and a broad day-cab and sleeper programme.

Highway and heavy-duty conventionalCORROBORATEDMY1998 transition through family-level MY2010 evidence
Acrylic illustration of an early Sterling A-Line A9513 day-cab tractor
Representative early A-Line A9513 day-cab visual; specifications and exterior details vary by configuration.
ChronologyMY1998 transition through family-level MY2010 evidenceFamily-level evidence; subcode endpoints may be narrower.
BBC / geometryA/AT9513 · 113 in BBC · A/AT9522 · 122 in BBCUse only with the matching code and configuration.
Precision A–H guideAMBERWithheld until one complete configuration is sufficiently sourced.
Factory paint evidencePARTIALScoped source facts only; no complete selector.

YEARS & TECHNICAL ERAS

Follow the dated evidence

Corporate production dates, model years and individual factory-code availability are not interchangeable.

CORROBORATED

Ford-to-Sterling transition

Sterling-market A-Line examples survive with Ford-origin VINs. Treat the badge, VIN and build record together rather than assuming every 1998 vehicle follows the later Sterling WMI pattern.

VERIFIED

Early HN80-derived A-Line

The factory data book documents the A/AT9513 and 9522 structure, day cabs, bolt-on sleepers and the 77-inch integrated SilverStar sleeper.

VERIFIED

HX chassis era

The HX programme replaced the earlier chassis architecture while retaining important cab and exterior continuity. HX is a technical generation, not automatically a separate body style.

CORROBORATED

Late emissions and sleeper programme

Dated sources document late engines and NightShift context. Family-level MY2010 evidence does not prove every four-digit code continued through MY2010.

CONFIGURATION IDENTITY

Codes and BBC references

IdentityReference meaningUse limit
A9513A/AT9513 · 113 in BBCConfirm year, axle layout and build record before applying specifications.
AT9513A/AT9522 · 122 in BBCConfirm year, axle layout and build record before applying specifications.
A9522Recognized family alias or configuration identityConfirm year, axle layout and build record before applying specifications.
AT9522Recognized family alias or configuration identityConfirm year, axle layout and build record before applying specifications.
SilverStarRecognized family alias or configuration identityConfirm year, axle layout and build record before applying specifications.
ST9500Recognized family alias or configuration identityConfirm year, axle layout and build record before applying specifications.

Codes, axle configuration and BBC

In the early factory structure, the appended T distinguishes the tandem-rear configuration relationship. It is not a synonym for tractor; truck or tractor use is a separate build dimension.

  • 9513 identifies the 113-inch BBC structure.
  • 9522 identifies the 122-inch BBC structure.
  • Set-Back terminology belongs to a dated configuration, not to every A-Line ever built.

SilverStar and ST9500

SilverStar began as a premium A-Line integrated-sleeper specification. ST9500 became a recognized factory and marketing identity within that relationship. Contemporary reporting says SilverStar was discontinued in 2002; this does not establish a different exact titled model-year endpoint.

Powertrain evidence by period

Early factory material and late HX-era material describe different engine and transmission sets. Series 60, MBE, Caterpillar, Cummins and later DD15 evidence must remain attached to the dated configuration that supports it, not merged into one all-years availability list.

OWNER / BUYER CHECK

Identify the individual truck

  1. Record the complete A/AT four-digit code and BBC.
  2. Check whether the VIN is Ford-origin during the transition or a later Sterling WMI.
  3. Identify day cab, bolt-on sleeper or integrated sleeper before applying dimensions.
  4. Treat HN80 and HX as chassis evidence; confirm visible equipment separately.
A–H DIMENSION GUIDEAMBER

Precision graphic intentionally withheld

Sourced BBC or wheelbase figures may be useful, but they do not complete an A–H reference. No missing width, height, overhang, frame or fifth-wheel geometry is inferred from artwork or an adjacent Sterling family.

RELATED RESEARCH

Continue with connected references

L7500101-inch vocational and distribution conventionalL8500Mid-heavy vocational conventionalL9500Heavy vocational and tractor conventionalEngine researchIdentify the installed engine before applying service or rating dataTransmission researchDecode the installed manual, automated or automatic familySterling manufacturer historyCorporate chronology and family mapSterling specification libraryAll published Sterling families

EVIDENCE REGISTER

Sources and reference scope

Reviewed September 16, 2026. Each source remains limited to the stated year, vehicle, document or configuration.

SRC-STERLING-0001Daimler Truck North America historyDaimler Truck North America

Ford heavy-truck acquisition in 1997 and Sterling corporate lineage.

SRC-STERLING-0002Sterling Trucks launched with three modelsFleetOwner · March 1998

Launch timing, St. Thomas production, Ford lineage, launch families and BBC values.

SRC-STERLING-0003Sterling celebrates its 100,000th vehicleHeavy Duty Trucking · October 2003

First truck in February 1998 and St. Thomas production context.

SRC-STERLING-0012Daimler Annual Report 2009Daimler

Sterling production cessation and St. Thomas closure in March 2009.

SRC-STERLING-00161999 Sterling L/LT and A/AT Data BookSterling Trucks / DTNA archive

Primary model codes, BBCs, dimensions, weights, components and paint research.

SRC-STERLING-00231999 Data Book introduction and registration dataSterling Trucks / DTNA archive

A/AT and L/LT configuration matrix, ratings, VIN chassis coding and Sterling WMI.

SRC-STERLING-0025MY1999 A/AT9513 factory sheetSterling Trucks / DTNA archive

113-inch BBC, 4x2/6x4 columns, tractor equipment and SilverStar sleeper specification.

SRC-STERLING-0026Ford HN80 bill-of-material recordDTNA eComponents Ford archive

Ford predecessor configuration and model-code continuity into Sterling.

SRC-STERLING-0029MY1998 Sterling A9513 transition vehicleRitchie Bros.

Transition-era Sterling-market vehicle carrying a Ford-origin VIN.

SRC-STERLING-00412006 Truck Round UpBeverage Industry

Contemporary A-Line/L-Line BBC, rating, engine and transmission snapshot.

SRC-STERLING-0048Transport Canada recall 2011236Transport Canada

MY2008–2009 A-Line/L-Line population in a DD15/DD16-related recall.

SRC-STERLING-0068New Sterling chassis yields new optionsTruck News

HX technical changes and retained cab/body context.

SRC-STERLING-0071Sterling shows new sleeper and 13-litre dieselFleetOwner · August 2008

SilverStar discontinuation, NightShift, late A-/L-Line and DD13 planning context.

SRC-STERLING-0091L-Line/A-Line Maintenance Manual STI-383-1Daimler Truck North America · October 2008

Late service-era confirmation of A-/L-Line family and four-digit identities.