We're getting new trucks!

[LKTraz]

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We're finally replacing our 2006 Macks. Mine has almost 614,000 miles on it (I'll reach that before the end of this week). So far we've had 4 trucks shit the bed, including my old cab (393.....I'm now driving 236). One of them tossed a rod through the block, mine and another spun main bearings and the other one snapped a connecting rod.

The new ones have 460 HP high torque Detroit Diesel engines that come with a ONE MILLION mile warranty

We're also doing away with the crummy "auto shift" transmissions. They are essentially a manual transmission that the truck's "control module" shifts for us with electronically triggered solenoids. Great big piece of shit that system is!

Instead we will have traditional 10 speed manual transmissions.
(What a relief! )

Here's what they will look like:



Yeah....they'll be white. Tough to keep clean but WTF, they are nice and new and lack the shitty electronics that the Macks have. The dealer rep told us we should have no problem getting fuel mileage in the low to mid 6 MPG area while they are breaking in and should get high 6 to low 7 MPG after break in. Depending on length of haul we might even see mid 7's. The current Macks get 5 to 5.5 MPG.

The fuel savings alone will be significant and the lower maintenance costs will help out a bunch too.

Due to the imminent replacement of the Macks, when NY reinstated the need for HUT stickers (Highway Use Tax) we only purchased 5 since they are NOT transferable from truck to truck. When the new ones arrive we will get at least 10 and dispatch guaranteed me that I will be one of the drivers getting a truck with one.

This will let me pick the loads to Fredonia, Dunkirk and Colonie NY back up! Those are 3 of the best paying runs since I can complete them and return the same day. Other runs in that pay zone can't be completed without staying out overnight and losing a run for the next day so the pay must divide over 2 days with only 30 bucks added for the overnight

The only other run I can turn like that is to North East, PA (Erie area) and there's only 2 of them going each week so they are doled out to several drivers on a rotation.

Most of the trucks I've driven have been Freightliners so I'm kinda partial to them.

I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas waiting for delivery and getting my new ride!

[twisteroo]

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Sweet, do you get to paint your name on the door or put those girly mud flaps on it or anything?

[ralgith]

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My dad has driven mostly Freightliners with Cat diesels... and all of those have been great trucks. And they're usually pretty comfortable too. I went on several long hauls with him, and the Freightliners were the best with the one old Pete being pretty nice too.

[LKTraz]

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Sweet, do you get to paint your name on the door or put those girly mud flaps on it or anything?

Nah......we don't get to customize anything much except the stuff we put in the cab and then there's only so much we can do. I mean we COULD do the mudflaps but I really wouldn't spend the money on a company truck.

My dad has driven mostly Freightliners with Cat diesels... and all of those have been great trucks. And they're usually pretty comfortable too. I went on several long hauls with him, and the Freightliners were the best with the one old Pete being pretty nice too.

I've found that Freightliners are designed with the driver in mind. Their cab layout is the most convenient and comfortable and all the controls are placed for maximum accessibility with minimum effort.

The new Kenworth T 700 cabs are nice but some of the controls are not placed well. Same goes for the new Peterbilts. But then again KW and Pete are both built by the same folks....PACAR.

I was never a big Kitty Motor fan though. I've gotten the best results from series 60 Detroits and Cummins N 14's.

Even though the DD 15's we are getting are in the 460 HP range, they are supposed to act more like the old 70 series Detroits. Those were the infamous 600 HP "Black Motor" owner operator engines. They accelerated like a car and pulled like there were NO hills anywhere!

It is supposed to be in the next 4 - 6 weeks that we'll hit the road with them so it's just a bit more of a wait to see what they will do on the highway.

[twisteroo]

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When they assign you a truck is it "your" truck, or do they let other people drive it?

[LKTraz]

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It's essentially "my truck". BUT.........if we have a couple trucks go out of service at the same time they might have someone else use it for a day if say I'm on vacation or have a day off. They try not to do that though. We have a couple of spare trucks but every once in a while it happens that they need to use a driver's truck.

[ralgith]

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The Cummins is probably my Dad's favorite engine. He's never been a fan of the Detroit Diesel though.

[Twitchin Kitten]

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Congratulations LK! It's always nice to drive a new ride no matter what it is.

Last time - last week to be exact - someone from the company drove his truck. The whole right side is now smashed in. How didn't he see the big cement pole?
At least this time it wasn't his fault.

[LKTraz]

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I'll bet your dad was the victim of the old 318 Detroit. If it "hiccuped" when you were cranking it and didn't catch it they would start but be running backwards. Sucking air from the exhaust and spewing exhaust (and crankcase oil) from the air cleaner. If you let them do that for too long, say bye bye to the engine.

D D has really gone on a different tack from those old engines.

My absolute fave engine though was the N-14 Cummins. Particularly the "Celect Plus" model. 470 HP factory set, easily able to get 500 HP with the turn of a screw and they could get to 545 HP with a change to a bigger injector pump.

They had GOBS of low end torque for climbing and would run for weeks on end without being shut off with no damage at all to them. I ran one for 16 days straight due to a bad alternator and had no issues.

[ralgith]

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Yeah, my dad never owned any of his trucks so he got whatever the company had. And he probably was a victim of the older models as you suggest... he's been driving truck since he ended up in the motor pool in the army back in the early 60s He was born in February of 1941, so hes probably retired by now... I wouldn't know since I haven't spoken to him in 10 years thanks to my cunt of a step mother. Oh, and his weakness to let her make such a decision of course. But, last I knew via other people he was still driving for an Oil Company (hard fucking work) out of Alma, MI... and that wasn't quite 2 years ago now.