Those pick-up-truck-trying-to-be-semi things...

Discussion in 'Expediter and Hot Shot Trucking Forum' started by Disgruntledriver, Jul 1, 2014.

  1. RenegadeTrucker

    RenegadeTrucker Road Train Member

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    You know the freight a lot of these guys are moving is what on a class 8 truck is considered a partial. So you are taking a partial load and making a whole load out of it?

    Call me crazy but a pickup pulling that load isn't going to get much better fuel economy than a big truck, quite frankly I don't see the money in it, and I have seen a lot of these guys go belly up over the years.

    Just because you see these guys out there in new trucks don't believe the hype, there are a ton of financing options to get you into a truck these days which if you ask me winds up more in the territory of predatory lending, but they are having to do it to keep the auto companies afloat. That is why people are buying these 60,000.00 pickups, they are also getting 8 year loans on them.

    Consider if you run an average of 400 miles a day 5 days a week 50 weeks a year That is 100,000 miles a year on that truck and trailer, that means on an 8 year note the truck will have 800K on it by the time it is paid off.

    Ever seen a pickup with 800K on it?
     
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  3. cnsper

    cnsper Road Train Member

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    I can tell you from our experience that we had a 2011 Dodge 5500 with a 44 foot gooseneck. That required a class A license and in 1 year I had 3 level 1 inspections. Probably because they have less to look at. Passed all of them of course.

    Now for the pulling power, we would gross 40-43k on this setup and were still legal but at times stopping could be an issue. Especially when a speed goat (antelope) or swamp donkey (moose) tries to commit suicide. Pulling mountain passes at 25 mph or less. It would get really hot on these hills in the summer to the point that I rolled down the windows and turned the heat on full just to keep it cool. The dodge does not have a big enough radiator in my opinion. As for fuel mileage, 10-12 mpg empty and around 7.4 loaded with 20k in tires. The back seat is not a legal sleeper.

    There is a niche for them but it is much smaller than the normal freight.
     
  4. BrandyJo

    BrandyJo Bobtail Member

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    Actually, they changed the regs and now the backseat can be legal to sleep in (logged off duty not sleeper). Check out the current 395.2(4)(I), it now allows off duty in a PARKED vehicle. A normal backseat is not comfortable, but I've seen some guys take the seat out, use wood to build a platform and store stuff under, laid a sleeper mattress on top and poof "sleeper", just not legal. They do have conversion kits as well for pick ups to turn them into legal sleepers. As far as this being feasible as a money making deal, it's possible IF you can manage it right, get on with a good hotshot company, or have your own guaranteed customer. I have worked for 2 hotshot companies now, I've seen some guys who had contact customers and their own authority go belly up when they lost that customer. Some got lucky and got on with us before their equipment got repo'd. My guys make good money but I've heard many horror stories about other companies that did them wrong. Always check the reputation of a company before you lease on to them. If anyone is interested in the new rule, here's a link to the FAQ on the FMCSA website.
    http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/faq/what-other-changes-are-there-hours-service-rule
     
  5. Passin Thru

    Passin Thru Road Train Member

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    Actually the Cummins VT903, a V8 engine was neither too heavy or a shop queen. We ran them on a team freight run from OKC to LA or Sea and they were the perfect engine IMHO. The reason Cummins quit putting them in trucks is the military demanded all of them. You could hang 2 turbos on one and make it a 650 HP engine.
     
  6. 201

    201 Road Train Member

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    Hi passin' wow, you're one of the 1st people i've heard that had anything good to say about the 903. I know, Schneider had 903's for a while, in their 4070 Transtars but went with the 290 BC, and had much better results.(according to drivers I talked to years ago) Most, me included thought the 903 was better boat anchor, than a truck motor, along with that crummy 3208 Cat. Mack made a decent V-8. Again, some had good results with both 903 and 3208, but for me, 6 in a row, makes 'er go.
     
  7. chalupa

    chalupa Road Train Member

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    [QUOTE="semi" retired;4109438]Hi passin' wow, you're one of the 1st people i've heard that had anything good to say about the 903. I know, Schneider had 903's for a while, in their 4070 Transtars but went with the 290 BC, and had much better results.(according to drivers I talked to years ago) Most, me included thought the 903 was better boat anchor, than a truck motor, along with that crummy 3208 Cat. Mack made a decent V-8. Again, some had good results with both 903 and 3208, but for me, 6 in a row, makes 'er go.[/QUOTE]

    Careful dog, your dating yourself talking about those 2800 rpm V8's and 290 BC's. Mack made a heck of a V8 too. Old Latin boy had one in a RS700L hooked to a quadraplex. Kept up with my V8 Cat / 13 OD / 3.90's....no problem. Heck of a dog.....now if we could only bring back torsion bar suspension.....
     
  8. Florida Playboy

    Florida Playboy Road Train Member

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    Ever since Shipping Wars come on the air everyone wants to get into the pick up truck and goose neck trailer business. I wouldn't waste your time.
     
    browndawg and loose_leafs Thank this.
  9. SHO-TYME

    SHO-TYME Road Train Member

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    Here's a few things to consider.

    I like the ones who go out and buy a $50,000 dually but won't by a $15,000 class 8 single axle, when in 3 years they'll both be worth the same amount of money.

    Fuel and Oil filters cost MORE for my 2006 6.0 Ford than my 2000 3406E CAT.

    When I pulled my 2 car enclosed, my Ford got 9 mpg and the Pete got 8 mpg and that's with an engine almost 2.5 times bigger. 6.0 vs. 14.7, now tell me which engine was more efficient.
     
    clausland Thanks this.
  10. passingthru69

    passingthru69 Road Train Member

    Hey now I guess I'm getting old also. I drove an old 4070 with a 903 nothin. Hated that motor. Liked the shiny 290 better. And I even ran a Kw. 1974 w900 with torison bar. As long as you greased it the proper way I liked it...
     
  11. 201

    201 Road Train Member

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    Hi passinthru69, guess we're gettin' off the subject a little, but since we're here, the 1st TT I drove with a friend was a '77 dubja900, with torsion bar, we called it "torture bar" suspension. Kept breaking shock absorbers off. For a KW that thing rode rough.
     
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