Recommend a new-new truck for crude oil hauling

First don't get a truck with any fairings..they will be destroyed either by the rocks, ground ripping them off etc...out of all of your choices..I'd take a very hard look at the KW T800 or the 880.. That's what I normally will buy because they are just built tougher than a Pete..as for a mack..be sure you have a good dealer around to take care of you if needed...strange that a mack diesel and all others are different.. Most Cummins mechanics don't know how to work on a mack engine for some reason..as for an automatic ..OK..look at an Allison..about 10 grand more..but very nice..and doesn't weigh that much more than a manual and clutch..as for a sleeper..you are probably paid by weight or gallons..so if you aren't living in your truck or gone for weeks at a time either a small sleeper or get a motel room..its not so much the sleeper weight as all of the junk that one puts in the sleeper..just in case they need it,.oh and look at a heavy 40 rear ends and full lockers..also don't get to low of a rear end ratio..like a 3.77 as that dirt does get wet and turn to muddy. Or maginese chloride..you will just love that when they put that on the roads for dust control...good luck

 

I would forget about the Mack since you stated that you wanted new. I would also forget about the Pete. Just my personal preference. I would think about the Western Star and Kenworth. My personal preference is Western Star. I first started driving a 2001 with an 82" stratosphere sleeper with full tanks, CAT motor, chains and headache rack came in around 22k in weight. They are both good trucks and I would also double frame the portions where the torque stress is placed on the frame like above the rears where the torsion bars bolt to the frame.

Ground clearance is needed so 11r24.5 tires is a must. Also get rid of that flimsy POS bumper and put on a real one that is made of square tubing and will hold up to hitting something. Heck I hit an elk last fall and it did not even scratch the bumper. You do want your pull point installed on the front of the truck, you will get stuck at some time.

There is a lot more that I would put in a truck but if I were to order one today for what you are doing, it would be a Western Star mid roof xt with a 2004 pre emission detroit straight from the factory. Yes you can order with one of these. So you have a new truck with a factory rebuilt and warrantied motor without all the sensors to go bad in the mud and water you will encounter.

Under the hood, most trucks are all the same but I like the Star for the interior room that it gives you. But I would not turn down a KW with the same specs.

 

do NOT buy an over the road truck, get the heavy frame, full lockers, no aerodynamic additions, front pull points, heavy bumper, and a local dealer than can repair it. Personnel preference, no auto, as the mud and rain, turns the roads to terrible messes. Fuel mileage will be bad no matter what, since the truck has to idle while loading and unloading most of the time.

 

T-800 hands down it's what Phillips66 uses for all our tanker trucks, crude and fuel hauling they hold up very well.

 

ok my company has the t800 with the coffin sleeper if thats what it is and its a great truck...way better than the peterbuilts even though the turning ratio sucks

 

Kenworth is slowly replacing the T800 with the 880..They claim the turning radius is a lot better...

 

Those are our new trucks and god they are ugly. hahaha

 

the only thing bi like are the flat floorboard instead of the sloped ones can the 800..and if you get a sleeper.no sun visor.

 

Why on earth would anyone working the oilfield be looking for a new truck??? get a peterbuilt glider or an old truck and sink some money into it. That new truck will be down within the first few weeks.