2015 Cascadia OTR Performance

Discussion in 'John Christner' started by Aminal, Nov 8, 2014.

  1. Aminal

    Aminal Heavy Load Member

    You might be onto something there, but I'm thinking more on the lines of Detroit. I still got a bunch of gripes about Freightshaker's plastic wrap around solid Detroit guts.

    Maybe something along the lines of: "Dddddeeee-Coast, and THEIR logo. LOL.

    Unfortunately, Chrysler bought Detroit a few moons ago so we will never be able to separate the Lamprey form the Shark. Sigh.
     
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  3. Aminal

    Aminal Heavy Load Member

    OH NO!!! DARLA DEAD!! She won't start!! Maybe she's just sleeping!! YUP, that's it. Just had a liiittle too much additive and is sleeping it off. Daasss all it is.

    [Aminal walks around kicking tires - HARD] "GET UP MULE!! UP Girl, UP! We got a pick-up; now get (kick) your (kick) lazy (kick) butt (HARD kick) UP!!" OW! That one hurt my foot, and I wear Timberland Pro's with the composite Safety toe!!

    Nope. No go. Maybe carrot instead of stick. [singsong voice] "I gotta treeeeeaaatt for yooouu! Lookey here. INJECTOR cleaner!!Hmmm? Niiicee? Wont THAT feel good? Smells GOOOD, don't it? C'mon Sweetie Pie. Wakey wakey!"

    NOPE. "Stubborn arse !*#$%^&&*()() MULE!!! Just LAY there!! Nobody cares!! It's a Loves!! I got unlimited showers and refills. Just sleep your stupid lazy arse away. I'll call dispatch and tell on ya! Hmmph! THEN I'm calling Breakdown on ya! Lazy Heifer!!! Yeah, I called you an unbred COW!! You're actin' like a COW, not a MULE!! Now GIT . . . . UUUUPPP!!!"

    Mules being mules, she's still asleep. Waitin' on 'Mater to come drag us to the Haines City, FL dealership and get the vet to get her woke up . . . sometime tomorrow (now this - I just moved this post here) morning. Lost a good load over it. Road service can't help. It's too deep in the electronics for Mater. Plenty of juice in the batteries, it's a starter won't recognize the signal from the ignition switch to engage thing. Being an Autobot I can't just pull start her and leave the engine running til I can get to fixing it. Ran two weeks w/o a working starter on my old Pete back in the day cause I pull started it and just didn't let the engine die til I got to a shop (Boss was a notorious cheapskate and I was too new to know better). Not Darla! Somethin's ka-schnizzle in her electronic fizzle and she ain't gonna budge til Mater gets here to take her to the Vet!

    How much Y'all wanna bet it's a little internal fuse or something in the Neutral Safety Switch? Something like that! A 25 cent electronic thingie shutting down a beautiful $150K thingie!! At least it's warranty. Mater fee too, since we did it the way we are gonna. Don't help lost revenue, though. This type of thing was my only legitimate fear in signing on Darla as an Autobot. Can't pull start 'em and then make do.

    OH well. It is what it is. Have a good one Y'all. Looks like I'm about to get to know Haines City, FL a little better than I ever intended to. Who knows? Maybe it's cooler than it looks like from cruising by on Bloody 27. Most y'all prolly too young to remember that nickname. Some from FL might. Bloody 27 was what connected Ocala and Miami, running through the Glades and Cane Country, before 75 and the turnpike got done. People would absolute fly on it and it was a main trucking route. Many a Trucker lies in the belly of the gators and moccasins on Bloody 27. That's why FHP runs enforcement so hard there now. Folks tend to forget.

    Sigh. Nite all. Mater will be knockin' early. Be safe and have a good one.

    Edit: Mater still ain't here, but it's early still in Sapulpa. Gonna be interesting when he does show up. Swifty is parked in a cheater spot next to the scale and Mater is gonna need that space. He's been there most of the night. Others keep coming and going next to him too. I'm taking note of those drivers when they get out in case I have to go find them in the store when Mater shows up. Yeah, lesson learned. I'm usually real good at anticipating where the cheaters will pile in when the place gets full, and I park so the late comers won't be blocking me when I roll. The thought actually DID cross my mind but was immediately followed by: "It'll be allright. It's Saturday and you'll be rolling tomorrow AM and Darla's brand new. I'll indulge in the close spot for the long Saturday break. I can squeeze by a scale parker." Famous last words. I can, but Mater w/ me in tow won't be able to.

    That's OK, you know what they say: If you have to park on the yellow lines, don't get mad when you get woke up to move.
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2015
  4. JackTheWhack

    JackTheWhack Light Load Member

    50
    28
    Oct 31, 2012
    Eagle River,Wisc
    0
    Were you idling for a long time...? Mine did the same thing out in Three Forks MT..I Idled for 7-8 hrs because it was -25 and then shut it off for a bit. Never started after that...dealer said the def system loads up real quick and if you don't ReGen manually ..it will clog up fast and just choke out the engine and halt everything.....just my .02 cents Good Luck...at least you're not farther North...Hell of a snowfall coming.
     
    White_Knuckle_Newbie and Aminal Thank this.
  5. Cranky Yankee

    Cranky Yankee Cranky old ######

    15,317
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    Jan 31, 2012
    Green Bay Wi
    0
    sitting in Lemoore CA at Leprino foods
    must be a big spot for you guys
    looks like a JCT drop yard
     
    Aminal Thanks this.
  6. DenaliDad

    DenaliDad Retired Wheel Dog

    They're all waiting with bated breath, eyes glued to their computer screens, to see if Aminal gets Darla started...
     
    Aminal Thanks this.
  7. Aminal

    Aminal Heavy Load Member

    Amen on the North thing. If ya gotta be broke down in February, Florida is a nice place to be. LOL. Weather is like picture perfect. No. I have an APU and I don't idle when I stop. Nothing or APU when needed. I just got to the motel here and what the initial run the F/L Tech did w/ his computer produced a fault report that just kept printing, and printing, and printing! Then the weirdness started. "Have you removed any fuses"? "Yeah, a couple of the 12v power outlets stopped working. I checked the fuses, they were blown and I replaced them, w/ the same amp fuses that blew." "But did you remove any fuses"? "Um, Yeah. (fighting sarcasm REAL hard). I removed the blown ones and replaced them with good ones." "But did you remove any and leave them out?" My inner smartarse was screaming in my head: "WHICH PART OF REMOVE AND REPLACE ARE YOU NOT GETTING?! IS IT THE REMOVE OR THE REPLACE?" However, since this communicationally challenged Vet has dear Darla's central nervous system opened up and in his hands - I Said: "No Sir, just removed and replaced the blown ones for the 12v. power outlets. Put the blown ones in the trash and new one's of the same amperage in the slots the blown ones came out of. Power outlets working fine now. Wasn't hard. The diagram is clear as to which they are, and no offense, but I have had to do this w/ every Cascadia I have had, and these were in the exact same slots as my 2012. Why?" "You got some fuses missing." "Well, whatever is missing has been missing since I got her." "That's impossible. They are the one's keeping it from starting and I can't find them anywhere."

    At this point, little alarm bells are going off: "Danger! Warning Will Robinson! Mischief is afoot! Proceed with extreme caution!" I'm thinking: this guy is trying to get outta warranting the fix. Turns out he's not. Him and the other guy (service writer - long hair hippe Dude I can actually relate to) show me. Sure enough, those fuses ARE missing. One in particular is a kill for the starter, but there are two others that power whatever. "Has anyone been in your truck (from Chuck the retro hippie)"? "No, not since PM Service at our shop and I doubt some mischief maker broke into my truck while I was taking a shower, unscrewed the glove box and pulled a couple fuses, then replaced the glove box just to mess with me; and I have driven her since I replaced the fuses I replaced. Whatever is missing has been missing the whole time I've had her." He laughed and said; "Yeah you'd have to have like a stalker freak that knew exactly which fuses to pull and been watching you a long time. Gettin' in wouldn't be a problem. Most all Freightliner keys fit most all other Freightliners." "Yeah, don't think that's the case. Most folks that want to mess with us reefer drivers either just break the seal on the trailer so we have to go through a bunch of crap (which we don't - we just note it in a message and re-seal it), or pull the fifth wheel handle, or shut the reefer off or change the temp. Not too many into B&E and undo the electrical from the cab creeps out there. Yeah, don't see that as a real possibility." He laughed and said, Yeah me neither. Oh well (Darla starts) hey. Whatever man. That was it! now Dude's gonna run some tests and try and see why whatever went whatever and you got a situation with the electrical. Got the symptom fixed now we gotta get to what caused it. Then we'll do the drawer." I didn't mention that the slide out "desk drawer" slid ALL the way out the other day and into my hand and my laptop came tumbling out, and the spring in the handle latch sprung out, and little BB size ball bearings from the slide rollers went all over the floor. Thankfully, my laptop was not damaged but I haven't been able to get that danged drawer to fit right or slide right and have had to fight it and since I figure we are here anyway - fix it now. I use that drawer all the time. So, we gonna get that fixed too.

    See, here is my big gripe with this whole capturing a market with buyouts thing. Detroit has, and still does, put out a marvelous system. But it's married to Chrysler now and can only go into a Chrysler product. The days of Dodge ruling the Daytona 500 and King Richard sliding that Charger of his sideways across the finish line, and Mopar meant SOLID and POWER went AWAY after Lee Iacocca took over and nursed them back to health by going to a "disposable vehicle" (remember the K Car series - this from the man that ran Ford's Mustang program?) mindset. So now we got a fantastic engine and drivetrain with super sophisticated electronics integrated into and wrapped up in Chrysler plastic and Freightliner's "first, fast but half @ssed" assembly lines which lead to ALL manner of electrical glitches in integrating with a quality engine and drivetrain OEM, as well as stupid simple $#!+, like a freakin' slide out drawer not mating up and working right. Perhaps Daimler Benz bailed and sold Chrysler back to themselves for more reasons than just financial, though they still collaborate. That world record setting MPG big Freightliner truck is in EUPROPE and built by . . . BENZ. They share technology, but I think Benz put some serious yardage between them and Chrysler as to actually building production vehicles because of the way Chrysler just slaps it together on the assembly line. Prolly a lot more to it than that, but a dollar to a donut says it was a big factor.

    Anyway, Darla is back awake and I, at this point - please Lord don't make me fight - believe everything will be covered under Guarantee and Warranty.

    LOL. Well, Dagum! You didn't see the little three diamond logo on the lower bottom right of the sign to the truck entrance? You know the only reason you got in was cause I called them in advance and told them to go ahead and let my Pal Cranky in. I'd say you're welcome, but you prolly won't be wantin' to thank me when you see the delivery time and load note: LEPRINO LOADS CAN NOT DELIVER EARLY. DO NOT CALL RECIEVER TO ASK.

    Yeah, Cranky, we do a lot outta there and it looks like a drop yard cause it kinda is. Leprino is sorta' the opposite of Tyson. Leprino puts WAY too much time on the loads and they won't let us do our do and finagle an early delivery. So we let them sit til they are "ripe" and ready to roll straight through without us sitting on the delivery end. Sometimes the place gets a little too full and we'll have someone pick it up out their yard and drag it to ours and we'll let it sit there for the right delivery situation. If you could get Leprino and Tyson together and mix their brains on how to plan a load you'd be right about right for what we can do and stay rolling. As it is we have to repower a lot of Tyson loads and sit on a bunch of Leprino loads so us drivers can keep moving.

    I mean as soon as Chrysler QUITS engineering the magical disappearing critical fuse!!! I tell ya WHAT!! Nah. Done preachin' to the choir on that passage. Good Grief. $2500 missing fuse. Really? Ok. Really done w/ that now.

    OH, ho, ho! Funny Driver! ME? Nope. I'm the black sheep of the family. Barely tolerated in particular threads cause ONCE in a great while I actually come across descent. LOL. I'm just a cavalier rapscallion, the evil twin brother; Any bated breath holding is more likely to be waiting on me to go away.

    They were waiting on Cranky to get there. Like I said; I made some calls. Well, had some calls made by proxy. If they'd have know it was me it woulda been a no go on the big show for him. :biggrin_25523:

    Seriously, though; You guys are the bomb. Make my life out here a lot nicer than it used to be. Props to all. :coffee2:
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2015
  8. Aminal

    Aminal Heavy Load Member

    Not much happening w/ Darla. Freightliner is trying to say (trying Hell - they said it) I pulled fuses out and that is why the truck wouldn't start and charged JCT so JCT had to charge my escrow. Kevin in the shop is gonna go to bat for me cause their claim is so crazy, but we are not hopeful on getting them to admit the problem is actually in QA at the FL Mexico plant running these things through first, fast and HALF ARSED! and it's in the robotic CIRCUT BOARD punching at manufacture.

    So, no warranty and I am currently out a grand cause FL is . . . FL and the POS company they are. Their problem is they messed w/ the wrong Aminal. I have ALL intentions of suing Haines City Florida Freightliner in the Polk County Court of Original Jurisdiction. Small Claims. Rules for evidence and representing one's self are REAL loose and you can actually get a Judge to L-I-S-T-E-N!! We go there ALL the time. No problem for JCT to get me a load there come Court date. I ain't letting this go! Sometimes business is personal and these jackarses have made it personal and I will throw good money after bad just to have my day in Court on this one. Watch and see. Kevin will go to bat, FL will deny and I'll sue the Dealership.

    I'm gonna put a pickle on the platter and it WON'T be my Kosher Dill. Bet your next month's settlements on THAT!!
     
  9. Cranky Yankee

    Cranky Yankee Cranky old ######

    15,317
    209
    Jan 31, 2012
    Green Bay Wi
    0
    oh dont hold back tell us how you really feel
     
  10. FLATBED

    FLATBED Road Train Member

    I'll sue the Dealership.:biggrin_2554: Be prepared for poor service from FREIGHTLINER after that your VIN # will likely be BLACK FLAGGED in their system
     
  11. Aminal

    Aminal Heavy Load Member

    Me is just a shy widdwl Aminal . . . NOT! Next up at the plate; Conspiracy Theory, with Planned Obsolescence on deck. LOL. Made me mad, Man. Mad as Hell and I ain't gonna take it no more mad! Made me feel like they stole a grand of hard earned and hard saved money right out my pocket.

    Poor service on warranty (or anything else for that matter) from Freightliner???!! Say it ain't so Driver! Already at THAT stop! Lol.

    My biggest beeyatch about this Mule has been that they took a remarkable and superb engine, transmission and drivetrain and then wrapped it up in Chrysler plastic with a fancy and cheap (don't confuse inexpensive with cheap) Red Freightliner bow . . . made outta Chrysler's plastic red tape! Disposable! Oh well. I got a PLAN!

    Yup, yup, YUP!!!

    Pay her off and . . .

    GLIDERIZE!! Heart transplant back into Paccar!!

    Only problem is that by then California will probably require that all trucks burn carbon dioxide and produce pure oxygen as the exhaust gas. That'll be fine. Aminals be FWEXIBWLE . . .

    as well as a little shady, sneaky and some other characteristics not normally laudable but vital to small guy survival in that whole David and Goliath fuss we are in, in this industry.
     
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