Question for Heartland Express Drivers

Discussion in 'Motor Carrier Questions - The Inside Scoop' started by rgreider, Mar 17, 2025.

  1. rgreider

    rgreider Bobtail Member

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    Apr 10, 2015
    El Dorado, AR
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    I am purchasing a 2022 Freightliner Cascade from Stoops in Indianapolis. They said the truck came from a fleet of Heartland Express trucks. It has 304K miles.

    My mechanic is going over later this week to take a look at the truck, maybe take an oil sample. My question for drivers is…How often were you required to do oil changes/PMs? How many miles? Were you able to confirm they were in fact “changing” the oil or merely “adding” oil.

    Trying to get a sense of the care this company takes with their truck maintenance, as they typically do 3 yr/350K miles then dump them.

    Any info would be extremely helpful.
    Thanks
     
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  3. Rugerfan

    Rugerfan Road Train Member

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  4. Opus

    Opus Road Train Member

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    I believe Schneider does theirs at 80k
     
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  5. rgreider

    rgreider Bobtail Member

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    El Dorado, AR
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    OMG, that’s insane. My current small fleet owner has us do them at 25K, but my personal mechanic is recommending 16K. Just wow.
     
  6. Opus

    Opus Road Train Member

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    Just call Heartland and ask them
     
  7. Suspect Zero

    Suspect Zero Road Train Member

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    Wow. I don't know how you could get 80K out of any oil in a DEF engine. Well, actually any engine.

    Bulkmatic was doing changes at 60K because that's what manufacturer recommended, but after 46K it would start burning oil to try and stay alive.
     
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  8. Knightcrawler

    Knightcrawler Road Train Member

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    I do mine at 20k, just because its easier to just look at the odometer and be able to know...
     
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  9. silverspur

    silverspur Road Train Member

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    Heartland has a history of keeping their trucks in top condition.

    I remember people buying them directly from the company and hauling them off the yard when I worked there 15-20 years ago.

    I saw them do a service/oil change in less than 15 minutes one time. Several mechanics hitting it like a Nascar pit crew right before closing time.
    In that regard, they are the best. The care of the trucks was the key to their success. Very efficient outfit.

    Trucks went through an inspection lane every time they hit the yards M-F 0730-430 and Saturday 8-12. Guy would pop the hood, check air pressure on tires, walk beneath it in the pit looking for issues.

    Rare issues while out on the road were fixed the same day.
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2025
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  10. blairandgretchen

    blairandgretchen Road Train Member

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    South west Missouri
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    Though worlds apart, I change oil on my 1995 12.7 Detroit based on oil samples. I added a low micron , one gallon bypass filter to it - send samples in every 10k miles. Generally I change at 30-40k miles, based on oil health. Base number (acidity) is usually the factor, mainly due to low miles on the unit/annually. (50-60k annually).

    Last company truck we drove was a 2015 DDEC 15 - and the spec was 50,000 mile oil changes, as I understand, one of the filters served as a bypass oil filter.

    Without sampling and lab analysis, oil is often thrown out well before it's safe serviceable life.

    I'd drop by Heartland with a box of donuts and have a chat with the service manager and gain some insight.
     
  11. Powder Joints

    Powder Joints Subjective Prognosticator

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    If they run High Capacity Oil Systems you can run longer, Heartland samples the oil between changes, and call so in early. The tractor I drive tractor I drive has over 350K does not burn any between changes, Get an oil change every 60,000 miles.
     
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