Owner operator specd?

I just love giving you Volvo guys a hard time.

And sure it rides nice, You spend as much time on the recliner while its kn the shop as you do driving it. And it can't get out of its own way

 

Well you are right.....I do spend more time in my recliner than driving it. But, it sure does look all nice and shiny when I look out the window!

 

Problem is, that O/O spec really means little, because few O/O even know how to spec a truck for maximum performance balanced with maximum economy for the particular application they are using it for. I have yet to see "O/O specs" in a truck being sold that I would buy. Gauges, seats, stacks, etc are just look see stuff and have no real bearing on whether the truck really has "O/O specs". You can have more dash gauges than the space shuttle, but if they are monitoring the wrong engine/tranny/drive train combination for the application, they really don't mean anything.

 

^^^^^ I disagree with that statement 100%. Most o/o's i no that spec a new truck myself included spec it for the application there useing it for and for the best performance. Now if you just go buy any new o/o speced truck of the lot then yes it might not be the best speced for that particular o/o as the dealer speced it out. Guys like myself who haul heavy and go off road are more worried about haveing heavier rears, high HP and plenty of gears matched with the right rear ratio which might not be the best mpg set up but its best for what we are doing. For all the extra goodies, i sit in the truck all day long so i want the best i can get and all the extas like the dual exhaust and air cleaners plus all the extras help the resale value to.

 

I'm not an o/o but my boss has some nicely spec'd trucks and some bare bones trucks.

From my standpoint I like chrome and all those goodies but they don't matter nearly as much to me as the following:

A GOOD SEAT, im there between 12-16 hours a day
GAUGES, I like to know whats going on with my truck so the more the merrier

 

i make sure mine are spec'ed to the way i want it...HP with Gears and trans to match the HP..Comfort and yes some chromie dohiggies...lol...i go with a full gauge package and best type of seats out there... I figure if my rear end has to be in it then im dang sure its gonna be done my way...

 

But that is my point. O/O specs, as I define them, are not about seats, chrome, and such. It is about the engine, tranny, rears, etc. I can gloss thru Truck Paper and other online stuff, and it is rare to come across something that looks like it was well thought out. I see an awful lot of the same 'ol, same 'ol engine, tranny and rear end ratios. Sure, I like a good seat and plenty of gauges. But the other consideration is this, what O/O are we talking about? One that just wants a big nose truck with enough lights and chrome to look like a rolling casino? Or the one that is operating his truck as a business. That doesn't mean you give up power, it means that everything is spec'd for maximum efficiency for the operation. I gave up on anything available that was what I needed for my operation (including those advertised as O/O specs.... whatever that is supposed to mean) and spec'd out and ordered the truck that would be the best fit for me and what I do.

And from the comments some have made on how I spec'd it out, I am sure that it will be with me for a long, long time. Definitely outside the norm of what would be considered O/O spec's by most. But it is 2000 lb lighter than my current truck, is over 500 hp, and driven right it will not only be able to walk a hill pretty well with 46,000 in the box, but also pull off high 7's fuel mileage without breaking a sweat. I have never, never seen any truck for sale on a lot or online that is spec'd the way I did this one, unless all one is looking at is the interior and whether there are two stacks or one.

That is why I made the comment that O/O spec's has little meaning and is too broad of a statement. It is just a catch phrase to get a potential buyer to take a second look. I have had dealers try this with me, I take a look, and laugh and walk away. Throw a lot of bells and whistles and lights on something and you will always get a nibble.

 

Cowpie,

So what are YOUR O/O specs?

 

Detroit DDEC IV, 12.7, 500 hp (until a few changes, then 600 hp), Eaton 18 speed, 1850 clutch, 1850 driveshafts and u-joints, 2.79 rears (operating primarily in 16th direct for maximum pulling efficiency and fuel economy and still have splits into the basement for heavy loads in back country), Meritor 11mm Aluminum axles housings with dualtrac and lockers along with inter axle lock. And a lot of little things from what specific brand of brake chambers, slacks, wheel seals, etc. Sitting on wide based 0" offset wheels (the DualTrac has special set bearings and allows switching wide base or traditional tandem with minimal bearing wear using either type) with low pro 22.5 rubber. And, of course, a mid roof. Can't stand a condo and when I decide to unload it, there is a far bigger market for a mid roof than a condo. Dual stacks out the back with Walker Megaflow mufflers. Arctic insulation package with premium noise abatement package. Frame rail and undercarriage premium prepped, painted, and sealed to minimize corrosion. All while being 2000 lb lighter than my present ride.


I guess the interior could be considered the generic O/O specs.... more gauges than the space shuttle, more cabinets than my kitchen, built in fridge, surround sound theatre stereo, etc. Delivery from manufacturer set for early July.

 

You were able to order a new DDEC IV 12.7 L engine in your truck?