The journey begins - purchased a truck.

True. However, no mega fleet I know of has installed Scan Gauge or a Boost Gauge to give any idea of instant feedback on how you are driving. Nor do they take the time to teach efficient driving methods. Then as a result they get foot stomping cruise controllers that have no skin in the mpg game. At least Prime gives a fuel efficiency bonus, so that's a start.

 

They did tell you that you have to give the TWIC card back if you become mentally ill or become involved in terrorist activities.

Stay sane, you will need the card.

 

I always thought a person had to be mentally ill to want to drive a truck.

 

Great thread, really enjoying reading. Keep us posted

 

Dad-gum! Very nice and informative thread, thank you to all who have contributed and to Brian for detailing his adventures. Just read all 38 pages. Perhaps Lifetime will turn it into a drama movie or something? LOL

I have to say, as one who is actively looking to purchase a truck and get on with LS (again), after reading about test strips, dynos, charts and graphs, coolant colors, blinky lights on trailer dump valves, #17 screws, mpg and boost gages and a whole crap load of everything else mentioned herein, I feel completely unqualified to own a truck now. I've been driving two years and haven't heard of most of that stuff. I know there are coolant colors but not why it matters although I know more now thanks to the posts here, and I've heard of a dump valve but not a blinky light to go on it or why we want one. How much of this stuff is really necessary to know? I don't like the idea of continuing to be a company type driver (co driver for an O/O) but good heavens. I don't want to be an idiot owner either. Am I being an idiot to think I can own my own truck now?

FWIW: Most of my two years is flatbed team. I was the "other driver". Less than 6 months was solo and I had about 8 months of drive away doing the piggy back loads - a whole different ball of wax entirely. Flatbed was Prime and CRST.

 

Follow up question: If a truck is advertised as "recently overhauled" - is that the same as an "inframe" and if not, what do each of those mean? ~sigh~

 

Same thing. But if it doesn't have warranty papers on the inframe (or overhaul or whatever they want to call it) then it did not happen. No matter what they tell you. No paperwork on the engine work, then it didn't happen. Because if you believe everything everyone in this industry tells you, well, then you should know how that usually turns out...

Another thing to keep in mind not all inframes are equal. Even if you have a 2 different trucks with platinum inframes done by CAT. They both will be different. Some things will be the same and some people just go with the standard because it's cheaper that way whereas others might go above and beyond replacing other components as recommended or if they think it necessary. The latter would normally be someone who intended to keep the truck. Your standard platinum consists of new water pump, new injectors, new head, new liners, etc, etc the hard parts of the motor that is standard with that kit.

However one truck's owner may have decided to replace other components, like perhaps the camshaft and oil cooler (which are not part of a platinum inframe replacement) Or maybe one owner decided to replace the radiator and/or CAC. Or maybe one had a new turbo and the other didn't. These things will all be spelled out in the work order, or "paperwork", on any given inframe. Now if a shade tree mechanic done the inframe this paperwork might be sketchy at best.

 

If they give you paper work you need to check serial numbers because some truck dealers are just like used car dealers and have been known to use the same overhaul papers for several trucks.