The journey begins - purchased a truck.

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by blairandgretchen, Dec 10, 2014.

  1. stranger

    stranger Road Train Member

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    That would be the way to go. I wouldn't run it inside the box and expect it to last very long.
     
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  3. blairandgretchen

    blairandgretchen Road Train Member

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    I will take a picture from the rear, underneath the trailer. You'll see it has plenty of breathing room from there.

    Glad I remembered the choke control and added a hole to fit my hand through - and for the gas shutoff - it's recommended you shut the gas off until it runs dry.

    Remember - it's only for 12-16 weeks of super hard LS owner operator running . . . what, about 7 nights out !?!?!?
     
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  4. blairandgretchen

    blairandgretchen Road Train Member

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    That was the plan - crack the front open , it'll still deflect a rain storm.
     
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  5. Terry270

    Terry270 Road Train Member

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    The best thing you can do for it(and every small gas engine) is to treat the fuel. My father in law is the Grasshopper and Husqvarna dealer for our area and 90% of his service work is cleaning carbs and fuel systems due to this horrible ethanol fuel we are forced to use. Crazy to see 2 year old mowers come in that won't start due to gumming up of the fuel system.
     
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  6. dngrous_dime

    dngrous_dime Road Train Member

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    Run premium, it has more "pure" gasoline in it. It's also better to run the higher octane in small engines.
     
    blairandgretchen Thanks this.
  7. Terry270

    Terry270 Road Train Member

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    It wouldn't matter, the problem is with the ethanol. On top of the fact that you are better off adding one ounce of additive to a 5 gallon gas can of 87 octane than you are paying for 93. Ethanol free gas is 2nd best option but again more expensive and usually not easy to find
     
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  8. stranger

    stranger Road Train Member

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    Premium won't run as many hours as regular in a small engine. Not enough compression to burn it well. I worked as a small engine mechanic for a good while. The non adjustable carbs, everything plastic, and sorry gas has ruined all new small gas engines. EPA crap in other words.

    My weed trimmer is 25 years old, hedge trimmer is 18, and lawn rider is 16. I dread when I have to get something new like my sons have. None of theirs runs right after a season or two.
     
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  9. Skate-Board

    Skate-Board Road Train Member

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    I think you missed a 10 before that price. That unit is over $10,000.
     
  10. spyder7723

    spyder7723 Road Train Member

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    That's why he said it was more than the 399 harbor freight gas gen.
     
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  11. Gr1zzly

    Gr1zzly Bobtail Member

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    May 20, 2016
    Currently: Brisbane QLD
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    @blairandgretchen
    Thank you for this thread mate. I read all 160 pages of it and have to admit, I'm looking forward to getting back into driving in the US.

    I've wanted to own my own truck for a long time, since I was a kid being taught to drive a twin stick Mack.

    Had a play around with Direct Freight Services Load Boards today, and decided to have a go at trying to calculate how much, based on just the advertised payrates (I'm guessing those are to the truck, if there is another cut in there, it really is going to throw out my calculation) I could earn a week in my own truck.

    After 1 week, Monday to Friday, the results was as follows:

    Monday: Silver Creek, MS - Halletsville, TX (549 miles Total DH+Loaded) $1300 TTT ($2.36 p/m)
    Tuesday: Houston, TX - Augusta, GA (1067 miles Total DH+Loaded) $1500 TTT ($1.40 p/m - seriously, Old Man is right, don't go to TX...that was the best load I could find coming out)
    Wednesday: Allendale, GA - Cove City, NC (392 mile Total DH+Loaded) $825 TTT ($2.15 p/m)
    Thursday: Phillly, PA - Montdale, PA (174 miles Total, sure you get the rest) $550 TTT (3.16 p/m)
    Thursday: New Haven, CT - Haverhill, MA (340 miles total) $650 TTT ($1.91 p/m)
    Friday: Palmer, MA - Bradford, VT (252 miles total) $450 TTT ($1.78 p/m)

    End of week, hit the reset.

    Totals: 3221 miles $6375 TTT (avg $1.91 p/m)

    Noticed a couple of things:
    1) Stay the h3ll out of Texas unless you know people...really, really good people.
    2) Get too far north and the rates start dropping again (unless you know people, I would imagine?)
    3) Not a single one of the 'brokers' was rated above 100. I'm guessing that is not a good thing?

    I would think a triangle would have been better, but with the limited information I have available on hand here, I think I might be able to work it out when I get there and get a few miles of US soil back under my belt driving, I may finally have a go at this O / O stuff, since it got put on hiatus when I married an Aussie.

    Lots of fantastic advice and insights in this thread, and I'd like to acknowledge everyone who contributed, but especially for Blair putting himself out there, Old Man for giving sound advice and DY (that thread is next).

    This is a fantastic forum. Can only wish we had something like this back in the 90's when I was running. Would have been great.

    Keep up the good work Blair. Best of luck to your S-I-L, prayers and thoughts with all of you. Hope the CFO is doing better with the feet.
     
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