What kind of truck setup for the oilfields ??

I already drive now... lol... I've been watching oil prices and stuff for some time now.. If things get better then I may go buy a 2nd truck and run it myself and put someone in my dry van... depends on how things go..

 

One thing you might want to check on is the age of the truck the company you lease onto will allow before you make the purchase. Some crude outfits will not accept a truck older than 8 years regardless of the miles.

Also lease roads will be rough on your rig so have some money set aside for maintenance before you get rolling. I have spent over $50K this year on maintenance alone.

As for what people are driving, I would say Petes and KWs dominate our area. I see O/O go for some Freightliners but probably because they can be picked up for less $$$. I see very few Western Stars and even though I've always heard Macks hold up well to abuse, I don't see too many of them either.

 

You dont see many because Volvo owns them now.

This is our 1999 CH set forward axle. 242 wb, 24.5 rubber, mack 18 and 4.42 mack rears. 44k not sure of front.

 

W900 and old Petes hold up really well. Since Pete and Kenworth are pretty much the same now doesn’t matter

I’m driving a T680, almost the only one in ND.

T880 is a favorite behind T660.

So kenworth has the title of oilfield truck for now

 

My vote would be for a heavy spec Western Star 4900 with a pre emmisions CAT or Detroit.
46k rears , 18 spd, high logger type front bumper with H rated 24.5 rubber. They’re built like tanks, sit nice and high for better ground clearance , and they ride nice. My second choice would be a similar KW T800 .
This is ours. I’ve driven them all in the last 32 years and this truck is a tank. They all break , but This truck is the toughest I’ve driven and hauls 107lb ,500 miles a day and goes off-road in landfills up to its axles. Never snapped an axle or broke a rear and it handles the weight
Very well

 

Do you recommend air ride or spring suspension?

 

Air ride . Spring ride truck is a rough riding truck . Trailer it depends. I remember someone who got into hauling water about 9 years ago. Supposedly he was told to spec a spring ride tank trailer. He bought an air ride tank trailer and not soon after getting into it he rolled over on a lease road. He was a very experienced driver used to hauling 117k lb loads with a quad axle trailer previously. I'm not sure if the air ride tank trailer had anything to do with it or not. I remember guys saying it did, but I don't know personally.

 

You are right. In north Dakota my company paid 25 hour. Their Texas locations only paid their drivers 17 hour. I wouldn't waste my time in the patch for that crap pay. Frac crews in Texas were working for 14/15 hour. I guess it all depends what you came from, like construction or service industry job back home for 10 bucks an hour 15 must seem heavensent.

 

Exactly. That's what we used logging. That truck is set up for offroad.

 

Nah that was operator error. 13'6 high cement pumps, top heavy as all get out. Same with blenders, pumps @ 100-105k all air ride. I've been in new mack pinnacle's, stay away. Pete 367's and T800s were tough as nails. The schlumberger Pete's had 12/40k, 4.88 rears, heavy driveshaft, 8LL and 230wb with the low air leaf? Not sure if that's the correct term but the bags were short. Rode better than the T800s with 8 bag setup. 23,000 LB and 35,000 with empty pneumatic. Rode hard and put away wet.

The 99 ch has 1.3 million and rides straight and smooth. Had a tag axle on it when we got it, did heavy work its whole life. Its not spec'd for otr.

Don't buy a fleet truck and expect it to hold up