Moving from Freightliner to Peterbilt

Not in reliability. OP should download some App's for hotels they like to use they're going to need them when the emissions issues start.

 

The 579 climate control, use that AUTO button and set at the desired temp. Without using the AUTO temp setting you’ll only get two temps....ice cold or fire hot. Pete’s never did blend cab air very well but the AUTO function seems to work well.

I also came out of a Cascadia to a 579. It’s a much more solid truck, smoother ride and doesn’t wear you down at all.

The mirrors are much bigger and yes the low beams are downright criminally dim. You can’t see gators or debris on the road worth a darn. You’ll see, when a car passes you. As they’re beside you, their headlight field will dwarf yours to the point you can hit the intermittent flash (forward on the left column stick) and you won’t even notice.

Is yours an automatic? This is my first one in several years and they have improved to the point that I don’t even miss shifting. The PACCAR transmission is flawless. It never gets lost or wanders, knows when to hold a gear for a good pull, skips gears when needed and is acceptable on acceleration and deceleration. Slow from 70 to 35....punch it and it’s gone. When you’re MT pull back on the right column shift and it will start off in third gear. Will hold that configuration until you either push the stick forward or restart the truck.

Check engine lights, mines been on for 30k miles as well as the service wrench light. There’s no code and it’s been reset numerous times and comes back on within 8 miles after a reset. They should really work on that. Must be a software glitch.

Just turned 178k on mine and got it with 33 miles on it. Only issue I’ve had was Peterbilt being unable to perform a software update. Turns out the ECM was fried. They replaced it and it’s run fine since.

 

The one Auto I had was tuned to the engine. When it's time to make a upshift or downshift, right about when I am reaching or moving foot to make it happen, it does it. As long it has a manual mode for holding a gear up or down all day in the mountains it will do well.

As far as the lighting, the old incandescent are a era gone by. IF you can upgrade those with probably a LED etc you will do well. Ive got a old truck which will receive modern lights because the factory view at night is not adequate vs the modern lighting I was used to. Plus reduces the battery drain.

 

And you'll need them that PACCAR motor is a piece of shet. It's ok if you're company but don't ever buy or lease one.

 

Having driven an earlier company Pete with an MX, most of the problems I had with it were emissions system related. If it weren't for that, that engine pulled nicely. Better than the other Pete they assigned to me with a Cummins.
Company 2018 579 (MX) I drive now (driven since new, only driver) hasn't had any problems at all.

 

I am lucky to have an APU. I run up to North Dakota every week and will run the APU down to around 0 degrees. Below that and I will idle. I always have to plan on getting up an hour earlier than usual so I can perform a parked regen.

The first trip out with the truck I had to idle due to below zero temps. Of course no regen required. The second night I idled I had about 8oK miles in the truck and had to do a 45 minute regen. Defiantly keep that in mind.

 

I think all new trucks are pretty much the same. I prefer KW. Pete’s are good too. One thing I HATE about freightliner and western star is that tight gear box. It kills my shoulder. I don’t know what it is, maybe the limited range of motion but it sucks.

 

Cascadia destroys 579 in turning that is the only difference.