Rears

Talked to the engineers at Western Star. Their consensus for what I want to do is to go with the 10spd OD with 3.08 rears. They say I should be turning 1350 at 70mph. Will lose a little pulling power, but with the light loads it shouldnt be a problem.

 

I drove mostly 10 speeds for 35 years. I had a few trips in 13s, 5s, 7s, spent a year switching between 9s and 10s every night which gave me the tendency to go direct from 4th to 6th skipping 5th in a 10 but it worked for me for that year and I still do it. Super 10s, which frankly I just drove like a 5 speed. I took a KW with a 13 for a test drive the other day and frankly I wouldnt have one. so dont even go there. I used to ride with my dad back in the 60s - he had an 18 (or was it a 16? I was pretty little) speed 2 lever. Oh, and drove an automatic for a few weeks which frankly led me to quit being a company driver and go out and buy one. That was 2 years ago. Paid off the truck and got enough in the bank to spec out one purpose built for me, the way I drive, the loads I haul, the lanes I run, and write a check for it. I am almost 63, plan to retire in 4 years so this will be the last truck I drive (God willing).

Edit:
Just a sample of what I typically do:
I load out of Minneapolis, on friday. Leave sunday night. Go to Ft Wayne, unload, go down to Indy and load, and Im home tuesday morning. I make $4000 (after fuel) for that 2 day run. And frankly, thats all I need. And sometimes I will find something short going to Chicago and back during the week for about $3k for this 2 day trip. But I usually just do the Ft Wayne - Indy - home turn. Ive been doing that for about 8 months now.

3 weeks ago, I took a load out of Minneapolis (6000 lbs) to Marco Is, Fl (100 miles south of St Petersburg). Around 1600 miles. Parked the trailer at a tradeshow for a week so I spent a week bobtailing around Florida doing the tourist stuff. A week later, took my 6000 lb trailer 1600 miles back home. Made $12,000 for the run. (and Im going to be doing this one again in Feb, but to Orlando this time)

I work smarter, not harder...

 

I bought a used Freightliner knowing I would only keep it a year or 2. I wanted to make sure it was what I wanted to do before I jumped in with both feet.

I have only owned 5 cars in my life. The first was a beater in highschool (68 Cutlass S) that only lasted a couple of years, but I had a 75 Maverick for 11 years, 86 Thinderbird for 11 years, 97 Thunderbird for 17 years and now own a 14 Mustang. So yeah I keep them forever also. But this one I only plan to keep 4 years because thats all the longer I pan to work. If I work longer, then the truck will work longer too