W900 vs 379 (Not a pis-sing match)

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by WREN, Nov 22, 2019.

  1. Rubber duck kw

    Rubber duck kw Road Train Member

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    Cab and sleeper are both air ride. I've asked the old guy at KW in Sioux Falls he said he'd never done that to one or seen it done. Those little closets can go away for all I care I don't use them anyway. I just don't want it look like a hillbilly with a sawzall did it when it's done, which is what it would look like if I tried it.
     
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  3. Bean Jr.

    Bean Jr. Road Train Member

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    I really think it is a personal preference, and components. I mean a 379 with a 13 speed and emissions exempt would be better than a W9 with a 10 speed and egr motor.
     
  4. Muddydog79

    Muddydog79 Heavy Load Member

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    Do not get the w9s if they have an ag380 suspension. Rides rough.
     
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  5. w9l

    w9l Medium Load Member

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    I have an 05 379 with singled out acert, 18spd , 3.36 eatons on 280"wb on flexair. Flat top 63" unibilt. And also a 93 flat glass flt top 60" W900L that has been in the family since 96. It is a 3406c mechanical with 18spd 3.70 eatons on tall 24.5. 265"wb. I prefer so many things about the simplicity and engineering of the W9 vs the Pete. Both trucks put down close to 600rwp. The Acert just had a 35k inframe and conversion and doesnt smoke a bit. The KW will definately trail black smoke til it gets spooled up good. But it also uses about 18% less fuel than the Pete. The Pete flexair is awesome unless you try to exceed its limits in the wind or a sharp corner. (we pull bullwagons) The KW definately rides firmer but will handle oops situation with better control. I am only 5'8" 160lb but have to snake myself around the seats and such to get in the bunk in the Pete. No problem in KW. Less legroom in KW no doubt. One of these days I am gonna put Unibilt opening in the KW. Storage is better in KW. HVAC better in KW. Especially in bunk. KW has a thermostat on wall in bunk and cycles ac when set. Pete just keeps getting colder til you wake up with frostbite. KW has 6" straights with small muffler under cab. Pete has 7" with long drop elbows and mufflers in both stacks. I have added several dollaars and pounds of insulation to both trucks and at typical highway speeds the KW is about 6 or 7 decibals quieter in the cab. The pete doors are much harder for me to keep sealed up and rattle free than the KW. The pete clutch linkage appears to have been designed by an 8th grade girls track team and wears out aluminum arms and such routinely. The KW has never had linkage issues or had reason to adjust linkage in 1.6 million miles. Linkage had minimal wear. The KW has electric pw and the Petre has air windows. The electric is slower but more dependable. Here is another weird thing- sitiing in the Pete I can barely reach the dash, much less wipe the glass off in a sudden fog up. The KW I can reach the dash, glovebox door and windshield with very little effort. Another thing is I can almost stand up in the KW bunk. When you step in KW bunk the floor is probably 4"below the level of cab floor. Oh, don't get me started on the Phillips screws vs the Torx. And one more thing, the Peterbilt guages are in general just a guess and I have spent fortunes trying to correct that with factory guages, senders and harness. At best the needles are very hard to see at night. Finally went with Scangage and worth every penny. The KW had an issue
    e with coolant temp gauge and grounding and I switched it to oem mechanical 20yrs ago and no problems since. Sorry for being so long, but you asked... To me the old KW wins hands down...
     
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  6. Long FLD

    Long FLD Road Train Member

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    That’s how my W9 was. Personally I’ve never seen it done with independent air ride like that. TriState put the big hole in some of their A models and they built a subframe under the cab and sleeper with 2 shocks and 2 air bags at the rear similar to a Peterbilt.
     
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  7. Rubber duck kw

    Rubber duck kw Road Train Member

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    Only way to do it I've thought of is like that, build a frame that both cab and sleeper sit on.
     
  8. wore out

    wore out Numbered Classic

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    No mention of rear suspension......or what he is hoping to get done with it. Doesn't matter opinions are like butt holes and most of em stink. My hangup with a W9 is the clutch is hung from the top instead of up through the floor. It's all in what your used to
     
  9. Tall Mike

    Tall Mike Road Train Member

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    No sir I do not.

    Old style sleeper definitely cuts down on the leg room. I started out in a 1989 T600 but I was a lot younger then. I wouldn't fit so good in one of those now !
     
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  10. Dino soar

    Dino soar Road Train Member

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    But I thought Peterbilt was supposed to be the best truck ever made? I thought Peterbilt Trucks hold up better than every other truck isn't that true? But it says Peterbilt on the hood!

    Sounds like a POS to me.


    But I thought Peterbilt Trucks were supposed to be the Best made trucks. I thought Peterbilt was supposed to be the mark of excellence and perfection. You mean there are other trucks designed and engineered better? It must be good! it says Peterbilt on the hood!

    Sounds like a POS to me.


    Now come on! You're telling me that Peterbilt, the king of trucks, the super ultimate, the greatest desired by all, the Nirvana of trucks, is so uncomfortable that even a smaller person is uncomfortable in there. But it says Peterbilt on the hood! It must be good!

    Sounds like a POS to me.


    What?? What??? You mean there are better trucks that are made better, function better, designed better then a Peterbilt? But those are the very best trucks ever made! The guy at the truck stop counter told me that! But it says Peterbilt on the hood!

    Sounds like a POS to me.


    Now this is just getting ridiculous! Do you really expect anyone to believe that Peterbilt, the name Peterbilt, that stands for the ultimate, the very best that you can buy, the very best in excellence, can't even keep you warm? Really, that sounds like a pretty basic function of what a truck should do. It must be good! it says Peterbilt on the hood!

    Sounds like a POS to me.


    But, but, but... all of those things poorly made. All of those things wearing out and so poorly designed. All of those extra expenses and headaches and repairs. Peterbilt is the stand-alone name in trucks! It says Peterbilt! It must be good! It has to be! It says Peterbilt on the hood!

    Sounds like a POS to me.


    So let me get this straight. The trucks are uncomfortable, designed poorly, rattle squeak moan and groan, old time Air windows, water leaking into cab, can't even keep you warm at night, and something as important as being able to read your gauges Peterbilt Can't Get Right.

    Can someone remind me again that this is the very best truck ever made that is incredibly ridiculously obnoxiously overpriced because it is supposedly the absolute greatest highest quality that you can ever purchase... Can someone remind me that again?

    So the marketers have actually taken something that you would normally flush down the toilet and rebranded it with an enormous price tag on it...

    Sounds like a POS to me
     
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2019
  11. Long FLD

    Long FLD Road Train Member

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    Thankfully in this country we’re still free to choose what truck we want to buy.
     
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