2013 Columbia spec'ing

No problem. I have a standing policy that I do not go west of I-25, No East of I-81 and north of the Mason Dixon line, and no Florida. Has worked well for over a decade and see no reason to change. I primarily run Nebraska to Ohio and stay north of I70 for about 90% of my runs. Every once in a while I take one that gets out of that upper Midwest area. But there is a lot of freight that moves in that area and I stay pretty busy.

Oh, and states cracking down on it. That isn't an issue. The truck is a perfectly legal 2013 truck with the 12.7 pre-emissions engine. Only California has implemented regulations over and above everyone else, except for some east coast ports. The engine will pass the emissions standard for the year that it was made. That is the national regulations. With a glider kit truck, the emissions requirements are tied to the engine, not the truck.

Nice to be able to take advantage of one of those loop holes that everyone hollers the corporations are able to do. I get to bypass 2013 emissions and I get to avoid the 12.5% Federal Excise Tax. What a country!

 

Eaton doesn't make a remanned direct drive 13. Don't really need a 13 that much. With the 13 I have now, more times than not I am shifting it like a 9.

To answer the other about 13 double over vs direct, a direct drive will get 11-15% more efficiency than an overdrive. There is a lot of wasted energy when in overdrive. A direct, in the top hole, is like having no transmission at all. Driveshaft is turning same speed as crankshaft. Instead of something like 3.55 or 3.36 for an overdrive, using a 2.64 for the direct drive. Equivelent road speed for the direct with 2.64 is the same for over with 3.55.

Yeah, the 2013 year thing confuses me as well. I guess that by the production date of March-April 2012, the plants are already on a 2013 model. I guess that is the competition between manufacturers on who can get the next model year out the soonest. What a crock.

 

There are a lot of carriers that spec 2.64 rears behind ISX's and Detroits with 1650-1750 torque ratings, and even their goofy drivers are not blowing them up. I don't plan on trying to make my Series 60 put down 2150. Bruce Mallinson at Pittsburgh Power has no problem with 2.64's behind even power boxed series 60's. In fact, he also recommends running a direct drive tranny for most folks. Of course, a special application requires something different. I would think of it if I was pulling logs, oil fields, or some other hard application. For general freight, no problem. Just about anything will work when the driver drives the truck properly.

 

Evans lasts as long as the engine does. Of course, when you rebuild, you would replace the coolant. On Evans website, they have a video of a truck owner that has had the same coolant in for well over a million. And that is with him running 215F thermostat and 230F or 240F fan on. Never have to add any SCA's or other junk.

As far as the gauges go, not quite sure what Fitzgerald is doing. I spec'd the Signature interior, which is the best interior package available on this truck. Gauges all have chrome bezels.