Best and Worst trucks

If it all checks out, I’d just buy it and run it. The”typical” injector problem might never happen. No reason to do an engine swap if it runs well. If it does crap out, I’d get a good thorough diagnosis, and an estimate to fix it. Before doing a swap. If you decide to do a swap, or a major conversion, I would get hard numbers, and how long the truck will be in the shop, earning $0.00. You should include lost revenue in any scenario. Along with the costs of each.

I’ve been watching Jpaydirt on YouTube, he’s been changing over a Cat, he’s very familiar with Cats, because his construction equipment is all Cat. He also has a nice shop to work in. The problems he’s run into with various components are unbelievable. It’s winter where he is, so no lost revenue.

Here’s a good episode, there are more on this project.


When I see what problems an experienced mechanic can run into, wow (Not the word I’d like to use, but don’t want a TTR violation)

And would an outside shop have the same amount of patience and care, they’d probably say “good enough”, he doesn’t.

 

I used to hate computers on cars, because I didn't know #### about them. I then bought a Ford van with a blown motor. I replaced the motor hooked up all the crap in the engine compartment.

When it came time to test fire it, I turned the key expecting it to turn over a few times but instead it instantly fired up and purred like a kitten.. Never in a million years would a old distributor and carburetor moter do that.

 

^^^ THIS ^^^

How a truck was originally specced is EVERYTHING.

You can spec a truck with a heavier frame, strong engine with plenty of horsepower and torque, with a drive line capable of handling that power, or you can "go bean counter" and go with a light frame, low horsepower, and look for maximum fuel efficiency.

I frequently drive trucks for a variety of companies on a "drive away" program. The worst original spec is a certain company that serves the oil industry. They have trucks that need to pull up to 110,000 gross weight on dirt roads with grades north of 20%. ALL their trucks feature 350 hp engines with about 1350 fp torque. It's complete idiocy. The only saving grace is they dialed in 4.15 rear axles to help get up those hills. On highways up to 6% grades at 110,000 lbs we frequently have to get into low range on a 10 speed. It's a slowly moving hazard on the road.

 

Best and worst trucks are you basing it on looks, performance, ease of use, economy ? I drove a Freightliner Coronado for the first time the other day it drove well, was very user friendly, also drove a Scania the other day it was a great truck to drive the Auto shift on it worked perfectly i'd have no problem purchasing one. I have to agree though inters are low on my list of favorite trucks.

 

Lol @pulling hills in low range. That’s bad man.

I got a 7% 2 mile grade I drive a lot. At the beginning is a freaking stoplight. So from a stop I still make it to like 6th or 7th in a #### Volvo at 80k. D13 is actually pretty solid @450 hp.

 

One thing not mentioned here is how much trucks have lightened up .
I can axle 46000 with my cascadia full of fuel under a newer 53ft reefer .
30 years ago 46k was max with my 85 fat cab Pete 352 under a 48ft dry van .

 

The best trucks are anything made by Paccar from about 1970-2004.

Those trucks, from the 1990's especially, were made to last forever. They weren't made with "planned obsolescence" in mind. They were made to last 1 million miles and keep going after a rebuild to the motor. They are solidly built and built intelligently (i.e. simply and with common sense so a driver could fix it on the side of the road if necessary).

Paccar these days designs things by committee and a team of engineers and never consult neither a mechanic nor a driver. They also use cheaply made parts and components from non-American sources. They cheap out so they can increase profit margins on the initial sale, and in the long run profit even more from the increased service time spent in the shop fixing complicated systems.

The CAT 6NZ, Cummins N14 and Detroit Series 60 motors are the pinnacle of diesel truck motor design. Nothing since has perfected diesel technology as well for, excuse the pun, "long haul" as these motors have. They put out big power and run a million miles with little more than regular oil changes and the odd gasket or rod (Cummins like to blow rods).

People always complain about Peterbilt or Kenworth fans being up in their face about how much better those trucks are from the rest... but there WAS a reason for it. Paccar made a very high quality product that lasted forever. Now they are just trying to scam truck owners like everyone else.

 

the block on the n14 is a bit different from what I understand. They tweaked it a bit so it can handle 525hp and even then the 500hp version seemed to last longer

 

That sounds like somewhere in WV...I've dealt with that more than I care to remember along 19, 33, and several other routes through there.

(And that Pilot at the 146 up near Morgantown...eesh. I know there's worse ingresses/egresses out here, but that one is particularly annoying.)

 

Nah it’s in Wisconsin. You cross the st croix river and it’s just a 2 mile pull out of the valley after the light.