Cummins ism 410 3.42gears pulling flatbed

a lot of drivers put a lot of miles on old 220 cummins, and did ok with that.

 

Measure twice. Cut once.

I guess the main selling point on this truck is the price. Flatbed loads can be quite heavy (steel, lumber, pipe, roofing shingles,...etc). Other loads can catch alot of wind (containers). Plus, there are the Appalachian Mountains running through the easter freight lane (eastern Ohio, Pa, Wv, Va, NY, TN, NC, North Georgia and North Alabama). For a city truck/ 3 state regional, I guess it would be fine, but for a road truck, no. 410 HP is low. Lower than the average fleet truck on the road that was spec'd by the big fleet beancounters.

I always reccommend to my guys looking at trucks to go with minimum 475 HP for best performance on a road truck. The gear is fine and the tranny will work...I just think the HP is too low. YES, you can make it work, but buying something to make it work is not a good idea for an O/O. Lots of drivers will go out, and buy the typical doorslammer spec'd fleet truck, turn her wide open, 430 HP/10speed/3:42s, put beacons lights on, and try to rub elbows with me. On the other end of the load, I wind up spending $500 less in fuel on 1 load.

You can buy a stronger truck for the same amount of money. Fleet trucks are extremely cheap.

 

ISM is a good engine but the most expencive injectors, more expensive then M11 and N14.

But fuel milage is better the ISX

 

Thats a similar setup to what I drive. Mine is a 1998 t8 with a a 370/400 M11, 13od,22.5, 4.33. 6 to 7 mpg at 60 mpg up and down I81 in NY and PA. I wouldn't want less gear.

 

I have no experience with the engine myself but it should work, you will just be slower from a stop and won't be able to hold speed as well as others going up hills. My dads first truck was a 237 mack and he would joke that you could take a nap going up hills. Its a pissing contest now with engines for some people. Does everyone need 500+ horsepower. No, but they want to beat everyone to the top of the hill.

 

With 4:33 gears, you can change the rotation of earth. You could just about pull twice the weight that OP would be able to.

 

I personally think 500hp n-14 Cummins is not enough to containers. Get a good 60 load and a good grade you'll find yourself doing about 35 coming over the top of that hill.

 

I would rec. going with bigger engine. The most HP you will get out of that engine is 425 if I am not mistaken. I would find an ISX set at 475 or higher or a C15 set at 475HP.

KH

 

18 grand try it you can make that back in 6 weeks,