Help me build my first new truck as an owner operator!

You guys are getting ahead of me with tranny's. I'm actually buying used but, am trying to develope a blueprint criteria for what would be the best overall truck for me! I have actually driven both a T600, T2000, and an International with a pro sleeper! The --it spreader is out of the question. The advantages to the T2000 over the anteater are in interior cab width and a little more fluid lines to cut threw the wind. I'm still not sure what commodity I will be hauling, so I think it best that My truck be a Mid-roof in case I end up running flats. Also I live in a municipality and it will be easier to get a Mid-roof down my street. I have also driven a Freight shaker Mid-roof and I had to stoop while standing. Also the deeper the bunk the better! The T2000 fits the bill perfectly. I was told a long time ago not to buy a truck with less than 400 HP. I prefer CAT's and Detroit's. A Cat motor seems to have more power than the Detroit with like HP ratings, but Detroit's hold their RPM's well and fall into gear! My question is this, at what point above 400 HP will I begin to lose fuel efficiency? 450, 475, 500, 550, 600? That shaker Mid-roof I drove had a 475 Series 60 Detroit, and my pro driver reflected nearly 7.5 MPG average!

 

75", but I didn't know you can get a T600 with 86 inches!

 

I dont know what size my bed is, but i have to say its too freaking big. I sleep with a coleman cooler and I never even roll into it in the middle of the night. The T2's just didnt seem all that large inside to me. But then again my favorite truck of all time was a 2006 flat top century. I don't like alot of useless space. Which is why I love my t6.

 

You most certainly can get an 86" studio on a t600. I have 10 of them varying in age from '01-'07 model years. I have also owned a couple of T2's in the past, and sorry to burst your bubble brickman but, a t2 with identical specs will do .15-.2 mpg better than a t6. You are absolutely correct though that a t6 is a much more driver friendly truck.

Bronc, the cruising rpm has a whole lot more to do with the rearend gear ratio than it does with the tranny. All of my trucks do 65 mph at 1350 rpm and I have ten speeds in all but one of them. To be even more specific, I have ten speed direct drive trannies, not overdrive. But in order to make a direct drive functional, you have to be very careful with gear ratios. The direct drive ten speed is the most fuel efficient tranny available, that's why we spec them. You can also take any truck to a dealer and have them change the ecm settings(any with an electronic motor that is) to MAX fuel efficiency. What this does is limits the rpm on every shift to the proper limits to force the drive to shift progressively. 99% of the trucks on the road today do not have the ecm set this way because crybaby drivers would scream bloody murder about driveability of the truck. Once you get used to driving a truck in that way though, it is tolerable and you will reap the rewards in fuel savings.

OK, I'm done rambling and being a smartazz. My opinions are usually viewed as minutia anyway.

 

Just to get back on topic I have already choosen the make and model, the info in this quote is what I'm after, then I'll move to tranny, then rear end gearing and tire size!

 

It really depends on what model year you are looking at. If you are looking to buy a "pre-epa" motor(early 2003 models and older), then Detroit is the most efficient motor at any HP range hands down. By the way, when the EPA mandated the new '03 motors, the fuel economy went in the toilet. It has steadily increased each model year but there hasn't been a motor built since '03 that can touch the fuel efficiency of a pre '03 Detroit.

For the newer EGR motors, Cummins has caught and possibly surpassed Detroit in efficiency. As for what HP range you want; the smallest motor that your ego can stand.

 

I'm more wallet conscious than ego maniac as long as it gets the job done! So it looks like a Detroit between 430 to 475 HP. Now on to the tranny, What will be the fairest number of gears keeping in mind cost and practicality. I want it to perfom well in all conditions to include gears so I don't have to shift in a traffic jam! Nothings worse then having shift every ten feet in a twenty mile back up because you don't have a gear for it! That why I like deed reduction gears on off road trannies. I've also had good luck with Eaton equipment. I drove a spreader once with a Spicer tranny and was not impressed with their ceramic clutch, no slipping just bang your in. If I operated the same, my old lady would kick me out of the sack! 10,super 10, 13, thirteen double over, 15, or 18?

 

For practicallity, a 10 speed auto-shift. For maximum efficiency, a ten speed direct drive(NOT overdrive). Just keep in mind that to make a direct drive driveable, you must select the proper rearend gears(2.65 will do good). Since you are buying used, that spec will be taken care of. Just an fyi; if you see a truck with a 10 direct and a 2.90 gear...it is a VERY slow top speed truck(will be doing 1500 rpm at 60 mph).

 

Not true I have a 2000 Classic XL with a 430-470 detroit a 13 direct with 2.93 rears running on 22.5 lo-pros and it turns 1475-1500rpms at 70 mph.
Very happy with the performance and fuel milege with this setup.
Avg. 6.5-7 mpg on a reg. basis pulling a step deck.