Looking to become an owner operator....Need detailed advice as far as truck goes...

The Emission engines like the Acert and anything EGR is something i wouldn't buy if i could help it. if your going after a Cat go after something like a 3406E, if not id lean to the Detroit

 

Cats are good motors the 2ws' and 6nz's are good. The Cats to stay away from are 2007's with SDP in the beginning of the serial number around the 2007.5 mark when the DPF system was introduced into the motors and 2008 and up. any other CAT is good and the way to go. You can use a small power cat say a 475 horsepower and 1850 torque will get the job done with ease. I know because that is what I used and it kept up the big power motors.

 

Pete, built real well, I like Freightliner but they are built cheap of fiberglass and aluminum thus lighter, don't let that stop you. We leased a 770 Volvo and it had the Cummins ISX engine, It rode really well but the dash kept shorting or grounding out, lights would flicker, sometimes it wouldn't start, I like the volvo but if it has a hiccup you need be sending it to the dealer for analysis, UNLESS you like spending your days with an Ohm meter putting this lead on this pin and putting this lead on pin so and so.

 

Typically it won't matter with most dry freight. Some flat and reefer pays by the hundred weight onions, potatoes for example but not really a big deal there. Although have heard some flat guys say the ability to haul 50k can be a plus, flats not my thing. Where it's really important would be bulk commodities - tankers, end dumps, or hoppers - those pay by the weight you need as much payload as possible every time. General freight, no. Granted, you really don't want a heavy assed 86" studio sleeper W900L with CAT (heaviest motor) power pulling a heavy great dane dry van trailer (heaviest trailer) that would likely hamstring you at 43k or less. Most combos will scale 45k. Many 46.5k - that's where I am at and have never seen any dry freight that heavy before.

 

Caterpillar makes a good engine, but the problem is that they are expensive to rebuild.

The Volvo trucks that I drove (now this was a while back) had electrical issues. If I remember correctly, the circuitry behind the instrument panel had to be replaced every so often.

The more that your truck/trailer weighs, the less load you are able to pull.

The bigger (longer) the truck and sleeper, the more it weighs. I would always try to buy a truck with aluminum wheels because they are quite a bit lighter than steel (and easier to handle).

Some trucks are just heavier than others. Maybe some of the guys that know what the heavier trucks weigh will chime in.

Weight also depends on how large your tanks are, if you carry snowchains, if you have a wet kit, if you carry real tools to work on your truck, fridge, inverter, apu, etc.

 

The only thing FLDs have going for them are the big sleeper. Otherise they are dinosaurs and the air driven wipers are akward and annoying. I would step into the 21st century and get a Century (pun intended) Columbias are cheap and ugly.

 

I understand the CAT expensive to rebuild thought. I have it sometimes, done right how often do you need to rebuild a motor? Not downing Detroit or Cummins they should last the same time frame. If there overall performance suits you then you will be fine. I have seen good and bad in all of them, I hear alot of complaints with CAT fuel millage. Some times a driver change helps that. I would say go with what you have driven the most engine wise. Its hard to drive an engine a different way to get max performance or old habits are hard to break lol.

The stand up classics are roomy and nice inside. The gotta lean up to pull the brakes on a pete they do call it work. A used rig is a crap shoot any way, but I would go for the set up I was most familiar with that seems the best truck for the money. Cause like they said the one that makes the most is the best.