New rolling glider

That is what the Peterbilt salesman told me last month as well – if you build it on your own you are OK for the coming year or two.

Shops will be progressively limited for future builds, and (I can't remember the year) at some point you'll only be able to put current model year emissions power plants into gliders i.e. You buy a brand new truck and total it in a couple months you'd be able to build another out of it so long as it's the same model year. Think that part doesn't kick in for like 5 years or so

 

Whatdfreightliner dealer did you talk to?

 

A stoopid one. Lol.

 

Article from HDT trucking which explains how the phase out will occur, unless the incoming administration changes something. And I am betting it will.

http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/st...ules-to-curtail-then-almost-kill-gliders.aspx

 

Question of an ignorant: The brand new gliders the Fitzgerald builds, I understand that the cabin, differentials and the frame are new but what about the engine? Is it totally new, built back then in late 90s and early 2000s and somehow never used or is it refurbished/rebuilt just like after overhaul?

 

Out of frame rebuild on the engine. Not new. Also either the rears or trans has to be rebuilt.

 

The Fitzgerald engine and trans are older, completely rebuilt. At least that's the ones I've seen. You may can get a brand new trans but the engine will be a old one. It's more involved that a standard rebuild you get at the dealership, it's the closest thing to new you can get and still not have the emissions.

As far as the regs go, I know Fitzgerald is lobbying hard, I'm sure the other builder are as well. I know a guy that knows our US Representative personally, she has already been in talks with Fitzgerald and is helping them to try and change the regs.

 

If it is rebuilt, how long do you figure it is going to last? Can you have the same expectations as with a new engine?
I mean at what point is that engine going to die completely, that nothing can be done, and you have to buy another?

 

I'm not so sure the trans and/or rears has to be older. The glider just has to be shipped without two major components to be considered a glider.

I know Fitzgerald has had quite a few warranty claims on engines, they have stood by them though. One of them is they ran into a bad run of rod bolts on the Series 60 Detroits .

 

Should be as good as new, if they build them right. Only reason to ever have to replace the complete engine is something catastrophic like a rod through the side of the block.