No more super singles?

No, I'm implying that with your limited time in the business you think you know more than those that have been doing this since before you were probably old enough to say the word "truck". You are a very condescending individual and, while there are times that you actually do seem to have some good ideas (I will give credit where credit is due), most often you come off as a know-it-all. As far as "staying a company driver", I'm not a company driver and haven't been for years. In regards to not wanting to embrace the new tech, I can embrace tech that has solid proof that it works. I'm not convinced that SS works like you and your messiah, KR, say it does and in the real world, duals are a tried and true platform.

 

So were all spring ride trucks with no power steering and no air conditioning. but look how those things are now in every truck on the road. Just because something has worked for year doesn't mean something else isn't better. The SS debate has already been done and been proven. Same with skirts, duck tails, and aero package trucks. The old long nose trucks are a tried and true proven to work but does that mean the new trucks coming out aren't better? Nope I'll bet my bottom dollar they are. They pull the same with Half the hp and half the fuel needed. The trucks are also lighter so you can haul more freight. So you in turn make more money. More freight=more money correct? So SS on your truck would save you weight per axle which translates into more freight being hauled and more money in your pocket. Not to mention the ride is a lot better on SS. Less tires to Pretrip too.

 

More freight equals more money only if hauling by the ton or hundred weight usually. I'm not saying you are not right I may convert someday. But till it's tried and true proven I will stick with what I have and what I know. Sometimes experimenting with the newest craze will break you trying to find the right combination.

 

How long before you consider it tried and true? 1 year? 5? 10?
Bias ply tires use to be tried and true also. We all know how that turned out.

 

Probably longer than four years. I look at average life of the product cost of everything. Take these super singles by the time I convert what will I save in total operation cost in the end. Where as I just buy the closest RR duals in comparison and not buy wheels. What will the difference in a set of SS tires in mpg be over the duals closest to them 2 tents maybe 3 tents of a mile per gallon? If it's 2 tenths at 6.0 mpg that is only 1.3 cents per mile at 4.00 a gallon fuel. I can't see that buying wheels to convert. Now if the rig comes with them by all means enjoy your 1.3 cents. We should buy a truck speced like we want not buy a Truck and rig it like we want. Spending dollars to save dimes doesn't always add up to enough dimes

 

Bias ply tires worked for around 80 years, some local trucks still use them. I very well remember when radials first came out. There were drivers in the ditch all up and down the road from them blowing out on the steers. Took a few years to get the bugs worked out.

And your new is better didn't exactly work out for EGR valves and DPF systems. Good in theory, not so good in practice, as are so many other things. If you like your SS tires, by all means run them. Still, an equal dual will most likely cost less over the life of the tires, if nothing else, for the longer wear rate of duals.

 

mattbnr and Richter..........

You 2 guys(gals) are in a losing battle amongst us drivers that know the streets..Know our operation..And get the job done RIGHT, The first time.

Convincing us that 'tested' material or parts Will not swing us over to a conversion. it just Wont.

we know our profits...We know our trucks........Your gonna have to truly convince us there is a better way.

I mean look,....The FMCSA,(Whom knows NOTHING about getting the job done safely) puts out these half-### new regulations that are such complete atrocities.........

lol, You actully think We will convert our ways because Anne Ferro or Ray LaHood 'Thinks' Its a Better way? Pretty obvious answer there.



Look, Dont try to be a Car salesman to us with your 'Dog and Pony' Shows....It Wont work!

 

You'd lose your bottom dollar. The new trucks aren't better. Not by a long shot. Well, I guess they could be when you consider a lot of those driving them couldn't even tell you what engine is in them, so disposable, idiot-proof trucks are needed.

I can show you a whole slew of 30-40 year old trucks still out here making money today. Where will your new truck be in even 20 years? Since it's disposable, it will most likely be scrapped. The old trucks can be worked on (and we do) without all the diagnostic crap that's needed to even figure out why a truck won't start, these days. As was mentioned, what about the EPA garbage that is one of the many reasons for a majority of the breakdowns, these days? Yes, the newer trucks can get better economy, to an extent, but there are guys out here getting 7+ MPG out of a 3406B, mostly because they've changed their driving habits. Back when the 3406 (that's a Cat, by the way) was king of the hill, we ran them WFO after getting into the pumps to get more fuel delivery. We didn't care so much about fuel mileage (well, I didn't, anyhow) because they weren't raping us with fuel prices like they are now.

How do you figure they pull the same with half the horsepower and half the fuel? By your logic, we are be getting 12-14 MPG with 850 HP today.

More freight = more money? Do you haul by the ton? I don't. The benefit to lighter trucks is to the customer, since they will be able to ship more product for the same rate.

 

My 2 cents worth & I've been around this business since I was born, bought my first truck in 1974.

I'm currently leased to a co. with about 120 trailers. They've been in business about 30 years, very savvy owner, the head mechanic is very sharp & the financial guy is brilliant.

All the trailer run singles (spread axles to boot) all the company trucks do too. The trailers have all been on singles for over 10 years. Everybody involved says that all their tests & numbers show that it's a no-brainer, singles save money. They have tested this every way you can think of, including watching the fuel mileage of o/o's who switch from their own trailer with duals to pulling a co. trailer with singles, comparing mileage on company trucks that switch back and forth between co. trailers with singles and a customer's trailers that all have duals. They keep meticulous tire records and are now a Michelin test fleet.

I was a serious skeptic when I started, but after almost 2 years of pulling one of their trailers with zero issues I may be ready to give singles a try on my tractor.

I know none of this really matters. There are people right here on this forum that have way more experience and way more knowledge than me or anybody I I've ever personally known or worked for and my personal experience and knowledge is totally meaningless, I should only believe what I hear on the internet or the CB.

 

I read all of this post and see lots of back and forth about all of the fuel saving crap out there.

As for SS, trailer skirts, trailer tails and the like. If you don't want them don't run them and don't
run California.

Or do flatbed or tanker work.

C.A.R.B. rules don't force a company to do any of these.

Here is an example of what C.A.R.B. rules will allow:
53' reefer 2008 to 2010
refit reefer motor with C.A.R.B. approved exhaust filter kit & register for ARB #
as for skirts, trailer tail and SS
Only need either skirts or SS. (trailer tail not required, CA sees this as over-length)