Pros and cons of buying an ELD exempt truck?

The cons. They're slowing being pushed away.
Between EPA and companies wanting 12 or newer. You're limiting yourself for work. If you're planning on leasing on.

As for fuel economy.

1 guy on here claimed to get really good mileage on a 2000 FL doing 70 mph on today's ultra low sulphur fuel.
7 I think was his number.

I started my career in that same truck. When it was brand new,. And that truck was lucky to get 6 on the flatland. And the national speed limit was 55 mph.

Todays new trucks with all their fancy doo dads for wind resistance and automatics. Seem to be getting 9+.

 

There are plenty of year 99 aerodynamic trucks, you just have to turn over a couple rocks to find em hiding. A lot of guys have compiled their results on letstruck.com
Just type in the truck you’re looking at with year of manufacture and you can get a lot of results. Freightliner century, Volvo vnl 660/770, international 9400, kenworth t600 Mack Vision. All have potential to get over at least 7mpg if you get the right engine and a few good fuel efficiency mods and drive it like an egg is under the accelerator. The money you’re going to save on not buying a new rig will easily offset the repair bills you will undoubtedly encounter but after a while you get the old beast sorted out and you have yourself a runner.

 

Based on a 100k miles a year driving average with $3 a gallon diesel.

7 mpg pre egr truck will cost $42k
8 mpg $38k
9 mpg emissions truck cost 33k.
10 mpg $30k

 

The national speed limit was modified in 1987, effective 1988 and repealed in 1995. FLD was introduced until 1989, but essentially before 1995 was not the same setup as your buddy's 2000. I drove a 1995 FLD in 2000 and I was getting over 7 mpg. I have a 1994 W900L flat top with a series 60 and I get between 6.5 to 7. I got 8 hauling a 6,100 pound coil.

 

It wasn't my buddies and you're right on the speed limit.

It was probably the truck was governed.

I started with reefer loads.

 

If you have cell phone in your truck they can track those and get general location. Your average cop or D.O.T inspection they can't. If involved in bad accident they get request that info from the cell phone company.

I hear radio show talk about getting parts like piston and injectors are not being built very good. Unused to deliver parts to Toolee Utah. That Detroit Diesel rebuild factory is. I moved some engine blocks. They had a wearhouse full of just S60 engine blocks that was like 10 years ago. I just wonder if they still remanufacture injectors for the old S60 or parts anymore. Since their is no big demand for the parts anymore.

 

First, despite what everybody says, they have to subpoena your phone records, whereas with an eld they have, by definition, access to the info.

As far as remaining injectors, of course they are. I just had an injector put in by Interstate Power Services last week. They are a Detroit dealer.

 

If you’re planning on doing some maintenance yourself that’s a huge plus. At a minimum you’re looking at a 20 year old truck. Even if it’s been overhauled there will be things that will need fixed. But if you’re willing to work on wiring, replace fuel and air lines, etc then it won’t be so bad.

I don’t know your situation but if it’s possible I’d try and get an older truck and go through everything before you put it on the road. That way you wouldn’t be running it and trying to wrench on it when you can.

 

Theres a level of Satisfaction you get when your out on the Big Road heading to your customer Knowing you fix your own Truck(s)........Almost like you Fell In Love everytime you Fix her up- Or give her the Beans.

Some owner -ops Have no choice But to Fix their own Truck Because their out in the Middle of Nowhere where shops are at a premium....

 

Don’t out think the room. Just about anything on a pre-emissions truck you can fix in a dirt lot. Carry an assortment of nuts/bolts/washers and if a bolt breaks fixing a part, you are set.
Don’t know what you are doing? Jump on eBay and buy the service manuals for your engine. Here as well as YouTube will assist you in just about any repair.

Issue with parts? Worst case is you have to make your own brackets as you can still get almost anything engine related. My father and I have old, obsolete trucks (Sterlings and cabovers) and some parts you can’t get, but you can always find something almost identical and need to make minor adjustments.

It’s all preference in the end. Even if every truck needed an ELD, i would still go with an old truck.