The worst truck you have ever driven?

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by Dave1837, Jan 28, 2020.

  1. 201

    201 Road Train Member

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    high plains colorado
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    Funny 2 stroke Deeetroit story, stop me if you heard this one. Years ago, I did a small stint for A&H out of Footville, Wis ( yep, THAT A&H) he was my ex brother in laws, father in law. Anyway, he wanted me to pick up a load of spring water in Waukesha, about 80 miles, one way. The truck, a very tired tri-axle IH 4200 milk truck, with a 318. Boss said, "take some oil with you". Before I left, checked the stick, nothing, put 3 gallons in, took 2 with. Got to Waukesha, 80 miles mind you, thought, better check the oil, again, nothing on the stick, adding the 2 gallons brought it up to the add mark. Kept an eye on the oil pressure, I thought I was going to have to stop for oil.
     
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  3. Dave_in_AZ

    Dave_in_AZ Road Train Member

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    I will say when I drove a mixer, we all had assigned trucks.

    Every now and again you'd drive someone else's and it wasn't uncommon to find it needing 2 gallons of oil.

    Same couple of guys that would zoom in the gate 2 minutes before they're start time.
     
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  4. Aamcotrans

    Aamcotrans Road Train Member

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    Strasburg, Va
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    A deuce and a half across the desert.
    Manual wipers, and 45 mph A/c, lots of exhaust and solid seats. I miss the good days
     
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  5. Dave1837

    Dave1837 Road Train Member

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    Yeah we have quite a few of them "I've never had to add oil to my truck" guys lol I guess their logic is if you don't check it you don't have to add any
     
  6. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    White County, Arkansas
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    HA, one mixer was rather abused. I spend a year in it more or less and not a drop of oil. Reliable also. Solid pressure in all situations.

    One day she got tired and pressure fell to 10 Oh *&^%

    Well, the boss started storming when he found out. You don't get to keep any secrets in a place like that. They see you lugging oil out and sing like birdies to the boss man.
     
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  7. bryan21384

    bryan21384 Road Train Member

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    Sep 18, 2009
    Memphis, TN
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    The worst truck I ever drove....easy. 2000 Freightliner Century Classic. It was an automatic that bad a bug sound. It was the only automatic that I ever drove that had an actual clutch. That joker was beat up on the outside and had a rebuilt motor in it, over a million original miles on the truck. Every thing went wrong with it. Fuel gauge didn't work properly, air gauges always read something like 150, broke down every other week. In just 3 months of driving it, everything got replaced..air compressor, water pump, tires, fuses, I cant even remember everything. Finally it croaked when the bull head gears started grinding and metal shavings got off into the motor. I got out of that truck and could not be happier.
     
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  8. jamespmack

    jamespmack Road Train Member

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    OH
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    1974 Autocar triaxle dump. Steering was like sawing lumber. It was retired from a quarry.

    Or similar to this, 2004 UD medium duty. Built for a guy under 5'5". Your BBQ grill has better metal than this rolling beer can. Felt safe all the time. Solid 12 inches from your knees to the wreck. Dont have a actual pic, this is close.
    img_hZQY6RX3Nl9B5o6.jpg
     
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  9. Dave1837

    Dave1837 Road Train Member

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    I always laughed at the fact that UD stood for "ultimate dependability" LOL
     
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  10. jamespmack

    jamespmack Road Train Member

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    OH
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    Ugly Duck in my book. It was cheap on fuel, and turned well in the city. But I think the 6 grand for a set of injectors was the tipping point. The boss man never bought another.
     
  11. Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

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    Dec 18, 2011
    Michigan
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    Two trucks, both customers trucks.

    1985 kw 900b with a 6+1, junk. When i did my first pretrip, it didn't have oil on the dip stick. They stuck a old trans in it and no one knew how to drive it. I had to teach four people how to drive a non-synchro tranny.

    The other was a 1994 ford L8000 with a Cummings isc and an Allison. Loaded (gross was 26k max) it could not be driven on the freeway. It wouldn't go over 50 on a good day going down hill with a truck pushing it.

    They got smart, they went out and bought a brand new kw and it took their driver only three months to put it on its side, he complained that it was too powerful and he lost control.
     
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