W900 questions

I see both sides of this deal. I think everyone does. One thing I know is you can't out-guess our elected officials.

For what it's worth I was browsing Craigslist earlier. Couldn't believe the number of trucks advertising as "no ELD" right in the headline, first thing you see. Doesn't even matter about the truck. Just that it's old enough to be exempt.

@wore out has a very good point. I don't doubt for one minute that the government sees that stuff and gets antsy.

 

Most pre-'99 trucks are beat into the dirt now anyways. There are always exceptions though.

 

I own 2 99 KW's. My first one is a W900L with vit interior curved windshield one piece, 3406E 1LW cat, Daycab 411 ratio,40K rears, 10 speed with just over 600K miles.
My second is a T800 VIT interior, Flat 2 piece windshield, 3406E 1LW Cat, 390 Ratio, 46K rears, 13 speed that just broke 60K original miles.
Both are daycabs.
The hood on the W 900L does shake and move, i do some off road which makes it worse and have changed out the busing kit 2 times in six years which helps reduce shaking.
I like the curved windshield over the flat because it gives you a larger top dashboard, the flat windshield is closer to the driver.
The throttle pedal is annoying due to being on a odd angle and close to the brake pedal, but i am getting more used to it.
A sleeper might be different but a daycab's seat will only go back so far, I am 5'10" and its tight for me, and i have known many who won't own a KW because of this.
The dash is well built and has good access to the gauges and wiring.
The HVAC has a few quirks but if you buy one there are many threads in here to help you through them.
I have the AG 200 on the T800 and the AG400 on the W900, IMO the Ag200 rides better then the AG400, maybe because the truck with the AG200 has less miles.
I have had fuel line issues, splitter issues and vent issues, the W900 has had everthing replaced and numerous vents replaced, what i was told is Paccar has a design flaw and the local peterbilt dealer in my area gives them free of charge, my local KW dealer doesn't, i just had a issue where my tanks don't return equally and ran out of fuel.
3406E is a good running motor, i have had mostly Macks in over 30 years and have had good luck with them but didn't perform as well as the Cat.
The Dash and the layout on the VIT interior IMO is the best setup that KW has in that year, the newer KW's Dash seems cheap, and i noticed in later years the paint actually comes off of the vinyl.
The frame in that year era had issues with rust, they were made in China, something to look out for.
The front steering axle came as a option "wider" which helps in tight areas.
I can think of other good and bad but not going to get picky, hope that helps!
Good Luck

 

I try to do most of the work myself, if its something i can't handle i have a local shop do the work.
The local Pete dealer has a good reputation from what i was told but i have never had them do any work for me except when they were previously owned, but that was years ago.
The local shop just started doing work for a large company that previously had the local Pete dealer doing there work, the owner of the shop told me they had issues with the multi-state Peterbilt dealer,but that doesn't mean all the Pete dealers have issues.
Just like anything today, it depends who is giving the information, and businesses have good and bad days, as we do.

 

You can look at most 2000 models also. Most have engines built in 99.

 

It's great to get everyone else's advice, but you have to do what works best for your particular business plan. I am a technician, I think you are smarter to go with a pre-egr engine. While the newer stuff is getting better, it would still break you regardless of warranty. You would have downtime for sure! Example: Used to be your turbo failed. Cost you new turbo and CAC if catastrophic. Guy could change out on side of road with basic hand tools. Now, you are going to need reservoir to drain your coolant to change turbo. If oil went into exhaust probably kiss away $5000.00 of aftertreatment. Then you need a laptop to calibrate actuator. This is just one example. Keep looking. Decent older trucks are out there. Yes you will have to work on it, but it will be simpler. One thing people overlook with older truck is frame under fifth wheel slider angles and wear on spindles on drive axles. Check everything out good and good luck to you!

 

This is the best advice someone can give on buying a NEW or Used truck!
A few years back a friend of mine who is a large clearing contractor needed 2 trucks to move his equipment, walking floors and log trailers, and at the time i was looking for a used truck.
He asked me what i thought would be a sound purchase, i knew it was going to be a long term purchase and his shop is already overwhelmed with work on his other trucks and equipment, i told him to call a few glider companies and get prices on his spec, his foreman agreed, but he decided on 2 Mack CH 2013 heavy spec with the MP 505 hp both under 100K miles.
The decision was a bad one, as of a few months ago he has over 30K in repairs on each truck, in less then 100K miles.
There is a reason why used emmision trucks sell for so much less then they were new, too many issues.

 

I found this on another thread about the AG 200-AG-400 issue,
The journey begins - purchased a truck.
The hippy hippy shake.

The truck has had an issue since I bought it, a shake in the steering wheel, a vibration. So, I had a tri-axle alignment done a few weeks ago that improved the issue, but not completely fixed it. Balanced the steers, aligned 3 axles. He pointed out an issue with the rear suspension, movement in a bushing, 1 of 4.

Tires

I haven't replaced tirees since purchase. Set up as follows

Steers - XZA3 - 40%
Front drive - BS 720 - 30%
Rear axle - XDN2 - 90%

Aggravation

Working with my shop ( you know, building the relationships ), I told him we needed to work on the issue, and I did a little research myself. The truck has the AG (for Air Glide) 200 suspension. Basically it's junk, never should have been put out by KW. RRecalls , blah de blah. Don't help me. Solution is to swap to the AG400 suspension - be done with it. The vibration/shake was getting more pronounced, the rear tires were all showing inside wear, and the left steer showing shoulder wear and cupping.

Chad

Contacted Chad in KC. Had spoken to him weeks ago, emailed him again, he called back (WOW - somebody calling back), shot in there on Monday. Here's how it went.

Rolled in - dropped trailer out the back, spied Chad. He spied truck. Rolled in. Quick introductions.

"I'm going to jack the front up, one wheel at a time, check wheel bearings, tie rod ends, kingpins. (Did so) Good - right side is fine - nice and tight. Now the left side . . . . Good, all tight here too. OK. See this tire wear here . . . (shows, feels tire) . . . you've got feathering here, (Me - "What's that?" He explains) high spots here and here, cupping here. River wear here, but that's common with the XZA3. OK. What pressure are you running? (105) - OK. That's too low. See here on the tire . . . . rated at xxx lbs, in a single position, at 110 PSI . . . . Do you see anywhere that it says 'Do not exceed 110 PSI?' . . . Run them at 115 minimum, a lot of this wear is caused by underinflation. Right. (As he's letting down the front) , now we're going to go to the back, and I'll show you what the reaal problem is - I saw it before you even dropped the trailer - This truck is pushing you off in the ditch, right? (me - right) - OK . (Goes on to explain the AG200, I already knew, but wanted to hear it from him).

So, I say "Well, I found the kits online for $1700"
He says "They're aftermarket kits, and I've seen some wear out in under 100,000 miles. If you're gonna do it, buy the OEM kit"

Me (squirming) -"How much is that?"

Chad " Dunno. Even if it's another $1,000, it's either do it once - or keep doing it over and over. The guys next door can give you a price - I just align trucks"

I'm thinking - this guy only aligns trucks yet I've just learned more in 5 minutes than I had in the last 3 months from a mechanic, a tire guy, and another alignment guy?

Chad - "I won't even align a truck with an AG200. It's never right. The customer ain't happy, I won't put my name on it. Those steer tires need replacing fast - they're getting to be a safety issue. So, I gotta go across town to check another truck . . . . "

I said - " They do the work here - tires and all?"
Chad " Yup - if you want them to. I can align it after they're done"

I think he may have thought that faced with the cost, I was going to leave and get the work done later, but he wanted me to know the stters were critical.

So - quoted suspension parts and 6 hours labor - $3732
Replace universal at end of steering column - Chad pointed this out as a factor amplifying the steering wheel shudder.

On to tires.

Chad's advice - "XZA3 are the ONLY steers you want to run on this. Drives - I like X-Line Energy D, but I like BS 710, the repllacement for the 720, Ecopia - best rolling resistance, some guys say the Michelin have better traction, I don't know."

This is good, His likes line up with my likes.

Call LCAPP - LS's discount program. Downside is that it comes out of the settlements over 10 weeks, I can't process a credit card through them. Never mind. They have to approve anytjing over 4 tires. I'm looking at 10. They call back - after 3 months apparently I'm OK to borrow up to $5k. Good.

X-Line unavailable across the country. 710's can be shipped in Steers in stock. Suspension ordered.

Drives $3,049.84
Steers $919.10

Close to $4,000 will be deducted from settlements over next 10 months. $4500 (my estimate, including mount and balance (counteract beads) will be thumped on the plastic. maintenance fund drained, so I'll be on the back foot for 3 weeks to catch it back up. Left over profit from settlements will have to be diverted instead of making extra principal payments on the trailer (which we have been doing).

All taking place Thursday am. The shop is "Steve's truck and trailer repair" The tire guy, Kyle - rang me no less than 5 times, getting the tires in. Great. Jon the parts guy, had already ordered the suspension the night before. Chad had me booked in for alignment once it was all done. Can't say how impressed I was by the guy. Not because KR plugs him all the time, but because anothe forum member had dealt with him a couple of times, and backed it up.

I'll have to hang out till Friday - the drives are getting shipped in. Chad told me that a difference of more than 15/32nds between front and rear axles (in tread depth), is hard on spyder gears - so advised that I get it all right before going anywhere. So - loose in KC for a day and a half before headed home.

Running 3rd load of frames to KC today, deliver midnight, park in front of shop, ready for 6am teardown.

The truck needs to run straight, on good tires, in order to continue to generate $. Leaving it till I have $ built up is neither a safe nor smart option, given what I just learned from Chad.

Besides, I need something to pay off. I was getting sick of racking all those $100 bills into a pile at the end of each week and burning them.