What About DEF Trucks?? Should I buy one??

You should be more concerned with dpf cleaning costs and the associated tow bill from deration & stop engine lights/downtime.

No.

Just no.

Don't do it guy.

 

I was sitting at Peterbilt Atlanta yesterday getting a fuel line replaced and there were 3 DPF trucks in there all with the same problem, and one owner I talked to had purchased a used truck from Arrow not too long ago and was already having problems, and he'd traded in a Freightliner Classic with a Detroit Series 60, I think he wanted it back.

 

I would say definitely no unless your in CA or plan on going there. Way to many headaches first of all. Second, being your starting up I would go something older and cheaper that is in good shape to leave more money on the table for unexpected startup costs. Lots of good older trucks out there but they have increased in value which tells you they have become sought after. From what ive been seeing on average the same late 90s to early 2000s trucks on the market 2 years ago were around $5k to $10k cheaper than they are now.

 

I also say NO, unless you're going to Cali. I have a 2004 truck which only has the EGR, not DEF and I'm getting rid of it to get an older truck. I was almost talked into buying a 2009 Freightliner with the DPF but after much research, I opted to go with the older truck.

 

What you should do is figure out how to fix the darn things not just clean em @$400 a pop + $100 hr labor.

There are plenty of ppl in Texas doing mobiles ...well maybe.... or just looking to drain your tanks...it is Texas after all.

 

Servicing a DPF is fairly easy and straightforward, provided you have the tools (wrenches, sockets, a small transmission jack is a good idea, and an angle grinder with surface conditioning pads) and access to parts if they need replacement (on these three-piece units, the outlets can be prone to cracking sometimes). You also have to service the dosing injector at regular intervals, and how that goes depends on which engine you have.. you typically need an 8mm socket, a small angled pick, and a small wire brush for the Cummins dosing injectors... if it's the older style, with the dosing injector on the back side of the pipe, you'll also need.... I believe a 13mm wrench... to disconnect the fuel line. More the same for the PACCAR engines, except you need a wobble head 8mm or 5/16" socket, and a long extension for your ratchet.. definitely go 1/4" drive on this one. The PACCAR dosers are located in an awkward place, but, once you've got the routine down, you've got it, and, personally, I prefer to service PACCAR dosing injectors over the older style Cummins dosers.
When you get into DEF, then you add a whole new system into the mix. You need to change the DEF filter at regular intervals, which is an extremely easy (although messy) process. There'll be times you have to service the DEF doser.... the process itself isn't so difficult, but very time consuming. Then, if you do something like, say, put diesel fuel into the DEF tank, you're really going to have one hell of a time... the whole DEF system from the doser to the SCR needs to be removed, the tank needs to be cleaned out extensively, you're better off to just replace DEF lines, and you'll have to replace the SCR.
Now some companies and owners, instead of cleaning their DPF and dosing injector at regular intervals, instead wait until they start seeing codes showing up, and I think that'll account for a good portion of the problems they have with DPF systems.
That being said, I'd want to be in a position where I'd also be able to buy the software for the engine I was running if I did buy a DPF or DPF/DEF/SCR truck. Ultimately, you'll want to be diligent about having your codes checked... something may flash briefly then become inactive, but those can be signs of problems to come, based on the number of occurrences.

 

the def problems are way over stated
and any cost saving you get from the older truck will be
lost on other repairs associated with used equipment

brand new O/O go out of business every day being under capitalized
and rolling the dice on the next repair

 

Yeah, our shop bought the Volvo software to do diagnostics because most issues we have with our trucks are sensors going batty. No need to send it to Volvo every time the CEL is on.

 

We have Insite (for Cummins) and Davey (for the PACCAR MX), but we don't have software for the Volvos or PornStars (the ones with the TrashForce engine... we have a couple with the Cummins) in our fleet, so those have to be sent off always.