What's the biggest P.O.S you've had to drive?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Logan76, Jul 23, 2010.

  1. DL550CAT

    DL550CAT Road Train Member

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    Had a 90 RB Mack running backwards once. Had the exhaust comming out the air cleaner. That was almost a really bad deal!
     
  2. Hubcap

    Hubcap Medium Load Member

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    I used to race a Ossa 2 stroke motocross bike. Lots of fun!
     
  3. rocknroll nik

    rocknroll nik High Risk Load Member

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    2003 Freightliner century mid roof. Oil leak that would make BP jealous, shorts in the dash when you hit the interrupt, fog lights that filled up with water and blew bulbs, coolant leak at the bunk heater that would send fumes in the bunk if you used it, bad oil cooler, jakes didnt work at all, cam shaft blew, starter was bad, air leaks from air lines being zip tied to the frame, steering issues, windshield washer didnt work, electrical drain ( undiagnosed), after the cam shaft and brakes got fixed the truck caught fire( stupid me I put it out and kept the fire dept out of the loop), and I was told that this was one of the "GOOD NEW TRUCKS", theres nothing wrong with it, driver abuse..........this is the company that I think I'm still employed with but seeing as how I'm injured and cant work I dont know whats up. Heard they bought 5 new 2008's but if they keep me on I know I wont get one
     
  4. phroziac

    phroziac Road Train Member

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    is that why the cabovers used to have an air cleaner stack on the back of the truck? ahaha..

    cool, i wanna get a new 2 stroker..

    haha, i woulda let that rig burn to the ground
     
  5. Hubcap

    Hubcap Medium Load Member

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    The Mack I now drive is a 2002 model and the 2006 model is in the shop getting the motor redone and it has half the mileage of mine.

    it has been burning antifreeze for about a year and one half now and I have told the shop lead it had a bad head gasket, but who listens? They get what they deserve. There are decent trucks out there who have had idiot mechanics (and yes I am a mechanic) working on them for years.

    Most mechanics I know are looking for a nice, comfortable place to settle where they can blame anything that goes wrong on the driver. So the industry suffers from settling for the least they can get by with.
     
    rocknroll nik Thanks this.
  6. rocknroll nik

    rocknroll nik High Risk Load Member

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    No doubt hubcap but that will change some with csa 2010. because it'll come back and bite everybody in the keester!!
     
  7. Hubcap

    Hubcap Medium Load Member

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    It seems that any time the Government gets involved, companies tighten their belt and it is always the driver who gets squeezed. Will these CSA 2010 law be applied to the Mexican companies? With NAFTA gaining weight, there is a chance that the American trucker will be replaced by the Mexican trucker.

    Expecting the CSA 2010 changes to force companies to keep their equipment in shape is like raising taxes on the upper middle class and somehow that is going to improve things for the poor. The cost of maintaining company equipment will likely come out of the pocket of the employee...it always does.

    There is a reason DAC is used to end the careers of truckers who expect things to be done right.
     
  8. MacGyver.

    MacGyver. Light Load Member

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    Biggest POS would have to be the spare truck at work. Its a 2003 International 9400i. She has a 400 horse cummins (not sure what model its not isx but ism or somthing?) but only 320,000 miles on her. The engine fan runs constantly. The egr valve has been broken since Janary.
    Theres also a fuel rail pressure problom. Last two probloms is what the printout the dealer gave us said after they hooked her up to their computer. The truck is rarely loaded over 78,000 lbs but getting her over 55mph is only possible when theres a tailwind. The 10 speed has been hammered to death she jumps out of 4th on the low and high side. The boss has known about all these probloms since January but doesnt want to stick any money into her. I drover her for a week and never got better than 3.8 mpgs. But on the plus side the a/c will freeze your butt on the hottest day of the year.
     
  9. thedrifter

    thedrifter Medium Load Member

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    I wanted to drive really bad. So I drove a dispatcher crazy for about a year. Till I could get a licence. He told me where my truck was parked. Out in the feedlot. It was a 1958 west coast hood international two axle. 190 cummins 4x4 trans no seat no wipers, wedge brakes no exhaust stack. I got it started after three days of working on it. I put a bucket seat out of a 66 mustang and a wood stove pipe for a stack. they would give me tires for it so i stole the spares off the other trucks to use. I could climb pochaco pass at 3.5mph with a load of garlic.

    an other one was a 1972 kw wit han vt903 cummins 13spd. that wouldn't stay in over drive. the passanger side window was plexyglass as was the windshield on the same side. no a/c no jakes. ran it too denver twice a week. next one was an old safeway international with the narrow cab on top starting about at the top of the jockey box. it had a 220 cummins with a comperation release to get it started. then there was my faverote 1958 dimond T with a 262 side draft cummins and 15spd main a 4spd browny and 2 speed manual eaton rear ends. and a double eagle sleeper. that one would pass a DOT inspec any time ..........the rest not so much
     
  10. American-Trucker

    American-Trucker Road Train Member

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    These are both school trucks from the school that I'm currently doing my refresher course at, I'm not sure on the model's or years maybe some of the old hands can fill us in. I have driven both of these, just got out of the Volvo about an hour ago:

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    Here's some more of their so called fleet, You'd never know by looking at these trucks that this school makes more then $1,000,000 a year:

    [​IMG]






    American Trucker