what tractor/truck do ya'll prefer

[69dieselfreak]

peterbilts for me solid trucks
kenworths next
but freightshakers are not a very solid at all i think
anyway what do you guys think
oh im a diesel mechanic and ive just about worked on them all

 

[Crumm]

I run the Haul Road from here in Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay.

I am currently running a Peterbilt and I must say it is a rough ride. While they say class pays I hope in the long run it pays good because this thing is about to cripple me. Been running this 06' Pete for two years now and it is the roughest 258,000 miles I have ever put on a truck. They ride OK on the highway but on rough road they are not real good. This one is 290 wheelbase and has Air-Trac suspension. For the most part other than dash and windshield rattles it is holding up OK but I don't know how much more of a beating I can take.

Best ride on the Haul Road is provided by Freightliner but since they moved there production to Mexico they have really went downhill. Other than the best ride they are now junk. I owned a 95' and a 99' which were both good trucks but all the 06' ones we now have are junk. You can see daylight out the top of the doors when they are new

If I was buying a new truck today it would probably be a KW. They seem to hold up well and when equipped with the proper suspension they don't ride too bad. Just stay away from there 8 bag suspension.

 

[tonkadoctor]

Pete and KW are over rated... Look great, but skinney cab and stacks make it nearly impossible to back into a tight dock without opening the door and standing on the running boards.

Freightliner - cheap

I don't like riveted cabs.

I'll take a Volvo 660, 670, 770 or 780 over these any day. Great visibility, Aerodynamic, tons of room and a welded cab. Pete and KW can't hold a candle to their interiors, comfort and manuverability.

Next, I'll take an old Ford LTL 9000 w/ Neway air ride. Nice solid trucks but heavy. Wider and welded steel cab. My '85 LTL 9000 was a better truck than my '99 Pete.



BTW, what do you get when you cross a Peterbilt, a Kenworth and a Freightliner.


You get a Peterworthshaking

 

[tonkadoctor]

If I was buying a new truck today it would probably be a KW. They seem to hold up well and when equipped with the proper suspension they don't ride too bad. Just stay away from there 8 bag suspension.

An 8 bag W900 with a 240" wheelbase was the worst riding truck I ever drove. After a month I went back to the terminal and asked for my KW cabover back.

 

[Crumm]

An 8 bag W900 with a 240" wheelbase was the worst riding truck I ever drove.

Guess you have never drove a Pete with Air-Trac eh? 8 bag is number two on the bad ride list around here.

 

[tonkadoctor]

Guess you have never drove a Pete with Air-Trac eh? 8 bag is number two on the bad ride list around here.

Nope, my Pete had the Pete Air Leaf and 255" wb, not too bad but nowhere near as nice as the Neway on my LTL9000 that rode like a cadillac.

 

[69dieselfreak]

Pete and KW are over rated... Look great, but skinney cab and stacks make it nearly impossible to back into a tight dock without opening the door and standing on the running boards.

Freightliner - cheap

I don't like riveted cabs.

I'll take a Volvo 660, 670, 770 or 780 over these any day. Great visibility, Aerodynamic, tons of room and a welded cab. Pete and KW can't hold a candle to their interiors, comfort and manuverability.

Next, I'll take an old Ford LTL 9000 w/ Neway air ride. Nice solid trucks but heavy. Wider and welded steel cab. My '85 LTL 9000 was a better truck than my '99 Pete.



BTW, what do you get when you cross a Peterbilt, a Kenworth and a Freightliner.


You get a Peterworthshaking

ha ha thats funny one i here you on the mirrior thing there pretty hard to back up

 

[Crumm]

nice as the Neway on my LTL9000 that rode like a cadillac.

Neway is what guys like on the KW's up here

 

[Papabear]

being that like you i also my my lielihood grabbing gears for a living as well as fix them. most of the oilfield companie run the kenworth t-800's but i am not partial to them as they are not particularily mechanic friendly for how far forward the passenger compartment sits on the frame and like hugs the engine the cabs also tend to leak at the roof marker lights after a bit. the pete's suspension doesn't put up with the off-road abuse's and the heaters suck in the day cabs. if i was to buy a truck for the oilfield or any off-pavement applicaion i would get a kw w-900 long nose for ease of maintenance and yes they do ride rough but they last here. Auto car wouldn't be bad for the bush too. If i was buying a highway tractor i had to live in it would be either a kw t-2000 (for the space)i would also look at the new IH lonestar. i like volvo's but they are 2000lbs. heavier curb weight than any other tractor out there. And as far as frieghtliner's go i would rather have a sister in a ********** than a brother in a frieghtliner. the new macks are nice but they are too in house for my opinion no real options for engine and driveline

 

[Crumm]

I like volvo's but they are 2000lbs. heavier curb weight than any other tractor out there.

Highway trucks up here already weigh from 23,000-25,000(or more) so another 2000 would put them over the top. Down in America where they weigh around 18k it would be a little easier to hide.

A short truck up here is 280wb but most are in the 300-320wb range. Heavy frames. 400 gallon fuel capacity. 46k rear axles with double lockers. It all adds up to a bunch of weight.

 

[Papabear]

I was just mentioning the gvw's because i know every oz. counts

 

[69dieselfreak]

what im asking is best all around truck that you guys think
there is probably no mechanic freindly truck out there the one that i can think of is a 379 pete ext hood those trucks day cab are bad ass looking expecially with tall stacks
at work we are in the process of the day cabbing process on a 96 379 and let me tell you its a learning experience

 

[Papabear]

i would like to see pics when it's done.

 

[69dieselfreak]

there you go this is just the pulling off the sleeper pics ill get pics tomrrow of the shorter version with the suspension moved forwared

 

[69dieselfreak]

were going to put a pto blower on it to pump off bulk cement and be able to run a skate board also