Looking for help/advice on truck purchase

[Chamberpains]

There is something good to be said if your in the market for a good set up used truck. Looking at the mega carriers trucks and set up may be a starting point. They have 100's millions of $$ in equipment so they have done extensive research in to spec'ing them out for maximum fuel efficiency. That's why they're governed at 63-65mph and the drive lines are geared for 1 thing and that is maximum fuel milage.
To put another way we all want better fuel mileage for better profit on 1 or a couple trucks. Well, take that thought and multiply it by 1,000-20,000. There are MEGA savings in setting the trucks up for maximum fuel mileage.
Just watch because they also do have a tendency to buy which ever truck manufacturer will give them the cheapest truck. And that also comes at a cost to longevity of truck and materials used in the building of it. They only care that the truck will make it as long as the warranty on the truck. Which is usually 500,000 miles.

[Ragindirt]

For the sake of argument, what truck would you guys buy right now if you pulled hopper, tanker, air can, and maybe a curtain side. No Volves, are pre 2K. Need aerodynamic as well.

My T800 with 3.55 rears 10 speed with 24.5 skin on her is going south for SOME work. After all these post and the best i ever got was 5.7 pulling a tanker it may be time for me to rethink a few things.

Thought about a 13 speed (found issue with 10) (h/l shifting modular dirty) when I was having issues with 10 ( might as well upgrade), thinking it would give me better mileage pulling avg of 84K, then you throw in some work I need and; upgrade might be the best bet.

The 800 is a work horse but for the last year on and off I have been doing longer runs OTR; add in some better mileage and it would help a lot.

All hypothetical.

[Old Driver]

I just bought a 2010 peterbilt 386 with a cm871 in it. 520,000 miles. 3.55 rears. 13 speed. Had it demandated immediately. Pull fuel tanker so empty half the time. Goverened at 65.
With cold Minnesota weather I am floating around 6.9 miles per gallon. Sometimes with better driving can get 7.5 mpg.

I don't sleep in the truck much so need to have a big sleeper, fuel economy and weight is very important to me when I was looking for a different truck than the 2007 t600 I used. That truck was also demandated and averages 7mpg pulling tanker.

[Chamberpains]

Ragindirt If your switching to over the road you'll want a sleeper with some room. But step back and look at the truck and trailer as a whole unit. If your pulling mostly tanker, a mid roof will be fine. If its a tall dry bulk tanker or the curtain side flatbed they are taller so having a tall double bunk sleeper with match up better. You want the whole rig, nose to tail, to be as close to the shape of a missile. Missiles are shaped the way they are to be the most aerodynamic so they can fly faster and further with using less fuel to propel them. The exact same principle applies to a truck going down the road. This is always my starting point when I'm looking for a truck.

You can put the most fuel efficient set up in a truck, engine, trans., rear ends but it all adds up to nothing gained if you flying down the road pushing and dragging all the wind like a parachute.

[Blake]

(01-28-2018 )Rawze Wrote:  

(01-28-2018 )Blake Wrote:  Man I'm glad I stumbled on this post. All the trucks I was looking at where geared wrong for what I would need ( 53' dry van otr). Ill be looking for 3.55 to 3.70 in the ISX motor and 10 or 13 speed tranny. Been seeing a lot of 3.36.

Yes, it is truly sad how many trucks are geared wrong out there.

Rawze, the trucks I was interested in without even looking at gearing where geared between 2.64 and 3.36 with 10 and 13 speed transmissions.

[Rawze]

(01-28-2018 )Blake Wrote:  Rawze, the trucks I was interested in without even looking at gearing where geared between 2.64 and 3.36 with 10 and 13 speed transmissions.

Yuk!.

I have driven hundred and hundreds of trucks with all kinds of gear ratios. I am not joking at all when I say those tall geared trucks are fuel sucking can't get out their own way pieces of s$it! as soon as you put real weight behind them.

[Blake]

Learning from here, I believe it! When I type in 3.55 or 3.70, truck selection severely decreases.

[Ragindirt]

(01-28-2018 )Bahdan Wrote:  I just bought a 2010 peterbilt 386 with a cm871 in it. 520,000 miles. 3.55 rears. 13 speed. Had it demandated immediately. Pull fuel tanker so empty half the time. Goverened at 65.
With cold Minnesota weather I am floating around 6.9 miles per gallon. Sometimes with better driving can get 7.5 mpg.

I don't sleep in the truck much so need to have a big sleeper, fuel economy and weight is very important to me when I was looking for a different truck than the 2007 t600 I used. That truck was also demandated and averages 7mpg pulling tanker.

Don't sleep in the sleeper much but need a big sleeper; what the hell or is it just to many beers and I read this wrong.

Like I said just a hypothetical, going to keep mine which is like yours 17950K with full tanks. Weight is everything in my business.

[Aleeex]

Didn't read through all the replies but I am heading to that dealer within a week to check on 1 truck.. if you are interested I can possibly look at it for you