Quote:
Originally Posted by JasonG
Really good write up SlowMover.
After break in it should go up some more.
4.7 isn't terrible, I've been in Cats that get 5s on the hwy if going boogetty and 6 if turned down.
Above all the lowered stress from the better ride is more than worth it.
I used to drive and non CDL drivers don't get the body stress the older vehicles put on you by the end of the day . . . Best thing about it was when you shut it down and got out.
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Have seen 5.5 overall trip average on a couple of days. Distances were short and idle time was low (relative on both).
Highlighted part of your quote: True of all of them. Great getting into a truck to solve the problems of road, load, weather and traffic . .
better getting out of it at days end.
BOSE now has a vibration-cancelling seat ($6000) working on the same principle as their headphones. For a highway-only tractor it is now possible to have air suspension on Steer, Drive and trailer Tandem axles plus air-bag suspended cab.
Not like the bad old days of all steel susupensions,
but a young man now choosing truck driving as a career takes an average of 10-15 years off his life versus his brother working as, say, County Clerk. It's also, of late , the most dangerous occupation. One wants safety then become a soldier, policememan or other media-hyped "hero". Farmers, ranchers, truck drivers (and usually worst) commercial fishermen are at the short end of that stick.
Like cars the interiors of new trucks lost of bit of styling appeal but one cannot fault ergonomics (reach, touch, control placement) and NVH with the HVAC cranked cold is also quite good. A PETERBILT is an impressive machine. After 300k of this work -- oilfield -- it may not be so as much, but for now it's great. A 14-hour day is far from the worst assignment in life when the equipment is nice. Some mud engineer wants his 23-tons of rock powder for flow control he just orders up X-number of trucks for that amount to refill his three-story hoppers. Or other products which arrive bagged or barrelled on a flatbed.