Kenworth T-300 / Cummins 8.3 L ??

david11 · Dec 30, 2003

I'm confused but I know I want a class 7 truck so I can stay at
26,000 GVW. I think I'll go out on a limb and leave Freightliner/Cat
to try a new KW T300 with an 8.3 L Cummins. I would like to try the automatic transmission the dealers are bragging about but I'm not sure. Dealers say the automatic gets better fuel mileage and has a higher resale. Does anyone recommend any dealer options for over-the-road? I'm a local driver and have never been over-the-road. Thank you in advance for any comments.

Weave · Dec 30, 2003

Which automatic trans are you referring to? If it's the Allison, it does have slightly higher resale over the synchro standards, but will not give better fuel mileage- will be about 1-2 MPG less.
The T300 with ISC and auto is going to be a heavy chassis setup, and you will not have much cargo weight capacity if you only set it up and register it for under 26000.
Are you planning to go over the road with it? If so, you'll want to set the truck up for at least 33000 gross to get the most out of it. You'll have to go through the IRP and all that jazz, but spec'ing that chassis for under 26000 will give you a legal cargo capacity of only about 6k lbs, making the truck somewhat useless.
-Weave-

davekc · Dec 30, 2003

The above is correct. If you want to maximize your potential with this set up, the truck must be rated at 33,000. Not that great of capacity at 26,000. We have a T300 and it is rated at 33,000. We have a larger sleeper but can haul 11,500. Sometimes 12,000 if we can get the weight situated correctly.

david11 · Dec 31, 2003

Thank you Weave and DaveKC. You have prevented me from
making a serious mistake. Today I rented a brand new Paccar Lease
T300 with an Allison automatic transmission(it's all they had),a 210 Cat,a 100 gallon fuel capacity,a liftgate,and a 24 ft box, for a couple of days. Full of fuel, the truck weighed 16,850 lbs. without a driver.I would still need to add the weight of a 24" sleeper and landing gear. My personal payload weight limit is 10,000 lbs. but I won't be able to haul it with a 26,000 lb. GVW Kenworth. Thanks again to Weave and DaveKC.

Doggie Daddy · Dec 31, 2003

does anyone even make a 24 inch sleeper?:7

davekc · Dec 31, 2003

Good question on the 24" sleeper. I not sure I have ever seen one?

guest · Dec 31, 2003

I can remember a truck that was sitting behind a small grocery here 3-4 years ago. It was a company fuel tanker. That truck had a very small sleeper on it. 24" wouldn't surprise me at all. That is the only one I've ever seen though. Friends of mine told me that was a "day" sleeper. Very, very small, but I guess large enough for a catnap. The truck was a freightliner, I think. The sleeper was integral.

Happy New Year !!

Weave · Jan 1, 2004

My dad's International 4300 has a small 30" sleeper as part of the extended cab.
-Weave-

RichM · Jan 2, 2004

There used to be a company in Tampa Fl that made 24 inch sleepers. They were called coffin sleepers because they looked like coffins and all you could do in them was sleep like you were dead. They also built sleepers into the front of the box.I had 2 Mercedes Benz trucks with 28 foot boxes and they took the the first 5 feet and had it made into double bunk sleeper. Lots of room but heating and a/c was lacking. The back wall had to withstand a 6000 pound impact so that part was well built. Unfortunately 2 newbie woman drivers did not secure their load properly and had 5,000 pounds sitting on the tail.They had a collision,the freight came through the back wall,killed the woman in the sleeper and after that Roberts cracked down and would not approve a box built sleeper.Probably for the best.

Weave · Jan 2, 2004

I have known fellows who have been given grief at weigh stations over sleepers built into truck bodies not being an approved DOT sleeper as called for in the guidelines. Thus I would not recommend that setup anymore, along with Rich's reason stated above.
If looking for a truck with a "working man's" small integral sleeper, I think they are avaliable on all the International extended cabs. It is a DOT sleeper, intalled through International offsite from the factory. I think it is a very nice low budget setup for those who don't stay out for months at a time- Really all you need for a week or two.
-Weave-
Pix for those who have not seen this setup yet, If you have don't cry
:'(

simon says · Jan 5, 2004

ISC/ small sleeper

The ISC will do a good job, especially with the 300 hsp or 315. My 300 hsp only has top speed of 76 (4.33/.78), and still gets 9.5 to 10.2 @ 65 mph. Ft.Wayne KW specs the motor almost too fast with a 3.9 + .74 overdrive- but ??? depends on startability, trans, etc. New ISC/ISL should be much better with new fuel system, but both weigh in at 1500+ dry weight.
Small sleeper: my first was a 36" Double Eagle out of Shipshewana,IN. Had a shelf, speakers, clothes bar, and at 64" tall did not seem tiny. I think 30" was as small as they made. Still, I got out of it asap- gets old sitting on boot to put your pants on!