Technical Spec's Challange

gojack · Feb 16, 2004

This is not an Expeditor question,
but this is the only truck related board, I have found,
where the posts to be semi- intelligent and well-reasoned. ; >

Background:
I currently drive a Sprinter for a local delivery company (Cincinnati OH)
Hauling steel, paper, ink and a little of everything else. Average 75,000 miles a year,
Mostly local runs 20-60 miles some (2-3 week) going out 1-300 miles and
going home at night ...1 lb to 5,000 Lb..

I am trading up to get something in the 26,000 GVW to 33,000 GVW class.
Over 33K GVW I understand it falls under different laws?

I need a minimum of a 20’ bed (20’ Steel) Customers are telling me they have
more work for me with a larger truck.
I need to load w/over-head crane, forklift or dock, so I am planning on a 24-26 ft bed with a covered wagon style tarp top ...see:
http://www.aeroindustries.com/products/conestoga/index.html

In city maneuverability is important.
Cincinnati is hilly.
I am not mechanical. I do PM by the book.
I am spoiled, I do like an automatic transmission.

Questions:
1) 33K GVW requires a B-CDL, for local PUD is anything else required? License, taxes, logs etc.,

2) Spec'ing a truck: I am a balance sheet kind’a’guy...
dollars in should equate somewhere to dollars out.

Current order of preference (changing daily)

Kenworth T300 / Peterbuilt M330 (payload?)
Hino; looks very interesting, local service is a bit of a problem
Sterling Acterra; seems cumbersome, MBE engines don’t sound promising.
International ; have not looked at yet, seems big & expensive.
Freightliner ... with service so bad an oil change constitutes a major breakdown.

If you had my job, what would you drive?

Tank's
GoJack

[email protected]

RichM · Feb 16, 2004

Go Jack,I sent you a private E Mail with my comments.

Sterling_owner · Feb 16, 2004

As far as semis go, Peterbuilt is the best in the business, but expensive, A pete would be my pick. My sterlings have been very good as well, although I dont trust the MB motors, can you spec it with a different brand motor? International is a very reliable truck as well. Can't comment on Kentworths because I dont own nor have I researched them. Hino I'd steer clear of, service in the past has been hard to find, this year is the first year of them making conventional trucks, I'd steer clear because there might be some bugs in it. Good luck!

2 1999 Sterling Semis
2000 Ford F650 24ft box truck

Weave · Feb 16, 2004

For question #1 gojack, answer is basically yes if ran interstate or over a 100 mile radius.

Question #2: If I had your job, right now I would spec out either a KW T300 or Pete 330 (virtually identical trucks) or an International 4300/4400. These are about the best tried and true local delivery trucks on the market right now. They are a touch more pricey than others, but if you plan on running the truck a while you will get what you pay for out of them. Comfortable, relaible, powerful, and service/parts not a problem.
Spec KW or Pete with Cummins ISC over CAT 3126. All Internationals have Int DT power.
Freightliner M2's and Sterling Acterras have some quality and runability issues that need to be straightened out at this time before I would look into them.
I still don't think I'd bother with Hino, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Bering, or other lesser known trucks.
Don't hesitate to look at Ford chassis such as the F650. These are now a Hencho en Mexico venture between Ford and International, and look to be quite nice for the price with proven power and decent service if you desire a less expensive chassis.
-Weave-

D Green · Feb 17, 2004

gojack, a little thread drift here, but might be educational, too.

Weave, have you seen the small Pete with a Cummins engine? Reason I ask, when I bought my FL60 (late 2001) I looked at the Petes, and all they were offering was the Cat 3126. Figured if I had to get this engine, would do so in the cheaper truck.

I've not looked since then, but looking for options come trade time. Mines got a little over 300k.

Gojack, how much weight are you looking to payload? Sleeper? My FL60, 24' flatbed, two 4' toolboxes with chains & straps, two 18x20 tarps, will payload 12k with full fuel tank.

International's are good, but those I am familiar with seem a bit underpowered, though I like their engine design vs. Cat. Reason I went with Freightliner? $11k

Weave · Feb 17, 2004

The Pete 330 and KW T300 have the Cummins ISC available as an option, but this might not have been until 2002. In fact, Jeff Jones of Ft Wayne Kenworth, who builds the T300 HDX'es, only specs them with the 315HP ISC Cummins. Through the course of the time he has built the HDX'es with the CAT, he had too many complants with it.
I have seen 2002-03 Pete 330's for sale with ISC 300's.
Yes, the International DT engines are a bit (well, about 20 years) outdated in design and underpowered, but they are reliable and cheap to own, maintain and rebuild, and parts are available everywhere. In a small truck, I would sacrifice some power for those benefits as I am not a speed demon, and for a local truck big power is not really an issue. The DT530 has bigger power and displacement over the 466, and Alumi-Bunk has been building expediter trucks on the 7400 chassis with this powerplant, which I think is near the 300HP mark.
For big power in an expediter get a class 8 truck, or consider the Cummins ISC 315 in the KW or Pete or the DT530 with International. From what I understand the ISC has been switched to modern unit injection for 2004 to combat problems with the pump-line-injector setup of earlier ISC's.
-Weave-