truck dependability
- Thread starter geoguy
- Start date
A 3126 Cat and a Spicer 7 speed will get you on a first name basis with your local Fl,KW, Pete dealer or local repair facility.You will never have to worry about running out of hours. After a few years you may get hired as a technician on said engine and transmission as you will have a lot of information about that set up.
Go with Cummins (avoid the B engine) and a Eaton Fuller 6 speed.The Cummins C Series is an excellent engine and will give lots of life.Somewhere in the archives our resident mechanic Weave did a comparison on engines,worth looking for.
Go with Cummins (avoid the B engine) and a Eaton Fuller 6 speed.The Cummins C Series is an excellent engine and will give lots of life.Somewhere in the archives our resident mechanic Weave did a comparison on engines,worth looking for.
The Cummins B engine is a dry sleeve engine and is basically not rebuildable,wheras as the C is a wet sleeve meaning the cylinders have liners that can be removed,new pistons and liners can be installed without having to rebore the block.This can be accomplished without removing the engine from the vehicle thus saving big bucks on labor. While the B is an OK engine and better then the Cat 3126 it!s primary purpose is going into Dodge Ram Charger Pickups. I have never understood that a big proud company such as Caterpillar which makes excellent large engines dropped the ball on the 3126.This forum has many horror stories about that engine. Last year I had a opportunnity to buy a 2000 FL 70 at a very good price due the owner going bankrupt,but when I opened the hood and saw that yellow block,that was the end of that idea.
Most dependable D truck and transmission.. I could have fun with this
Cost is no object: Any of the class 8 tractor based trucks, with basically any engine or tranny offering in them.
Flor Class 7's where cost is sort of an object: Bet picks are KW T300 or Pete 330 W/Cummins ISC 8.3, and any non-synchronised transmission. The best used expediters to find that are plentiful are the Jeff Jones built Kenworths, although I have noticed fleet owners who have them like to hang on to them until they die. International 4900's with DT466 and 6 speeds are good, as are the infamous Freightliner Business class trucks (FL70-80-106) with either Cummins or Detroit power and preferably a non-sync or Allison automatic, or the 6 speed Eaton.
Ones to avoid? GMC Topkick/Chevy Kodiak, Any Freightliner or other make W/ CAT 3126, any truck with a 7 speed Spicer, Isuzus, Mitsubishis.
Cost is no object: Any of the class 8 tractor based trucks, with basically any engine or tranny offering in them.
Flor Class 7's where cost is sort of an object: Bet picks are KW T300 or Pete 330 W/Cummins ISC 8.3, and any non-synchronised transmission. The best used expediters to find that are plentiful are the Jeff Jones built Kenworths, although I have noticed fleet owners who have them like to hang on to them until they die. International 4900's with DT466 and 6 speeds are good, as are the infamous Freightliner Business class trucks (FL70-80-106) with either Cummins or Detroit power and preferably a non-sync or Allison automatic, or the 6 speed Eaton.
Ones to avoid? GMC Topkick/Chevy Kodiak, Any Freightliner or other make W/ CAT 3126, any truck with a 7 speed Spicer, Isuzus, Mitsubishis.
You are right Weave. As long as cost (up front) is no object. However, since they are darn near giving away Freightliners with Cat 3126's you should at least look and compare. You may decide not to go with the 3126, but it will be an objective decision. If I could find another 4 year old FL70 (W/3126) less than 300,000 miles for $16,000, I would probably have to take a very close look at it.
As far as the Spicer 7 Speed, even for free it is too expensive.
Drive Safe
As far as the Spicer 7 Speed, even for free it is too expensive.
Drive Safe
The thing is though, there isn't much of a used market for ANY expediter truck, regardless of what it is or has, and big bargains can be found on everything from 3126 powered Topkicks to Luxo-Barges with 600 HP. For the same price or maybe only a few more bucks, you can get into something that has a better mill than the 3126 CAT if you look and shop around enough. The truck I drive now cost over $90k when it was built. I bought it as a year old repo with 54k miles on it for $56k, and it really wasn't a miracle deal, I see deals similar to this all over. Yes, I could have bought a brand new FL70 with 3126 for the same price or even a bit less. But, 5 years from now the big Detroit powered Columbia will still be worth something, and the FL70 won't, and I have a truck that is smooth, quiet, powerful, relaible, comfortable, etc, things 3126 powered FL70's aren't. (I came from an FL70 so I can say whatever I want about them- I know what they are all about )
For used class 7's, highest to lowest resale values go like this:
1. International
2. Freightliner
3. Mack (scarce)
5. Sterling/Ford
6. GMC/Chevy
7. Jappo Boxes
Hope this brings a little insight to the used truck market and how it works.
-Weave-
) For used class 7's, highest to lowest resale values go like this:
1. International
2. Freightliner
3. Mack (scarce)
5. Sterling/Ford
6. GMC/Chevy
7. Jappo Boxes
Hope this brings a little insight to the used truck market and how it works.
-Weave-
SHARP327
Veteran Expediter
HEY WEAVE! I SEE ALOT OF OPINIONS ON THE CUMMINS ISC AND THE ISB ENGINES POSTED HERE BUT I NEVER SEE ANTHING ABOUT THE ISM V ENGINE W/305 HP, AND ACCORDING TO THE PAPER WORK I RECEIVED WHEN I BOUGHT THE TRUCK THAT'S WHAT I HAVE ALONG WITH A EATON/FULLER 10 SPD. TRANS. IN A 2001 WG42 VOLVO STRAIGHT TRUCK. WHAT'S YOUR OPINION ON THIS ENGINE/TRANS COMBO.? THANKS ALOT! SHARP327
I love getting bombed with questions on holiday weekends when everyone is home!
I didn't neglect the resale on the KW/Pete 330's, they weren't included for whatever reason on the list I have, and I don't know why. I would put them on top myself.
Cummins 11 liter engines (M-11, M11+, M11 Celect, ISM) are a class 8 truck engines, and are all well rated.
There is just simply not enough data or info out right now on the Mercedes engines as they are so new to the market and there are not enough of them in expedite highway use right now to make a comparison.
-Weave-
I didn't neglect the resale on the KW/Pete 330's, they weren't included for whatever reason on the list I have, and I don't know why. I would put them on top myself.
Cummins 11 liter engines (M-11, M11+, M11 Celect, ISM) are a class 8 truck engines, and are all well rated.
There is just simply not enough data or info out right now on the Mercedes engines as they are so new to the market and there are not enough of them in expedite highway use right now to make a comparison.
-Weave-
Assuming you are looking past resale I think Weave's post is pretty accurate. However, How a truck is taken care of from the start has more value than anything. I have a fl70 with over 800000 on it. I am not sure it is all luck. Also have a 99 KW with a cat and have had no problems as of yet. I am not so convinced on certain engines as I have had cummins as well and they were a pain in the #####. Engine block was fine but the other components failed one right after the other. Especially a/c, electrical items ect. Some were cummins issues and some were frieghtliner.
yankee0177
Expert Expediter
the cat 3126 eng is a good eng if well taken care of !!!the inj sys
is run of the oil sys and if the oil get dirt or broke down the motor
will do some wild #####!!! but the new c-9 that will replace it is the
##### it hp start at 335hp where the 3126 can only goto 300hp it truck!!! c-9 it is a wet sleve eng ..if you have or get a cat do
a valve adj once a year at least and keep the oil change ..air filter
..you dust any motor it will take a bit out of your #####!!!!;-) :+
p.s i have a 3126 with 675,000. and it run great it all in how you take care of your truck!!!!
;-)
is run of the oil sys and if the oil get dirt or broke down the motor
will do some wild #####!!! but the new c-9 that will replace it is the
##### it hp start at 335hp where the 3126 can only goto 300hp it truck!!! c-9 it is a wet sleve eng ..if you have or get a cat do
a valve adj once a year at least and keep the oil change ..air filter
..you dust any motor it will take a bit out of your #####!!!!;-) :+
p.s i have a 3126 with 675,000. and it run great it all in how you take care of your truck!!!!
;-)