Gary and Shawna Hage's New Truck!
- Thread starter ATeam
- Start date
That one definitely needs to be out front during the expo. I really like the "office". That's enough to make one want to go back to pulling some sort of trailer.
Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
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Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.
Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.
Broompilot
Veteran Expediter
Very nice.
Streakn1
Veteran Expediter
Thanks Phil for helping me get the photos online. We had request from some of the EO members to post the "office area" photos online. That is one of the best things we've ever had in a truck. I spend alot of my off time in my office taking care of business while my wife enjoys watching TV from the dinette area in the back.
The Cab is a 2007 Kenworth T600B with a 38" Areocab sleeper. This is the last year KW built the T600. It has been replaced by the T660 model starting in 2008. The platform is a full length factory doubled frame to prevent stressing and "whipping" as the truck travels down the road. ARI gutted and redesigned the Areocab into the "office area" as seen in the photos. Then ARI coupled that to their 132" ARI Legecy II custom sleeper with the taller 92" high unit. Unlike many of the add on sleeper combinations that use a day cab only, we are able to stand up in the Areocab sleeper which allows the opening into the larger sleeper to be much taller and wider. No bending over required when entering the living area of this truck! Another nice feature is the 8-air bag suspension on the drive axles along with the total air ride cab and sleeper suspension. The ride is like a luxury car!
The engine is a Cummins ISX-475 coupled to an Eaton Fuller 18 speed (yes I said 18 speed) Autoshift transmission. Its the smoothest autoshift I've ever driven! The drives have a 3.55 ratio. The truck was designed to be as fuel efficient as possible. Weight distribution was also a consideration so it was designed with the 150 gallon fuel tanks set farther back to keep the steer axle weight down.
We feel very lucky to have found this truck as we wanted something more comfortable than the 70" condo sleepers that we had been in for so many years. We also feel fortunate because of the way the truck is designed, we can easily build it up into a CR unit. For now we plan to run it as a T/T unit.
The Cab is a 2007 Kenworth T600B with a 38" Areocab sleeper. This is the last year KW built the T600. It has been replaced by the T660 model starting in 2008. The platform is a full length factory doubled frame to prevent stressing and "whipping" as the truck travels down the road. ARI gutted and redesigned the Areocab into the "office area" as seen in the photos. Then ARI coupled that to their 132" ARI Legecy II custom sleeper with the taller 92" high unit. Unlike many of the add on sleeper combinations that use a day cab only, we are able to stand up in the Areocab sleeper which allows the opening into the larger sleeper to be much taller and wider. No bending over required when entering the living area of this truck! Another nice feature is the 8-air bag suspension on the drive axles along with the total air ride cab and sleeper suspension. The ride is like a luxury car!
The engine is a Cummins ISX-475 coupled to an Eaton Fuller 18 speed (yes I said 18 speed) Autoshift transmission. Its the smoothest autoshift I've ever driven! The drives have a 3.55 ratio. The truck was designed to be as fuel efficient as possible. Weight distribution was also a consideration so it was designed with the 150 gallon fuel tanks set farther back to keep the steer axle weight down.
We feel very lucky to have found this truck as we wanted something more comfortable than the 70" condo sleepers that we had been in for so many years. We also feel fortunate because of the way the truck is designed, we can easily build it up into a CR unit. For now we plan to run it as a T/T unit.
mrgoodtude
Not a Member
It is a beautiful truck!
ARI had a 132" on display at the Las Vegas truck show on a Peterbilt platform and it was insane.
Price for that type of luxury a paltry $208,000 WOW.
I guess the 132" run for about 75-80k?
ARI had a 132" on display at the Las Vegas truck show on a Peterbilt platform and it was insane.
Price for that type of luxury a paltry $208,000 WOW.
I guess the 132" run for about 75-80k?
The "whipping" phenomonon Gary mentioned is an important consideration for anyone building a straight truck or tractor with long wheelbase. Also called "gallop" by some, it refers to the flexing of the frame rails, up and down, as the truck rolls down the road. On cement mixer trucks, it is sometimes large enough to be seen with the naked eye as they drive down the road.
Truck frames almost never break but all of them flex to one degree or another. The more the frame rails flex, the less comfortable the ride will be. As Gary mentioned, the solution is frame liners. They reinforce the frame rails to stiffen it and thereby reduce flex.
Truck frames almost never break but all of them flex to one degree or another. The more the frame rails flex, the less comfortable the ride will be. As Gary mentioned, the solution is frame liners. They reinforce the frame rails to stiffen it and thereby reduce flex.
