recomendations for a starter D unit......

[frank60302]

hello.....

i'm new to the expediting field, but have 3 yrs of streight trucking experence under my belt.furthermore i've worked as a driver for expedite truck o/o.

my o/o had me in a freightliner fl 70 with a cat 250hp and a 7 sp tranny. it was eather the trans or the engine or both breaking down. fully loaded it struggled to climb up mtn passes. the summer texas heat had the engine running hot. on a positive note, I did like the nice sized condo sleeper and cab. the fl 70 frame, chassis, cab etc.

in you opinion, what would the the ideal D unit? (engine, trans, box, frame/chassis, etc)

franks

 

[Weave]

Under $30K starter D units usually consist of FL70's with the crap you just mentioned. A waste of money in my opinion.
Time provided, stretch a class 8 tractor. All the guys with exp. who have done this will say the same. They are way better, as most class 7 chassis/powertrains were not engineered for highway use, are loud and uncomfortable, and fall apart easily. There have been some exceptions (KW T-300's with Cummins power, FL70's with Cummins 8.3's and 6 speeds), but the latter two trucks are still a but bumpy and noisey.
I have a class 8 Freightliner CL120 Columbia 24 footer that came from the factory with a long frame that is not stretched, with DDC S60 power and 10 speed that I love. The chassis is just about perfect, I bought the truck as a repo. I don't like the Morgan box I have on it, however. It's quality is decent, but its not a 102x102, which I would highly recommend for a D unit. I also recommend swing doors to rollups.
Invest in a good class 8 chassis with a good engine and tranny to build into a straight truck, and you can change things or expand later.
-Weave-
I forgot to mention that class 8 cabs with integral air ride sleepers are the way to go too. So much less fatigue.

 

[paperback1]

HI WEAVE, CAN YOU RECOMMEND ANYPLACES TO GET A CLASS 8 TRACTOR TURNED INTO A 24FT BOX? ALSO, ANY IDEA ON THE COST OF THE CONVERSION?

 

[Weave]

Just about any decent truck/trailer shop can do the conversion, and it is best to ask shops around your local area. I don't know of anyone who really specializes in it though. That way you can drop in and supervise the work while they are doing it. The conversion typically runs between $4-6k depending on the extent of the job. One fellow you might ask on the forum is Mikecop, who I know had a IH cabover stretched into a 28 footer. He can provide you with more specifics about the stretches. Another guy I think had a stretch done was Neverhome247. Class 8 units are popular among the fleet owners at C&M.
-Weave-