Seeking reefer advice ... Thermo King vs Carrier
- Thread starter str8trk
- Start date
Refer Hauler
Expert Expediter
Owned both can't tell much difference, will buy either one depending on the deal. I buy used 53 footers with 8 to 12 K hours on the unit. usually run them into the low 20's hours, then trade. Whatever you get, make sure you get the manuals with the code's in them. California now requires DPF's on reefers.
Carrier suggests that the useful life of a reefer is seven years, but most of their customers run big reefers on big trucks in applications where the reefers are run almost as often as the truck engine. A reefer less used would be expected to run longer.
Far more important than the brand name or reefer type (roof mount or under-body mount) is the quality of the installation. I have seen horror stories on both types that have nothing to do with the reefer itself but with the hack job install. Do your research and choose your installer carefully.
Regarding the California requirements, my information about the DPF requirement is different than that offered above. To bring our Carrier 850 up to California specs when that due date comes would not require a DPF but an engine swap.
Research the CARB (California Air Resources Board) rules very carefully before committing to a reefer of any kind. The rules have changed several times since they were first announced and they apply in different ways because exceptions are made for a variety of variables, like fleet size, model year of the reefer, home state of the truck, etc. What may be true for one truck may not be true for another.
This is NOT a subject to research by reading an open forum or talking to other drivers. Go to official sources and do not buy a reefer of any kind until you know for certain that you understand the rules. The carrier to which you lease your truck may have additional rules. Check those out too.
Again, be certain that you know the rules. You don't want to spend a lot of money on a reefer only to find out you cannot legally use it in a year or two.
As far as reliability goes, much depends on the quality of the install and on the care given to the reefer while you own it. Ours is an under-body mount (or split install as Carrier calls it) Carrier 850 installed by Crow's Truck Service in Memphis Tennessee in 2006.
An unusual issue developed soon after. The fix required two engineers to fly in with special equipment from Carrier headquarters in Georgia. Crow's gained our loyalty for life by the after-sale support they then provided. There was another issue that developed on this new unit. The fix was less exotic and cheerfully made under warranty by a different dealer.
Beyond that, the reefer, now in its fifth winter, has performed almost flawlessly. We service it according to FedEx Custom Critical's schedule, which is more aggressive than what Carrier recommends. A leak once developed inside the box in the tubing that connects to the evaporator. That was an easy fix. Beyond that, the reefer has been very reliable.
Far more important than the brand name or reefer type (roof mount or under-body mount) is the quality of the installation. I have seen horror stories on both types that have nothing to do with the reefer itself but with the hack job install. Do your research and choose your installer carefully.
Regarding the California requirements, my information about the DPF requirement is different than that offered above. To bring our Carrier 850 up to California specs when that due date comes would not require a DPF but an engine swap.
Research the CARB (California Air Resources Board) rules very carefully before committing to a reefer of any kind. The rules have changed several times since they were first announced and they apply in different ways because exceptions are made for a variety of variables, like fleet size, model year of the reefer, home state of the truck, etc. What may be true for one truck may not be true for another.
This is NOT a subject to research by reading an open forum or talking to other drivers. Go to official sources and do not buy a reefer of any kind until you know for certain that you understand the rules. The carrier to which you lease your truck may have additional rules. Check those out too.
Again, be certain that you know the rules. You don't want to spend a lot of money on a reefer only to find out you cannot legally use it in a year or two.
As far as reliability goes, much depends on the quality of the install and on the care given to the reefer while you own it. Ours is an under-body mount (or split install as Carrier calls it) Carrier 850 installed by Crow's Truck Service in Memphis Tennessee in 2006.
An unusual issue developed soon after. The fix required two engineers to fly in with special equipment from Carrier headquarters in Georgia. Crow's gained our loyalty for life by the after-sale support they then provided. There was another issue that developed on this new unit. The fix was less exotic and cheerfully made under warranty by a different dealer.
Beyond that, the reefer, now in its fifth winter, has performed almost flawlessly. We service it according to FedEx Custom Critical's schedule, which is more aggressive than what Carrier recommends. A leak once developed inside the box in the tubing that connects to the evaporator. That was an easy fix. Beyond that, the reefer has been very reliable.
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