Have a questions about truck specs.
 

What is the best drive train to have in a truck? I guess the type of truck is just looks, cause it seems like to can get any combo and the drive train, when is it too many miles? What kind of problems to look for when buying also? Any help considering this I would love to hear. Looking to but my own truck here in a couple of months and looking for something cheap to start with.

Everybody is going to need to know what you are going to be doing with it, kind of loads, running area, etc. :wink: 8)

I'm thinking dry van or reefer, no mountains, try to stay southeast midwest, southwest etc..

Nobody has any ideas on motor, trany etc....

I believe I'd try to stay away from a Detroit. The company I'm with is having all sorts of problems with the EGR on theirs. Trucks are going in to the dealers to have that repair every month or so. And, I've heard a few O/O saying they will not own another one because of that. Also, the company I'm with got rid of all of the Mercedes engines. They were even worse. I'd also be leary about the C-series Cats. Tips of the injectors seem to break off, score the cylinder walls, poke holes in the pistons, and take out the turbo when they exit the engine.

With 22 inch rubber, I'd want about a 3:45 or 3:46 ratio on the rears. With 24 inch rubber, I's want about 3:55 ratio.

As for the truck itself... I think I'd look for about the cheapest cabover I could find and get it paid off in one year.

Well I was thinking Detroit, but my next choise I would say cummins.I was looking at something cheap, but what do I need to look for when buying? And how many miles is to many?

Any takers?

As a company driver, most of the trucks I've ran in the past 4 years or so have been Cummins ISX. I've never had a major mechanical engine problem on any of the trucks, including my current truck that I've been in for a year and a half and has 870k miles on it.

ISX's also have good pulling power and get good mileage. I average about 6.5mpg hauling an average of 44k into and out of West Virginia.

As for transmissions - gimme an AutoShift any day.