Which truck is better?
 

So I was just wondering what exactly is the best truck to drive? I know I can expect a lot of opinions and this is kind of like who's better Ford or Chevy, but I was just wondering.

So which truck is better, and why?

It depends upon what you are using it for.

If you are talking about driver comfort, then I would say Volvo.

Such a loaded question! Like Rev said, it really depends on what you are using it for. Personally I think on a brand name level, petes and KW are too overrated. If I had the money right now to get any truck and spec it any way I wanted, I would go with something good for general OTR specs, IE probably a 525hp motor, 18 or 13spd tranny, 355 rears, super single drives. That spec would be great for a combination of fuel economy and pulling power. As far as chasis goes I would look for something with good stearing radius for tighter manouvering, aerodynamic body, sorry but big ole 379's with super long and flat noses might look good, but your fuel milage and manouverability will suck big time. I would also look for a descent wheelbase but not too long, as much as I would love to have a 288" sleeper, it isn't practical for most 53' trailers. I would also look to maximise comfort internally, but also above all I would look for a LIGHT truck, again the lighter your truck is, the less fuel you will burn and the more freight you can haul.

Now all that I just rambled on would be a good spec for OTR general freight, now if you are doing say drop deck heavy haul in the mountains, you are going to want a lot of power, but if you are doing tanker in prarie land, you won't need a lot of power. It all depends on WHAT you do.

I have owned several different brands of trucks over the years. I currently own a International and a KW. I prefer the International mainly due to the layout of the sleeper. Both have a 72" sleeper but the International has more usable room. Fuel mileage in the KW is better and the bed is slightly wider. Both have the same CAT engine. The International has a Spicer 10 speed with 354 rears. The KW has a super 10 and I don't remember the gearing in the rears but I believe that it is higher.

A 10 speed will do what you want and should get decent fuel economy with the right gearing and keeping your speed down. I prefer CAT engines but Detroit and Cummins both make a good engine. I have friends who prefer Cummins or Detroit.

One thing you should understand is that most trucks have the same engine and drive trains. The main difference between any of the different brands is the skin or cabin. Sleepers are laid out differently in some brands. A Freightliner, Volvo or International will usually have more room in the sleeper than KW or Peterbilt. I would buy based upon what the truck is to be used for rather than a specific brand. When I look at purchasing a truck I have certain things that I look for. I don't care which brand I buy as long as I can get the basic things that I want and get a good deal. I have friends who are hung up on certain brands. One in particular doesn't want to own anything but a 379 Peterbilt. He is the one who has to buy the fuel and so that is what he runs. I prefer something with more room in the sleeper and that gets better fuel mileage.

This is a business. Trucks are a tool that we use in the business. There are those who get caught up with a particular brand or chrome. Neither will make you any more money than another. Aerodynamics, gearing and driving habits will add more to the bottom line than most other controlling factors.

great point of view. the thrill & newness of all the bell's & whistles wear off long before the payments do.

Over the road; IH or FL

Off the road; KW or WS



I'm just replying here for fun... in reality, the spec sheet is more important than who painted the sheet metal.

Again, what do you want to do with it??

..."better" because IH and FL have the best dealer networks for longhaul. KW or WS because of their "severe service" reputations.

I love my Kenworth
except when I have to buy parts for it
200 bucks for a windshield wiper arm COME ON!!

You poor fella! :rofl:

it's a dealer item, so I'm up a Creek Jackson:clap::clap:

Is it a T2000?

No, this is Fredog's truck. He bought it new! :rofl:

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/h...son/Fredog.jpg

no, w900

.

and it still looks and runs like new!!

When I was new at trucking I got one of PAM's last Volvos and so far it's been my favorite. Since then I've been in an International 9400 and a Freightliner Century.

I would say nowaday's , it's all about making a profit. everything else, looks, chrome, name brand, e.t.c. does not matter as much as it used to.

I bought the truck I liked best at the best deal, if I had gotten a better deal on a different one, I probably would have taken it, like you said, it's all about the money

i donu if im just old school or what but for one a volvo dosent feel like a truck! has no room whatsoever for a fridge or anything, unless you buy the 770 wich is heavy as hell all around to me the volvo is the worse truck on the market alongside with the freightliner columbia and century and of course the cascadia. i my self love the international 9900ix i have it rides better than any volvo i ever drove and has much more room and driver comforts than any truck i ever drove....but thats just my opinion. my truk has over 723,000 on her and the body is still tight and no rattles and never a wiring problem.

That's funny the international I drove felt like a loud tin can, that rode rough as hell and rattled my teeth out. Was comparable to the old Ford I drive for a trip.

The only thing I liked about it over my volvo was the handling was a bit better.

i drive a columbia every day.. 211k on it and it rattles worse then my dad's old 91 volvo with well over 1mil miles on it. if i ever bought a new truck and money was no object.. a pete 386 would do it for me.

but.. right now i'm looking at used 630 volvos. for what i do its the best truck for the job. i really like international yet the turning radius sucks and with the 51" bunk its alittle tight to really streach. then again.. as said above a truck is a tool. i dont do otr i'm actualy home everynght with some layovers so i could deal with the aweful quality of a fl.. basicly.. the best deal out there lol

like i said its an opinion..... just like beuty is in the eye of the beholder.....etc. im sure there is decent volvo's out there but my expereince with them make's me despise them my dad also had an older volvo wich burnt up wires all the time. ive had a 379 pete and drove a w-900 kw wich i belive are also great trucks but they just have no room. so i felt international was the best of both worlds i have the hood still and i have the room wich i like both.

The money makinest truck I ever owned was an old 1995 Volvo/White/GMC. It had an N-14 350/390 hp, super 10 and 3.73 rears. Ugly as hell, absolutely NO ammenities what so ever. I think the mattress was like 29 inches wide. Drove that truck 680,000 miles and consistantly got 6.2 mpg. Put one set of brake shoes on it, one alternator and one A/C compressor. Never even ran the overhead on the silly thing. As far as I know, the man I sold it to is still pulling belly dumps with it.

I do love my Classic. Absolutely love it. Especially when I have to buy dealer parts for it.

As GMAN suggested, it's all in how it is spec'd out. I own a 9400i that is quiet and comfortable. Have a better insulation package than what most fleets would spec. Doesn't beat me to death except on the worse roads, and then, nothing is going to be a smooth ride going across I80 in Joliette, IL.

I was in International trucks most of time I was driving year round in Alaska. They held up pretty darned good in that environment. Been in a number of KW and FL over the years, but seem to always come back to International. Always seemed to be the best bang for the buck.

I agree with other posters..... a truck is a tool to get a job done. Chrome and chicken lights only stroke an ego and bring attention to the owner, even the attention of the DOT man. A clean, well maintained truck is all that is needed. I have seen good and bad trucks in all brands. It is a matter of how it is spec'd out. The guts are pretty much the same. Look for servicability, readiness and cost of parts, ease of operating and what you are intending to do with it.

Well a volvo with a new 16 litre motor is 700hp and about 2200 lbft stock ...that's stock , and I toss that out there for the cummings and cat guys , b/c those numbers surpass any stock production numbers for Cat or Cummings .

Fuel mileage, weight, maint. cost cost & availability on the Volvo? I don't care what the specs are, how does it "feel"? As much as I friggin hate CAT motors, I love the way they drive.

The '03 379 I drive has 400k on it , rides like a tank & has more more squeaks & rattles than anything I've ever driven, including a B Model Mack and a totally trashed Century F/L.

It does look cool though.

You're absolutely right, international seems to have a large variation in their truck comfort. Not like Volvo, all of them are quiet!

For God's sake, it is Cummins not freaking Cummings. :lol:

For over-the-road stuff, W900. For what I do now, T800H. I'd settle for a T660 or Pete 386, though. Ok, so the sleepers are tight, but the fit-and-finish is good. Anyone want my Century?

Why yes - it IS a nicely spec'd motor.

BEST OF LUCK trying to get one looked at or repaired ON A WEEKEND!

Stopped by a NexTran shop here in Pompano to have a look at a new 780 - had the VED16 in it. They asked me if I were interested in purchasing today. Told them we MIGHT be able to talk if it had an ISX in it - OR - if they were now fixing the VOLVO MOTOR on weekends. Salesman said - 'Oh, you know about that already, eh"?

For interior space, layout and setup - I LOVE the 780/880 with the workstation/condo setup. The one I saw, he asked what I wanted to do - told him, "go home, pack a bag and MOVE IN". They're SWEET.

If only they would get their ACT TOGETHER SERVICE-WISE, they might stand to do even better in the US market with their OWN MOTOR...

Rick

MACK nuff said.:thumbsup:

If you have a box full of special MACK tools to maintain them!

As a company driver, I love my Volvo. It's comfy and turns real tight in small places. It also has good body integrity (no rattles). Freightliner has more room but will be noisy and rattly in short order. If I were to buy another truck, it would most likely be a KW however. They have good quality and manage to stay together better than most.

I would agree that comfort is in the top things to look for, But if it isn't balanced by a high degree of reliability and the ease of doing simple things like climbing up (even during a snow storm) to thoroughly clean the windshield, changing out a fuel filter without having make it a major project, giving it a grease job without having to put it in a shop bay, etc, then comfort doesn't mean much. And if it isn't spec'd right to get the biggest bang for the buck out of my fuel expenditures, while still being able to get the job done effeciently, then the neatest, quietest, fanciest ride can only go so far to my satisfaction. What good is the best ride on the planet if you have to pay shop rates for doing just about everything because it is a real PITA to do it yourself, and parts are downright criminally priced, and it gets only 5 mpg. There has to be a balance. There is no perfect truck make or model. It all depends on how well the package is balanced out in all areas for the work you are trying to do. You don't really see a lot of Volvo's doing grain, rock, or livestock hauling. On the reverse, you see a lot of fleets running the big roads using them. But then, most drivers with these outfits are only concerned with ride and don't actually have to change a filter or lube the truck and could care less if Volvo doesn't have a great reputation for service (but to be fair.... Volvo service has improved a little recently). But this is the maintenance section on the forum, and I would guess that most here are, or are considering being, truck owners. Some here may want to reconsider that move if you are still thinking like a recent truck school graduate regarding what is the "best" truck.... i.e. biggest, baddest engine, only worried about creature comforts, etc. These things are worthy of consideration, but they are only parts of the equation.

Interesting take on things. Are the Volvo's really that much of a PITA to perform basic maintenance on? Guess I need to run by a Volvo shop and talk to a MECHANIC and see what the deal is. You are probably correct in the assumption that most company drivers and recent school graduates (lump me in with the graduates category) don't really see past "creature comforts". As a wrench also, I WOULD plan on doing most of my own PM's and repairs on ANY truck I purchase. The first thing I usually buy AFTER I purchase a vehicle (ANY VEHICLE), is the SERVICE MANUAL. Things like ease of filter changes, location/accessibility of grease fitting, etc., should be of concern to an O/O.

Then again, lots of other folks just see a HUGE CHROME TEXAS BUMPER and they're sold. My concerns are RELIABILITY (hence a Cummins vs Volvo motor), ride and comfort - as someone who's about to make a commitment to move into a truck as a full time home (for at least a year or two). I still submit that, short of a custom ($$) sleeper - the Volvo 780/800 with the 80" Workstation/Condo is still the roomiest, most comfortable interior going - and that measures as a LARGE CONSIDERATION in where my future truck $$'s might go...

Rick

Here is a sample of Volvo engineering... the u-joint on the steering column. It is a non-lube joint that when it finally takes a dump, then the entire column must be replaced. Same if a windshield wiper power arm breaks... gotta replace the entire assembly for both arms. It's a lot tighter area to work in than a lot of other aero trucks. The Prostar takes driver friendliness to a higher level... when you open the hood, the front end can be pulled forward so that you can step right into the area between the tire and the engine. There has also been issues with how Volvo does the differential axle breathers. They run tubing up and away from the differential to along the frame instead of breather caps on the axles. This tubing is notorious for clogging and cause wheel seals to fail. With the air ride front axle, there has been more than should be issues with keeping them properly aligned. Not my experience but got that from an alignment specialist who also teaches at a local tech school. And Volvo has just about the worst reputation for getting the truck worked on by them and the dealerships having a well stocked parts dept. Of course, there may be that excellent dealer, but the averages tell a different story. Some of the other tasks like lubing and oil changes are not much different with a Volvo than anyone other brand, I thought it was a little more difficult to crawl around under, but that's just me. But there are a lot of these little quirks that make it a PITA to work on overall. When everything is working ok, not an issue. But sooner or later, they are going to rise up and really snap you in the back end and the wallet. Either way, there were not a lot of happy campers in the maintenance shop of my last, and present carriers. The last carrier had all Cummins in theirs so didn't hear much about that, but my present carrier got some Volvos with the Volvo engine and, if you want an ear full, then stop on by and ask them how they liked that engine. Suffice to say.... neither carrier ever bought any more Volvos. I suppose with a lot of TLC and dilligent attention to every detail, that an owner might have a good experience with a Volvo. These were all fleet trucks driven by company drivers, so maybe some of the issues could be attributed to that.

But, they are a comfortable, quiet ride.

I've had good luck with my Volvo. It is not front axle air ride, the u-joint in the steering column is still tight, and the wiper blades are all tight. My dad did have to replace the whole assembly though.

There are a few small things that make working on it a little tougher. My truck has a moose bumper so it swings away when I'm working on the engine. There are also different versions of the front bumper, some are longer and some are shorter. The shorter ones are easy to sneak in between the bumper and tire.

The air dryer is located in the frame rails by the transmission. A little tough to work on. Not as nice/easy to do as say a pete 379 where it's right by the steps on the outside of the frame rails. I don't have vent tubes, but caps. They've never failed me, I check them regularly.

The issues I've had are the clutch cross shaft, due to lack of greasing by the previous owner. It does not engage the clutch brake hard enough. It has been jimmy rigged however. Another issue is the cab shocks. What a PITA to change! Especially with my headache rack. I'll be doing it next week. Not fun. The only wiring issues I've had are the rear ABS wires. That is pretty normal IMO. Most trucks seem to have problems.

The electrical connectors all over the truck are pretty top notch, with high end rubber seals. Just put a little dielectric grease in there and you'll NEVER have a problem. Nothing can get in whatsoever.

It is rusting along the bottom on the passenger side of the sleeper. I'll have to get that sprayed before winter.

But it's funny at my company, the #1 and #2 trucks for fuel mileage are both Volvo's. My truck, and my old mans truck.

I've had good service(although I do 95% of the work myself) at the local Volvo dealership. Whenever I send it in for something, they usually put their best tech on it and he talks to me after, and makes suggestions. It's all about developing a relationship. The night parts guy gives me great prices. I buy a lot of stuff because I really believe in preventive maintenance. I just did the air compressor although it is not giving me outward signs of failure. It has well over a million miles on it.

Also most dealerships I've talked to will overnight any part they don't stock for free. They do carry a lot of parts. The warehouse at my local Volvo dealership is bigger then most truck dealerships!

What year model and how many miles Allan?

I think it's just under 1.7 million KM's. Over a million miles. It's a 1999 770, Volvo engine and Eaton 13 speed.

How's steering on your 9900ix? Does your dashboard fall apart? On my 9400 the dashboard is very poorly made. The spots where the screws go in are all broken ... I checked the new 9900 trucks and they have the same dashboard as my 9400. The only truck they finally redesigned the dashboard for was the ProStar, I think...