Big Trucks (The 10 Wheeled Variety)
 

With as many members that the TFP has, there has to be some truck drivers out there. I used to be until family came into the picture.

What, in your opinion, is the best tractor/motor/transmission combo? And if you have pics to show, lets see your "home away from home".

As for me.. I never had the opportunity to operate as an owner, only company driver. But I truly enjoyed driving the 2001 International Eagle Condo with a N14 Cummins and Eaton Fuller Super 10. I know, Super 10s are for "sissies" but I loved it when I had 40k lbs strapped to my ass coming off Immigrant Pass.

My dad owns 3...well only use peterbuilt or freightliners with cat engines. The worse brand we had is a volvo. Blew 4 pistons in a year and the wiring harness has all black wires, so when we had an electrical problem it was a bitch to fix.

Volvos do suck.. But a truck is only as good as it's motor.. I had a 96 POS Volvo that actualy caught fire on me over night, parked. Thank God it was a company truck.

One of the best is Freightliner with a Detroit 60 series mated to an eaton fuller tranny. Cat engines are also excellent engines just a little heavier than the Detroits and a little more complicated to work on.

My dad has been trucking before I was even born, hes had been there to so why stop if its something you love, unless your a highway trucker, then thats a different story.

I was.. 48 state plus Canada.. And I will go back to it after my daughter is grown.. That is, if trucking is still something that one can do by then.. For now, I'm a Juvenal Detention Officer..

right on doc...im one of the FEW people who understand NOT to ride the ass of a semi...*stares at 99% of arizona's drivers*

I actually had one that I passed once, on my way from IL to AZ...the fucker went nuts and rode my ass for a good 50 miles. I passed him 200 yards AHEAD and i gave him EXTRA room just to make sure he didn't flip out!

Just like everything else, there is good and bad in everone.. I really didn't care if I got tail gated. If you hit me in the rear, it's your problem. You could wreck your car, you could even die. But me? I'm going to drive away after they've pealed you off the back of my trailer, and I'm going to go on with my day. The worst place you can stay as a 4 wheeler is right beside a big truck.. 1) I can't see you if I need to get over. 2) Those tires have 90 to 110 lbs of pressure, and can blow a hole through most cars if they blow out. Not pretty..

Great combo, but a huge pain in the ass to work on.

My father has been a Kenworth mechanic for 26 years so I have some brand loyalty to them. Plus I've worked on kenworths for a good 5 years with my dad so I know the ins and outs a little better. Fun doing burnouts in I have to admit.

Thats a big jump in career change.

Is was in corrections before I drove, it just made sense to go back to it..

Why is an Eaton Fuller Super 10 for sissies?

I know dick about big rigs, except that "Son, truck drivers are born lost, and it gets worse from there."

(That's a quote from an older truck driver I was helping out at the paper mill I work at.)

It's realy not my opinion that Super 10s are for sissies, most major trucking companies are going or have all gone to Eaton Fuller Super 10s. It HAS been said by many longtime, hardcore truckers, that the Super 10 is for drivers that can't shift.

For those who don't know, the super 10 has what's refered to as a split gear system. With most standard transmissions, you shift through a series of 5 to 7 gears, flip a switch, and start the patern over again. With the Super 10, you split each shift in half. To shift from 1st to 2nd you would simply flip a switch and take your foot off the excelerator, and it would automaticly shift for you, then flip the switch back, and shift normaly from 2nd to 3rd. You only actualy move the shifter or clutch half the time. Unless you know what your doing and float gears, then you use the clutch for two reasons, starting and stoping.

It's obvious why all the companies are going to The Super 10s. There are fewer gears, fewer moving shifts, and fewer clutches. This means fewer burnt out clutch plates and chipped gears, and more road time for these trucks.

Now, IMO, the Eaton Fuller Super 10 is a great tranny. I have driven almost every kind from 7 speeds to old 18 speed Spicers, and few of them offer the power that S10s do, and I've never had a tranny that I felt as safe with downshifting a steep grade.

Yeah, my rig's got a 5 speed mitsubishi attached to the side of a 2.0L 4cyl. Yup, that's about 130lbs/ft, real stump puller.

So, I was haulin' 240 lbs to the store the other day, had to hit my jake on the way in, whoah, I tell ya', that was a close one.

Got that 4'3" clearance to, right?

O I see:)

Hmm, I almost didn't make it through the underpass, luckily, the air was running low in the tires and I squeezed through, then hit up the station.

Trucks should fit if your in the middle lane.

Wait a minute, someone mentioned burnies...I need pics/videos of this! Should kick some ass, I'd think!

I drive a KW and 2 Frieghtliners.. i like the KW more

I never had an opportunity to drive the Century Class Frieghtliners, I always wanted to, nice looking trucks. I had an older, early 90s, KW once. It wasn't to bad, a little shaky, but it was old..