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kenworth trucks

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URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9276
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Topic: kenworth trucks
Posted By: Eric[IL]
Subject: kenworth trucks
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2010 at 8:08pm

Looking into purchasing a good used 1999-2005 Kenworth semi sleeper tractor twin screw for pulling trailers about 15,000 miles annually.  Which ones were good years, good engines, good trannies, right rear axle ratio, & 22.5" or 24" tires?  Anythings to stay away from or lookout for??  Or, is another brand better?  Thanks.  




Replies:
Posted By: jeffnil
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2010 at 8:26pm
You would be alright on any of those years of trucks. Mid nineties detroits had an issue with the split piston design, but they were cleared up or changed out by 99. I would have a preference to tall 24 tires, but for only 15000 miles a year it would not make much of a difference. I run 4 t600 and t800 from the nineties, with each having over a million miles daily. The only thing I would be certain of when looking is to make sure the truck has the kenworth 8 bag suspension. I had one that had a different suspension, and the parts for it were three times as much as the kenworth's.


Posted By: DREAM
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2010 at 8:29pm
Wow Jeff, 4 trucks running over a million miles a day! I bet your drivers are sore when they get in! LOL! Sorry, couldn't resist being a smart-acre.


Posted By: Rick of HopeIN
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2010 at 8:35pm
They have been buying used T800s at work for the test fleet, guys say they are easy to work around.   Check Palmer Trucks site


Posted By: 7060
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2010 at 8:56pm

We have a 2001 Volvo VNL64 with a N14 and merritor 10spd. The Volvos have alot of room in the cab compared to other trucks. It also has plenty of power with the N14. It also rides like a Cadillac.



Posted By: Dale Hardtke
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2010 at 9:32pm
Check out "Truck Paper".  Same Publisher that has "Tractor House".  Sandhills Publishing


Posted By: JohnCO
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2010 at 1:04am
Defiantly go with paccar air suspension, you, or your drivers' back will appreciate it

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"If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer"
Allis Express participant


Posted By: Larry(OH)
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2010 at 8:16am
go with a CUMMIN'S

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'40 WC puller,'50 WD puller,'50 M puller '65 770 Ollie

*ALLIS EXPRESS contact*

I can explain it to you, BUT I cannot understand it for you!!


Posted By: Eric[IL]
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2010 at 11:51pm
I just located an 03 T2000, 887,000 miles, C12, 13spd auto shift & 22.5" tires.  It has a new turbo, new clutch, and new drive tires.  It has a lot of fiberglass around the fuel tanks that worries me about rural gravel roads?  Would I be able to get another 250,000 miles out of the 13 spd auto shift transmission?  I have not driven an auto shift yet.  Can you manually select any gear or do you just put it into Drive??  Any thoughts welcomed.  


Posted By: Eric[IL]
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2010 at 11:53pm
I forgot to mention it, but the 03 T2000 has the 8 bag suspension.


Posted By: Rfdeere
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2010 at 12:02am
How much weight you pull'in ? If your Hauling grain that C12 is awful small. The autoshift can be operated manually or in auto. You have to clutch it in auto to start and stop.

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Randy Freshour,Member Indiana AC Partners,
http://www.rumelyallis.com" rel="nofollow - http://www.rumelyallis.com


Posted By: DonDittmar
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2010 at 6:08am
Well, I work at a Kenworth dealer. WATCH OUT for what 8 Bag suspension you get, there are a few different ones. If its an AG 200, make sure it has had the update to the AG 400 done on it. If you want shoot me a PM with your phone number and I can tell you what to look for.

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Experience is a fancy name for past mistakes. "Great moments are born from great opportunity"

1968 D15D,1962 D19D
Also 1965 Cub Loboy and 1958 JD 720 Diesel Pony Start


Posted By: John (C-IL)
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2010 at 7:46am
At auction yesterday in Fort Worth, TX. Petes, KW and Volvos with 500K miles, new tires and pretty good condition were selling for $10K and lower. The used truck market is a blood bath right now. Same auction in two weeks will have all of the tractors from the Arrow Trucking Tulsa facility. Literally thousands of trucks available right now for bargain basement prices. Check out the link.
 
http://www.rvnetwork.com/index.php?showtopic=82260&st=120&start=120 - http://www.rvnetwork.com/index.php?showtopic=82260&st=120&start=120


Posted By: NNYACAL
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2010 at 9:05am
Eric
Don is right on about the kenworth eight bag suspension the 200 series had a severe problem with the sway/ trac bar bushings so as Don said make sure it has the update kit or it will cost you some severe money. Maintenance records are more important than anything.


Posted By: firebrick43
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2010 at 9:41am
I would say stay away from a c12, it had its share of problems.  A C13 or C15 are damn good motors.  So is a N14, even a detroit 60 series is okay to about 750000, plus side is that parts are cheaper?  Parts for an auto shift are very pricey.  With the bigger motors a super 10 is okay, smaller motors like a c12 or m11 you should have a 13.  15 and 18s are just showing off any more with the modern big bore turboed motors.

I personally hate a kw suspension but hey to each his own. I like the international trucks do to the heavy cab, simple layout, and roominess compared to a pete or kw, but the petes and kw are good well made trucks.  Newer volvos are okay mechanically but they have electrical problems.  Stay away from freightliner junk. 


Posted By: Brian Jasper co. Ia
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2010 at 12:46pm
I've driven KW's, Freightliner's, Volvo's, International's, and Mack's. My opinion is International is a cheap, rough riding, poorly built truck. Freightliner is about a 1/2 step up. Volvo rides almost as good as a KW. Mack is maybe a 1/2 step up from a Freightliner.

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"Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the government take care of him better take a closer look at the American Indian." Henry Ford


Posted By: DonDittmar
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2010 at 12:58pm
KW has the best cab in the industry straight up. Coil coated aluminum so it wont rust, doors swing on a SS piano hinge so they dont sag, sealed up so tight that if you slam the drivers door with the windows up you run the risk of blowing the glass out of the drivers door. Sold many door windows because of that.

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Experience is a fancy name for past mistakes. "Great moments are born from great opportunity"

1968 D15D,1962 D19D
Also 1965 Cub Loboy and 1958 JD 720 Diesel Pony Start


Posted By: BLee Mn
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2010 at 1:47pm
 i have to disagree with firebrick, around here its the c13s with twin turbos that have the trouble, also c15s have a bad rep for not lasting. I run c12s in my trucks hauling grain with 13 spds  and love them, no issues at all, plenty power!

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Cowboy UP


Posted By: DonDittmar
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2010 at 1:51pm

C12 is an updated 3176. C13 is a C12 wih a little bit bigger bore and all of the tree huggers compliance crap hanging off the side.



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Experience is a fancy name for past mistakes. "Great moments are born from great opportunity"

1968 D15D,1962 D19D
Also 1965 Cub Loboy and 1958 JD 720 Diesel Pony Start


Posted By: ToddSin NY
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2010 at 2:21pm
I owned 2 Freightliners and they both about broke me! I then bought an International and every week went to the bank for a deposit! I loved my International! Very little problems and was a tough truck. It was a 9400 and it rode like a Caddy. I drove a Pete and I hated it! Rode like a lumber wagon with square wheels and couldn't see a thing out the windows!!!


Posted By: Coke-in-MN
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2010 at 2:35pm
The Pete 372 with the C12 and 13sp Iwas driving for the last 280,000 would get 7 to 8 MPG hauling tanker at 80,000. The Pete 379 I have now has the C13 and 13sp but on same trips am now at 6 MPG. More power but still governed to 67 MPH top speed.
  No dang room in the cab on the pete's , and being 6' I find knees are into colom. Sure wish they made day cabs with the idea of comfort and the fact you need more than a place to put a coffee cup.


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Faith isn't a jump in the dark. It is a walk in the light. Faith is not guessing; it is knowing something.
"Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."


Posted By: JohnCO
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2010 at 3:17pm
I have to put in a good word for Freightliners.  I've got a '96 with over 850,000 on it, Cat 3126 and 10 speed, single axle with air bag suspension.  The engine has around 200,000 on it and runs great but only gets about 7 MPG.  It has a hook lift system on it which is really handy for me to haul compost material in 16' boxes, machinery on a 17' flatbed and water and whey in a 1700 gal aluminum tank.  I got the Freightliner, an old expediter truck with a 22' box because it was cheap and had the extended cab which is nice when I make a run to my orchard, 250 miles west over the mountains.  I know it's not a Paccar but for me it's just fine.  For 15,000 miles a year, a well kept, properly speced Freightliner might be just the thing.

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"If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer"
Allis Express participant


Posted By: NickT(Ky)
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2010 at 8:39pm
Don't like the C12 or C13. Can't say about the C15. The jake brakes are better on the cummins and detroits. Get a N14 cummins and let her roll. Coke, your right about the Pete's. Look good but no room.


Posted By: Rick of HopeIN
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2010 at 8:58pm
The aero designs are bit harder to access for engine work, that is only reason we prefer the older styles.   Love the Volvo creature comforts.


Posted By: ronnwmo
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2010 at 11:29pm
run pete 379 long hoods with c 15 cats,18 speeds,3 55 or 3 36 rears,pete airride.We run 175,ooo roughlee a year.Easy to work on. cat engines fairly trouble free.


Posted By: 7060
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2010 at 12:14am
I think the volvos feel more modern inside than the rest. You have to roll the window down a little to get the door to shut as well with it. Its got 1million 48thousand miles on the N14 and has had nothing but new heads and a ecm. The only thing I dont like about a Cummins is that they all seem to crank forever before they start up. By the way an autoshift is just a regular manual trans with a autoshift kit on it. They can't shift perfect either, and still mess up. I would suggest a 10 or 13 spd. for the farm. Cat is also a good engine though. Ive heard you want to stay away from the early ISX Cummins though, not sure why.  


Posted By: Jon NW Iowa
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2010 at 10:25am
I have 2 c12s and both had to be overhauled before 800,000. Both had cams go bad.
Cost more to oh than a c15. ISX cummions are ok after 2002. Had a funky sleeve and head gasket design that didn't work. IHC is the worst riding truck we have. Volvo and Petes are the best.  The T2000 might be pretty heavy for hauling grain. Hope this helps.


Posted By: BLee Mn
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2010 at 10:33am
we run IH and Petes everyone fights to drive the pete. Night and Day difference, Like a cadilac to a chevy. next truck will be a Pete. Jon, 800,000 aint bad is it? seems like most fleet trucks are sold around 7-800,000 miles cuz getting close to OH

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Cowboy UP


Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2010 at 11:01am
I was a truck mechanic for over 25 years when I gave it up 15 years ago, I preferred the old IHC equipment but do not know how they are today.  Parts used to be readily available from most all sources as they used off the shelf devices.  Pet and KW did as well but not as heavily as IHC.  As to types, I prefer a W900 KW or the 359 Pete long noses to all the hyped 'aero' cabs, as far as IHC a simple S2500 or a 4370 are good choices on older units.

These were the "simpler" trucks and stood the test of time/miles to me.


Posted By: 7060
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2010 at 12:11pm
I like the looks of the 359s, 389s and w900s, but when you come to a stoplight you would have to think weather there was a car in front of you or not. The 386s, 387s, T2000s, and volvos you can see more of the road. Ive never drove a long nose, but settin up in one compared to our volvo theres no comparison on view. The round nose trucks usually have a seamless windshield too. Ive heard that the Cats have alot more low end torque than a 60 series anyways.


Posted By: morton(pa)
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2010 at 1:02pm
Stay away from Cumminaparts.


Posted By: Jon NW Iowa
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2010 at 7:49pm
BLee-800,00 wasn't bad but was so disgusting is that they never took oil, had good power, ran nice and all of a sudden the cams were flat. Trucks were an 02 IHC 9900i and a 01 Columbia in nice condition. Once you get the head off you may as well oh at those miles. The IH is at 998,000 now and doing fine. The Columbia got rolled and totaled out so I guess the motor is in someone else's truck. Trucking is fun isn't it?


Posted By: Brian Jasper co. Ia
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2010 at 2:13pm
Cumminapart? They have the most low end grunt. You do know that Caterpillar truck engines are now yellow painted Internationals... 

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"Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the government take care of him better take a closer look at the American Indian." Henry Ford


Posted By: Rick of HopeIN
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2010 at 2:39pm
there is a short hood version of the T8 but may not be common in tractors.



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