Just can't get a good basic truck, like the old days!

[Hay Dude]

No doubt. Everything I've seen and read rates the engine brake on the newer Cummins engines the best. By far.

It’s ridiculous how good it works. Even fully loaded, the service brakes see little use. I actually try to drive challenging myself to see how much I can stay off the brake pedal and exclusively using the exhaust.

I use “full” and not “auto” setting most of the time.

 

[3930dave]

It’s ridiculous how good it works. Even fully loaded, the service brakes see little use. I actually try to drive challenging myself to see how much I can stay off the brake pedal and exclusively using the exhaust.

I use “full” and not “auto” setting most of the time.

Take the good tech from the Big Boys, and drop it down into the "little" boys...... often a good plan, and worked out well in that case !

As we've gone thru in other threads, where HD pu's have gone to in Towing Capacity, lands many people in CDL territory. Given the cost of HD pu's today (CAD at least), if I had ready access to the rust-free markets in the USA, I know I'd be taking a hard look @ a Medium Duty truck too...... esp. pre-emission, even if it meant dropping in an engine.....

Rgds, D.

 

[4570Man]

Take the good tech from the Big Boys, and drop it down into the "little" boys...... often a good plan, and worked out well in that case !

As we've gone thru in other threads, where HD pu's have gone to in Towing Capacity, lands many people in CDL territory. Given the cost of HD pu's today (CAD at least), if I had ready access to the rust-free markets in the USA, I know I'd be taking a hard look @ a Medium Duty truck too...... esp. pre-emission, even if it meant dropping in an engine.....

Rgds, D.

After the Yellow freight liquidated you can buy single axels cheap. I’ve seen Volvos with 400 hp for 6 grand. Most of those have DEF though. You can buy older medium duty trucks cheap but most of those have no power. I’m not engine swapping a truck when you can buy one that runs for 6k.

 

[3930dave]

I’m not engine swapping a truck when you can buy one that runs for 6k.

Makes sense ^. Up here, you'd be challenged to buy a beaten-on half-ton for 6k.

At your price, I'd be buying two. One of the reasons I'd trade older lower-power for newer is wiring-harnesses rot here at an alarming rate, heated DEF lines too. If you live/drive in areas of the USA where you rarely or never need to worry about DEF freezing..... you don't know how lucky you are !

IDK any other automotive chemical that is designed to freeze in normal operation. Grease in bearings might thicken, but unless you live in Siberia, that shouldn't shut down a truck.....

Rgds, D.

 

[4570Man]

Makes sense ^. Up here, you'd be challenged to buy a beaten-on half-ton for 6k.

At your price, I'd be buying two. One of the reasons I'd trade older lower-power for newer is wiring-harnesses rot here at an alarming rate, heated DEF lines too. If you live/drive in areas of the USA where you rarely or never need to worry about DEF freezing..... you don't know how lucky you are !

IDK any other automotive chemical that is designed to freeze in normal operation. Grease in bearings might thicken, but unless you live in Siberia, that shouldn't shut down a truck.....

Rgds, D.

Here’s the nicest one I found for the money in 2 minutes of looking.

 

[3930dave]

Sigh... not for the first time, I think I live in the wrong country......

^ might be miled-up, but, as good mtce matters more than miles, that is appealing !

Thanks for posting that.

Rgds,

 

[4570Man]

Sigh... not for the first time, I think I live in the wrong country......

^ might be miled-up, but, as good mtce matters more than miles, that is appealing !

Thanks for posting that.

Rgds,

680,000. I see them all the time nearing a million. My Volvo has 705k.

 

[WinterDeere]

 

[Hay Dude]

Here’s the nicest one I found for the money in 2 minutes of looking. View attachment 4642960

DEF, DPG, EGR?
Cheap yes, but no thanks.
A 4x2 single axle road tractor with a lot of unreliable pollution devices and 700K miles might be useful to some, but not me.

 

[4570Man]

DEF, DPG, EGR?
Cheap yes, but no thanks.
A 4x2 single axle road tractor with a lot of unreliable pollution devices and 700K miles might be useful to some, but not me.

Your ram has all of that stuff except the 2wd part and you call it reliable. How many miles does a $7,000 truck have to last before you sell it for junk and move on? It might run 200k miles trouble free. It might blow up tomorrow. My Ram doesn’t have any guarantees of not blowing up tomorrow and it would cost me a lot more than throwing away a 7k truck if it did.