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.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I would be more concerned with the ride on that single axle. Air ride axle, perhaps an air ride cab and an air ride seat tend to make you a "bobblehead".

 

[4570Man]

I would be more concerned with the ride on that single axle. Air ride axle, perhaps an air ride cab and an air ride seat tend to make you a "bobblehead".

My single axel is air ride. It does move up and down a lot. I’d rate it a heck of a lot better than getting your spine shortened in a spring ride truck that rides rock hard.

 

[Hay Dude]

Your ram has all of that stuff except the 2wd part and you call it reliable.

Yeah, no sh*t….Maybe because it’s 5 years old, not 10 years old and has 70,000 miles on it, not 700,000 miles on it????

The “2wd part” is a significant oversight by you for my use, since I run off road a lot. We both know a 4x2 road tractor can get stuck on wet grass.

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.

$7,000 is a lot of money to spend on a gamble that might “blow up tomorrow”. I’m not one to throw $7,000 + tax + registration + fix ups that we all know it will need to just tow it out back and leave it in the weeds cause it might blow up. That’s a HUGE $7,000 yard ornament.

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.

Well sure it did, but doesn’t someone buying a new Ram, like I did, also have 4 wheel drive, a 5 year/100k warranty and a lot easier rig to park in a garage, maneuver around, and use for personal use? I keep all my gear in my truck, as well as a fuel cell, tool boxes, tools. You ain’t gonna do much of that with a 4x2 sleeper cab Cascadia.

 

[4570Man]

Yeah, no sh*t….Maybe because it’s 5 years old, not 10 years old and has 70,000 miles on it, not 700,000 miles on it????

The “2wd part” is a significant oversight by you for my use, since I run off road a lot. We both know a 4x2 road tractor can get stuck on wet grass.




$7,000 is a lot of money to spend on a gamble that might “blow up tomorrow”. I’m not one to throw $7,000 + tax + registration + fix ups that we all know it will need to just tow it out back and leave it in the weeds cause it might blow up. That’s a HUGE $7,000 yard ornament.



Well sure it did, but doesn’t someone buying a new Ram, like I did, also have 4 wheel drive, a 5 year/100k warranty and a lot easier rig to park in a garage, maneuver around, and use for personal use? I keep all my gear in my truck, as well as a fuel cell, tool boxes, tools. You ain’t gonna do much of that with a 4x2 sleeper cab Cascadia.

I see those trucks with a million miles all the time. The first Volvo I got had 980k miles and the transmission didn’t shift right so i got one with 700k miles One with 700k has a good chance of putting in trouble free service for years to come. I don’t really think it’s going to blow up the next day. I’m just making a point that I’ve spent a lot more than 7k and so have you with no guarantee that it didn’t ventilate the block the next day. We both hope that doesn’t happen and it usually doesn’t. If I got 50k miles out of a $7k truck I’d be absolutely thrilled with the purchase and getting 200k miles isn’t off the table. You could put a service bed or a flatbed on one and pull a pintle hook trailer. A local guy in town did that with one. I may end up buying another dump truck instead but if I don’t do that I’m going to do that with my Volvo. You win the 4x4 part that’s the single biggest reason I haven’t put a flatbed on my Volvo already but those single axel trucks will turn on a dime. My ram won’t come close to matching the turning radius

 

[Hay Dude]

I see those trucks with a million miles all the time. The first Volvo I got had 980k miles and the transmission didn’t shift right so i got one with 700k miles One with 700k has a good chance of putting in trouble free service for years to come. I don’t really think it’s going to blow up the next day. I’m just making a point that I’ve spent a lot more than 7k and so have you with no guarantee that it didn’t ventilate the block the next day. We both hope that doesn’t happen and it usually doesn’t. If I got 50k miles out of a $7k truck I’d be absolutely thrilled with the purchase and getting 200k miles isn’t off the table. You could put a service bed or a flatbed on one and pull a pintle hook trailer. A local guy in town did that with one. I may end up buying another dump truck instead but if I don’t do that I’m going to do that with my Volvo. You win the 4x4 part that’s the single biggest reason I haven’t put a flatbed on my Volvo already but those single axel trucks will turn on a dime. My ram won’t come close to matching the turning radius

Exactly. A 4x2 is pretty useless for me.
Now if I could find a 4x4 road tractor???? That would be great. The few I have found have about 200HP and are as stripped as my grandpa’s 61 Chevy Apache pickup.
One with an automatic, high HP and AC will run you $100,000+

 

[4570Man]

Exactly. A 4x2 is pretty useless for me.
Now if I could find a 4x4 road tractor???? That would be great. The few I have found have about 200HP and are as stripped as my grandpa’s 61 Chevy Apache pickup.
One with an automatic, high HP and AC will run you $100,000+

Mine is 405 hp, 1650 torque which is 3 times the torque my 6.7 Cummins makes. The Cummins exhaust brake is good but the semi one is on a different level. The 6.7 is rated to brake 150 hp and the D13 is rated to engine brake 500 hp. It will twist frame slowing down. My Ram exhaust brake cuts off at 20mph. The Volvo will bring it to a complete stop. More times than not I can never touch the service brake until it’s completely stopped. Mine is a 12 speed automatic and the ac works. The no 4x4 is a downside but it cost 1-10th of your suggested price. More times than not I have to unload in the road like the guy in the picture is doing. It’s rare that a residential site has enough room to pull the truck off the road even if I wouldn’t get stuck doing it.

 

[Hay Dude]

Mine is 405 hp, 1650 torque which is 3 times the torque my 6.7 Cummins makes. The Cummins exhaust brake is good but the semi one is on a different level. The 6.7 is rated to brake 150 hp and the D13 is rated to engine brake 500 hp. It will twist frame slowing down. My Ram exhaust brake cuts off at 20mph. The Volvo will bring it to a complete stop. More times than not I can never touch the service brake until it’s completely stopped. Mine is a 12 speed automatic and the ac works. The no 4x4 is a downside but it cost 1-10th of your suggested price. More times than not I have to unload in the road like the guy in the picture is doing. It’s rare that a residential site has enough room to pull the truck off the road even if I wouldn’t get stuck doing it.

You do you, I do me. No doubt those cheap 4x2’s are great for some.
I gotta work off road. 4x4 is barely enough for me some days.
I have also found my little Cummins is up to the task. Just gotta know how to drive

All that said, I’d love to have a tandem axle 25’ flatbed with full lockers for the really rough off road work.