looking for a rig

98k1500 · 02-08-2009, 04:30 PM

Well, in about a year Im looking at hitting the road full time as an over the road truck driver. heres what I want... would love to have a flattop pete with huge stacks but having trouble finding one with a cummins n14. actually any truck with an n14 and in good shape would rock. Nothing against cat, detroit, or mack, or volvo... Just the n14 is reliable, available and superbly engineered. cat is very expensive and is no better than anyone else. detroit seems a little weak, at least the series60 12.7 does, dont know about the 14s
if the right truck came along, with a solid motor and the guts to pull, id probably bite but i need to know whats happening to other truckers out there first before I dive in. whats the work load like guys. buddy is having trouble finding enough work for his drivers, think its more of where we live personally.

batty1214 · 02-08-2009, 04:33 PM

well, if you could lease to one of the big companies, you will stay fairly busy. but the current economy, (as it stands while obummer works it out) the little guys are having pretty tough time pretty much nation wide. Or so it does seem to me.

98k1500 · 02-08-2009, 06:23 PM

well, i think that the biggest problem for my buddy is that all the big companies have bid out the transport so low to certain destinations that they can get all the work, instead of being able to haul things to denver and drop down to new mexico for a return load of potatoes, there is no longer enough money to be made GOING to denver,that we just dont go. and there isnt enough beer to haul out of miller in fort worth or boulevard out of kansas city to keep four trucks going anymore. it sucks. I really would love to operate for a large company though and if that is what it takes to get a truck and go, then ill do it, but i've always been the small man, hometown, kinda guy. oh well, but you think if i did o/o **** for a large contractor you could still make money?

batty1214 · 02-08-2009, 07:49 PM

you might be able too, as some of the bigger companies are looking for people to take some stuff that the simply do not have time for, like I have a 2 loader tires that I ordered in Vancouver Canada, and I ordered them over 9 months ago, and they are still sitting up there

batty1214 · 02-08-2009, 08:03 PM

but like you,I would rather help out the local hometown guys

bradrhale · 02-08-2009, 08:09 PM

you wont make anything right now. its a great time to buy a truck but there is a great reason for this. NO WORK!!! cummins does make a reliable engine and certain components are easier to change or modify. i can turn the fuel up on one with a couple of wrenches just as fast as that cat man with a computer. cat is high priced and everything that has Caterpillar written on it will be double the price. however, cat warranties last a bit longer than cummins or detroit.
you seem to have an idea of what exactly you want though. any particular style?? there is one right here that can be sold with trailer for a reasonable price. 97 pete, 379 flattop, 3406 cat, 9 speed with 3.73. 3 stage jakes. injectors, power divider, clutch, water pump all has been replaced within the year. might even throw in the train horns.

batty1214 · 02-08-2009, 08:16 PM

keep going.... you might have sold it to me, and im not even in the market... I think it was the train horns part...

bradrhale · 02-08-2009, 08:18 PM

they are not mounted. they were on the last truck but the driver irritated me so that went on the back burner. permenately.

batty1214 · 02-08-2009, 08:19 PM

nice.... would they sell seperate? I think If I had a set, I could probably scare geo metros off the paved road!!

bradrhale · 02-08-2009, 08:22 PM

not sure you would be interested in the price. i know how much was spent for them and it was over 2 bills. off the street from a man on a bike. but they are the real deal. had 3/8 line to them but the supply should have been 1/2". it really makes a differance. when you take them apart, it is quite interesting just how that thing makes that much noise. i repaired one once with a coke can.

02-08-2009, 04:30 PM	#1
98k1500 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Manhattan,Kansas Posts: 322	looking for a rig Well, in about a year Im looking at hitting the road full time as an over the road truck driver. heres what I want... would love to have a flattop pete with huge stacks but having trouble finding one with a cummins n14. actually any truck with an n14 and in good shape would rock. Nothing against cat, detroit, or mack, or volvo... Just the n14 is reliable, available and superbly engineered. cat is very expensive and is no better than anyone else. detroit seems a little weak, at least the series60 12.7 does, dont know about the 14s if the right truck came along, with a solid motor and the guts to pull, id probably bite but i need to know whats happening to other truckers out there first before I dive in. whats the work load like guys. buddy is having trouble finding enough work for his drivers, think its more of where we live personally.

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02-08-2009, 04:33 PM	#2
batty1214 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Vernal Utah Posts: 1,276	well, if you could lease to one of the big companies, you will stay fairly busy. but the current economy, (as it stands while obummer works it out) the little guys are having pretty tough time pretty much nation wide. Or so it does seem to me.

02-08-2009, 06:23 PM	#3
98k1500 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Manhattan,Kansas Posts: 322	well, i think that the biggest problem for my buddy is that all the big companies have bid out the transport so low to certain destinations that they can get all the work, instead of being able to haul things to denver and drop down to new mexico for a return load of potatoes, there is no longer enough money to be made GOING to denver,that we just dont go. and there isnt enough beer to haul out of miller in fort worth or boulevard out of kansas city to keep four trucks going anymore. it sucks. I really would love to operate for a large company though and if that is what it takes to get a truck and go, then ill do it, but i've always been the small man, hometown, kinda guy. oh well, but you think if i did o/o **** for a large contractor you could still make money?

02-08-2009, 07:49 PM	#4
batty1214 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Vernal Utah Posts: 1,276	you might be able too, as some of the bigger companies are looking for people to take some stuff that the simply do not have time for, like I have a 2 loader tires that I ordered in Vancouver Canada, and I ordered them over 9 months ago, and they are still sitting up there

02-08-2009, 08:03 PM	#5
batty1214 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Vernal Utah Posts: 1,276	but like you,I would rather help out the local hometown guys

02-08-2009, 08:09 PM	#6
bradrhale Senior Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 9,496	you wont make anything right now. its a great time to buy a truck but there is a great reason for this. NO WORK!!! cummins does make a reliable engine and certain components are easier to change or modify. i can turn the fuel up on one with a couple of wrenches just as fast as that cat man with a computer. cat is high priced and everything that has Caterpillar written on it will be double the price. however, cat warranties last a bit longer than cummins or detroit. you seem to have an idea of what exactly you want though. any particular style?? there is one right here that can be sold with trailer for a reasonable price. 97 pete, 379 flattop, 3406 cat, 9 speed with 3.73. 3 stage jakes. injectors, power divider, clutch, water pump all has been replaced within the year. might even throw in the train horns.

02-08-2009, 08:16 PM	#7
batty1214 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Vernal Utah Posts: 1,276	keep going.... you might have sold it to me, and im not even in the market... I think it was the train horns part...

02-08-2009, 08:18 PM	#8
bradrhale Senior Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 9,496	they are not mounted. they were on the last truck but the driver irritated me so that went on the back burner. permenately.

02-08-2009, 08:19 PM	#9
batty1214 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Vernal Utah Posts: 1,276	nice.... would they sell seperate? I think If I had a set, I could probably scare geo metros off the paved road!!

02-08-2009, 08:22 PM	#10
bradrhale Senior Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 9,496	not sure you would be interested in the price. i know how much was spent for them and it was over 2 bills. off the street from a man on a bike. but they are the real deal. had 3/8 line to them but the supply should have been 1/2". it really makes a differance. when you take them apart, it is quite interesting just how that thing makes that much noise. i repaired one once with a coke can.