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ODFL | 2017 Freightliner

1 Lone Ranger said:
Had a 13 a couple days ago with a Cummins.I run P&D but have some decent drive time between stops.Get to the exit and to the stoplight and that motor revs a little higher,trying to REGEN.Does it the first half of the day.And the mileage is horrible.But I also hear that some guys like them and they pull better.Of course when you're pulling a hill you aren't too worried about mileage.Just my observation.I myself prefer a Detroit.
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A truck with a Cummins is harder to shift when it's doing an automatic regen...
 
wawtrucker said:
Tell you what, I've been in a 2013 Cascadia the past few days - by choice - and those 13s with the Cummins pull WAY better than the new trucks with Detroits. I pull a lot of hills / mountains, so I can put 'em through their paces, and even those older Cummins seem to pull better than the newer Cummins in the 16 Freightliners and Volvos. Cummins always outperform the Detroits, but it feels like they cut the balls off the newer Cummins. The sickening thing is that I was getting bogged down with a 12k in the lead and 8k in the tail, running that 17 Cascadia with the Detroit. That same hill I was pulling two 20k loads yesterday with that 13 Cummins and there was no comparison. I'm not exaggerating.

I think I'll be grabbing those 13 Freightliners with the Cummins from now on ... who needs a radio. I wish they ordered all the trucks with Cummins, too bad there are too many issues with them. According to our shop and linehaul management, Cummins have too many issues with the DEF and check engine light coming on - in the Freightliner and Volvo trucks. We didn't even get any new Volvos in.
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You have to give the new ones time to break in. At least you run a lot of mountains. Try to get some heavy trailor's and pack your patients for awhile once those new detroits are broke in right they will pull good
 
They've changed or restricted somethin further on these '17 detroits. After a few weeks the one i've had still falls on its face at the sight of an incline. Doesn't feel like they changes gear ratio or anything, but maybe have restricted fuel pressure lower or something. From what I hear from others out there, it's not the Detroit motor that's the problem. They are said to be good pulling motors when they arn't castrated by the big companies. Seem to hear fuel mileage isn't really any different castrated or not. Point being, the 17's pull like crap because OD set them up that way or spec'd them out that way. I'll second the fact that a '13 cummins is the best pulling truck i've ever been in here.
 
lhdrvr said:
They've changed or restricted somethin further on these '17 detroits. After a few weeks the one i've had still falls on its face at the sight of an incline. Doesn't feel like they changes gear ratio or anything, but maybe have restricted fuel pressure lower or something. From what I hear from others out there, it's not the Detroit motor that's the problem. They are said to be good pulling motors when they arn't castrated by the big companies. Seem to hear fuel mileage isn't really any different castrated or not. Point being, the 17's pull like crap because OD set them up that way or spec'd them out that way. I'll second the fact that a '13 cummins is the best pulling truck i've ever been in here.
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Yep,All about the Power of the company.That why OD hasn't bought any new International's because Warranty is void if OD set the spec's.
 
lhdrvr said:
They've changed or restricted somethin further on these '17 detroits. After a few weeks the one i've had still falls on its face at the sight of an incline. Doesn't feel like they changes gear ratio or anything, but maybe have restricted fuel pressure lower or something. From what I hear from others out there, it's not the Detroit motor that's the problem. They are said to be good pulling motors when they arn't castrated by the big companies. Seem to hear fuel mileage isn't really any different castrated or not. Point being, the 17's pull like crap because OD set them up that way or spec'd them out that way. I'll second the fact that a '13 cummins is the best pulling truck i've ever been in here.
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It's a 15 liter engine that is rated up to 505HP. Has nothing to do with the engine. The company limits the HP to provide better MPG in the long run. Becomes a real drag for those of us who pull rocky sets or triples grossing 110k.
 
As for high mileage tractors..we swapped a 13 that we finally got all the issues fixed(air leaks,oil leaks etc) and swapped it for a 15 from Salt Lake. It only had 436K on it and the 13 had 430. The 15 has a DD15 and it is definently a puller, it pulled better than my 13 with the Red one. Swapped out of it because of a seat problem that didn't seem to be getting fixed for a 13 with an old style DD15 and its about the craziest truck I have ever driven. The heavier you are the better it pulls but the sister to it is a real dog. I am an old cummins guy and like the ISX motors if you drive them right but, the Detroits are not doing too bad of a job either just read how to drive them with the low RPM and High torque design. Not saying they are all this way but fuel mileage leads to better profits which are a key to our sucess. We all just need to learn how to take care of what we have that means local and line guys both. Keep em clean inside and dont beat them to death. Pretty sad here in SEA we have Columbia"s cleaner and better taken care of than newer Cascadis's.
 
Knucklehead said:
As for high mileage tractors..we swapped a 13 that we finally got all the issues fixed(air leaks,oil leaks etc) and swapped it for a 15 from Salt Lake. It only had 436K on it and the 13 had 430. The 15 has a DD15 and it is definently a puller, it pulled better than my 13 with the Red one. Swapped out of it because of a seat problem that didn't seem to be getting fixed for a 13 with an old style DD15 and its about the craziest truck I have ever driven. The heavier you are the better it pulls but the sister to it is a real dog. I am an old cummins guy and like the ISX motors if you drive them right but, the Detroits are not doing too bad of a job either just read how to drive them with the low RPM and High torque design. Not saying they are all this way but fuel mileage leads to better profits which are a key to our sucess. We all just need to learn how to take care of what we have that means local and line guys both. Keep em clean inside and dont beat them to death. Pretty sad here in SEA we have Columbia"s cleaner and better taken care of than newer Cascadis's.
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Your the first driver I've heard say their Detroit pulls better then a Cummings. A slight breeze adds around 30 to minutes to our drive out here with a loaded Rocky set for the dd15. I'm gonna hold onto my 13' as long as I can.
 
Yep, I agree with the regen on the Cummins, it can be a pain but you simply just rev a little more when downshifting. I notice it more when downshifting. You can hear it when it's happening, so you just know to hit the accelerator a little more to get those rpms up enough.
 
I tried yet another 16 with a Cummins, and no comparison to that 13 I 've been hoarding. I'm sticking to the 13 with the Cummins. Definitely pulls better than any of the other newer tractors with Cummins. Like, noticeably different.

And I agree with Ump, I've NEVER been in a tractor with a Detroit that pulled better than a Cummins - ever.... And shifting on the low side of the RPMs doesn't help much when climbing a hill, otherwise I'd have to downshift again ... rinse and repeat. sometimes it's enough of a pain to just have to ride it out at 1400, because I'm trying to maintain the ROI but yet I can't shift because it'll bog down again and I'll have to downshift.
 
True. SEA has the filthiest of trucks. There's a 12' tandem that I refused to drive the other month because it was so nasty inside.
 
I'm happy with my 07 Columbia. I'm the only one who uses it and it stays clean. Although it does have some mileage close to turning 1300000
 
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