Specs will be 605/2050, 22189 18 speed, 2 speed Aux Box, 52-190 rears in 4.56/double lockers on 52k Neway. 216" WB, 22K Steer, 25k steerable dual tired drop. Double frame & dual steering boxes. Now here comes the question, do I put that into a short hood 389 Pete or a Steel Fendered C500?
C500 SF all day long.
I purchased all Peterbilts except for a old used General one day when I was suffering from acute poor judgement. However... I like the idea of the C500. I had one in Alaska for awhile. Liked it.
Western Star.
One 100 KW fleet here has been transitioning to Western Stars here for the last 36 months. That is an idea that is really getting some traction.
I should have stated if that were the only two options.
PAPE’ KW is easier to deal with than Western Peterbilt. I’d go with a C500. I’ll mention this, Over the last year there has been a huge increase in Western Star sales in the heavy haul segment. The 4900\6900 has become very popular with the oil field in my AO. ConocoPhillips purchased at least 12 on them, recently. There must be something to it. STR Alaska and Carlile have been buying new Western Star heavy haul rigs, too. The numbers must be working out. The PACCAR order board has been 8-12 months out. It’s been quicker lead times for Western Star. Might be part of the equation. Take that for what it’s worth since I’ve been out of the truck buying game for six months. BTW, I have great luck with MHC Kenworth in Des Moines. Yeah, they beat PAPE’ by $15K for a T370 and 20K for a T880 consistently. Plus, Kenworth Factory kicks in $3k for shipping to Alaska.
C500. All other factors being equal- the kw is just way cooler
What are you going to do with this beast? Haul wood or move equipment?
We just placed a order for 5 W990's-5 months.
I’ve never seen a W990 IRL. They sure look cool in the glossy brochure!
I always thought the w990 looked a bit like an international
C500 assuming the T800 wide hood is NLA. Hard to beat a setback axle for a heavy haul truck especially if you want to keep it short and need all the frame room you can get. I had mostly T800W’s and never had an issue with cooling or anything else. We worked them hard off road and heavy when they were under the 13 axles. Mine were spec’d almost identical to what you’re after. It’s an excellent setup for a lowboy truck. Oh and FWIW there isn’t much of a difference in how they pull whether you have a 600/2050 or something in the 400’s with 1850 tq. Makes a difference in price. I always did a 2050 or 2250 trans and clutch regardless off what motor was in front of it. Air assist clutch and a trans filter as well. Don’t even think about a solo clutch in it. I doubt they’d put on in a spec like that but keep your eye on that. We have a new Mack that got to us with one and within 40k miles I had it changed to an easy pedal.
The Western stars are getting very popular because they have so much more cab Room and they are available with the DD16 which a lot of guys like. Build times are definitely quicker and They are good for bigger drivers. The Western star dealer here is horrible for service.
Here is my current 990
I posted this just a few days ago under old trucker thread.
Hallback, is that your c500 in the background?
They bought their first new truck were i work in 2017. Its a Peterbilt its been a lemon. They got it because it was the lightest. They keep over 20 second hand trucks were i work one was in a wreck years ago and had to be towed the 2017 pete has been towed numerous times. The driver is getting close to were he can retire this truck has helped on making his mind up on how soon he will. He told me if he wasnt going to retire theres no way he would ever drive a new truck. I never drove a yugo but i think this pete has the same seats. I have done alot of work to it even though its steal under warrenty because of the time and trouble of getting it back to the dealer. Maybe all new petes are not like this one but its made a lasting impression on me.
I watched it for sale on eBay. Tried contacting seller as I was interested in it but the deal felt fishy. It sold for a shade over $30k. I’d have bought it if I felt it was a legit deal.
No, its my friend Jimmy's. I had a very similar one a few years back though
Well we were both watching, 28,100 the with 9 seconds left 30,006.06. I think it was a legit deal. A person could have got the last six and checked with KW on work history.
I guess I’ll never know lol. It was built right for sure and the selling price was more than fair.
Truthfully that was a very well spec'ed tractor, C16 hard to find. But at that price a fellow could afford to throw some cash into it--verses the price of new.
I saw that truck listed over a year ago. A place in Chicago, think their name was Chicago Motor Cars. They used the exact same photos with the big white building. They also had the same truck listed that Hallback was looking at. The blue 2002 Kenworth tri axle that supposedly had engine work done. Again, the same pictures were used in both ads. Seems odd to me.
I like Jimmy’s style!
He has a 2021 Fiberglass hood C500 that is yellow & black also. Cool trucks.
Ya, they were shady for sure
The seller has never sold anything on ebay before, and bought very little, and all were from small motorcycle parts and Chinese tiny car part vendors. Now has a new truck for sale, https://www.ebay.com/itm/2019-INTERNATIONAL-LT/233823920826 , other than those two has never sold anything before. Will be interesting to see if they keep selling trucks and what happens with them.
Before anything is bid on when it comes to trucks-first get the vin number then ask to see it. if either one of those two requirements can't be met then it is a sham deal. With a PacCar Vin number anything that was done by a Cat dealer would come up. I had one here two years ago that a guy was looking at, the vin supplied wasn't even close to what they were selling.
The driver called me early today and said the water pump on the new peie was leaking. I havent been able to find one yet its a ISX.
That makes 3 of us that were watching the T800. Personally I would look for a glider, Western Star here was big on the Gliders, the feds may have killed the gliders by now, but fitzgerald would be a good place to start, they build peterbilts. That being said a New C500 sounds pretty cool. You were looking for a C500 project how did that turn out?
ISX or the newer X15?
Gliders are done unfortunately. I did get a twin steer 500 for a project. I do think I will go C500 on the new heavy haul. I just think they are a better woods truck.
You can get the X15 at 600 also. https://www.westernstartrucks.com/Trucks/6900/
It says ISX but theres no water pumps in USA.
Where are you located?
Old Doug https://vanderhaags.com/Search-Results.php?manufacturer=cummins&model=isx&inventorytype=water-pump
A hour and a half from KC Mo. I called a dealer and they said they had one i said i had a guy that would be there in a few minutes. He stopped they didnt have it . They called cummins i called them to they said maybe after the first of the year. I called peterbilt they couldnt find one. I called another place they said they couldnt find one. I recalled the place that can get stuff they couldnt find one but said they could put it on some kind of a finder deal and maybe another country could have one so i told them to go ahead. Two places said they had never looked up parts for a engine like this. I was told buy 2 places it would be over 600.00.
What year is it Doug?
There are quite a few places that put new bearings and seals in antique water pumps, I wonder if they could fix this one. S&N auto electric in Sacramento advertises water pump repair, I just had them do a distributor from an old IH and they did a good job on that.
Feel like I am driving a jalopy Geo Metro with those specs compared to mine, no wonder everyone is passing me as I'm doing 65 mph max speed if it isn't a hill or head wind and 35 mph on 6% grades at 50k lbs, this 33/1350 is an antique
I just got one for my case skid steer the dealer wanted over 6oo.oo but i found one for 167.00. Its wasnt the greatest some bolts were not metric and the hub was a little shorter.I have a air compresser that is missing the pump because owner couldnt find one and junked it. I figuered there was aplace that rebuilt them.
I hear ya Spud. Guys moved these yarders in the 70s with a 220 & 5 & a 4 on 38k rears. I have always been a bigger is better fan though. Especially since I hear I am just a wee bit more aggressive than most.
Not to mention in our modern litigious society they’d have a field day suing somebody using underrated equipment should there be an accident!
Coming from Class 8 Trucks seeing a backhoe on a gooseneck behind a 3500 seems rediculous, and you see that out there on a regular basis. My neighbor has an F550 with a 10 ton tag trailer, seems like to much to me but what do I know, I haul a 307 with a 20 ton tag with air brakes, and a 400 big cam with a Jake Brake. Modern engine horsepowers in pickups gives some people a false sense of security.
Just got of the phone.They are just playing with us they can’t even get one.
I spoke with a buddy in Phoenix last night, he said Cummins parts are next to impossible to get right now. I had to overnight a jaw for a Holland 70 5th wheel from NY yesterday. Its amazing nobody stocks anything nowadays
Making me feel better and better everyday about having just a plain old Big Cam 400.
Like one parts guy told me "you need to go to a museum to find parts for that"
I bet my local napa store has a water pump for it.
I was getting some gaskets for my pickup 350 chevy and when they told me they ddint stock them it took a minute to sink in.I can understand now why the farmer ordered 2 new model T fords when he heared they were going to come out with the model A.
$283k for the C500 including FET. That is without a cab guard, scales, air op oversized load sign, beacon & work lights, fenders, flap hangers, pintle hitch, ect. So add another 20k.
I came fairly close I guessed $275.000, still short. Heck tell them for that price you'll buy two so you have a spare.
Damn near need two so I can get parts!!
At Madill it was a regular thing to strip parts off a machine waiting to be shipped or one on the assembly line. Sometimes we had to take a lot of stuff apart to pull a big gear or something. As Mr Madill would say ' If it's not working they can't make payments dear' He called everyone dear. Great man to work for. D.D.
Went into a Napa store yesterday to get some supplies for some battery cables and such. They only had two 2/0 by 1/2" battery lugs when I needed six. Had no battery cable ends for the standard posts. I needed four battery disconnect switches and they had one. Two more coming from stores in this state and one coming from Maine. The guy on the counter says they are running out of stock on all the heavy use items.
Thats how it was at many places back in the day. It wasn't uncommon to see a shovel without a cylinder at Ross either. Sadly, those days are gone. I have a 2020 Holland 70 5th wheel that theyvsay is too new to get parts for. Muthafu##a, you have 2 on the lot!!!
I hear there is a real shortage on heavy truck items also John.
I robbed a part off one of our stock units to get a customer going, and it has been a month and still have not seen the new part so if somebody wants the unit we have they (and we wanting to sell it) will be out of luck until the part shows up. It has been over a month and nobody knows what the hangup is....
You could save $100,000 off new, lightly used https://www.ebay.com/itm/2020-Kenworth-/264981692289?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292
Everyone here knows why parts are getting scarce.........The question is, what is it going to take to get this ship steered in a better direction?? We all know that the next year or two is going to probably be some of the worst times most of us have ever seen. Parts inventory has been going to **** for over 10 years, but you could usually get stuff within a couple days. It's now a week for common stuff. I sure don't know what the answer is, but I suspect we are only seeing the beginning.
As far as Freightliner goes I've only had a few issues, recently it was that belt tensioner. It was suppose to take 9 weeks but I ended up with three in 2 weeks. But I have a good Freightliner surplus supplier that has piles of parts, my cost runs about 40% less because I'm a regular customer. https://hagermanparts.com/truck-parts
Juan Valdez decide to get out of trucking? Thats not a heavy haul tractor anyway.
Oh come on now HB-those double humps would look good all stretched and beat to hell from three railers. But you would have to torch access hole first.
You bet TS! If the gooseneck of the General didn't flatten em first!!
The plot is thickening. Another truck is about to close and he got negative feedback on the first it seems. Maybe the winner was wise enough not to blindly wire the money.
Why are sellers so scummy? I am to the point I'd rather only buy new & scrap old stuff anymore than deal with shady buyers & sellers.
Just to damn ugly for me...
I agree-----------Bidding on the internet is risky, craigslist is risky, If you can or have someone you know look at what's for sale it can remove some doubt. I've never been one for auctions, just don't care for the carney bum atmosphere that goes with it. And in most cases if a deal is way to good it probably is. I have run onto some good buys but most were by accident. If I'm buying from a dealer I tell them what I want on trade in value not the other way around, they either want to make a sale today or they don't. The internet auctions are full of straw buyers, just watch a CoPart auction and see what I mean. Money talks and bullsh!t walks.
W900L Single Turbo Cat 52k full locking rears, whats not to like. https://www.iltruckgroup.com/listings/2000-kenworth-w900-2/
***k those IL truck group guys. They are the ones that tried to pull a fast one on the planetary truck.
Good to know, they have some good looking trucks, Hard to find trucks with big rubber and 18k fronts. I didn't follow your issue with a planetary truck. I did have a bad deal buying Franklin Skidder, went to pick it up after paying for it, owner claimed it must have been stolen and sucks to be me. I had a buddy track it down 200mi away, turns out he sold it to 2 other people at least, collected the money and claimed it got stolen. Guy was a beligerant *******, when we put the pieces together he was nice as pie, ran our money out to us pretty quick.
Well, the C500 got the win
Sweet! What color and how long before you get it?
Do you want me to send the proper spelling of my name for the sign painter!! LOL! Seriously though congrats on the new ride. Looking forward to the tractor build images.
Build is March so probably April?. I ordered another 389 as a mule train also. I dropped our newest 389 at pinstriper last night. Really torn on color for the 500. I was thinking black cab & silver fenders as the mule train will be the seminole scheme like this one.
But I really like a dark red, like a Wineberry color with black fenders too. Hell, I could just chrome the fenders!
Deal!! I hate driving them but know its the only way to get it done how I want.
I hear there is a driver shortage out there, but Hallback is draging them in from around the country with his eye candy. As an elementary school kid in Port Angeles, all I ever wanted to do was drive Log Truck, Left it 86 according to my father the economy tanked. East coast logging is not the same as west coast logging, became a wrench bender instead.
The Peninsula was like Morton (where I grew up) and Grays Harbor where I live now....Killed by the liberals & their concocted "Owl" rescue. Fark them & that bullshift.
Oh and while I love new gear & nice trucks I would have never spent 1.2 million on 4 trucks other than you have to have & pay the best to attract drivers.
After spending that you need to relax----------watch the 38 Special video under People need music in TGIF.
With some Jameson
LOL I was raised in Edmonds and know which side of the yarder faces the road. Celebrated my 21st birthday in a bar in Monroe with a falling crew. No worries.
Junkyard on the drivers door of that C500 would look pretty good.....
I have a resume in pictures....references as well!
Whipp'in and a whomp'in out of shute #3 comes Junkyard drive'in Big C500.
Reminds me of Slim Pickens in Blazzing Saddles!
You guessed it JY one of my favorite scenes, he stole the movie in the Getaway.
I always liked him riding the nuke in Dr Strangelove.
TS, I'd love to take a rest but just added 19k a month in debt for the next 5 years!
I think my head just exploded!
Our gear payments alone are over $130k a month. Then add fuel, wages, comp, parts, pickups, cutting & outside hauling..... Ya, $250k per month to stay afloat.
I can relate to those numbers. Mine weren’t that high, I think at my highest debt level I was probably making $80k a month in payments. I only say that so you know I feel your pain and every other physical and mental reaction that comes with that level of operation. Worst part for me was learning all the business lessons as I grew. No parents with a background to help or anything like that it was all hard knocks. Best, most expensive lessons there are!
I understand big costs for big operations (I came from a large dairy farming operation). I just didn't realize how big your company is.
Ahhh...that explains why my shop & garage building project budget is exploding (2x4x8's @ $6.50/ea! OSB jumped $4/sheet last week!)- Hallback bought new equipment! That's still a lot of MBF to crack that nut.
Oh how I feel you! I can't afford to build the shop at my place. For a 60x90 20' tall is $60k for framing, trusses & roof. No concrete, doors, siding, wiring, insulation, ect.
Finished the final specs, placed deposit & truck is awaiting build.
When is your recruiter supposed to contact me? Lol I know it’s you. I keep an eye on instagram!
Haha, I don't run the company pages. I'm FAR to controversial and would get sued by a sissy or something.
I keep an eye on em all lol.
Hey, thanks for the heads-up putting down the deposit on the new rigs. The guy up the road rolled in with a new long logger last night, too. So I'll be headed out to hook up the trailer this morning & buy 4 units of lumber today before the price explodes. Quite a bit of new equipment rolling around here so killing trees must be paying. Keeping me busy fixing stuff, so I can't complain.
It is paying but not paying well. Has usual with each year that passes the pencil get sharper and sharper. Gone are the days of 20% profit margins and more along the lines of 2%.
Talked to a guy about looking at his log loader- cycle time is too slow for him & he said the same thing. "faster! faster! more! more! more!"
Nice, I like the Blue Ox. Whats under the Hood?
Thank you, 565/1850 X15. The original idea was to put a pimp papa Smurf on it with his 2 little Smurf prostitutes but when she got the artwork all laid out it looked like he was pimping little smurfs so we nixed that idea!!
Nice looking truck. I hadn't seen a rig with the front and rear drop axles before like that on long loggers. Do you have it figured to use as something else as well?
There are several around here.
I've seen them on short loggers but haven't been in the woods much in the last three years so was a little surprised at the photo.
Nope, dedicated coastal corn hauler!
It's such a nice looking truck that it's a shame it has to leave the road to earn it's keep.
It always looks strange to me to see nice trucks hauling logs. There are a few around here too. But mostly they are strictly utilitarian with cab, frame, bunks, etc. painted one or maybe 2 colors, steel wheels with 2 hand holes, and it appears the that the paint comes out of the paint shop already faded by the sun, don't know how they do it.
Thanks guys. To get drivers you gotta have nice stuff. Sad that you have to bribe them with a new truck AND a high wage & benefits. Well, that & I like nice trucks.
It also builds price in the company they are working for. Keep the wheels down and the white lines flashing the mirrors.
The other big factors of nice equipment- Mechanics like working on clean rigs and DOT has a tendency to leave you alone.
If it comes into the mechanic shop in an obviously clean and well loved condition then the mechanics will take better care of it, too. I can't tell you how many times some truck has gone to a shop because it was towed from where it broke down all filthy with no way to wash it. And come back all covered with belt buckle scratches and the like. Because the mechanic saw a filthy old truck and did not take care of it, when in reality it was nice under the grime.
Nice equipment, High wage, and benefits, you are making it more difficult to stay here!! You are probably going to tell me you also have cold beer! Stayed in Cape Disapointment with the racoons before Covid, ran up through Raymond and Aberdeen, nice country.
I just like to work & want guys who do also. Pride=production and production benefits everybody
Double post
I work 7 days a week 365, does that count?
I am out, I only work 364, not allowed to work Christmas anymore.
The holidays are the days to work--no one around, no phones ringing, no owner micro managing, no family to deal with for 10 hours. Just tune to a good rock station and carry on.
We were just work half a day on sat i got to staying after every one else left i couldnt belive how much i got done and work was some what enjoyable.
Is a different story if someone insists on playing a country station. The cheating, hurtin' and twanging you can only stand for so long before you want something unfortunate to happen to the radio.
Theres a new radio that i like but they also play classical opera stuff its about as bad as rap.I can listen to about anything that a normal person can sing along with.
Well I'm talking about being the only one in the shop--so rock it would be--if I had a radio to begin with--which I don't because someone would want to listen to CW music. So I just work along quietly with music playing in my mind.
Oh boy, if I could get the voices in my head, to break into song
I love working night tour on drilling rigs. 6pm-6am, 7 days a week. I started my day when the office folks were already at home, and ended it before they rolled out of bed in the morning. If I worked day tour, Sunday was my favorite. Never got calls on a Sunday unless it was emergency.
Shovel logging or tethering on Sundays is my favorite!
would`nt it be loverly. so looooverly
Maybe this would be appropriate reading. Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?: A Rock 'n' Roll Memoir by Steven Tyler, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)
I know that's totally impossible for 98% of the population because their minds are constantly thinking about money and only money, they have no room for anything else. They can't stop thinking about money, it controls their every move.
Since its a trucking thread... *video doesn't do song justice*
Dave Dudley’s version the best...but I’m old and it’s what I grew up with.
I always liked Sawyer Browns version, until I discovered the origional by Dudley. I raise you a Sturgil Simpson, Nice Pete with a pair of sticks.
Ladies and Gentlemen I present Junior Brown
Oldest boy introduced me to Sturgil’s music
Easy on the "old" thing. Think "weathered. As for speed and agility... I just dug a little ramp from the grade I park my car on, to the grade I park the excavator on. Looks a little like a luge run you'd see at the Olympics. I get my grease gun and dinner box and totter over to the edge and step off, much like a sky diver bailing out. When I reach terminal velocity I have enough speed to step on a strategically 12x12 and propel myself into the cab. This is usually done with a great amount of roaring and screaming not unlike the ruckus made by elephants mating. Mothers nearby can usually be seen covering their children's ears and shaking their heads. They don't understand aging... yet. It is all very refreshing and will eliminate any thoughts you may have about being old. I still haven't sorted out getting back to the car from the lower grade. Perhaps a trebuchet.
I don't know how to post a link, but I always liked Charlie Pride's version of Six Days on the Road. Pony
Keep thinking back on TS Voices singing in his head, and CO trying to get this voices to sing, I am still trying to make sense of them in my head as always fighting among each other!!!
Well frame build has been pushed out to May 3rd now.....ugh
They got me a pump 2 days ago and to day i got it put on. Me and the driver were worried its bearings would go out but it never got lose about 15000 miles and several gallons of antifreze.
Well, it is on the ground! Now time to upfit.
Gaye Delorme is from Edmonton and was an amazing, amazing guitar player. Played flamenco guitar too. Practiced for hours everyday as a teen. Knew someone who's wife dated him way back when but turns out he was gay. This is his greatest achievement by far. First heard it when the drafting teacher left the room and another student played it on a Walkman or something. The fact the Edmonton Orchestra plays with him is verification it is a fantastic song. I saw him play at a small bar probably close to 20 years ago. Was very surprised to see my mom was there with a friend. I'm walking back to my table and hear my name... turn around and it's my mom. Fabulous. He passed away a few years ago I believe from diabetes and other health issues. He was quite funny and another artist did a great version of this song. Gaye worked with a lot of high profile musicians on big songs because of his guitar skills. 2nd to none! You tell just by watching him play the rodeo song. Gaye Delorme - The Rodeo Song (with Edmonton orchestra). - YouTube Uncensored... song starts at about 3:30 The Rodeo Song_Gaye Delorme_2009.mpg - YouTube
Too cool hallback!
That is a pretty truck.
Thanks guys. It will get minimizer fenders on all axles and cab guard will be black also. I will put 12" tall tips instead of the 36" and get some good lights in the front bumper. Pinstripe & lettering will be silver leaf & red to match my long time personal color scheme.
Good choice.
Just one question....where’s my key?
Is the left hand stack hooked up or is it just a dummy like the T880's I have seen? That thing is awesome, if I wasn't happy where I am I would be arm wrestling Junkyard for those keys...
Yes, both chimneys are hot
Hahaha, only key will be in my pocket!!
Only thing better would be a restored Pacific truck. I always thought the real tall stacks on gravel trucks and such looked stupid. If you have a high cube trailer and need to keep the stacks from turning the trailer black, then they make sense. Very nice truck. Payments probably aren't so nice though.
What is the purpose of those tips anyway. I think Paccar usually uses them but some other brands, of vocational trucks at least, do not seem to have them. I think they are supposed to mix fresh air with the exhaust so it's not too hot, but if it discharges upwards, who cares. It looks like the tuck behind the camper pickup might have one like that.
You mean you didn't order it with those silly eastern bumper guides? lol. And what about no mud flaps hanging on the front of the bumper for high speed reverse maneuvers?
That is just your tailpipe essentially. I need them short so I don't wipe them off with the tube of our tower when we move it.
I know,I know...some racer I am huh!!
I know what they are, I just don't know why they are needed at all. Why not dispense with all the venturi garbage and cut the pipe flush level with the top of the cab. Good looks aside.
Hey Haulback,this a bit off topic but i thought this pallet might interest you .Its at Chehalis on the 29th
that's a load a snatch.......blocks
Absolutely interested! Thank you for the heads up! What was it listed under?
Found the lot & "watched" it!
Pulley Corp from up by Sedro Wooley has a few things in this auction. Their 071 that was revamped by BlueStar Welding has been converted to a 70' 5 guyline machine on hydraulic undercarriage with a Silver 92 & a transmission. They also have a Cat 532/waratah, a couple carriages and a Cat 320Dfm in auction.
I hope they are just down sizing a bit.
Good thing you didn't order a T880, company I previously drove for ordered one in November/December. They STILL haven't gotten the thing. Last I heard it is sitting at the factory waiting for one electronic dash part along with 20 or so other trucks.
They are missing the dial knobs on the dash for the 880/990s to control the information center. A lot of trucks manufactured in Chillicothe are sitting waiting on parts but many of them have been delivered without that knob or without window motors.
Sadly, no. He is done. I ran shovel for him for a bit a dozen years or so ago. Very uneducated on towers, layout or planning. Had some good guys though.
I'm sorry to hear that. Did he call it quits, have an incident or just run out people and money? He could be pretty thorny to be around at times but he was a heck of a worker.
He was a hard worker for sure! I think a combination of all the above. Was losing money on alot of jobs, spread out between the north & south border & today's workforce. Donnie Anderson left along with his key shovel logger & siderod for down this way
Hate to hear when one of you guys step aside.
As do I because the next buy here/pay here gyppo will cut the rate thinking he is gonna get rich. All that does is......well, you know.
Glad yours came out the way you wanted it-one of the seven we ordered [5 W990's and 2 W900l's] showed up at Lewiston KW. Only problem is I ordered with short after frame and how did the first come-way too much after frame. So it looks like I get to redo KW's screw up. Three we ordered ten years ago I had to do the same thing plus change the fuel tanks and mounts. And move the factory installed drop axle ahead 3" to make proper spread.
Sounds like your dealer sucks.
Actually you don't get trucks your way anymore you get them their way and that is with every brand.
As found at Current employer here too. Just received a new WS tractor, frame had to be shortened/tapered at rear and a taper crossmember installed, dealer performed to maintain warranty.
There was too much after frame on this also. We bobbed 14" off of it. I wanted the trailing edge of the tire to be what was furthest rearward.
This is correct. You can get them "close" but must tweak to final desire. We had to drop air tanks below frame level & leveling valve location also.
So I have A trip starting at 5:30 Monday morning to Lewiston Id. Normal is 11" to 12" of after frame for standard tractor. The other factor is we run a 24" pin setting on trailers.