Mike E
Advanced Member
Hi Larry,
I've caught up on all the posts and other info on this site, including your "Class 8 Fifth Wheel Toter Do's & Don'ts" on the front page. I understand the advice about not buying a spring ride and instead, I presume, only buying an air-ride tractor due to its superior ride. How is KW's torsion bar suspension? I only rode in one once and it was a long time ago so I don't remember the ride, but if it had been really bad it would have left an impression.
I also wondered about the advice not to buy a COE. Most of the tractors I drove in my OTR days were COE's and I don't remember the ride being that bad, but I was young and could tolerate a lot more, and my memory may have dimmed somewhat with the passage of time. I do remember one truck in particular, a Cornbinder COE with International's so-called experimental suspension. It was just horrible. If I hit a grain of salt I had to duck to keep from hitting the roof (I'm not joking, I actually did bang my head on the roof a few times on potholes). However, in those days the cheapo companies never supplied us with air-ride so all the trucks I drove were spring-ride and the spring-ride conventionals didn't seem to ride that much better than the spring-ride COE's. However, I've never driven an air-ride COE (or an air-ride conventional) so I'm wondering how much, if any, the ride is improved? Would an air-ride front suspension like the one Bill put on his FLD Showhauler help much? What about set back axles like the Freightliner FLA or the Int'l 9700? Would they be even worse? You said go take the wife for a ride in one which I thought would be impossible without a CDL, but your recent post on that subject has allayed my fears so I might actually go do that. Of course, that assumes I can actually drag my wife out to a truck dealer. Just the mention of it has her rolling her eyes (she hates used car dealerships).
The reason I'm asking is two-fold. First, I'm on a limited budget and I've seen that your recommendations of a newer tractor with under 500,000 miles can be gotten a lot cheaper in a COE. Second, with their shorter wheelbase, they're a lot more maneuverable and after reading about your new white Volvo with the 182" wb, I don't think the ride will be affected that much with a good air-ride suspension. Has anyone else thought about this? Later.
Mike
P.S. This may be moot since my wife also hates the look of COE's. Whenever I point them out and ask her what she thinks she just laughs.
I've caught up on all the posts and other info on this site, including your "Class 8 Fifth Wheel Toter Do's & Don'ts" on the front page. I understand the advice about not buying a spring ride and instead, I presume, only buying an air-ride tractor due to its superior ride. How is KW's torsion bar suspension? I only rode in one once and it was a long time ago so I don't remember the ride, but if it had been really bad it would have left an impression.
I also wondered about the advice not to buy a COE. Most of the tractors I drove in my OTR days were COE's and I don't remember the ride being that bad, but I was young and could tolerate a lot more, and my memory may have dimmed somewhat with the passage of time. I do remember one truck in particular, a Cornbinder COE with International's so-called experimental suspension. It was just horrible. If I hit a grain of salt I had to duck to keep from hitting the roof (I'm not joking, I actually did bang my head on the roof a few times on potholes). However, in those days the cheapo companies never supplied us with air-ride so all the trucks I drove were spring-ride and the spring-ride conventionals didn't seem to ride that much better than the spring-ride COE's. However, I've never driven an air-ride COE (or an air-ride conventional) so I'm wondering how much, if any, the ride is improved? Would an air-ride front suspension like the one Bill put on his FLD Showhauler help much? What about set back axles like the Freightliner FLA or the Int'l 9700? Would they be even worse? You said go take the wife for a ride in one which I thought would be impossible without a CDL, but your recent post on that subject has allayed my fears so I might actually go do that. Of course, that assumes I can actually drag my wife out to a truck dealer. Just the mention of it has her rolling her eyes (she hates used car dealerships).
The reason I'm asking is two-fold. First, I'm on a limited budget and I've seen that your recommendations of a newer tractor with under 500,000 miles can be gotten a lot cheaper in a COE. Second, with their shorter wheelbase, they're a lot more maneuverable and after reading about your new white Volvo with the 182" wb, I don't think the ride will be affected that much with a good air-ride suspension. Has anyone else thought about this? Later.
Mike
P.S. This may be moot since my wife also hates the look of COE's. Whenever I point them out and ask her what she thinks she just laughs.
