a vn in my dreams 
theres a few guys over here got k100s for about ÂŁ8000 im afraid my budget doesnt go much further than that.the only vn i could afford to import would be a toy one 
off the subject slightly ive noticed that theres seems to be a few triaxle trailers appearing over there is this to get over the hassle of moving trailer axles for the differant weights you have in each state 
I have a saying that I think sums up the American approach to truck building, it goes like thisâŚ
When Europeans build trucks they think along the lines of â tomorrows technology todayâ, when the Yanks build trucks itâs more like âyesterdays technology tomorrowâ 
As for the triaxles, I think you will find they are mainly used in specialist operations, I have yet to see standard freight haulers using them. Triaxles are about as rare as Curtainsiders (the Yanks think Curtainsiders are a new technologyâŚI kid you not!)
yeah the ones ive seen pics of have been the indy car and do they call it stock car(days of thunder)and the odd low loader for a country so big and advanced in other ways that seems a bit strange.there was a video of trucking in america released over here and they did a bit on the t2000 and the sales man made a big ho ha about the fact the hinges were inside the door.
Cliffâs right. Big, shiny and macho. But they havenât moved with the times.
I drove a Mack B61 back in the '60s in Oz. Had previously seen them in the UK with an outfit called P & S Transport of Rotherham and Glasgow. Used to see them all lit up like christmas trees (we actually called them that) powering up in the mirrors at night before flashing past. All right hookers, I think they got them from Oz.
Anyway, a real glamour motor and when I got one I wasnât disappointed. A very narrow cab built exactly like Yank cars of the thirties and forties but you could reach across and get stuff out of the glove box while driving. Comfy, powerful, and big west coast mirrors. But we were comparing them to the Brits of the day (the Euros hadnât been here long and it was them that shook the game up - Scania Vabis, F86, Merc, and Maggie) and the local stuff just didnât match up. But the Yanks didnât move with the times and now they are behind. A few years ago (not many) I sat in a Pete cabover on the Foden stand at a truck show, probably the FTA at Telford, and the windscreens were so small and high up the front blind spot extended to about 20 feet. Across-cab access was non existent because of the great lump in the middle and even the sleeper was small as this was a try-out model for Europe to see if anyone would bite. No-one did.
As far as sleepers are concerned, this is pure legislation. If only the Euros would limit the length of trailers but not overall then you would get some decent living conditions. Not many would get silly and take advantage because a truck that canât get round corners is not much use to anyone.
End of pet rant. Back in my B61 I didnât have a sleeper, long or short, we slept under the trailers. Still thought it was a good job. Oh to be young!!
Salut, David.
Jonah:
off the subject slightly ive noticed that theres seems to be a few triaxle trailers appearing over there is this to get over the hassle of moving trailer axles for the differant weights you have in each state
I very rarely move the axles on a trailer because there are a Pain in the â â â â . I need to move the tandems on a 53ft trailer to go through Vermont because they have this silly 45ft from king pin to leading axle rule, i also need a permit to drive along route 4 between Rutland and White River Junction in VT, even so although I have a permit I will still be stopped if usung a 53 so the cops can measure the kingpin / axle distance. The fine is $2,500 for breaking this rule 
Are you sure about the 45ft rule Pat?, it may be different up there, but most States enforce the 41ft rule (known as the âbridgeâ law), which states that king pin to (centre) of trailer tandems must not be more than 41ft, which is why they finally outlawed 57 footers in Florida, because they kept the same rule as they did for 48âs and 53âs, the overhang on the 57âs was so bad that when a truck made tight turns from mulitple lanes of turning traffic they kept taking âoutâ cars (turning them into convertibles! ). having said that 57âs are still legal in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma etc
The fine for being overlength on the King-pin setting is usually alot more than being over on your axle weight and the DOT does rigourously enforce the bridge law.
Hi I donâe agree with Pat, I usually get at least 1.000.000. miles on any American Truck I buy, they hold up very well I run California to New Jersey, Boston, New York, and I drive hard,I can not give any oppinion on Euro Trucks as Euro was not heard of when I lived over there. at present I drive a KW W900 and the engine (Caterpiller) has just turned 1,400,000 Miles and still going strong. I did major it at 900.000 miles.JohnT.
Hi Jonah, I guess I am going to step on some toes here. but in America there are only two Trucks thats worth anything and they are Kenworth and Peterbilt, I have owned both I prefere the KW. any self respecting Truck driver would not be caught dead in a Volvo, or a Freightliner (Both European truck makers and both are Rubbish) your supposed to be a Truck driver for Christ sake not a bloody chauffer.( I dont know if I spelt that right) IF you are looking for Automatic shift, etc etc go buy a pick- truck and haul Hot Shots. I am not putting Cliff or Pat down its just a friendly point of oppinion. all have a nice day. by the I had a nightmare last night I dreamt that my wife traded my KW in for a âVOLVOâ ha ha ha
John,
You have been missing out 
You should take atrip back to the UK and try out a Scania, Volvo, Merc, or other, you will be suprised
I have driven Kenworth, Peterbuilt, Frieghtliner etc and compared to a later model Volvo the are 20 years behind in technology and driver friendliness.
Go and test drive one for a week
Iâve been working with some American truck drivers and they canât believe the levels of comfort and technology in modern european trucks.
Like I said Pat. no self respecting Truck Driver would be seen dead in a Volvo. (I guess that should rattle a few cages) I am trying to stir a little â â â â here, LOL. John.
I forgot to add this to my last reply, Volvoâs when new are a nice riding Truck but alas after about 200.000 miles they are looking for a junkyard to take an early retirement. all you Volvo Drivers out there isnât this true? LOL. JohnT.
John T:
I forgot to add this to my last reply, Volvoâs when new are a nice riding Truck but alas after about 200.000 miles they are looking for a junkyard to take an early retirement. all you Volvo Drivers out there isnât this true? LOL. JohnT.
YOU ARE FULL OF (ZB)!!! 
My Volvo is a '99 and has got over 550,000 on it, even my Mechanics who had never worked on a real Volvo and rubbished them until they workred on mine, (although they rarely have to work on it unlike my previous Freightshaker, they have finally conceeded it is a well built truck, better put together than any Paccar product they have worked on!!!) it rides better than any 'Pete, K whopper or Freightshaker than I have ever driven, get real mate you have been over here too long⌠way too long by the sound of it! 
And for your information I DO consider myself a self respecting Trucker of 24 years. and I wouldânt be seen dead in a KW or Pete again, I drove my mates 2001 W900 and it was the biggest overpriced and overated piece of [zb] I have had the misfortune to drive in a long while! âŚGet with the 21st century mate, it ainât the 1970âs anymore.
sorry cliff small language edit mrs mix
Hi Cliff, 1970âs try 1950âs. Cliff now you have hurt me, you have cut me to the deep, you know that a KW, will still be Trucking while that Volvo, is heading for the Heap.I know 3 women who drives Truckâs and they are all Volvoâs, not because they are good Trucks but because they are more female friendly. 1999, and only 550,000 you canât be running coast to coast, and put on some rough road mileage, that mybe is why your Volvo is still in one piece my KW is a1966 and it has 1.400.000 and they are coast to coast miles, that means more rough roads than you can dream of. and itâs still going strong.re-man, Engine and Trans, but original rears, never been touched.now thats what you call a Truck eh? before you get to hot under the collar check with Pat. have a nice day, and keep wishing that you had bought a KW instead of a âVOLVOâ. JohnT.
My Volvo is a 2001 and to this date has 558167 miles. It rides almost as good as a european Volvo (FH12 etc). Still going strong
It willprobably break down now Iâve said that
John T:
and keep wishing that you had bought a KW instead of a âVOLVOâ. JohnT.
You really are living in cloud cuckoo land mate, (but there again you are from California, so I kind of expect a viewpoint like that from someone who lives in a state full of fruitcakes 
) If someone gave me a KW I would trade it for a Volvo right there and then.
As for not running coast to coast and running on bad roads, Iâve done all that, I have run coast to coast, North to south inc Canada, I have run on the bad roads up North and I still run on the bad roads down here in the South (ever driven round Atlanta?, or Birmingham AL, or for that matter most any road in AL, ever run on I 10 or I 20 in Louisianna?, I 40 in Arkansas? etc, etc, if you haveânt then you donât even know what a bad road is!.
No mate, I choose to run down here in the deep south because I make a â â â â sight more money for less miles and consume less fuel than most who run the road. I now rarely do more than 2,000 miles a week, I average about 1500-1600 miles a week, for that I average $1.50 a mile, thats all miles not just dispatched miles (I never work for less than $1.20 cpm), and I use less than 15% of my revenue in fuel costs (I average over 7mpg, try that in a KW!) and I only need a 5 state base plate. So while you are chasing all over the country in your big old DinosaurâŚsorry I mean Kenworth, playing Mr Supertrucker (and no doubt you are one of those that still hasânt figured out how to use your indicators either, or to blink and flash or even manage to stay between the white lines as you blow everyones doors off flying past at whatever speed it is supertruckers do).
Sorry mate but you are obviously so far behind the times with your KW 's and Petes, I think you are incapable of joining the 21st century, it kind of brings to mind other people that are stuck in their ways, you know the ones, the ones that still use the horse and cart!!!
One more point about mileage and age of truck, if as you say your truck is a '66 and you have only got 1,400,000 on it, then averaging it out, my truck has done more miles per year than yours!
John T:
my KW is a1966 and it has 1.400.000 and they are coast to coast miles, that means more rough roads than you can dream of. and itâs still going strong.re-man, Engine and Trans, but original rears, never been touchedâŚ
I almost forgot to mention this, about two years ago Truckers News did an article on a bloke who had completely restored an old KW, from the fifties or sixties I think, anyway he dscribed how the whole truck was rebuilt using original and newer KW parts, all of it except the suspension etc, guess what he used for thatâ â ?..Volvo! yes thats right VOLVO SUSPENSION
American truck
Hi Cliff John has left on his way to Ohio and after reading your reply to him John is having me to send his answer.Read April 12,o4 Transport Topics about Swift Transport,one of the nations largest carriers, recent purchase of 300 KW900.Why would Swift over look âState of the Artâ Volvo to go with crappy old KW ?John says he might be behind the times for he has only been driving 50yrs.and when you get a few more miles under your belt people will listen to what you have to say.John says speed safely,take pride in your ride and donât feed the bears.
L O L
JOHN
Hey is this a private row or can anyone join in?
Know what Cliff means. I am a big fan of the (Euro) Volvos. Best thing since sliced bread, but I like the KWs also. Then again, I never had to go too far in one, but never met a bloke who had one that wanted a change.
Iâm just so pleased to hear that John T has been on the road for 50 years. Thought I was the old codger of this site with 40 under my belt. Tell us John (or his secretary) howâs it been? Are you originally from this side and if so who did you roll for in UK/Europe?
Salut, David.
American Truck
Hi David,This is Johnâs wife sending his reply.Just a friendly thing back and forth with John and Cliff .John came out of the Army in 1956 and his first job was with WHITMAN ROADWAY in London,then TOWERHILL TRANSPORT and J & H Transport in LONDON then SHUNTED for HANSON of HUDDERSFIELD to name a few.Then he got his PSC license and drove for WALLACE ARNOLD TOURS in LEEDS where he met alot of Americans and alot of them insisted he come to America and see what it was like so he packed his bags and came over here in 1964,bought his first truck(PETE) in 1966 and in 1976 had 48 trucks and sold out to FREYMILLER TRUCKING.Retired for a year and we both nearly went crazy so he bought another truck and now goes trucking when he feels like it.John says youâre welcome to join in the conversation any time.Itâs nice to talk to an old trucker for these young guys donât know (zb) from Shiola.
L O L and take care,
John T.
small language edit mrs mix