kenworth t680 install.

[Slowmover]

I saw that 8-speed and looked for the second stick should have the other four.

RPM range is 1,000 PEAK TORQUE and 1,600-rpm is PEAK HP. So, not only a wide band but works. 55-70/mph in top gear. Pulls most grades (77k gross) unless too long (all east of IH355; no Monteagle or Fancy Gap). Rarely downshifted today going up Shenandoah Valley.

i fell in behind ESTES linehaul doubles a very long ways. He had faster truck (pulled grades faster) so it was easy for other traffic to flow around us. Made time as he knew current construction and when could ignore some signage.

Since gear splits are HUGE, this truck accelerates like a bandit coming out of rest area (relative to HP). Wind it out and slam the next one. (Some good tests). The 565-HP tanker I drove a few years back - empty - was a slug, comparatively. 13-speed double OD.

Daily average MPH is high. MPG not bad (above 6). Winning combo (to my surprise).

Downgrades suck. No jake and no gears. That part is S-l-o-w. But not many of them. None major.

 

[Slowmover]

Put the 7’ Skipshooters on as said. Used the PRESIDENT ASC feature and, sure enough, can’t understand the RX gets thru without the DSP on a day with SERIOUS amounts of Skip.

Got good reports otherwise. Not much local chatter.

Once back home will grab the 979 Galaxy to get protection diode replaced. Mate it to the KL-7405 if I can figure where to mount it. Otherwise, KL-203.

The Linc needs no amp, basically. I’ve not run power.

But it’d help. Won’t be able to confirm that till DSP unit installed.

 

[Crawdad]

I don't get the no jakes thing. How the hell could you do the Monteagles or Jelicoes or I-68s or the Pensyltucky Turnpike to name just a few, or out west to the real hills without jakes? I ran 75 to 79,000 most of the time for 7 years and I can't imagine not having jakes. Are they trying to sell more brake drums/shoes?? I must be missing something here.

 

[Slowmover]

Truck only runs out-back. No named grades. No western runs. D/FW to Iowa and then ranging East towards NJ. Flip side is straight back to get another. IOW, up to 70, more likely use 20 or 40 and then up IH-81 as today.

And no radar or other nanny-crap. Like a pre-emissions truck all over again.

I never had a jake till three years ago.

The modern tractor is automated manual with integrated jake (variable vane turbo). All disc. Great programming makes it easy.

I’ll take this one. Driver skill, not “safety” for those born incompetent.

NOTE: It’s not about speed, per se. It’s about friction-free travel . MAJOR vehicle distance separation all day. That goal is predicated on managing other traffic — and occasionally altering ones position via acceleration — to maintain this.

Stupid drivers are into left lane regularly. I’m not. (Lower stress. Easier miles. Safety-defined).

Sittin’ in the catbird seat.​

 

[Crawdad]

No nanny crap is very good. Didn't mean to hijack thread. Done now.

73

 

[Slowmover]

No nanny crap is very good. Didn't mean to hijack thread. Done now.

73

No sweat. Trucking an invisible world to most. They want to hit the Dave Dudley note when on AM-19, but them ancient 1970s conditions are gone.

Trucks are interesting, . , truck drivers without teeth and wearing flip-flops ain’t (in their eyes).

These exchanges are therefore:

Secret De-Coder Ring Info

 

[Eldorado828]

It's a good looking truck, clean! 400hp with an 8 speed is an odd combination and no jakes either. Last 400 I ran was 400 big cam with an 18 speed mounted to a 379 pete and man that truck would pull. Those jakes with straight 6" pipes were music to the ears for about 20 miles and then you'd have all you wanted haha.

So not being specifically a trucker forum I'll get back on track. Hopefully you can get your installation ironed out soon so let us know how it turns out. I drove a t880, essentially the same cab with a different hood and never really got around to completing an install. Lots of brainstorming but not much to fruition. It would be good advice coming from someone who knows what they're doing.

 

[Slowmover]

This KW won’t slow down you release throttle. Downshifts barely help.

First Impression:

After several days with a “digital” radio and no noise abatement work this truck can be said to be “noisy”. Electrical noise (somewhat) and dirty grounds (hopefully most of it). By noise I mean a background which does not allow clean reception with a known good radio (President Lincoln II+).

I can hear, but not well.

Truck & Trailer is a refrigerated van combination. New to this job description (one product line in dedicated account servicing), so don’t know yet what effect a Carrier or Thermo-King refrigeration unit may add.

That unit runs continuously on outbound loads from Texas. Inbound load (backhaul) can be general freight (unit off).

So loud is background here at receiver this morning have given up and am on ASC. Many reefers in operation.

Earlier staged a few miles away and local reception was as found elsewhere this trip; not great (just okay). IOW, nowhere near where this radio performed with a dry van 579 Peterbilt.

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[Slowmover]

Second Impression:

After escaping the DC-Baltimore Corridor (above post) was westbound in the early p.m. towards Front Royal and far enough away from the metro region that a contrasting impression could be taken.

Despite the rural setting, RX as experienced was still overlain with heavy hash.

I’ll be able to stop off at home on Friday and get the 979 I meant to bring along. Plus a few other gear & supply items. But summers high heat will slow any exterior work.

 

[Slowmover]

Step One:

1). Install HUSTLER Quick Disconnect.
2). Set SWR via external meter.
3). Install P-E CMNF-500 Noise Filter behind radio.

— Waiting at dock door. Still just below 80F, so went to do these. QD adds 3.0”. Installed for both a height increase and to remove for a hazard.

— With meter attached, no reason to change tuning nail position. Radio hadn’t squawked at me earlier, so this was a nice finish.

Change puts me dead-on 14’.

— Filter doesn’t make much change past the noise “tone” altering.

I don’t know exact height of trailer roof, but I’d expect 13’2” to 13’3” to make the standard 13’5” clearance with some assurance.

This makes the antennas 5”-7” just above trailer height when stationary. Moving, might be same or a little under.

Maximized antenna height with longest possible antenna was the goal:

A). Longest antenna = 7’
B). Maximum 14’ = highway clearance.

.

 

[Slowmover]

Now, for those where a big truck install is new territory: the KW 680/880 is as easy as it gets to physically install a radio of the proper size.

— Shown here with a few snap-on toroids and cased noise filter.

This tray releases and slides. OUT!. Using your new soldered-end power cord, attach where the binding post does not capture wire insulation, but wire only. Tighten past snug.

You could try the noise reduction additions seen here ($75), but I won’t make you promises. Can I hear a difference? Yes. Will you feel you got your money’s worth? Can’t say.

1). Mix-31 Snap-on over truck wire (one pass).
2). Mix-31 Multi-pass of Radio power cord (shaped and secured with zip-ties; 4-turns).
3). Coax Noise Filter at Radio (Palomar Engineers CMNF-500).

This view is to the viewers left with the front panel removed. Thr radio tray — not shown — is to the right. The tiny factory speaker. The air lines for the air horn. And, Moses, look upon the Promised Land (meaning the powder-coated steel shelf behind it.)

To this will attach the power cord Negative where the Positive makes the long run to the Batteries under the drivers door steps (about 20’).

Bypassing the factory power will decrease substantially the noise carried by the vehicle electrical system.

Reducing the Signal-to-Noise Ratio is a series of small bites to reduce the problem. No ONE fix. Many little fixes.

And, as radios run best with less than a half-volt drop once keyed, a correctly-sized power cord can be minimized in length PLUS wire gauge with this short Negative run.

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[Slowmover]

With the above changes:

1). 7’ antennas (on optional QD) versus 3.5’ factory (where factory coax in new-quality condition).

2). (2) Ferrite toroids (optional coax case filter).

3). External speaker in cabinet above drivers left shoulder.

Installation Requirements:
A). Above left shoulder.
B). Downward tilt.
C). Speaker cone clears fixture.
D). Bracket attached to latch behind speaker from bracket; more zippies from bracket to above. Fat M-61 toroid took 4-5 turns (must close to work).

— Even this inexpensive truckstop UNIDEN speaker when properly-positioned, offers FAR MORE clarity than the KW integrated speaker or the one in the radio case.

— A minimum of money spent for cleaner, quieter SNR and better range to this point in the thread.

No expensive radio or amp, etc, to get to this better performing stage.

— Ferrites (different types & shapes) are an approach to reduce noise. I favor treating EACH cord at EACH end. Not expensive per piece.

This is a big jump from just putting in a radio and heading down the road. All that “noise” was not noise . . . some of it was Signal which you can now hear.

$100, give or take.

($220-$250 with options)

.

 

[Slowmover]

IH-81 300-MM in Virginia, N of the TN border this morning while loading. Skips rolling as can hear Exit 87 BBQ just outside Jackson, TN.

Clearly.

We’ve adjusted the sound. Lent focus. Noise remains, but a good bit can now be understood was NOT actually noise, but sounds poorly received and reproduced. Now, the system into which the radio works has been improved. Radio can perform better.

(I can now distinguish the noise the ThermoKing refrigeration unit adds. It was there before, but now I can hear WHAT it adds).

Summation: After the work detailed above — on a day with heavy Skip — I can go to an adjacent channel to blank any noise present to make that the baseline for AM-19. I barely entered any additional Squelch and a minimum of RF Gain reduction on AM-18 to have silence.

— Maximum Signal Reception is my goal.



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[Crawdad]

Just for S&G's I just hollered for you on .185 .........

 

[Slowmover]

Just for S&G's I just hollered for you on .185 .........

Just need my paperwork, get sealed and go five miles for fuel. So, holler again 1.5-hrs from now. Will be SB on IH-81 to 75. Probably stop early before Chattanooga. 1,200 to FTW by Friday morning.

Gonna be a slow ride today what with no jake and 42,500 in the box.

Edit: Am waiting for the box to come down to just below 0F before departure.

— An AM/SSB Radio is the recommended minimum performance standard. A Uniden Bearcat 980, or step up to a President McKinley for not much more. (There are other more expensive units if you prefer).

You may not care about Sideband — consider it a performance test goal — until the day your Jesus-phone won’t work (no ones phone works).

That day you’ll be glad you got the right equipment and made some tests to see how well it works from your truck.

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