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might be buying a pete with a 215 wheelbase. need advice


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Ok first off I love my 95 rd with a 9 speed and 442 rears. It does what I need it to do and I've made it one of a kind. I have camelback and my trailer is spring suspension. It rides rough but I really love the mechanical throttle over the electronic stuff but it does wear me out at the end of the day. My mack has 480k on it right now. My truck is 188 wheelbase and I haul gravel.

So I found a guy the other day that was driving a really sharp looking 98 Peterbilt it has a 3406e engine with 475 horse it has a rebuilt 10 speed transmission where the reverse gear ratio is a 12.12 which is pretty good for backing up at a decent speed. It has 390 Deering which I've always wanted it has full lockers and a Jake brake everything about the truck is awesome I understand that I probably won't make anymore money with this truck then I am with my Mack because it's a heavy truck but at the end of the day it's either choose an air ride trailer and keep the Mack or keep my current trailer and upgrade the tractor which will ride like a dream I think.

The guy keeps excellent care of it and was thinking of selling so he could get a sleeper truck. I could go on and on about how its a good truck and would ride a lot better than what I have. the Mack makes plenty of power and I enjoy it for what it is but at the same time I feel like I deserve to have a very comfortable riding truck my dad has a 96 Peterbilt with a 3406b engine and he's 65 years old and still doesn't want to sell it lol

I drove the 98 but didn't like the electronic throttle at first. IM sure I could get used to it. My main question is, is a 215 inch wheelbase too long for gravel hauling and new home construction? Should I keep the Mac and buy a brand new Air Ride trailer and be happy or ultimately will just kidding a nice ride in truck be the right decision again I have nothing against my truck right now other than the ride holiday and this truck came up and I know how hard they are to find without all the electronic crap on them

Slow and Steady Wins the Race!

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sounds like a good upgrade, and if you really hate the electronic cat you can put a b model pump on that e engine and then have what you want. as for the wheel base if your mack is a typical mack the longer wheel base pete will fit into the same places. I don't know why the macks just will not turn very sharp, its like they have a shorter pitman arm then most other trucks

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I planned on keeping the mack. Its in the shop getting the drive shaft rebuilt monday. Your right about the wheel base. The mack r model don't turn sharp so maybe the pete will be better at that. I planned on putting the Mack to work with a driver. I will turn the pump back down of course.

My question about electronic throttle is can you adjust them to where it doesn't take allot of pressure to push the pedal down?

Slow and Steady Wins the Race!

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I have 44k. Honestly it don't ride bad with the Eldorado VIP seat that I have and bobtailing. But the moment I hook up to my spring suspension trailer I can feel all the bumps. loaded it bucks me around a little. I wonder if my better decision is to just get a new air ride trailer first?

Slow and Steady Wins the Race!

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Im currently driving a 378 Pete on air ride.

When I pull the lowboy on air ride it's a smooth ride

When I pull a 35' wrecking trailer on springs it bucks a little.

When I pull a 24' end dump on springs it's like bob tailing on camelback.

Air ride trailers make a huge difference in how smooth the tractor rides. The air ride simply takes the bucking out.

I drove a r model that had the 3 leaf rear springs and a air ride end dump and it was a very smooth ride. No bucking at all.

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I have a 378 on air with a 22 ft steel hilbilt on springs. I really think the trailer makes the difference. I had an air ride Fruehauf before and that was nice. the spring ride trailer will make the pete feel like your mack. If you're trying to make the ride better, I'd get the air ride trailer first. Especially if you like the truck. just my 2 cents

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Here's my 2 cents. I drive a 379 Pete on low leaf and a ch on camelback. With a spring ride grain trailer neither rides perfect empty. With the air ride cattle trailer the Pete rides smother but so does the ch not as good as the Pete but that is to be expected. Get in any mud or slimey roads the ch will run circles around the Pete. I would opt for an air ride trailer.

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