Here’s *my* dashboard as I prepare to head out on the highway
Posted by UhOhAllWillyNilly@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 43 comments
Get my motor runnin’, lookin’ for adventure, in whatever comes my way
cloud9_hi@reddit
I don’t drive trucks. Love this sub tho. Do you guys have to watch over all those gauges while you’re hauling? Need a co-pilot for all that.
realgrasputin@reddit
Only if you want to crash into whoever is doing dumb stuff ahead of you.
cloud9_hi@reddit
I heard that. What are the most important gauges to monitor and a basic semi?
UhOhAllWillyNilly@reddit (OP)
Primary & Secondary brake air pressure, oil & water temperatures, oil pressure, fuel levels (and DEF), the two differentials and transmission temps, turbo boost, and the speedometer (revs not so much). My reefer also has an info panel that tells the fuel level and the temperature in the box (backwards so it reads normally in the mirror) and shows the status of the reefer unit (perhaps the single most important readout of all). Depending on the terrain and load these can all vary in priority.
bones_1775@reddit
The idiot light on my reefer died one day and I was on a road with no shoulder to stop on. Finally found somewhere to stop 10 miles later. Got out and thankfully just the light, I was worried that the reefer had quit.
UhOhAllWillyNilly@reddit (OP)
Yikes! Holy moly that could’ve been baaaad. This reminds me of a story I heard way back when I first started driving and had a trainer for 3 days (that’s all, just 3 days). I asked if he had ever done reefer before and he told me that he and a co-driver had picked up a load of lettuce in Salinas to take to NY. They pulled into a truck stop for fuel and he told his partner not to forget to fuel the reefer while he went in to shower before going into Sleeper Berth. Guess what? Dude forgot to fuel the reefer and it freaking ran out. By the time it was his turn to drive again 12 hours later the load had spoiled even though he went straight to a truck stop to fuel up the reefer right away. They got to the consignee’s location the next day or so and the load was refused.
bones_1775@reddit
I had just loaded about an hour before sonic could have turned around and gone back if needed. I had a load of potatoes out of Monte Vista Colorado.
UhOhAllWillyNilly@reddit (OP)
Man, I’m glad it worked out for you but I just could not have hanged with that, not knowing if the box was staying cold. I would have probably had a stress-induced nervous breakdown.
bones_1775@reddit
I was until I could pull over. I had been having problems with the reefer just cutting out and had it fixed just a couple weeks before that happened.
Brilliant-Push3859@reddit
most of the time - none of them
air supply is a big one and oil/water temp on a mountain
skeletons_asshole@reddit
I've always liked the anteaters
UhOhAllWillyNilly@reddit (OP)
They sure get better fuel economy, and fuel is the biggest expense so why not try to save money? (The money saved stays in my bank account instead of the oil companies.) FWIW I didn’t have those enormous air cleaners on both sides creating drag either and only the one exhaust pipe behind the top of the sleeper. Running 80K# constantly I averaged 7.0-7.1 mpg.
skeletons_asshole@reddit
That's pretty good for an old rig, about what we get in the 579's these days. Yours have airbags on the drive axles? Only guy I've known that drove an anteater loved it except for the leaf springs.
UhOhAllWillyNilly@reddit (OP)
Yes, 4 airbags on the drivers only, and a big long-ass leaf on the steers (which rode better than the company truck I had just left with airbags all around), and 6 Road King shocks that made a HUGE difference (but sadly Road King seems to have gone out of business). Bear in mind that I never ever floored the accelerator, no matter what. Upshift early, downshift late (but decelerating doesn’t really matter as much), I was always thinking about how to maximize my fuel economy. And I do mean always hahaha.
BrandontheCDLguy@reddit
Make full gauge packages normal again
UhOhAllWillyNilly@reddit (OP)
I could not agree more. Now they’re sticking in these “info panels” that only show a few parameters at a time and you need to page through them instead of being able to see everything all at once without having to move a finger. Plus (to me) these analog gauges are pleasing to the eye. If I’m gonna have something right smack in front of my face all danged day month after month for years on end I want it to look good.
SnowCat6969@reddit
Not a real diver. . . Dont see enough guages
UhOhAllWillyNilly@reddit (OP)
Hmmmm, I guess I should’ve hung a couple on the A pillar too…
Spare-Good-5372@reddit
Always loved a k-whopper
UhOhAllWillyNilly@reddit (OP)
Oh they are sweeeet. I am so glad that I bought one for my first (and second) truck. See, I was afraid that if I had started out with another brand that I would have been constantly kicking myself for not buying a better truck (“Dang, I wish I had bought a better truck, I wish I had bought a better truck.” kind of thing, over & over, mile after mile. Instead I bought the best truck I could find so I didn’t regret my choice later).
Fantastic_Argument27@reddit
Why is the throttle pedal being used as the brake and why is clutch pedal not visible, only its shadow? If you enlarge the picture, the pedal on the left is clearly the steering column adjuster while the shadow of the clutch pedal is visible on the floor.
UhOhAllWillyNilly@reddit (OP)
You can just barely see a corner of the clutch pedal behind the steering wheel, just above and to the left of the shadow you pointed out. It was mostly only used at a stop/start (and feathered a tiny, tiny bit to break torque when downshifting too).
One-War4920@reddit
Kw>Pete and international
Hate the rear hinge throttle pedal
Ornery_Ads@reddit
Filthy! Clean it again!!! Do it right this time!
UhOhAllWillyNilly@reddit (OP)
Yes, you’re right, it was pretty grubby, but in my defense my back had gotten soooo bad I could hardly walk/move and needed a third back surgery soon after. Plus it had been sitting parked next to a cement plant with the windows cracked for a few weeks (I ran hard for a few months at a time and then spent a couple-three weeks at home in the redwoods. During harvest season I wouldn’t go home at all. Gotta help them farmers!)
Texas_hvac_tech@reddit
Love the analog gauges, hate how the new trucks just have a screen.
UhOhAllWillyNilly@reddit (OP)
Amen!
Itsalmostover71@reddit
It’s a dirty job eh? Shifting all those gears man you mus have a sore shoulder eh? 🤣 heard a kid once say…
UhOhAllWillyNilly@reddit (OP)
Oh heck no, the 13-speed is a joy. And safer too, in my opinion.
bakyt189@reddit
Rare combo for T660: smart wheel, full gauge panel, 13spd. Bet you have sunroof!
UhOhAllWillyNilly@reddit (OP)
The T660 was my first truck and it didn’t have as many gauges as the T800 shown above. Nor did it have a “Smart Wheel” but I got tired of having to reach for the Jake brake and Cruise Control constantly.
P3tr0@reddit
I was about to say the same, this KW got optioned out!
Ordinary-Willow-6761@reddit
Where’s your four way/hazard lights switch?
ohgeebus_notagain@reddit
3rd bank of switches out of the 5. Middle bank right above the 3rd dial.
It's the only switch active on the left
Ordinary-Willow-6761@reddit
Damn, I’m blind
delawder29@reddit
Driving my life away.....🚛
Capt_Cyral@reddit
Still easier to understand than a natural born females emotions.😉
IBringTheHeat2@reddit
Never seen steering wheel Jakes on a kensworth before
UhOhAllWillyNilly@reddit (OP)
I set it up that way. The stock one had stereo controls on one side and the cruise control functions on the other but I seldom listen to anything although I do use the Jake constantly so I put the Jake on the wheel (with a couple of momentary light interrupts on top of both sides to blink/flash other drivers when we change lanes).
awesomeperson882@reddit
Smart wheel option. I believe it adds steering wheel controls for cruise and Jake’s.
In fairness that steering wheel design is everywhere, international, Prevost, BlueBird, Freightliner, MCI. Parts bin item
Medic5050@reddit
The new Blue Birds have the steering wheels with the flat on the bottom.
It's a little bit weird to get used to at first, but it's actually really nice to use.
Midas-Knight@reddit
Heading Out to the Highway
Dangerous-Moods@reddit
Looks good driver!