Jump to content

Kenworth T680


SuiteSuccess

Recommended Posts

Was traveling I40 today and KW T 680 pulled up next to us in burgundy color. Man that is one beautiful truck. Must admit, had some truck envy.

2006 Volvo 780 "Hoss" Volvo D12, 465hp, 1650 ft/lbs tq., ultrashift

Bed Build by "JW Morgan's Custom Welding"

2017 DRV 39DBRS3

2013 Smart Passion Coupe "Itty Bitty"

 

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first!"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The T680 is my current favorite truck. I really like their looks. Although, my ideal RV hauler would be a Freightliner cab over RV conversion like cowboy Cadillac does. Basically a smaller version of this: http://www.cowboycadillac.com/ccsilvercabover.jpg To keep my wheelbase short but still allow me to haul a Smart.

2000 Kenworth T2000 w/ Cummins N14 and autoshift
2017 DRV Mobile Suite 40KSSB4 with factory mods, dealer mods and personal mods - now in the RV graveyard
2022 DRV Full House MX450 with customized floor plan
2018 Polaris RZR Turbo S (fits in the garage)
2016 Smart Car (fits in the garage or gets flat towed behind the DRV when the RZR is in the garage)
My First Solar Install Thread
My Second Solar Install Thread & Photos and Documents Related to the build
My MX450's solar, battery and inverter system - my biggest system yet!

chadheiser.com      West Coast HDT Rally Website

event.png    

AZCACOIDIAKSMNMOMTNENVNMNDOKSDTNTXUTWYxlg.jpg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The T680 is my current favorite truck. I really like their looks. Although, my ideal RV hauler would be a Freightliner cab over RV conversion like cowboy Cadillac does. Basically a smaller version of this: http://www.cowboycadillac.com/ccsilvercabover.jpg To keep my wheelbase short but still allow me to haul a Smart.

OMG Chad, that is gorgeous! My truck envy is growing. Isn't envy one of the seven deadly sins?

2006 Volvo 780 "Hoss" Volvo D12, 465hp, 1650 ft/lbs tq., ultrashift

Bed Build by "JW Morgan's Custom Welding"

2017 DRV 39DBRS3

2013 Smart Passion Coupe "Itty Bitty"

 

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first!"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OMG Chad, that is gorgeous! My truck envy is growing. Isn't envy one of the seven deadly sins?

Yeah, I've had that picture saved for a while now. I pull it up and drool over it every couple of months to remind me why I play the lottery ;)

2000 Kenworth T2000 w/ Cummins N14 and autoshift
2017 DRV Mobile Suite 40KSSB4 with factory mods, dealer mods and personal mods - now in the RV graveyard
2022 DRV Full House MX450 with customized floor plan
2018 Polaris RZR Turbo S (fits in the garage)
2016 Smart Car (fits in the garage or gets flat towed behind the DRV when the RZR is in the garage)
My First Solar Install Thread
My Second Solar Install Thread & Photos and Documents Related to the build
My MX450's solar, battery and inverter system - my biggest system yet!

chadheiser.com      West Coast HDT Rally Website

event.png    

AZCACOIDIAKSMNMOMTNENVNMNDOKSDTNTXUTWYxlg.jpg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is a nice looking truck but Cowboy Cadillac does not have a good reputation. If you intend to do business with them I would do careful "due diligence".

Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member
Living on the road since 2000

PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail
2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it)
2022 New Horizons 43' 5er
2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 
2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU
No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units
2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar power
www.jackdanmayer.com
Principal in RVH Lifestyles. RVH-Lifestyles.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jack & Scrap;

 

I remember you guys talking about the 680, but what going on with the 700? It's has a wider cab with more interior room, same aero design. Why the 680 over the 700? Fill me in.

 

Curt

2001 Freightliner Century, 500hp Series 60, Gen 2 autoshift, 3.42 singled rear locker.

2004 Keystone Sprinter 299RLS (TT)

2 & 4 Wheelers!

2013 Polaris Ranger 800 midsize LE

Our motto "4 wheels move the body, 2 wheels move the soul!"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The T700 was the successor to the T2000, and shared its cab, which was unique to those two models and their Paccar cousins, the Peterbilt 387. Other than chassis and mechanicals, they had little in common with other Kenworth models, and required specialized construction techniques. Consequently, they were built in only one of Kenworth's plants (Chillicothe, OH), even if the final customer was on the west coast.

 

The new, jointly developed cab that is the basis for the Kenworth T680, T880, and Peterbilt 587, while not as spacious as the T2000/T700/387 cab, is wider and far roomier than the cramped, old cabs upon which the "traditional" Kenworth and Peterbilt models have been based, and can be built in all of Kenworth's assembly plants.

 

The T680 appears to be selling well into fleets that formerly ran T2000s and T700s, so Kenworth seems to be confident enough in the new truck that they're willing to put all of their "wide cab highway truck" eggs into the T680, while Peterbilt is hedging their bets and carrying on, at least for the time being, with the 387.

Phil

 

2002 Teton Royal Aspen

2003 Kenworth T2000 - Cat C12 380/430 1450/1650, FreedomLine, 3.36 - TOTO . . . he's not in Kansas anymore.

ET Air Hitch

Link to comment
Share on other sites

KW still has the t700 on their website, but there is not a single new one available in the country. A dealer up in Maine had some advertised but had to admit he would have to place an order for several and he didn't get the interest.

It would be my 1st choice in a conventional, but $150k is tough to justify in my application

Jeff Beyer temporarily retired from Trailer Transit
2000 Freightliner Argosy Cabover
2008 Work and Play 34FK
Homebase NW Indiana, no longer full time

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ya T700 is done. I don't know what happened with 680's in the last half year but the things are friggen everywhere! Remember that the T700 didn't have the sleeper width of the 587 but the T680 does. So the width is where it matters [just not in the mattress :rolleyes:]. There was a year long study that was done all over the country early in development and the 2.3-2.6M cab width just didn't get chosen. I still get those quarterly Faro arm measurements but that thing lies...... I swear all my growth is in my shoulders! -_- Anyways, stealing from the T680 tour blog probably explains what they did the best:

 

 

It all starts with defining the criteria used to evaluate a comfortable, versatile driving position. The Kenworth engineers set out to create a comfortable driving environment for a 5’0” tall 110 pound female, a 6’8” 380 pound male, and everything in between. There are several critical components of any truck; a steering wheel, accelerator, brake and clutch pedals, gauges and a seat. The relative location of these components is paramount to creating a comfortable driving environment. The first step to creating the ideal driving position, is to eliminate all of the constraints; the cabin. In an open room, Kenworth interviewed drivers of all sizes, and asked them to place all of these individual components exactly where they would like them. The positions of these components were then recorded and a digital model was created. This digital model provided engineers with not only the ideal driving environment, but also the range of adjustment necessary to accommodate their differences in physical build. But it didn’t stop there. Kenworth engineers then proceeded to record the optimal travel for each of the pedals. For instance, the amount of travel of the air assisted hydraulic clutch pedal is designed to be easily actuated by shorter and larger drivers alike.

Model.png

Once the range of motion for these components had been mapped, Kenworth needed to create the perfect cabin to house them. This involved building several cab mockups to define the perfect size. To solve the problem, they build a fully adjustable cab that used electrical motors to vary in width and length. Mounted to the back of a Kenworth T370, they travelled from customer to customer, interviewing over 800 drivers. Engineers then took that data and created the perfect size. They called this cab “Gumby”.

Gumby.jpg

Road worthy prototypes were then constructed that allowed test drivers and customers the chance to accumulate over 200,000 miles, just to make sure everything was right. This cab was designed to driver’s specifications, to meet everyone’s beck and call.

The result is an 83” wide cab. It’s a width that provides ample room between the seats to access the sleeper, while also enabling a dash layout that caters to the driver in terms of stereo, HVAC and vehicle controls.

Ergo.jpg

What does all this mean? It means that the more you use this product, the more you feel like it was built to accommodate you, the driver. When you combine this with the superb forward and lateral visibility, the 40% quieter interior and class leading visibility from the Xenon headlamps, it becomes much more than the most aerodynamic truck Kenworth has ever built. It’s the comfortable, accommodating, fatigue reducing truck, Kenworth has ever built.

Peter

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The T680 is a nice truck. No doubt. It lacks storage as compared to a 780. But I do like the swing-out desk/dinette. I find the 780 dinette more comfortable for long-term seating. But it is more a personal preference thing....I'm not sure KW intends the mattress to be the long-term seating area. And my use is likely very different that a "typical" driver. For me, the 680 is my second choice truck.....780 is my first. Again, personal preference is a big factor.

 

It is good to see the manufacturers cater to the 5' female. In our 1999 610 it was VERY difficult for Danielle to drive it. There was no "usable" seating position and the pedals were way too far away. Our 780 and the T680 allow her to easily get a comfortable driving position and reach all switches. The same is true for the Cascadia. But Danielle says the Cascadia has the seat set to the side of the wheel slightly....I don't notice it, but she does. She finds it feels "strange".

Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member
Living on the road since 2000

PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail
2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it)
2022 New Horizons 43' 5er
2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 
2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU
No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units
2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar power
www.jackdanmayer.com
Principal in RVH Lifestyles. RVH-Lifestyles.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is a nice looking truck but Cowboy Cadillac does not have a good reputation. If you intend to do business with them I would do careful "due diligence".

I know nothing about Cowboy Cadillac or their products. I just like the looks of that truck. The idea of a cab over truck with a sleeper similar in size to my T2000 (or maybe a 780) is my ideal set up. I want a shorter wheelbase truck with enough deck space to haul a Smart. I want to keep my overall length as close to 65' as possible with a trailer of about 42'.

2000 Kenworth T2000 w/ Cummins N14 and autoshift
2017 DRV Mobile Suite 40KSSB4 with factory mods, dealer mods and personal mods - now in the RV graveyard
2022 DRV Full House MX450 with customized floor plan
2018 Polaris RZR Turbo S (fits in the garage)
2016 Smart Car (fits in the garage or gets flat towed behind the DRV when the RZR is in the garage)
My First Solar Install Thread
My Second Solar Install Thread & Photos and Documents Related to the build
My MX450's solar, battery and inverter system - my biggest system yet!

chadheiser.com      West Coast HDT Rally Website

event.png    

AZCACOIDIAKSMNMOMTNENVNMNDOKSDTNTXUTWYxlg.jpg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They sure look nice under all the lights. They had a lightweight version there @ under 15,000# dry.

DSC00680.JPG

 

DSC00679.JPG

Yamaha V-Star
2007 Kenworth T2000 tandem aircutter
ThermoKing TriPack
2003 Holiday Rambler 36' Presidential
short trips-88 Allegro on Astro

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those pictures must have been on Thursday :)

 

Because you would not have been able to see them on Friday or Saturday. I stayed totally away on Saturday - never even went inside.

 

That sure is a pretty color for "show"....

Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member
Living on the road since 2000

PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail
2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it)
2022 New Horizons 43' 5er
2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 
2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU
No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units
2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar power
www.jackdanmayer.com
Principal in RVH Lifestyles. RVH-Lifestyles.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those pictures must have been on Thursday :)

 

Because you would not have been able to see them on Friday or Saturday. I stayed totally away on Saturday - never even went inside.

 

That sure is a pretty color for "show"....

 

Did you notice that each truck manufacturer had it's own, distinct color? Mack was all black, Petes were red, KW was orange for tractors and purple for straight trucks, and so forth.

 

At supper Thursday, we had an interesting discussion, with a company insider, about how the companies get to the show and sometimes have to paint a bunch of trucks if someone else is the same color. Talk about a horror story. :o

KW T-680, POPEMOBILE
Newmar X-Aire, VATICAN
Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row
Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer.
contact me at rickeieio1@comcast.net

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Next week look at all the southbound flatbeds and you'll see a couple with the cab framer on them...

 

Is Kenmex going into the T700 business? They've never seemed to be that popular sur del Rio Bravo.

Phil

 

2002 Teton Royal Aspen

2003 Kenworth T2000 - Cat C12 380/430 1450/1650, FreedomLine, 3.36 - TOTO . . . he's not in Kansas anymore.

ET Air Hitch

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Did you notice that each truck manufacturer had it's own, distinct color? Mack was all black, Petes were red, KW was orange for tractors and purple for straight trucks, and so forth.

 

At supper Thursday, we had an interesting discussion, with a company insider, about how the companies get to the show and sometimes have to paint a bunch of trucks if someone else is the same color. Talk about a horror story. :o

Yes, and Volvo was a very nice silver. I would have liked to have rolled out that 780 with the battery powered Dometic HVAC and just hooked it to my trailer. Would have looked great.

 

Oh, and did you see the 670 with the ISX and Ultra Plus in it? I was surprised to see that. In talking to the Volvo factory people - not the local sales people, who know nothing - they said that the uptake on the Volvo engine and iShift was around 90% these days.But they still have to make the ISX available because some "big customers" insist on it. Interestingly, some of them want the iShift with the ISX. As the Volvo guy I was talking to said...."that will never happen. It would be a nightmare".

 

Also, I LIKE the optional iShift console built into the dash on that 780 they were showing.

Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member
Living on the road since 2000

PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail
2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it)
2022 New Horizons 43' 5er
2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 
2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU
No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units
2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar power
www.jackdanmayer.com
Principal in RVH Lifestyles. RVH-Lifestyles.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...