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On a "live tandem", the driving force is spread among all 8 drive tires. On most trucks, (all 8 of the tandems we've owned), engaging the "power divider" locks the differential between the front and rear drives. The notion of one axle or the other being the "driving axle" is a myth. There are variations. Our KW has a feature where I can flip a switch and all 8 tires pull together, at the same speed, regardless of traction.

We've talked to others who've had work done at the place spindrift linked above. All had good things to say. We'll be in Bandera for the month of Feb. if you care to stop by.

Larry, I'd put both in the category of "land yacht". Very comfy ride. I will add, there's a lot more to comfort than just the ride. Our Lexus rides smoother than our F-150 or our Kenworth, but the car doesn't have the space to adjust your butt or legs relative to the rest of the vehicle. For instance, our Volvo had my right leg restricted such that my foot aimed straight ahead, and my knee in one spot. Our KW lefts me shift that leg to the right, and actually turn my foot any way I please. For an olde pharte with achy joints, that's a big deal.

And if you live in a s/b, and have one smoke detector that requires a ladder in a stairwell, that'll be the one. That detector has been relocated.

Hmmm... It makes sense that the floor pan might be different on the heavier trucks. The cab needs to sit higher in relation to the frame to allow for the drive line. Low pan allows the air ride seat. All this said, I tried really hard to justify a MDT before buying the KW. I just couldn't find anything half as good for twice the money. The KW, btw, rides nearly as nice as my F-150. And Larry, you were the first one to spoil me with the nicer ride of the newer trucks.

Correct. The commercial guys fill out the IFTA report quarterly, listing gallons bought by state, and gallons used by state, and off-road use, such as reefers. I filled out those reports for years. What a PITA.

I can't speak to other brands, but in the Ford truck line, all cabs are the same, from F-150 through F-550. Seats are too. I would think GM and Ram would be similar.

At the top of this page is the subject "HDT Members on the Road". Post there, where you are and where you'll be near term, and ask if you can meet up with another member to check out their rig, and possibly drive it. I'm just west of Cincinnati, and the truck is ready for a spin. We're tandem, carry a smart, home built bed.

Length really isn't an issue, providing it's long enough. Cut it in two, get it removed any way you can, and get the new one a couple inches longer. I'd bet dollars to do-nuts, that how most shops do it.

David, back your original question...... Randy mentions the difference between his older p/up v. a newer unit. The same is true of hdt's. We had a 2001 Volvo for 11 years. I got a chance to ride in a couple of newer units and was quickly spoiled. So, your assignment, is to ride in as many trucks of both classes, as you can before deciding. Then let us know what works for you. One more thing to consider, are you the sole driver? Will another driver be okay with driving the hdt? My wife had her cdl and drove school buses for 25 years. She absolutely will not drive a hdt.

That's where I was thinking. You'll likely not spend enough time in really cold places to need a lot of heat other than what your split can provide with some solar. Small space heaters are handy, and can warm just the area where you need it. Packaging of the diesel furnace v. Cheap Heat may be a factor, but I doubt it. Eliminating the propane furnace AND the tank is a plus too. Spending other peoples money is sure easy.........

Dyed fuel may not be worth the effort. Right now, I can buy taxed fuel at Costco for nearly a dollar less than I can buy dyed fuel locally. And then there's the convenience factor. How much is it worth to go out of the way to save pennies on red fuel? Besides spending big bucks on a coach and the latest and greatest systems, while trying to pinch pennies on fuel doesn't make sense. Tom, I'd go with the more expensive diesel fired furnace just because you'll have fuel. It's likely more efficient to run a furnace than to run a genny to make electric to make heat. All that heat the genny makes is wasted.

The hdt can work for a daily driver, if you don't do it much. Short, frequent trips are hard on any vehicle, and the bigger that vehicle, the worse it is. Never getting it fully warmed up, (idling doesn't count) puts condensation in the various drive components. Climbing in and out of a taller truck on short hops is a pain. So, as a long time hdt owner ( 12 years ), I say it isn't for everyone. The additional comfort on moving day may not be worth the inconvenience the rest of the time. EDIT: If you were pulling a larger trailer, or intended to do so in the future, that might tip the scales toward an hdt. But 16,5k isn't so bad behind your current truck Bump that up to Hatrack's 24k trailer and everything changes. And then there's the issue of licensing. Where do you domicile? How does that state handle whether an hdt can be a private truck v motorhome v commercial?

Most folks don't realize that many places/lanes on the digital maps are placed there by people like you and I. The only reason Pope Farms shows up on Google is because I put it there, in the proper location. OTOH, Google shows a Godfather's Pizza on our road, in a construction fill site.

Gotcha.

Carl, if you go to a hydraulics shop. tell them it's air hose so they don't give you steel braided line rated for 4,500 psi. Braided sheath is fine, but you don't need to be wrestling an overly stiff hose at your age...........

Thanks for the kind words ol' buddy. And you still don't know whether to trust me...... I was sitting back, waiting to see if my input was validated by someone with real experience. I'm going to add, if you measure your failing hose, and call a couple truck parts houses, I'll bet they have it in stock. When Steve Dixon need one, my local Mack dealer had them. In his case, we had to piece two shorter ones together, as his used hose for the entire run.

I mentioned Ny-Loc nuts because that's what Kenworth used on the factory hitch on our truck. I saved them to use in a low load situation someday.

If you're on the US interstate system, the signage for a particular exit should be placed above and to the side of the sign to which you'll exit. BUT, I know of some places (Louisville, KY) where that's not true. Last summer, my child bride took most of the grandkids on a road trip from Cincinnati to Colorado. When she got in the car with a beat up atlas, they made fun of her for being old fashioned. They are now converts.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all. We have much for which to give thanks, even when life throws us a curve now and again. Let's count our blessings and forget rough spots.

Commentary is good but not accurate. U turns are not illegal in most places, unless signage prohibits it, such as the interstate system. Many states/cities have u turn lanes. Legalities aside, the driver was operating in am unsafe manner. EDIT: I did a quick search and found that u turns are specifically legal in Louisiana on roads with double yellow lines and where there is no oncoming traffic for 200m. (Why metric measure in Louisiana?) So, while the driver in this instance may have been making a legal turn, it was surely poor judgement to do so in such bad weather conditions. Two states, Colorado and Oregon, prohibit u turns.

I cut the pin hole a bit oversize, then made a wood form and heated the rear portion to shape. Then I installed it over the pin, and after securing the rear, used a couple wood strips, c-clamps, and heat to form the front. I originally used the bolts for the bushing tubes, but didn't like the fact that the plastic compressed too much. Thus the pop rivets. I used vice-grips to pull the plastic tight before drilling and riveting. So far, we've pulled about 1.800 miles and the plastic is still smooth as a baby's butt.

Some time back, I posted that I’d put UHMW-STS on thr trailer hitch face. Pics were requested, but I didn’t know how to put them up from my new computer. Dan Habermehl to the rescue he showed this olde pharte anew trick on my phone. !

Sway control isn’t new. My 2015 had it. But it won’t fix stupid. It’s the operator’s responsibility to understand how to safely load and tow. Some people say “ya can’t fix stupid”. Well, you can, but it will leave a mark.

A big thanks to the vets!! And thanks to Greens and Habermehls for supplying the white snd blue trucks.