jenandjon

The door handle on the passenger side quit working soon after purchasing the truck. It was cheap enough, so I got one and replaced it. When I got the panel off, I knew I would have to replace the entire panel sooner or later. That time came. Freightliner made the door panels out of a very hard plastic that got brittle with age. So many screw holes were broken. 2 of the 4 screws for the door handle were just gone. Only one holding the window track. But I got it pieced together good enough to last another couple years. I decided that while I had it apart, I was going to add some sound deadening. I did a little research online and found this product called Killmat. They make 50 mill 80 mill and 100 mill. I got the 80 and doubled it up. It's a butyl-based product vs. the asphalt based. Not the most expensive but not the cheap stuff. According to the reviews and you tube videos this is supposedly the best bang for the buck. There are better products out there, but they are way more costly. Then I started looking for a door panel. Vander Haages has used for $220. Complete door panels. Pull your old one off slap this one in and done. But they were dirty, and some were cracked. I already had a dirty cracked one. Don't need another. Freightliner had them for $308 brand new no freight cost. So, I get it home and start transferring parts over to the new panel and I find out that the arm rest screws were all messed up. That is a big deal because they also hold the interior door handle in place. Back to Freightliner I go. Arm rest cost me another $100 but they actually had it in stock. While I'm in town I know I need a few screws because some of the holes were busted out and screws gone. Just a couple machine screws. Not a big deal. Stop at Fastenall they should have them. Yes, indeed they do have them. I need 4. They come in packs of 100. 🤦‍♂️ Ok fine. $6 for 100 screws that I only need 4 of. I get home and with help from my nephew I get it all put back together. All the interior pieces cleaned up real nice. The dark grey inserts in the picture. But the speaker grills were ugly and rusty. I had to do something. I hit them with a little flat black to match the grab bar and door handle. I think it turned out nice. I am pretty impressed with the Kilmat. The door shuts with a thud like a car door now instead of a rattle. Here is a like to where I got it. There is enough in the box to do a double layer on both doors. Some of you may ask why I didn't replace the speaker while it was apart. The old speakers in the doors are unhooked. It only put it back in to fill the hole. We ran new wire and put bigger speakers in above the doors. Amazon.com: KILMAT 80 mil 18 sqft Car Sound Deadening Mat, Butyl Automotive Sound Deadener, Audio Noise Insulation and dampening : Automotive

Compared to 8 months ago fuel Is costing me an extra $100 a day in my commercial truck.

It's hard to blend in with the HDT and camper but when I was long haul pulling a reefer, I would find the truck entrance and park over by the dock, so I looked like I was making a delivery. I noticed places like Costco put lots of islands and curbs in to keep trailers out. However, there is no signage saying no trucks. In that case I would circle the store to find the delivery entrance. Just keep in mind you may have to back up to get turned around.

Got everything back together. I will start a new thread explaining everything this weekend when I have more time.

Replaced cab shocks and got a new interior door panel yesterday. Now I just have to remember how it all goes back together. It was actually $308 from Freightliner. Used was $220 from VanderHaggs. Ut the used one comes with everything on it. Just swap and go but they are all dirty and most were cracked. Not much better than I had.

I don't like stop leak. Most of the hoses and lines you can replace yourself easy enough.

2 layers of kilmat in the door. I am really happy with the results. I need to do the whole cab. I also need a new door panel. But still trying to decide if I am going to spend $400 on a new one or $200 on a used. I also dropped the carrier bearing a couple inches between drive shave 1 and 2. They were both at 0 degrees. I got them number 1 at 1 degree and 2 at 2 degrees. Should be enough to get the u joint working and not be straight.

I grew up in a trucking family. My grand pa started in the 40s. My dad and uncle in the 70s and me in the early 90s. I drove long haul for 5 years. Seen 47 states and a part of Canada. I loved it. But I decided to quit when I came home, and my kids didn't know me anymore. I got a job with a local farmer and that is when my wife and I realized we didn't like each other that much. We got along good 2 weekends a month but every day not so much. So anyway a few years we divorced, and I am now remarried. Then a little later my boss made me partner in the farm and now we have 5 trucks. 3 grain trailers, 2 side dumps, a detachable low boy and a 53 ft drop deck. I run every day locally. One truck run's part time and the other 3 are for farm use. At least once a month I ask whose dumb idea was it to but all these darn trucks. Oh, yea that was me.

I have the tst caps. I did have to bend a couple valve stems slightly to get them on. They are pricey but the best decision I ever made. It is amazing how much temperature influences your tire pressure. I have 120 psi cold (60-70 degrees). On really hot days 95 degrees+ they will go up 140. On cold days 0 degrees and below they are down to 100. Once I get 10 miles down the road, they are back up 115-120 where they belong. I have nothing good to say about crossfires. We run our trucks in some extreme conditions. I suppose highway use only they might be a little ok. After only one year they corroded and were imposable to remove without damaging them. I agree with Twotoes. I have a 2021 KW all the inner duals had extensions from the factory. One leaked so I removed them all.

Freightliner is different from Volvo. It's all screws. I had it apart once before so I kind knew how to do it. I am probably going to buy a whole new used door for not much more money than just the panel cost. I will be putting sound deadening material in the door. I will have pics in the next couple weeks of that. I just ordered some Kill mat sound deadener.

Getting ready to pull the passenger door apart. The panel is broken so the inside door handle won't work. I have to try to fix it because used door panels are $200. New are $400. Most places want to sell me a whole door for $300.

It's almost always the vent tube but it is possible that one tank got shut off accidently. If you have tank shut offs. Mine does.

Finally had time to take a short test drive after installing the differential. Noting blew apart and it's not leaking oil, so I guess we did something right.

I like it. I might have to do that in my truck.

Got my rear diff put back in the other day with all new bearings. Was going to take a test drive today but Covid hit us again.

Pretty sweet project.

Checked with the shop that has my differential. No bearing kits available but he has got them individually through a couple different vendors. Shold have it back together next week so I can stuff it back in. He did say that even though the bearings were out of spec and the pinion bearings were pretty bad he does not think this is the source of my vibration. So, if anything I will know the reared is in good shape.

You got one of the last Cummins. I was talking to the manager at KW yesterday. You can't order a Cummis for KW or Pete anymore. Paccar only. And the price jumped.

English please

Turning into cheese? Cheese goes with wine. Close enough.

I actually did this a few days ago. Had to perform minor surgery on my minimizer fender on the work truck. Side dump trailer caught it and ripped a hole in it. In the picture it's been removed and set on another fender to work on. All this goes to the inside where its hidden. Before I go back to a side dump, I need to build a riser for the 5th wheel.

These 2 shops do semi-trucks all the time. They are both really good too. One is in South Sioux City Ne the other in West Point. When I got the signage and pin striping done on my work truck in So. Sioux City, they had a semi in there getting wrapped.

Nice truck. Thats what I wanted but got talked into a KW 880. When I retire the truck is coming with me.

Ugh I hate the wind.

There are a couple places close to me that do wraps. Whenever the time comes to do cosmetics it my truck will be wrapped. At the rate I'm going that will be never.