Our High Calling

[389 Hood]

It's always the littlest guys that get out of the biggest trucks.

I hated the leg room of the 2017 389. The seat sat too high and with the seat all the way back, it was constantly banging into the back wall and tearing up the back window tint. I hate the isolator locked. My 379 UltraCabs were the best. You could take the seat cushion and move it to the back of the rails making the driver even with the wall dividing the cab and the sleeper. Lay the back of the seat back and it was like you were in a recliner in your living room.

I have to laugh at these dudes that are a nervous wreck with the seat up under the dash and as high as it will go. They are scared to death of that truck. The guy/gal sitting in the truck relaxed is in control and has confidence in their ability to control that truck. There are no day cabs made for a 6'+ driver.

 

[389 Hood]

You would be the perfect Peterbilt driver. You look at the truck going by and all you see is half a head above the door sill.

Um, no... actually.

A mid 00's Pete 386 is designed to accommodate a driver who is 6 foot 1" + with disproportionately long legs (unless it's an automatic).

I never drove a 386. That has to be one of those slopey nosed trucks. Save that for the newbies. I want a real hood in front of me.

 

[Electric Chicken]

I never drove a 386. That has to be one of those slopey nosed trucks. Save that for the newbies. I want a real hood in front of me.

386 is a 379/389 except with a sloped hood and setback axle. Otherwise it's identical.

 

[Electric Chicken]

There a horrible Peterbilt 387 that's actually more of a misery to drive. It's an earlier attempt at aero and I had to slide forward on the seat for the clutch like @Duck described. Didn't have to with the 386.

Here's the 387 (not my pic)

 

[389 Hood]

The only Petes I ever drove were the 359, 379, 389 and the 362? COE. I think it was the 362. Not the one with the lift out front, but a real 1986 COE. That also had plenty of legroom and I was taller then. I shrunk an inch and a half due to disc degeneration in my back. Thank you trucks.

 

[Electric Chicken]

One of the cool things about driving local for a mega with a mixed fleet is you get to drive different things and find out what you'd never buy in a million years at any price.

I would never buy a 386. I would buy a 359 or a 387. Reason I didn't is they still have the red oval premium on the price despite not being anything special.

 

[389 Hood]

They all wear out the same, no matter the name. Well, except for Shakers and Corn Machines. They wear out in half the time.

 

[Electric Chicken]

Sorry 579 not 359. I'd buy a 359 but holy hell that's old.

579 is Pete's new aero truck. Not bad, just not special. We had brand new at the time 2015s and 2016s for the P&G account at USX. The interior the way they specced them reminded me of a Longhorn trim pick-up. It was actually pretty nice. Tan and black with chrome accents.

 

[Electric Chicken]

If I was buying a brand new truck today it would probably be another Mack though.

My experience with this old used rode hard and put up wet one has been mostly good and it was well made in the sense that the problems it's had are from wear or age, not design flaws.

The new Macks are ugly as shit to me but I'm pretty much a loyalist at this point.

2018-2025 are all the same, at least on the exterior.

 

[Electric Chicken]

Some of these guys on Facebook and YouTube are taking about paying over 200k after taxes and financing and I'm like damn my truck keeps looking better and better because that's a shit load of a differential to allow for fuel. If they keep that truck they'll have the same repairs I've had, so that's moot.

It's easier to park a truck when it's paid for.

 

[Electric Chicken]

I don't get the best fuel economy but the guy pulling containers here with a 379 sleeper does worse. Only the aero trucks do better. But they wear them out running fast and hard and have to put them in the shop constantly.

You can't make that payment and have a nice lifestyle if you don't.

 

[Duck]

The guy/gal sitting in the truck relaxed is in control and has confidence in their ability to control that truck.

Or they're complacent & over-confident.

 

[Electric Chicken]

Or they're complacent & over-confident.

I'll never judge someone's driving ability based solely on their seating position.

Although the high flyers do look like retards. But they might not be.

 

[Duck]

I'll never judge someone's driving ability based solely on their seating position.

I meant if they're riding with the air seat all the way down so they can barely see over the dash.

I never drove a 386. That has to be one of those slopey nosed trucks. Save that for the newbies. I want a real hood in front of me.

Same cab

 

[389 Hood]

I'll never judge someone's driving ability based solely on their seating position.

Although the high flyers do look like retards. But they might not be.

Sorry I looked like a retard. That was the way I was comfortable. I don't want to be sitting up so high that I feel I'm going to fall out of the seat on the next corner. I'm also confident in my abilities to control my vehicle. When I see a clean tractor and know it may be an O/O or I/C, I pretty much feel he is proud of his truck and won't be a total ass-hole on the road.

I meant if they're riding with the air seat all the way down so they can barely see over the dash.

Same cab

Isn't that one a solid piece windshield, all computer dash, wider cab?

 

[Electric Chicken]

Sorry I looked like a retard. That was the way I was comfortable. I don't want to be sitting up so high that I feel I'm going to fall out of the seat on the next corner. I'm also confident in my abilities to control my vehicle. When I see a clean tractor and know it may be an O/O or I/C, I pretty much feel he is proud of his truck and won't be a total ass-hole on the road.

Isn't that one a solid piece windshield, all computer dash, wider cab?

High flyer meant seat all the way up, dingus.

 

[389 Hood]

High flyer meant seat all the way up, dingus.

Must be sum ov dem school boy trucker words.

 

[Duck]

Isn't that one a solid piece windshield, all computer dash, wider cab?

Well I was talking specifically about the 386's I drove in the late 00's between DPF and the SCR mandates.

I'm pretty sure they had a split windshield, but I'm 100% that they did not have the all-computer dash.

They might in more recent years though.