Originally Posted By: TiredTrucker
Yes, for real. Those you mention are in the CDL game. Like I stated, it does little to crank up all the power and not have a chassis, suspension, and gearing to really take advantage of it. Especially for non commercial use. To do that puts it in another class, which is determined by weight, and anyone going over 10,001 lb GCWR commercially has to have a commercial driver's license and jump thru all the hoops like the rest of us commercial drivers.
Those guys that transport TT to the dealers from the plants, all required to have CDL's and keep log books. And I am not sure how cranking up the power even more really has an appreciable benefit. Just increases costs. Not like they are slowing to 25 mph on every little mole hill. After all, when one is doing this kind of thing, it is for business and numbers matter. The same diesels in these pickups is going into the class 4 and 5 offerings of the same OEM's, where it has greater overall effect. Now, GM has been out of that for a while but they are jumping back in.
Like I stated, the chassis does not seem to have any problem taking advantage of the power. The power is going to find its way to the road unless something shatters in between, and that is just not happening.
The power being turned up has a very appreciable benefit. Almost nobody likes being at the wheel of a truck that is being dogged down by its load. It's a matter of personal preference for sure, but obviously something that is preferred.
The people who complain about the increasing engine power are always people who don't own one of those trucks, and I've never seen anyone who did own one of those trucks shake their fist at the sky and proclaim, "Why did they give it so much power? The money is flying out of my wallet!".
I only used the commercial drivers as a clear example that the increased power in those trucks is clearly working, even under the test of business. Everyone else out there who is towing their own boat, cars, campers, fifth wheels, etc, are just as happy.
If anything, private use may be a greater test, because private individuals are far less likely to put up with a doggy truck than commercial drivers who are used to such a thing.
The power increase has 2 very simple, tangible benefits:
1. Haul more stuff
2. Haul it better
What exactly is so hard to see about how this is an improvement, when it can be scientifically measured?