UPS Drivtrains

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I thought the other thread about USPS trucks was kinda interesting so I thought the same about UPS trucks. Who manufacturers these trucks? I have seen both gas and diesel models. They all sound like manual transmission trucks. I thought a separate thread was a wise idea so as not to hi jjack gregk24's topic.
 
Originally Posted By: FFeng7
Who manufacturers these trucks? I have seen both gas and diesel models. They all sound like manual transmission trucks.


The majority of UPS Package cars in the U.S. are manufactured by FreightLiner. Depends on the model but again, the majority of them currently in use are either gas or natural gas powered. There is still the odd (and old) package car in use (usually a back up) that has a manual transmission, but almost every package car you see on the road is an automatic.
 
Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
The brown trucks with no doors and drivers wearing short pants?
Diesels in my area. Quite noisy too.
I always thought they sounded like 4BT Cummins engines, equipped with air brakes (& air starters due to shutting them off at every delivery stop).
 
I googled for UPS truck and got this:

Quote:
Delivery Truck edit

Not only a means to an end, the "big brown truck" has become an icon of blocking traffic and accelerating wildly when least expected. Most of the trucks in service today are still standard transmissions, though the drivers still look like sissies in those shorts no matter how long your shifter is. The true hauling capacity of the truck is unknown, as it has been suggested that UPS has pioneered a crude form of wormhole technology. Not having even come close to mastering this technology it only becomes another way to lose your package, but this time in an alternate dimension.
Ups truck

A typical UPS truck

It is common practice for the truck to be driven with both side doors wide open, this allows the driver to bail out quickly for emergency [censored] breaks due to his 5th pot of coffee finally metabolizing (potty breaks are union-allowed to last as long as needed regardless of how late your [censored] is). It is not understood why UPS trucks all appear to be First World War troop carriers, however the low quality suspension does aid in increasing the likelyhood that fragile items will arrive broken.


alternative wiki I guess: http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/United_Parcel_Service
 
All sorts of trucks here...newer ones are Cummins-powered Freightliners or GM gas-powered Workhorses. (Some have 8100 motors and I expect they're real barn-burners.) Older ones range from Fords with 300's, to GMC's with 350's (also, a few 4.3 V6's and a handful of elderly 292's), to International 7.3's (the steering column & wheel are very distinctive). Not sure anyt are left, but I think there were a few smaller GM-chassis trucks with Cummins 4BT's and 4-speeds. Newer UPS trucks are automatics, though there are plenty of old trucks still running!
 
I know some around here are diesel with manual transmissions. I worked retail for a long time and one time I was behind my work ups guy and I thought his brake lights were broken because I never saw them come on after being behind him for a little bit. I asked him about it and I forget exactly what he said, but he basically said he engine brakes a lot, and when diesels engine brake it's different than gasoline engine, they brake quicker or something. Never knew that, learned somethin new.
 
UPS should be showing up anytime now with three gallons of Zerex Asian Car coolant that I couldn't purchase locally. Don't understand why the local parts houses don't carry it because the local Toyota dealership sells a lot of vehicles.Guess there may not be too many DIYs around here.
 
Originally Posted By: sxg6
I know some around here are diesel with manual transmissions. I worked retail for a long time and one time I was behind my work ups guy and I thought his brake lights were broken because I never saw them come on after being behind him for a little bit. I asked him about it and I forget exactly what he said, but he basically said he engine brakes a lot, and when diesels engine brake it's different than gasoline engine, they brake quicker or something. Never knew that, learned somethin new.


It's typically the opposite: because a diesel engine usually doesn't have a throttle butterfly, there is no significant "choke" created when you take your foot off the pedal in a diesels. Diesels often have rather lousy engine braking capabilities compared with gasoline engines.

This is why the "jake brake" (Jacobs Brake), which is an exhaust brake, came into being. The UPS package cars may have an exhaust brake on them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compression_release_engine_brake
 
I know a fella that works on them and says lots of maint with the starter/flex plate/ring gear on these with the many restarts during the day.
 
We still have a few around here that are diesel and 5 speed manual! They are old - sound like an International 6.9 or 7.3 IDI engine!

A few of them are powerstroke 7.3s as well.
 
Originally Posted By: HosteenJorje
UPS should be showing up anytime now with three gallons of Zerex Asian Car coolant that I couldn't purchase locally. Don't understand why the local parts houses don't carry it because the local Toyota dealership sells a lot of vehicles.Guess there may not be too many DIYs around here.


I have to ask.....what is the difference between Asian and American engine coolant?

As for the UPS vehicles around here, the ones I see are mostly diesel powered.

This begs the question, what do they do with the package cars once they reach their end of useful life? How long, in years or miles, is the life of one of these vehicles?
 
Originally Posted By: ddrumman2004
Originally Posted By: HosteenJorje
UPS should be showing up anytime now with three gallons of Zerex Asian Car coolant that I couldn't purchase locally. Don't understand why the local parts houses don't carry it because the local Toyota dealership sells a lot of vehicles.Guess there may not be too many DIYs around here.


I have to ask.....what is the difference between Asian and American engine coolant?

As for the UPS vehicles around here, the ones I see are mostly diesel powered.

This begs the question, what do they do with the package cars once they reach their end of useful life? How long, in years or miles, is the life of one of these vehicles?

Asian-spec coolants are generally non-silicate (not sure about Subaru though), high phosphate, and some organic acid. They highly recommend using low mineral content water to mix (if concentrated) although many like Honda's Type 2 only comes diluted with deionized water. If mixed with a high mineral content water, the phosphate will supposedly bond with the minerals and drop out of suspension. This is the Zerex Asian coolant:

Quote:
http://www.valvoline.com/products/brands/zerex/antifreeze/105

Asian.png


* Silicate Free, Phosphated HOAT Chemistry


Not sure what "American" coolant is these days. I guess it was traditionally silicated coolant like yellow-bottle Prestone or Peak, but increasingly it's organic acid like Dex-Cool or various clones. I don't know if the big makers even sell any of this stuff. Maybe Peak. Probably some generic coolants. It's probably not so bad as long as it's changed every year or two before the silicates gel out. Then again, it's hard to tell what's in most coolant these days. They may just claim that it can mix with anything, and in that case it's probably some Dex-Cool like formula.
 
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