Kenworth got their new engineers out on the road

KL90 · Nov 20, 2018

Kenworth engineers have been living in the shoes of its customers – quietly driving the T680s themselves, learning first-hand what their customers are experiencing. That way, Kenworth wants to improve the truck they make. You can read more on how it was here.

But I'm interested in other drivers' thoughts. Is it a good idea? Will it help to improve the life of truckers?

DoyleX · Nov 20, 2018

You want to know how to make a kenworth better? Go back to the mid 80's through the mid 90's.

The new stuff is quieter, rides better, more mpg, better parts availability. The new stuff is also cheaply built, complex to repair, and unreliable as a sensor can take the entire unit down.

grandpa · Nov 20, 2018

After they are done driving around, they need to go into the shop for six months doing repairs.... this should be mandatory for engineers on all vehicles and machines.

Wes J · Nov 20, 2018

I see International trucks being tested on the roads around here all the time. Can't miss it. They strap concrete blocks to them and just drive a prescribed route. We're not too far from the Chicago headquarters.

What's amazing to me is how some things in trucks never get improved. And I'm not talking big things.

For example, how can no one make a set of mirrors that stay tight for more than 200,000 miles?

Why are the climate controls terrible in every truck? The controls in our old 1978 Ford beater pickup work 50 times better than the brand new Western Star I occasionally drive.

Has anyone messed with the dipstick on the newer Detroit? I mean it's a dipstick. Dead simple. But they found a way to make it beyond frustrating.

I could go on and on.

heymccall · Nov 20, 2018

Granted, I drive a Pete, but it's still a PACCAR.

On the designed by morons list:
Spot mirrors block 2 inches of flat glass.

HVAC air intake under fender and 12 inches from turbo.

Zero cab vents meaning a window has to be lowered a 1/4 inch or so to allow full hvac blower output, and complete cab door closure without super slamming it.

Quarter fender marker lamps filled with water less than 2 weeks after delivery, because they are in the road wash.

Metal on metal upper cab to stack pipe mount.

Inadequately sized power window wiring to passenger side (driver's outruns passenger 2 to 1, and passenger side needs assisted when below 20°.)

Rear access covers for headlamps fit poorly, resulting in rocks visible (and wedged) under headlamp exterior continually.

Omission of grease zerks on air ride seat.

I could go on and on, but, you get the point.

Birken Vogt · Nov 20, 2018

This looks like a spam link post to me. But I will pile on here. I wonder if it's because there is a problem with the talent pool of engineers just like everywhere else.

Tags · Nov 21, 2018

It should be mandatory that an engineer or architect should work in the field for a minimum of 5 years before designing anything without knowing full well the ins and outs of how it will REALLY be used, operated, repaired or installed.....if it works on paper it doesn't always work out in the real world....

Junkyard · Nov 21, 2018

Very few engineers I’ve been around possessed much in the way of common sense. Book smart as hell but practical knowledge.....not so much. Kinda like “you can’t take my picture”
“why not?”
“Your lense cap is on”

Their tendency to overthink things is annoying to me!

Birken Vogt · Nov 21, 2018

I wonder if the sales-type people are always thinking the way they can boost their sales is to add a couple new features every year.

And I wonder if it works, since they just keep doing it. The big fleet buyers are in the driver's seat, you would presume.

WCR73 · Nov 21, 2018

OP smells fishy to me too... but whatever

I like what Grandpa said. Have those book smart, common-sense-stupid engineers work in a shop on these things for a year or two. S*** is way too complicated. We have to be software engineers to work on anything anymore. What used to be a simple repair, can turn into $1000 in special tools and a ton more labor.

Like stated above, nowadays one crappy sensor takes the whole ship down.

If you’re asking for input on how to make the trucks nicer to drive, i think you asked the wrong group. They’re pretty damn nice to drive in my opinion.

We don’t really care what the operators have to say anyways. You build them the perfect truck, they’ll find something to bitch about

Bumpsteer · Nov 22, 2018

The neighboor kid is in a heavy equpment engineering program at Ferris State U.

Spent the first 2 years wrenching, the second 2 years are engineering....

'bout damn time these kids got greasy.

Ed

KL90 · Nov 22, 2018

Tags said:
It should be mandatory that an engineer or architect should work in the field for a minimum of 5 years before designing anything without knowing full well the ins and outs of how it will REALLY be used, operated, repaired or installed.....if it works on paper it doesn't always work out in the real world....

In a perfect world, maybe. But how do you imagine this? A talented architect drives a truck across a country for 5 years to gain some perspective?

KL90 · Nov 22, 2018

Junkyard said:
Very few engineers I’ve been around possessed much in the way of common sense. Book smart as hell but practical knowledge.....not so much. Kinda like “you can’t take my picture”
“why not?”
“Your lense cap is on”

Their tendency to overthink things is annoying to me!

But we owe to these book smart nerds. If not for them, we would be still driving horse-drawn vehicles

Junkyard · Nov 22, 2018

KL90 said:
But we owe to these book smart nerds. If not for them, we would be still driving horse-drawn vehicles[/QUOTE

I’d care to wager if not for the hands on guys and the engineers that had a good combination of book smarts and common sense there’d be a lot of stuff that never got built. The original “engineers” were not much different than a lot of guys on here. Observed a need for something and found a way to fill it. Had a few failures along the way. Even “book smart nerds” have stuff fail too. Sometimes quite spectacularly!

It would do both sides of the mechanical world some good to cross train. I can’t help but think a lot of potential issues would be solved and maybe even some failures prevented. If for no other reason one should seek more exposure to be better at whatever it is they’re doing.

Mother Deuce · Nov 22, 2018

Interesting discussion. The other day I took one of our Mack out for a couple loads of rock. These trucks are the definitions of "owners" trucks. They are both 20 years old and have 300,000 thousand miles in the dirt and salt. They have been a great investments for the principles... however as one of the end users of one of these lovely units from time to time it makes me wonder if the master cab design engineer at Mack has ever set in one of his or her creations for more than five minutes. What would have been so $%@* difficult about pushing the back of the cab back 6 inches. I am tall and spending a shift in a Mack vocational cab of the past (not familiar with a new one) is a little like spending the day sitting in a dryer. I know the cab is tough and that was part of the design reasoning... but Geez!

digger242j · Nov 22, 2018

KL90 said:
In a perfect world, maybe. But how do you imagine this? A talented architect drives a truck across a country for 5 years to gain some perspective?

I'm not sure whether your intention there was to make the whole idea sound silly, or whether you really don't get it.

No, it probably wouldn't do an architect any good to drive a truck, but a potentially talented architect might gain a lot by working a few years in the building trades, from the foundation to the roof, and everything in between, just as a potential civil engineer might have a lot to gain by getting dirty hands and muddy boots actually constructing things for a few years. And yes, a potential mechanical engineer might come up with a few better ideas, or eliminate a few stupid ones, by operating, driving, or wrenching on trucks and equipment for a while before ever setting about to design something.

AzIron · Nov 22, 2018

It comes down to engineers dont know what they dont know because a shop lab environment wont cover about half of real world application

Also every one is so hung up on designing the next level they forget how much all the frills get in the way of the job

I agree with junkyard that engineers over think it to much and with most of them they assume Because you are not an engineer you dont grasp the ins and outs of a machine but in reality a good mechanic has to no the monster dt better than the designer so you can troubleshoot and repair in the field under the gun and figure out how to use a short cut to save time

colson04 · Nov 22, 2018

Not all engineers make dumb decisions. I am a mechanical engineer, but I am not a design engineer. I got away from that side of engineering fast. I couldn't stand being told this idea and that idea are too expensive to implement, even though it was a better long term solution. Work 60 hour weeks in a box in front of a computer. Made everyone feel like cattle.

Truth be told, accountants run businesses. All businesses. I've seen great ideas get scrapped due to cost of implementation. And we're talking dollars per unit, not thousands of dollars per unit. But, when you manufacture enough units, a few dollars per unit becomes a sizeable number.

colson04 · Nov 22, 2018

Also, by far the best engineers I ever worked besides , were guys that worked their way up from an entry level position on the shop floor, and transitioned into engineering with little or no formal education. Guys that started off building, machining, etc the parts and components or assembled them in the factory and had the drive to be more than a button pusher in a plant. Unfortunately, today's mentality is that if you don't have a 4 year degree, you don't get to make that transition anymore. Those guys are getting near retirement age, and a lot of great talent is going out with them.

Junkyard · Nov 22, 2018

Agreed. They’re not all bad. I’ve teamed up with a few and we’ve created some awesome stuff. They’ve moved on to other projects normally out of my wheelhouse and called me to consult for one reason or another. I’m self taught in the areas I need to use. Mainly structural stuff like deflection, modulous of elasticity etc.

Lord know what some say about mechanics! Lol

Kenworth got their new engineers out on the road

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