2019 Kenworth/ 2016 Freightliner

After driving a 2016 Freightliner, what would be the advantages/disadvantages of a 2019 Kenworth? Freightliner governed at 63 and KW governed the 65. Does the KW have more hp?

The only way you'll know horsepower settings is if someone in the shop hooked up to it with a computer to show you what they had it set to. Most larger companies tweak them or order them to their specs, generally lower than factory settings.

Personally for OD specs anyway I would stay in the Freightliner, but each company is different so it is hard to say.

My 2019 Kenworth is governed at 63 on the pedal and 67 with the cruise on.

Generally, all the major companies are with 4 mph of each other. The horsepower is just about irrelevant with the speed limiters that are incorporated. Most are reported to be at 450 to 475 hp. Where they are measuring this (engine flywheel or at the drive tires), I don’t know. The thing I look for is gear ratios, and the transmission offered.

Bruce, Why are you concerned with this subject right now? You have a lot on your plate at this point in time. Not trying to be an a hole, but you need to focus on the big picture right now. We all are pulling for you to get your medical stuff squared away and get back on the road!

Okay, that makes sense. I’m wondering not so much about speed, but about pulling power up grades.

I just talked to a Pete driver who told me his CAT engine had 550 hp and pulled hills with ease.

Bruce, Why are you concerned with this subject right now? You have a lot on your plate at this point in time. Not trying to be an a hole, but you need to focus on the big picture right now. We all are pulling for you to get your medical stuff squared away and get back on the road!

TM, I’m just killing time while I wait for more info. Consider it continuing education. My company is giving me a 30 day “discretionary “ leave, but I can’t go home til tomorrow, so I’m doing some research and asking stupid questions to kill time. Actually, things are looking better. I had a very nice conversation with my driver leader this morning.

It's not as much about the horsepower as it is the rear end gears when you're talking about climbing hills. A short gear will climb better than a tall one but the taller gear will give improved fuel economy on the long flat stretches. The vast majority of your company trucks are set up for overall fuel economy, they'll do great running down the road but fall on their face in the hills but it is what it is. It's almost a bit frustrating at times to have someone try to pass at the base of a hill in a truck that doesn't climb well, only to get mad because the truck I run climbs quite well and I don't lose the speed they do.