Diesel drivers........Why do people do this??

[vanslem6]

Semi-trailer trucks need the elevated stacks so that the exhaust can get into the slip-stream while at high way speeds. That is where this look comes from. To my knowledge, it was popular in the '70s because of the "convoy" movies. I have seen pictures of trucks that had the same conversion from the '50s. Other than looks, all it does is put hot exhaust in the bed of your truck along with the pipe it came out of.

Remember the 80's? Those trucks [semi] puked out black smoke - the stacks were up high so you could see and breathe.

 

[ricklee4570]

I have a Dodge Cummins and a Ford Powerstroke. If you haul a lot or pull a trailer, a diesel is the way to go. They will far outlast a gas engine in durability. My Powerstroke is at 300,000 now and the Cummins at 276,000 and both pull like a mule.

This is America, where people still like to be individuals and tailor their vehicles to their tastes. Just look at any European country, where all the vehicles are the same (black, gray or white and small). Who cares if someone wants to run stacks?

To those who say diesel owners are compensating??? Hmmmm......around my neck of the woods, I would say that 95% of big truck diesel owners are more manly than the little car drivers.

 

[Converge]

I have a Dodge Cummins and a Ford Powerstroke. If you haul a lot or pull a trailer, a diesel is the way to go. They will far outlast a gas engine in durability. My Powerstroke is at 300,000 now and the Cummins at 276,000 and both pull like a mule.

This is America, where people still like to be individuals and tailor their vehicles to their tastes. Just look at any European country, where all the vehicles are the same (black, gray or white and small). Who cares if someone wants to run stacks?

To those who say diesel owners are compensating??? Hmmmm......around my neck of the woods, I would say that 95% of big truck diesel owners are more manly than the little car drivers.

People tend to use the "compensation" insult when they really have no other basis for argument, or are indeed lacking themselves. Often it's used when people get jealous of someone driving a nice expensive car, because deep down they know if they had the money they would be the same thing of something very similar, but they can't and it pisses them off.

Though of course sometimes none of that applies and it's just in bad taste.

 

[JDMiller]

Serious question.

Does adding stacks like this to your diesel's bed have any advantages over normal exhaust?
Also, doesn't the soot get all over with the stacks high like that? It seems to becoming a fad here in the mid west.

Kids ....lol !

Yes I have a 2nd gen Dodge Cummins diesel 4x4. It gets 22 mpg

The black smoke blowing kids who think they are cool, are frowned upon now days by diesel pickup enthusiasts. Its a No No big time.

 

[Ed T]

I am here late, but in eastern Washington we used to see a lot of trucks with the exhaust coming up in a little different configuration. I thought the practice purpose was to reduce fire risks in the dry wheat fields.

 

[338375]

Kids ....lol !

Yes I have a 2nd gen Dodge Cummins diesel 4x4. It gets 22 mpg

The black smoke blowing kids who think they are cool, are frowned upon now days by diesel pickup enthusiasts. Its a No No big time.

Besides looking and sounding hideous, it's also a no-no for those of us that actually like to haul things in the bed of our pickups.

 

[338375]

I am here late, but in eastern Washington we used to see a lot of trucks with the exhaust coming up in a little different configuration. I thought the practice purpose was to reduce fire risks in the dry wheat fields.

I does make sense in that aspect Ed. I spend a lot of time off road and I am always worried about parking in tall grassy areas. It's even worse with the newer trucks because with the regen, things get really HOT....

 

[Fallbrook Forge]

I admit that the diesel thing rather eludes me. I understand why some people need various kinds of "super duty" trucks...Hauling heavy loads, towing, etc.
But around here, the big diesel "dualie" is often used as the family car, all tricked out with accessories and special paint, obviously not a work truck.
Diesel is more expensive than gas, stinks, and the things are noisy as hell.....I don't get it unless it's just the ultimate in "conspicuous consumption" for a certain sort of individual.

I recall during the last gas-price scare, they interviewed a fellow in the UK who was driving some sort of huge SUV. "Why do you drive a vehicle like this", the interviewer asked....
"Because I CAN."

And the knife thing eludes ALOT of people, but some people love diesel trucks, and some love knives, who cares?

I've seen a few trucks around with stacks and "rolling coal". The selfish ignorance is disgusting. I've heard it's a way to protest environmentalism as well, but we regularly have air quality warnings recommending people stay indoors, and driving downtown from the north in the morning you can see the blanket of smog covering the city...
I think powernoodle and Bob W summed it up nicely.

Selfish ignorance? Really? The diesel guys "rolling coal" are contributing LESS to that smog than the gas cars next to them.

I bought a Dodge once. Despite the excellent power and traction, it's a mistake I'm not likely to repeat. Out of the nine months I owned it, it was in the shop 55 days. The first week was u-joints, ball joints, drag link, and steering column. Then the back end. Then the engine (not entirely Dodge's fault on that one). Entire computer/electronics component replaced. Radiator had a hundred holes from a faring that had broke loose. Doors were falling off. Windows leaked when it rained. Glove box fell off. Some reoccurring and never-resolved problem with it not starting when hot. And it left several different colors behind when parked in the snow.

Sounds like you got a lemon, sorry to hear that. I have a 98 that's rust free, drives straight, starts fast and easy, and gets 20mpg(hand calculated) I do the maintenance myself pretty religiously though, just ticked over 200,000 miles, got about another 800,000 or so to go.

I don't get the hate for someone's hobby, or interest. So it isn't your thing, cool. But don't bash on somebody because their thing isn't your thing.
The gov is trying to squash diesel here, just like knives and guns, it's all about individual liberty.
You know what kind of mileage we could be seeing in cars if the gov would leave diesel alone? True 100+ miles per gallon in small sedans, 70-80 in mid size, 50-60 in SUVs and 30-40 in HD trucks.

 

[sodak]

My next truck will have a Cummins engine in it, and I'm a pretty loyal Toyota owner. Love them diesels. 2 years ago when vacationing in Europe, I rented an Opal with a turbo diesel. Neither my wife or I could believe the low end torque it had, how well it drove on the autobahn, and the *great* mileage that it got - over 35 for a 4 door midsized sedan.

Count me in.

 

[Bludgeon]

I get a kick out of all the black smoke from those pipes. Tractor pulls do it all the time and it's cool. I also like confederate flags.