Attention to the details

Russ Brown of Oklahoma City likes to dot all his i's and cross all his t's when it comes to caring for his 1999 Kenworth, "The Razor's Edge," and he's always felt that way.

"I've always taken good care of any truck I've owned, both from a mechanical standpoint and its appearance," says Russ. "Of course, if you don't take care of maintenance, you won't be an owner-operator very long. I do some of my own maintenance, but for most things I take it to the dealer. I don't take chances."

The Razor's Edge is a W900L equipped with a 500-hp Detroit Series 60 engine, paired with an Eaton 13-speed transmission and 355 rears. Russ uses Shell Rotella T and drains at 15,000-mile intervals, usually at SpeedCo locations. He hasn't been analyzing his used oil, but now that the miles are beginning to mount (the engine has 296,000 miles on it) he plans to start.

"Unless you're having a problem like oil consumption, I don't think it's as important to analyze the oil in a newer truck," Russ says.

Russ has been a trucker for more than 20 years and an owner-operator since 1991. The Razor's Edge is a team operation. Russ and wife Debbie pull a dry van. The Browns also find time to do several truck shows each year and have accumulated more than 30 trophies.

"I've always liked to represent myself and the industry well," Russ tells Land Line. "It's important to me that people I meet see that truckers aren't like the ones they see in the movies or commercials. It's my way of giving something back to trucking because trucking has been very good to me."