Tuffguy707

Actually with the bridge laws in Ohio you can haul more with a straight truck than a semi and they are easier to get around on sue of the small sites. That is pretty much all you see around here anymore is 7 axle trucks.

If you look closely you will see that KW's floor slopes up by the pedals which kill leg room. It also pushes the pedals up higher which makes it difficult for someone my size (6'7" )to have any leg room. With this being the case, KW is out for me.

Yes, we stopped there on our way to a weekend trip to Philadelphia about 5 or so years ago. We also went to the Mack museum in Allentown.

Volvo or not I visited one of the Mack factories and I felt like I was walking through someones house. Why? Because everyone was like family who worked there. They where all happy, they took pride in what they where building ( it showed as each truck went down the assembly line.. ). They looked out for each other, the trucks they where building, and the customers they where building the trucks for. They all even took the time to say hi to me, to briefly explain what each of their jobs where etc. I have been through GM factories and i know peole who worked there, I know people who worked for Chrysler and you do not see the pride a you do at Mack. It was an experience I will never forget. I was very very impressed. I have always LOVED Macks and i always will but if you are not a Mack fan just take a tour of one of their factories and by the time you leave you will be a fan.

Yes I did. These pics are of the truck after we repainted it in the mid 90's.

I found these pics of the first Mack we ever had and the truck I learned to drive in. I mean I was driving this truck when I was 13 years old before I ever got behind the wheel of a 4 wheeler. Its an 82 R686 300hp 5 speed duplex. Maxidyne. What I would give to drive this truck just one time again. We sold it to a company doing the panama canal expansion about 10 years ago. I am sure it is probably scrap by now. The guy who picked it up told us they will run it till it falls apart down there then scrap it. Sad so sad. We sold it because the frame started to rust and the money it would cost to fix it was more than we where willing to pay at the time. We had newer R models and other Macks at the time we sold it so no one wanted to use this one and that influenced the decision a little on not fixing the frame. That truck would pull whatever you put behind it and it would push mud with the front pumper. You could not get it stuck.

Thats very true. I was thinning about asking a local company around here who runs all Macks and they have CHU tractors some with M-drives and others with 18 speeds if I could drive them or at least get their opinion on the setups they have.

If they are pulling the M-drives why are they even buying the trucks with them ? Seems kind of stupid to me. I talked to my dealer friday and I asked him more about the M-drive and he told me he hasn't had any problems with them at all. He said he heard of one guy having computer issues which caused one to not shift properly but it was resolved quickly. He said he even has one guy who is pushing a million miles on one already without a problem. I am really considering the M-drive. I just can not make up my mind on the truck.

Thank you.

I am worried about getting a underpowered truck as I have had 460's since 2000 in my Macks and even those at times border being underpowered but I feel some of that is due to gearing. I personally do not want anything under 460hp for what I plan on hauling and like I mentioned I want to have the right truck in case i step up my weights in the future so I do not have to buy another truck for the lowboy. Although that being said someday if I do decide to grow and perchance another truck for my business I can always bump the power up on that truck for the heavier loads and use this truck for the lighter loads. That is the problem with most salesman ( at least it seems around here) they only care about the sale. They do not know anything about what they are selling and they don't seem to cre about what the customer wants they just want to move trucks. It sounds like you should be a sales guy and if you where I would definitely consider buying from you as you seem to be knowledgeable with the trucks and you care about what people want. Thank you.

I don't want a tuck that will run 100 mph I want a truck that will run the speed limit empty which is 70 right now in Ohio. With a permit We are not legally allowed to run over 55mph which I rarely do. I might drift up to 60 down hill or if I see a open flat highway but for someone like myself who hauls heavy loads and who has seen what can see what can happen I think peole are nuts for going faster then that with 80k or more . I think the worse thing i have ever done illegally knowing what I was doing is I went off route a few months ago to avoid a construction area that my load would not have fit through. It was 12'6" wide and the road was 12 between the barriers. It didn't matter at i got pulled over and it cost me.

Where is this at? This is how a salesman/dealership should be. It should always be there to take care of a customer no matter what the problem or question you might have. It is good to see you have a good one.

Thank you. This is what I wanted to hear. For what I will be hauling I want a heavy enough truck that I am not dealing with issues due to the weight that will be behind it. Eventually I will move up in weight for what I haul but starting out, getting the permits in Ohio for over 125klbs is just to tough. I want a truck that when I do bump up the weights I haul will be able to handle it. I am leaning toward the CHU but the Titan is not out of the question yet. I have time so I am not in a big hurry to make a decision. I just wish I could find a salesman who knew more than me. Neither of my dealers have a clue and I am starting to get frustrated. I may travel over to PA. and talk to one of their dealers as I have heard good things about a couple of the dealers over there.

I am going new because I want to get everything I want. Plus I want the warranty.

No I understand what you are saying. Yeah Trading before the warranty runs out is probably a good idea.

Ok I have another question if you guys don't mind me picking your brains a little more. How is the emissions garbage on the newer Macks? I know International has had a lot of issues with theirs and the first thing i do with my Cummins powered Rams is delete everything. have there been a lot of issues with Macks, Is there a way to delete Macks? ( I know its illegal but I'd rather deal with that then deal with what an EGR does to an engine.

After watching the videos ( thank you ) I might reconsider the M- Drive. I really just need to test drive one to get a feel for it and make my decision from there. Thank you everyone for your replies

I 70- 71- and 90 are as flat as they come. Take state route 250 past cadiz or jump on rt 43 from canton and take it south to stubenville. These are the routes most of the heavy haul trucks have to take to get to sites. Leave bridgeport and head north on 250 and you will not see a flat mile of road let alone one straight enough to see anything coming the other direction. I am sorry I am not trying to argue but a lot of people who just pass through ohio only see the interstates. They do not see where we have to take these lowboys. I would love to avoid 250 for example but I do not have a choice if that is where the machine has to go that I am hauling.

Oh and it will have plenty of chrome. I want it to shine. I am a little OCD about keeping things clean and shiny.

Well in southern Ohio where a lot of the work is it is not very flat, in fact some routes can get pretty scetchy, ( steep grades 90 degree turns at the bottom of the grades, etc. I don't know where people get that Ohio is flat. I am not sure I will like not being able to control my gears. I have always driven manual trucks wether it be dump trucks or lowboys. I too am old school and I think I will stick with either the 13 or 18 speed trans. Question though about the Mdrive, Is the only way to manually shift it from the pad all the way to the far right on the dash or is it like the Allison 12 speeds where they have paddle shifters on the wheel? I would think reaching across the dash would become a danger. I guess my biggest concern is the turning radius of the Titan. I mean the added hp would be nice if I ever decide to step up my weights over 125k lbs but I need to be able to get into construction sites and many can be tight , plus some city streets where the sites are located can also be difficult to navigate with a truck that turns like a battleship. I am pretty sure I am leaning toward a CHU rawhide edition 13-18 speed with e the MP-8 505. I can always buy another truck down the road for the heavier hauls. It is my plan to grow eventually anyhow and a Titan would be a good second truck.

I am leaning this way.

It is no longer called Vision as they changed it to Pinnacle. The Rawhide is available in the CHU Pinnacle or axle forward, CV Granite , Or the Titan TD713. Yes the Vision/Pinnacle is still the CX. the Flat front is the CHU axle forward Pinnacle.

Oh the CHN is now the CHU. I do not know why they changed it.

Well I am still able to get the maxitorque transmissions as of last week when i was talking with my dealer. Hopefully it is still available as i am not sure i want a automatic.

Whats your opinions on the M- Drive???