Bullheaded

I'm sure somebody is rating something different today. 1000 ft.-lb. in these new pickups? Ya okay, I'd like to see your new Superduty pull 140,000 pounds up 12% grades all day like my old 350 Mack did, LOL And all these kids on facebook claiming their Ram Cummins makes 4000 horsepower on the dyno, LOL

I don't think any manufacturer is going to go backwards on emissions even with Trump saying he is going to back off the EPA, but can we please have 18 speed manual transmissions back!!!! The only automatic that is any good is an Allison. These automated manuals are junk. Just saw the introduction at Conex for the new C580 Kenworth and it had an automatic in it, LOL I think if I ever had to get back into trucking, God forbid, I'd be buying one of those new Autocars. Dash and door panels all have exposed screws, no buttons on steering wheel and only one screen on dash and it is for diagnostics. Not only does it show fault codes, it gives a full description, has a screen that shows all fuses and will tell you if one is burnt out, shows you the wiring schematic for that circuit throughout the whole truck. Now that is how you build a truck!

So basically an electronic levelling valve. Myself I prefer Camelback or walking beam, or even Haulmax rubber block. But here in Ontario Canada, I've learned through experience that the only reliable way to make these stupid S.P.I.F. automatic lift axles work is with air suspension. Because with mechanical suspension they have to have load cells to work them and they just aren't reliable.

I went through the Mack web site the other day and I was really surprised to see they still offer Mack branded rear axles all the way up to 80,000 pounds and they still offer Camelback! But like I said, very disappointing no manual transmission available. But at least they were finally smart enough to offer a real sleeper on the new Granite and Keystone. Too bad they didn't do that on the Titan, they may have sold a couple of them. And did you notice how deep the dash is in the cab? Because half the engine is in there. Bet they are going to be fun to work on.

Four more bags to change, LOL And what is the "electronic controlled" part of it they say? I gotta say, I am a fan of Freightliner's Air Liner. I was running that since 2009 on a Freightliner, then two Western Star dump trucks working on and off road and I don't recall even ever changing an air bag. I was only replacing bags on the lift axles.

Seriously though....I hate the looks of the Volvo cab. Flat sided panels and square. Absolutely no styling to it at all. And what is with these manufacturers like Mack and KW W990 most noticeably, if I had a designer come to me with those hood air intake designs I would fire them! Absolutely ugly! The new Granite looks just l said it would....a Volvo VHD except the hood and those air intakes look like they stole it off a Freightliner 112SD. And just like my pickup, I HATE all the buttons all over the steering wheel, digital dash and all the other electronic garbage. I took my sons new Bronco out the other day and almost had a head on because I was trying to figure out the ten millions buttons all over just to turn the wipers on. What do I like about the new Mack's? The seats and the grill looks okay. I think the engines are just as good as anyone else today. But I also don't care for the M-Drive. I got to run one for a while in a new Granite dump truck in a gold mine this winter on hills up to 15% and I hated it. Maybe nice on highway or city streets but they don't work good on big icy hills with big weight.

I watched it last night. The gender reveal for the new trans Mack. It was born a Volvo but now identifies as a Mack. I liked the seats. They would be awesome in a 1988 R model.

Sad to see the last Mack that had anything to do with Mack gone.

I just searched Mack MD electric on facebook and I don't see any pics of one with a Volvo cab?

Rebadged Volvo VHD

Saw the announcement of the last of the old Mack cabs that were built. Picture showed a whole bunch of them in many different colors. I wonder if they made a bunch to be kept for the MD model? Because I haven't heard anything about it getting redesigned yet. And once the last of those old cabs are used up, that will be the end of the current MD.

You mean the new Mack VHD? LOL

The current Pinnacle is already discontinued as far as I know? As of last summer you could no longer order the big sleepers, and last I heard you could only order a daycab until they switch production to the new Volvo.

I'll never have those problems with my old 2-stroke Detroit, LOL

I'm surprised no one here has brought this up yet. Just as I was predicting, they are going to ruin the Granite now too. get ready for the new Mack VHD Mack is officially dead. Thanks Volvo.

At the time, I applauded Cat for not giving in and selling us junk engines like every other emission motor is. But oddly enough, the SCR engines in the new Cat wheel loaders and excavators I'm operating work almost flawlessly. I don't get any of the codes. derates, failures that I CONSTANTLY had in my on road trucks. And they sit and idle for hours and hours every day. And they just run perfect and regen on their own with no drama.

I sure hope so. But you just know they are going to ruin the Granite too at some point.

These are my very good friends trucks from back in the day in Ontario. The Superliner and the R he had on with Arnold Brothers both pulled float and oversize loads. He hauled lots of big crushers and mining trucks up to the Yukon. He is also a master fabricator. He built those sleepers and the R Model had an APU before that was even a thing. he made one using a Vauxhall engine and it even heated the wetlines hydraulic oil tank in the winter. The Superliner had an E9 V8 450 in it but it was turned up.

Dug up some pics I had of some old R Models in my town back in the day. The new red RD at the dealer ended up pulling log trailers (there were also two like it in the steel mill that pulled a 100 ton float), and the black one was a lumber hauler. The oversize load was a project in the steel mill here, Algoma Steel.

Awesome! I think that's out of an old Canadian Bulldog magazine. That used to be a really cool magazine. Was broken down into each province and just had pics of new Mack's delivered and on the job. Now it's nothing except plastic Volvo's and the marketing department telling you about the "3% more fuel efficient" every year.

Hope he don't mind, but I had to share this here. Picture posted by C.J. Hall on the Old Canadian Trucking Companies FB page. Here was the info he provided. John Crowell purchased this long wheelbase Mack Western F-model brand new. Powered by a V-12 Detroit Diesel. John was leased to Hope Freight Lines and ran around B.C.

There were a few loggers around here that ran 8V92 Detroit's in their Superliner's. Detroit's were real popular around here.

Dug out some old pics the other day. Here's a brand new Superliner at the dealer in my town back in the day. Pretty sure it ended up pulling log trailer. It was a long time ago, and I can't really make it out in the pic, but there is a badge under the Superliner oval on the side of the hood. I can't remember if it was a Caterpillar or Cummins badge?

That looks fantastic Keith!

As much as I'd love a new Ford copy, just beware. I have seen people on some of the tractor forums that did get FarmTrac's in the US and they said parts and support were almost non existent from the dealers. My new ones are Kubota, but Yanmar and Kioti are also very good. Kioti and Bobcat tractors are pretty much the same.