rsb502

I remember them setting the engine load threshold no mph to 100% on ours too they are set low from the factory so you cant run them wide open sitting still . I think that was the biggest cause of the slow throttle response in the AI engine trucks everybody I know had tha set up and it got better in every truck. http://www.idc-solutions.net/MackE-7DieselPerformance.html#MACK ETEC etech performance power chip module go to this web page if you want it to really run they will reprogram your ecm to make up to 150hp over stock a guy here had it done and his truck rear wheel dynoed 486hp that puts it around 609hp flywheel at 80% rear wheel. Good luck with your truck.

One of our problem child's was same specs as your AI427, 8LL, but with 4.17 gears and tall 24.5's. We fought with this truck for months, owner was used to a 500hp Cummins so our salesmen sold him this truck, wow what a mistake. Mack spent close to $40K on this truck to get it to run right. In the end they put in a super special secret "australian" engine file. Man did the black smoke fly and this thing really runs now. Unfortunaly those days are over and thoses good guys at Mack are gone and replaced with Volvo guys. Maybe only 2 I know of have stayed but Volvo have them on a tight leash. The only way to drive the AI engine is to have the pedal to the floor at all times.

II hear ya I got mine done in '06 and it had a super secret program too they wouldnt tell me what they did but it out ran the 460 trucks around here. I wish I knew what the program was but boy it made it come alive, good luck with the ones you have. Ryan

I have seen videos of the Killer Mack of Bonner Farms so many times I can hear it in my sleep that is one seriously bad E-9. I would love to pull in to a truck stop fuel island hitting a lick like that in a on the road truck talk about freaking people out. I just had a 5" straight pipe on the E-9 440hp in the 84 and people hollered at me on the radio and came running over to me in container yards telling me it was missing and to turn it off before I blew it up. Then I would pull the hood and their jaw would drop most of them had never seen a 16 liter V-8 before, the best ones would tell me it was missing then I would leave the yard with the front wheel about to come off the ground leaving a cloud of smoke they wouldnt tell me it was messed up again. Ryan

couldn't say, probably the 8V-71 318. Looks like a V8 emblem on the hood.

I actually meant to type 8V71 but Ive got what they call stupid fingers its hereditary. I have a pair of those V-8 emblems and a whole set of Superliner emblems I got kinda crazy on ebay for a while. Now I have a box full of Makc emblems and parts anbody need a E7-460 badge I have 3 how bout a set of econodyne badges from a Superliner got them too , I even have two of the hood ornament mounting bases for the old style r-models. Ryan

Hopefully they will send it to somewhere with a dyno. Thats what our DSM said to do and he paid for all of it.

I had the same issues with my 04 Granite with the AI427 and the 06 Granites from the fleet I worked for before I bought it they had AI460's with 8ll's and 4:42 rears with tall tires. I can sympathise with the trips to the dealer for nothing I finally told them they could have 4 new trucks back and we would go buy KW's and amazingly they reprogrammed them all and they ran better they even smoked under a load. I bet they are stuck dealing wiht the EPA crap that was there hold up on ours they said they couldnt let them smoke so they wouldnt make much power but when that $500,000 dollars worth of trucks was gonna come back 4 months after they were delivered they found the power in them. I will say this they have to be run to 1800 rpm I hate to do it since I am used to pump engines and early E7's and they run best under 1600 but the AI engines you have to take to 1800rpm before you shift or they dye with a load. I tried to drive mine low in the power band and it wouldnt pull itself out of a wet sack, if you get 74,000 groos on one of those 06 models with the AI460 and let the rpm fall under 1350 youve had it. I wish you luck and heres to hoping they can get the MP8 to run reliably cause the MP7 is gutless too in my book(course I got used to an E9) Ryan

Looking back through some old pics to see if I could find a pic that would show....

this is out in Colorado buying the truck...

this is from when I got my new drives:

It's had budd wheels as long as I've had it. As fed-up with 'em as I am, I can't see myself swapping out the hubs. I'd have to get new rims, too, and if I'm going to take on that expense, I'll upgrade the axles and suspension to 46K w/ full lockers while I'm at it instead of JUST changing the hubs on my 38K rears....and same with the steers, instead of JUST the hubs & rims, I'll put new axles & springs (probably 18K) and get wider tires so the front won't be as likely to sink in softer ground. CTI would be a nice touch too all the way around, while I'm upgrading axles & such...maybe with dash controls to air 'em down for extra traction...might help on tire wear, too, if I could air 'em up & down depending on the load so they maintained their intended contact patch with the road.

...if'n yer gonna spend money "improving" anything, ya may as well save up for a while and go all out.

Well one thing is for sure you got to get those darn pete wheels off that Mack somehow geez, you must be one of them red oval guys. I would have made the dealer swap em before I took it home, traitor. lol

Remember if you go with the Fuller you will need the mounts on the bell housing.

I actually just thought about it but my CH had a T2090 w 3:89 Mack rears it runs best around 1600rpm which puts it around 72mph with low pro 24.5 tires if that info helps ya. Ryan

84Superdog. Fuller also made 2 stick trans for many years they had 5X2, 4X3,5X3,5X4,6X4 all 2 stick trans. A friend of mine had a F-Model Mack with 335 Cummins and 4X4 Spicer trans. 2 stick in it. Joe d.

Good info I never knew Fuller made a 2 stick. Ryan

I remember them very well, especially the R-models with Detroit Diesels in them.

Old "Big R" joke- why does Roadway paint the fenders on their trucks blue?..so the drivers know which end goes under the trailer.

I never knew what they had for a drivetrain but that pic looks like a long hood R model could it be an RS700L or RS600L with a 6V71 Detroit? Ryan

Joe, Your H63 is a great looking truck. Of course it is your choice to do with it whatever you want, but for what it's worth ,I think it would look odd with Budd wheels on it. The only way I can imagine aluminum wheels looking right on such a classic model would be old style 5 hole wheels on the front axle only. Steve

I too am puzzled by the '01 w stud pilot wheels I have never seen anything but school buses with them after the late '90s Blue Bird Buses still had them right up to the mid 2000's and just in the last few years went to hub pilot as standard equipment. I also dont know how you are breaking so many I have run triaxle dump trucks with stud pilots and never broken one, and here in TN we are legal for 74,000lbs gross if that wont do it nothing will. I also like the info on the hubs the ones I have converted were all newer so it was pretty easy to go to the parts store and get the hubs, and I always went to hub pilot from spoke never from spoke to stud pilot. I thought they were the same bolt p[attern for all stud pilots but wasnt sure I know they made 8 lug hub pilots and the front wheel on a front dump cement truck is different than the others so I wasnt sure about different bolt patterns. I hope you have fun with the project its a neat truck. Ryan

Where did he say anything about a Spicer transmission?

Actually the Mack 7 speed T2070 was a single stick transmission with R and 1 thru 5 on the stick and a hi/lo air shift button on the knob which was supposed to be used in 1st or 2nd for a total of 7 forward speeds and 2 reverse. The later T2070D had 1 thru 5 on the stick and rev, hi & lo on the air shift knob with a total of 7 forward gears and 5 reverse gears

Incorrect.

With the 2 stick 6 speed, lo on the compound is used with the main in 1st when working in severe conditions off road or starting off on a steep hill.

For on road use you leave the compound in direct and shift only the main. The ratios do not work out for split shifting, except that on the TRXL1071 you can 2 hand split it from 2nd lo to 1st direct, but that is not recommended by Mack, it's just a technique that was discovered by drivers that drove them daily.

The comment about spicers was narrowing the two stick transmissions, they are the only other maker to have a two stick trans and never in a Mack that I know of. I dont know everything about them all thats for sure just the ones I have been around but I do know I have been in a Mack u model with a two stick that had 5 on the main and hi-low on the second shifter and was told by the owner that it was a two stick 5 spd. I have never been in any others but that one with the range on a seperate stick and I have driven an R model w/a 300 and a 7spd that was a 7 spd air shift, the trtxl multi range trannys and the quadra-plex and tri-plex. I am only 31 I wasnt even born when some of the trucks I have driven were built. I will say you know your Mack tranny stuff I might have to call you on my next project truck. Ryan

Does anybody remember the days when Roadway had a blue and orange Rmodels running down the highways they went to CH's for a while heck Roadway ran almost all Mack back in the early days there are plenty of pics of old Mack coe's and B models I think I remember seeing some LJ's too Ryan

I'm going back today, he needs an air line repaired and a tank strap needs welding. It was dark when I checked it out, but it fired up and ran great at 35 degrees. One shifter was straight and one had a knob on it. I'll find some of the ID stickers on it and get more info.

Jeff

10-4 if it has an air shift on the tall one it probably has 4 positions high-low-neutral-rev that would be a TRTXL1070 or 1070B 12spd. Ryan

Wow some good answers there a TRTXL1017B would be a goos one but they are getting hard to find. The t2090 to me is a great tranny but it has a big step from 8th to 9th not good with a little motor and a big load. I think you could find a 13spd mack easier than the 1070 and it will be a lot cheaper, try Weller Reman they keep a great stock of reman trannys with warranty. They woreked with me on swapping one model for another if its something they sell frequently, most places wont give you a core credit for a different tranny than what you buy, if I remember right they are the same length too. Ryan

Good buy on the CH, you can't go wrong with that. What's in it for power, Mechanical or Electronic. I really like your superliner, it looks very sharp.

The CH has a E7-400 vmac 1 (electronic bosch pump engine)Mack 9 spd Mack 3:89 rears on Mack air-ride, it runs good for 17 years old Thanks, Ryan

As far as availability, you have to change your hubs to a stud or hub mounted hub versus the spoke hubs you have now. I have done it before you just get the hubs with the same bearing demensions as the spoke hubs you have. There is another big deciding factor too do you wand the old style three or two piece aluminum budd wheels or the newer style single piece wheels. I dont know if the bolt pattern is the same for the older two piece wheels or not but that is what I would want on that truck if I took the spokes off, keep it in the right era. I dont think it would be too hard to swap no matter what you choose you just have to get out a caliper and get to mweasuring then make some calls or do some internet searching for part numbers. Ryan

I was waiting for someone to point out tha Mack hasnt built their own axles in a long time, they do have a rep at the factory to make sure they get what they want but they done make them. I notidced the post about the axle locks being handy some times but the old air shift is a good strong rear and guess what if your rear brakes are all 30-30's and they are adjusted even, when you get into a sticky situation you can flip in the power divider (which you should have done before you drove into soft ground to begin with) then set the parking brakes put the truck into the lowest gear possible and ease into it if the truck runs like all the Makc dump trucks I have driven it will pull right out. The brakes being set causes the power to go to all of the wheels fairly evenly the way those diffs work they put the power to the axle that can turn the easiest, so by setting the brakes they become a quasi axle lock. I will say this is not covered under warranty and is not advised by techs or dealers but I bewt I have used that trick a thousand times and it works. I do love a Mack rear they are heavy as crap but they hold up where others dont, I worked for a company with one Mack and three petes and two kw's for a while all dump trucks. The paccars with 46,000 eaton rears and the Mack with 44,000 camelbacks with 90series diffs the eatons would break axles left and right in soft ground you didnt even have to try hard but the Mack never broke a one in 200,000 hard miles on construction sites. Ryan

Hey guys,

I have a friend that bought a 1987 Mack twin stick roll-off dumpster truck and has asked that I do the driving for him. I'm am an industrial electrician turned teacher. I have my CDL and all of my experience is in an International 9 speed. I've seen several videos on you tube, but none actually explain what's happening as they go through the shift pattern. How many actual gears are there, are you splitting each as you go up, or do you go up so many and then split them? I know there's no substitution for time behind the wheel and that's coming up, but I also know I need to understand the process. Thanks in advance for your help.

Jeff

I think you might be on the wrong trail here, I dont know that Mack ever used a spicer transmission and by 87 they were way past the tri-plex or quadraplex two stick transmissions. I would guess it has a 7spd or a 12spd the 7 speed would be one shifter shorter than the other and it would only shift the low-low I think they only did that with a seperate shifter for 1 year model then it went to air shift. The 12 spd has the same ide but the taller shifter has an airshift button on it, it would only use the smaller shifter on the left for low-low as well it would shift like a super ten on the taller shifter. I think that would be what you had in an 87 maybe not but that is probably it, it might be a twin stick 5 or 6 spd but I doubt it and if so it just shifts the range from low to high so you use one shifter 1-5or6 then shift back down and move the other forward then shift 1 thru 5or6 again. I'll check back but if you can tell me what the shifters have on them I can tell you how to shift it(ie: is one tallet than the other and one has airshift button on it) Ryan

What a steal. Truck looks good. As a matter of fact, all yhem look good.

One question, with the Granite, after all the chrome was added, could you get more $ for work.

I'd like to add some , but it doesn't pay any more than I'm getting now.

Good Luck with the CH

I know chrome dont get ya home but I love customized trucks and I dont think I could even drive a plain jane truck anymore. I think the more you do to a tuck yourself the more you feel it is really your truck not just something you do for work I guess it all comes down to what you like in the end and I am attracted to shiny stuff. Ryan

I have always loved Mack trucks, I mean when I was little I would draw pictures of different companies trucks but no matter what they owned my pictures were always Macks. I got to drive my first Mack an old RD688 tractor that was converted to a dump truck when I was 16yrs old, what a day. I have been driving Macks ever since, well I decided a few years ago it was time to get my own. Now I can tell you I may (understatement) have tried to get into trucking at the wrong time. I started with an 04 Granite triaxle that I quickly tricked out,(I do like shiny stuff) and after a few months things were going good and I found my dream truck a 1984 RWS722LST or Superliner for those less numerically proficient. I decided to bite another several thousand dollar bullet and buy it and a dump trailer, well lets just say you might want to find work for said dump trailer before you buy one. I ended up pulling containers out of the rail yard in Nashville TN with the Superdog and soon found out an E-9 V-8 in a double frame heavy spec 19,000lb daycab wasnt right for the job. I decided if I was going to keep up the otr business I needed to get a lighter sleeper truck with better fuel economy, enter the old CH. I had found an old CH613 sitting in the weeds in the middle of an industrial area a couple years before and never could find anyone that knew who owned it. I went back and sure enough it was still there and I got to taking a real good look, much to my surprise it had under 200,000 miles showing and was L-O-A-D-E-D it had every option they put in a CH in 1993. I started my search for the owner again and a month or two later found out it was owned by a music production company they did sound and lights for touring music groups. I admit thwe next part really got me but they swore they had forgotten they owned it since it wasnt parked anywhere near their building, the best they could figure it had been in the same spot for over 7 years. I just couldnt beleive it so I had friends go over to the truck with me and they all agreed it was ligitimate, now came the fun part get them to sell a truck they forgot they owned. The company is now know as Morris leasing and as I got more info they had gone to a lend lease agreemant with PACCAR in 1996 and juast used that truck to move trailers between shops here in Middle TN. The real kicker is that they hadent employed anyone with a CDL since 1998, so they just never thought about the truck or the two trailers near it again, oh and the two trailers were from the Alabama tour in the mid 90's that was this trucks only otr journey. I had a heck of a time getting them to price the truck and finally just offered $5000.00 and I would get it moved and take it running or not. Then came the wait I waited more than 3 months calling once or twice a week and no word, finally the lot the truck was parked on was sold and the new owner wanted it moved. I have to say I am not ashamed of this next part, I went to the lots new owner and asked if he wanted the truck moved, hell yeah was his reply so I gave him the number to Morris leasing and listened as he called and told them to get that old piece of junk off of his lot. I waited tha appropriate 30 mins. then I called asking if they had decided on my offer to which they asked what was your offer again so I told him $5000.00 as is and I would get it moved asap. I was told I'd hear back soon and 15 mins later I got a how soon can you move it its yours, I was pretty happy now but little did I know that I had another week and a half of waiting for them to find the title then get it released. I did finally get the title in hand and went into action, I bought a new set of filters, batteries, air governor, purge valve rebuild kit, etc. everything I thought I would need to bring it back from the dead. I went to work ion the truck the next day and once I had swapped the filters and batteries came the moment of truth a truck that had been sitting in the same spot for the better part of a decade started at the first hit of the key no long drawn out cranking I mean I touched the key and it started and never even sputtered once. I guess long story short you never know what you are going to find and what you will encounter along the way to get what you want but my $5000.00 dollar Mack CH did a great job after I serviced her and put tires with non rotted sidewalls on her. I hope I find another one oh and it still has under 300,000 miles on it 17 years after it was built.