kscarbel

Barry:

I had fifty or so pairs made up a few years ago. I sold them on E-Bay and privately. I still have a few pairs of white just like you showed above. I also have some in black with the same logo. I had some more made up with the Mack logo in chrome, left and right. Still have some left. I stopped selling them due to cost of shipping. I still trade or sell occasionally. The company that made thes up was licensed by Mack and I do not believe they had a set up charge since they still had the logo in their archives. If interested, let me know and I will see if I can find the source for you. meanwhile, I guess i could part with a few sets that I have. E-Mail to redingtonranch@vtc.net.

So you purchased these from Koneta, the long-time Mack supplier in Wapakoneta, Ohio?

Part number 8752-312430A (one pair - 30" length, left and right facing, white with Mack 5-color logo)

But the anti-spray version was better. It was by design thicker, and for that reason did not warp. I forget the number....8752-392430A ?

There has in the past been a factory option called "unequal front springs".

The proper way for you to handle this is have your Mack distributor (or the good folks at Watts) take down your model and serial number, and submit a "changeover" request to the Mack-brand specifications department at parts operations. Tell them your left (drivers) side is the heavy side.

The specifications people will then tell your chosen Mack distributor what parts would have been used if this truck had been originally built (ordered) with "unequal front springs".

Installing the proper factory components will provide you with the most durable and professional result.

The Mack "L" series cab, an impressive combination of form and function.

Interesting,didn't know they made them that late!As for the RW's,were all hood length's the same?

Ryder Truck Rental, for example, operated quite a few with Cummins power, and a few with Caterpillars.

The Super-Liners all had the same hood length (unlike the GMC General).

Could you buy an R/RD-700 when the RW Superliner's were made,or did they stop making them when the RW came out?

Sure, the R-700 series was produced thru 1985. Thus, the R-700 was available during both the Mack Western (Hayward production) RWL/RWS era as well as the early part of the (Macungie production) RWI era.

kscarbel2:

Why didn't Mack/Renault bring the trim levels up to what American passengers wanted (whatever that was)? If the operators were happy with the buses' costs and performances it would seem that Mack could have captured a large share of the U.S. bus business.

bulldogboy

Let us say there were two style directions at the time. On the North American side, you had MCI and Eagle Bus (which ironically has European roots from Setra). Across the Atlantic, the European buses had a different style, more function over form. It would have been challenging to take the FR-1 and aesthetically make it into an MCI-like coach. It was worth a try and an honest attempt was made. And ironically, the styling of the leading bus makers in the North America, South America (e.g. Marcopolo), Europe (e.g. Irizar) and China (e.g. King Long/Higer) are today much the same.

While the FR-1 wasn't a success in the US, Mack sold 650 PR series municipal transit buses in Australia.

And of course, the success of the Mid-Liner series exceeded everyone's most optimistic predictions. The two companies realized many valid synergies together.

Editing an article as a joke, to prove a point, etc. I get that. Make it clear and have some fun with it. Trying to pass changes off as real I don't get. Just hurts the credibility of your other posts, which generally are pretty awesome and informative

Mack has introduced Meritor EX+ Air Disc Brakes for its Mack Granite, TerraPro and Titan by Mack models.

“Mack’s air disc brakes are built to our standards and tuned specifically for the needs of vocational customers to help boost uptime and lower overall lifecycle costs,” said Stu Russoli, Mack vocational marketing product manager. “Vehicle operators and workers on the job site can also enjoy the added safety benefits of the air disc brakes’ exceptional stopping performance.”

More than 2.2 million miles of real-world service in North America has shown that the air disc brakes deliver superior stopping performance and require less maintenance than conventional S-cam designs. Mack’s air disc brakes utilize a flat rotor concept to prevent heat distortion in heavy-duty service, rather than “hat-shaped” rotors, which are prone to distortion and shorter life. The brake pads are engineered by Mack to deliver top performance in all situations and minimize brake fade during extreme braking cycles and frequent use.

“In line with our philosophy of application excellence, our air disc brakes are optimized to give customers a durable option for excellent performance in any type of work environment,” said John Walsh, Mack vice president of marketing.

Mack began offering air disc brakes in 2008 on its Pinnacle Axle Forward and Axle Back models.

No joke intended. The article insinuated that Mack (i.e. Volvo) makes disc brakes (e.g. "Mack’s air disc brakes").

But of course, the brakes (and brake pads) are designed and produced by Meritor, as I corrected the article to say - so that there might not be any misunderstandings.

If you have any issues, you should be talking with Volvo's press people about why they made misleading statements to the media.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mack-Truck-1981-For-Sale-/231126546738?pt=Ultility_Vehicles&hash=item35d0373932#ht_538wt_1105

Hands down the biggest Mack I've ever seen. I get that it's an oil field, gin-pole truck, but what model? Never seen anything like this. 16v-71 Detroit with air start? Holy hell.... Any information on this truck would be appreciated. Never seen one before...

http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/30224-your-mack-off-highway-truck-line/

Horwith in Northampton have been exceptionally fine people for years and years.

But having said that, I can tell you that Mack Trucks always stood behind their product. In my MANY years with the company, we never left a customer hanging. When a design needed improvement, we acknowledged that, took action and solved the customer's problem. Our district service representatives, engineers in their own right that worked should-to-shoulder with the engineers in Allentown and Hagerstown, were the best in the industry. It was that atmosphere that allowed us to deliver pedigreed performance. That's the only right way to do long-term business with a customer, as Mr. Zenon C.R. Hansen would tell you. Mack Trucks was like a massive family from east coast to west - we had our customer's backs covered. Call it Bulldog Protection, and/or Mack family pride.

But of course, I'm speaking of the past pre-Volvo. It's a whole new deal now. The Mack distributor, as we knew it, is a thing of the past.

A fellow in Northampton (Pennsylvania) owns a C model. He at least used to attend the Macungie show.

Yes, that's it, Bob Daumer.

KS what books show the Mack factory info. Thanks

For example, Mack annual reports and The Mack Bulldog.

We touched on this subject the other day. I personally can't find my pictures but I'm sure at least a few other Mack veterans have some.

http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/33278-rd-steel-nose/page-3

The Mack CH was the modern and vesatile replacement of the R-model. Like the R-model, the CH had no special aerodynamic features.

Remember, an appreciation for aerodynamics was developing amongst America's truckmakers during the 1980s to help on-highway trucks improve fuel economy (The Kenworth T600, introduced in 1985, elevated the trend).

The Mack CA was the company's answer to the stirring demand for aerodynamic on-highway tractors. And it was breathtaking in appearance, a truly revolutionary and modern design.

So altogether, Mack R&D had three options on the table for the sales group to consider for production:

CA - aerodynamic tractor for the ninties

CH - modern replacement for the industry-leading R-model

DH - modern replacement for the industry-leading DM

There are two types of Super-Liner battery box covers: One for Hayward-produced Mack Western RWL/RWS models, and another for Macungie-produced RWI models (same as the MH Ultra-Liner).

Parts was not my AOR, but I believe for a Hayward-production RWS like you have, unpolished aluminum is a 32MK39306A, and polished is a 32MK39306AP3 (But check with Watts because I might be rusty). Your covers have a stud, below the catch, that goes into a hole in the battery box bottom.

Take a look at Mack part no. 38MR4162. It's a Hadley rectangular single trumpet applicable to R/U/DM models.

Note that the air valve will be different from the round Grover air horn you have now, and needs to be changed.

If you deal with a Mack dealer on this, ask to see a picture of the mounting arrangement for this horn on their computer.

Holy crap......get over it! Volvo SAVED Mack. Mack was dying a quick death with the junk they were building from 2000 to 2006.

No, the new "Volvo's" will never be like the pre 90's Mack's........but nothing else will ever be as good either. It's a new world. Get used to your mass produced junk and be happy we have what we have.

I don't think its a matter of "getting over" something.

Personally, I don't for a moment feel that Volvo saved Mack. In fact, Volvo has erased Mack for the most part in every conceiveable way. The Swedes at Volvo are opportunist without morals.

Volvo used their (failed) merger plan with Renault to get their hands on Mack, to acquire more North American market share (as they had with White and GMC).

Had Volvo NOT been in the picture, and had Mack been put up for sale, there would have been several good American companies in line to make an offer. And looking at what has become of Mack, now merely a nameplate on a Volvo chassis, I would have preferred a US company to have bought Mack (had a situation developed at Mack Trucks which led to a sale)

....I don't think P-I-E pulled 60 1/2 foot trailers......just sayin'

For comparison then and now, overall sixty feet in length, despite having much less horsepower than what is used today.

http://www.1-87vehicles.org/photo434/fl8664_drom_pie.php

A Wal-mart prototype with a longer drome box and shorter trailer (53 foot) would be intriguing.

At the very least, to increase haulage efficiency in America, the government needs to raise tractor-trailer GCWs to at least 40 metric tons (88,000lb), and allow 44 tons (97,000lb) with "road friendly" air suspension and tri-axle trailers (along the lines of Europe).

The trucking press up here tore this idea apart.

Both of these articles are from the Canadian media, and I didn't perceive they were tearing this idea apart.

The fact that this test truck is a glider kit is well known. http://www.truckinginfo.com/blog/trailer-talk/story/2012/11/super-cube-rig-for-walmart-canada-might-raise-some-issues.aspx

Reinventing the Argosy

This COE power unit, meanwhile, might pose an exhaust emissions problem. It was assembled by a dealer from a glider kit made by Freightliner in North Carolina. Gliders are new trucks with used or rebuilt powertrains, and the engine usually doesn't meet current emissions limits. This is legally OK if the glider replaces a wrecked truck or tractor, but in Canada it might not be if it's built for an entirely new purpose.

A COE was needed to squeeze the maximum cube into Ontario's 75.5-foot overall length limit for tractor/semitrailer combos. If a conventional-cab tractor were used, the drom box would not fit and the rig would not be so productive, even if it stayed within the overall limit.

Freightliner is the only North American manufacturer that still makes a Class 8 high COE*, though primarily for export. That's why an Argosy glider, which the builder also offers, was used here.

*Of course this isn't exactly true. Both Navistar and Paccar still produce COEs, the 9800i and the Kenworth K200.

kscarbel,

I guess things have changed because they sell the uppers here on this site http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=14_80

That's an aftermarket brand. I assume then that Mack dealers still only sell urethane lowers (10QK388). I've never seen the need for urethane uppers.

What size suspension do you have?

Do you have rubber or bronze trunnion bushings?

Do you have a transverse torque rod?

Just what we need! bigger trailers! if they catch on with Wal-Mart,pretty soon we'll all be pulling them!...................................Mark

This is no different from the dromedaries that Pacific Intermountain Express (P-I-E) used to operate successfully in the United States.

Materials, Management & Distribution / December 5, 2013

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario—The supercube project has been a complete success. That’s the opinion of Walmart Canada senior executives in charge of developing the 60ft 6in drop-deck trailer and the flat-nosed tractor with a cargo-carrying drome box.

“We’re obviously very pleased with the overall concept. What started with a very simple idea has turned into something very, very physical that has a presence,” said Andy Ellis, executive vice-president, supply chain and logistics.

“So far, the results it has given us are very pleasing and very beneficial to the business and beyond, to the environment.”

Officially unveiled in November 2012, four supercubes were put on Ontario’s roads for a one-year pilot project run under the auspices of the provincial Ministry of Transportation (MTO). Four permits were issued by the government with the requirement that data about the tractor trailers be collected and submitted to the MTO for evaluation.

“The data we share is very similar to the LCV (long combination vehicle) process,” said Michael Buna, senior transportation manager. “We just share our origin and destination points and the frequencies every month.”

According to Walmart, the MTO has used that data to broaden the scope of what types of longer trailers will be allowed on the province’s roads.

“The government has modified the permit conditions to allow for different types of equipment to be run,” said Buna.

“What the government has done is look at the 60ft-6in length of a trailer and looked at straight-decks, drop-decks, tri-axles, reefer units, and they’ve opened it up to allow for different types of equipment to be run. So the government has done the due diligence to prove there are many different types of equipment you can run in this model.”

Reefers being on the approved list is a change that that excites Ellis, especially since it is a signal the MTO is getting ready to issue more permits and expand the scope of the pilot program.

“We’ve met all of the criteria the government asked of us within the pilot. We are obviously working with the government to extend the pilot and put more trucks on the road and encourage other retailers or other haulers to do the same,” said Ellis.

“We have four permits at the moment, we’re talking to the government about how we can get more, and we’re looking at those changes to the regulations around the permit, around the different types of equipment,” said Ellis.

“It would be ideal if we get a reefer, because if you look at the type of business a reefer supports, it’s fresh food. It’s all about freshness and quality and being agile and getting fresher product to the stores. So the more efficient we can be in getting product to the stores, the better for the customers. Absolutely, reefers will be where we want to go.”

It’s not just reefers that interest Walmart. The company wants to add more of the non-refrigerated supercubes to its fleet.

“If we get more permits, then we can potentially put more trucks on the road. I know we certainly have enough stores where we can run these trucks profitably and reduce costs. We can run them to many, many destinations,” said Ellis.

“I’m not sure what the total allocation of permits is from the MTO. I know we’ve got some of them. We’ve probably got more than anybody else. What we’re trying to influence and work with the government on is releasing those permits to us or to other carriers so that we can get more of this kind of truck on the road and start saving freight costs.”

According to Walmart, the supercubes have resulted in both financial and environmental savings. The retailer says it has experienced a 24 percent reduction in the cost to deliver merchandise from its DC in Mississauga, Ontario to its test store in Belleville, Ontario.

Ellis said that’s due to using less fuel to deliver more goods, while making fewer trips.

He added that although they are carrying bigger, and therefore heavier loads, the fuel economy figures prove the supercubes are more efficient than standard tractor trailers.

“You would have to burn a whole lot more fuel to offset the 44 percent more freight on the back of the truck. So a heavier truck will burn more fuel, but when you’ve got 44 percent more freight on the back of it, then you’d have to go a long way before it becomes inefficient,” he explained.

“One of the reasons for doing this is we never, ever weigh-out with the type of product we carry. Our trucks are never anywhere near the weight limit of a standard tractor-trailer unit, so it’s not as though we are putting the truck under any more strain than it is designed to be used for. It’s just making optimum use of the cube on the behind it. You’re not making the truck work any harder than its capability.”

The company has also calculated it has achieved a 14 percent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Walmart has also found its delivery times reduced by five percent, although Buna admits it takes a little longer to off-load the longer trailers.

“It’s just common sense. It’s a seven-foot longer truck. It has more product on it, so it is going to take you a little longer just to get the product off. It all depends on how it’s loaded, whether it’s 15 minutes or two hours depends on whether it’s hand-balmed or palletized freight.”

Those figures were calculated from the data collected during the first phase of Walmart’s pilot project, which involved 100 trips with the average distance per trip of 200km, and the supercube filled to capacity.

Besides wanting to put more trucks on the road in Ontario, Walmart is hoping to get the supercubes on the highways in other provinces.

“From this stage onwards we need to be very proactive with other governments and try to get them on board with allowing us to run these trucks in provinces elsewhere. Wherever we can use these trucks we will use them but we are tied with regulation at the moment,” said Ellis.

Head office in the US has been watching the supercube project closely, but at this point, there seems to be no way to use the trucks south of the border.

“As I understand it, there is no permit in the US that allows you to run a 60ft trailer anywhere. So until they get a permit, they’re not allowed to put them on the road,” said Ellis.

Although Ellis is happy with the supercube, and in particular with how quickly the project went from an idea on the drawing board to a truck on the road—about nine months—he said the design, research and development work is far from over.

“We know when we built this first batch of trucks, we put some engineering in there that we can probably remove at this stage,” he said.

“We could take out some of the cost of building the original trailers because they were new. They were first of a kind. They were very much experimental, so we built some cost into it we could possibly remove. So we’re looking into that.

“We’ll look at how do you take weight out of the trailer? Because obviously the weight of the trailer reduces the payload on the back of it. One of the things I’m pushing the team to do is look at how we can lighten the trailer so we can put more weight on the back of it. Because when you start going long distances you may get to the point when weight becomes a factor in what you can put on the back of a trailer. We want to optimize that as well.”

Innovative Trailer Design in Mississauga, Ontario built the trailer and has been Walmart’s partner in the project, Ellis mentioned that now other manufacturers have taken an interest in the supercube concept.

“We have multiple trailer providers that are submitting proposals to build 60ft 6in trailers, where in the past it was limited. As industry starts coming on board, it’s going to drive down the cost of these big units.”

As for the tractor portion of the unit, Ellis said he is looking at all the options available to acquire flat-nosed trucks, including buying them used, importing them from Europe and encouraging manufacturers to start producing that style again for the North American market.

“The availability of the flat-nosed tractor units is limited as well. It’s not as though you can just magic these units out of the air,” he said.

“From my point of view the flat-nose is an efficient way of putting trucks on the road. They’re as safe as any truck on the road and they’re just as powerful.”

While the original design has a cargo box on the back of the truck, Ellis says that isn’t the only configuration possible.

“We have the ability to use the unit with a sleeper cab on it. We do have stores with longer distances where we can utilize that.”

Ellis said the trucks have become a huge hit with the general public, thanks in part to media attention. And they usually get noticed and draw a reaction.

“It’s got quite a reputation which is great because that’s what we wanted. We wanted to change the industry with it. That’s all positive,” he said.

UPDATE

MM&D asked the Ontario Ministry of Transportation to provide an update on the permit situation.

According to Bob Nichols, a spokesperson for the MTO, “On September 2013, MTO expanded the trial to include the use of a dock height semi-trailer in addition to the previously accepted drop deck semi-trailer.”

He added that “the Trial Conditions set-out that after a period of 18 months from the commencement of operations, MTO will evaluate the performance of the extended semi-trailers, compare their operation to the current 16.20m (53ft) trailers in use, and evaluate their potential impact on the trucking industry. The evaluation will also consider the potential impact of the extended semi-trailer on Ontario’s trucking industry, including market and operational issues related to the new technology. The evaluation will include, but would not be limited by the following parameters:

• Analysis of collisions, including a comparison with other tractor semi-trailers using the same routes used by the extended semi-trailer during the trial operations.
• Detailed analysis of the type and characteristics of the collisions involving the extended semi-trailers.
• Analysis of the comments/reactions received from other road users, the general public and municipalities.
• Analysis of the potential reduction in truck trips, fuel savings and environmental impact.
• Analysis of the potential impact of the extended semi-trailer to the trucking industry, in general, and to particular market segments of the industry, including competitive issues.
• Impact and easiness of using the current loading/unloading facilities at shippers’ facilities.

“Finally, MTO will consult with participating carriers and other industry stakeholders in undertaking the evaluation. Based on the results of the evaluation, MTO will determine whether to and how to proceed with a further measured roll out of extended semi-trailer operations, which could include an increase in number of permits and/or number of carriers.”

It's easy to associate Pennsylvania and Maryland with Mack Trucks. But it's important to realize that the state of New Jersey, and its talented labor force, played a prominent role in the development of Mack Trucks.

Unless something has changed, they don't sell urethane tops (because it's not necessary at the top). Just buy urethane lowers (10QK388), and urethane trunnion pads (10QK276) unless of course you have bronze bushings.

Follow the Mack service bulletin for rubber/urethane trunnion pad installation, including the use of 20wt non-detergent oil, for maximum life.

Columbia (Lexington), South Carolina-based Southeastern Freight Lines ran a huge fleet of Cummins-powered Mack U-models. Talk about a sharp looking fleet, still to this day. The way Southeastern cares about the appearance of their trucks is akin to a fleet in the northeast.

http://hankstruckpictures.com/pix/trucks/donq/southeastern_mack_u.html

http://hankstruckpictures.com/pix/trucks/donq/southeastern_mack_u_2.html

http://www.hankstruckpictures.ca/pix/trucks/morton/2011/04-07/prints/mack/scan012.jpg