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Driving Kenworth, Peterbilt trucks with new Paccar transmission Truck News / August 24, 2017 The new Paccar automated transmission completes its powertrain puzzle MT. VERNON, Wash. – There’s nothing quite like driving a truck with a completely dialed in powertrain, each component communicating fluently with the others as one cohesive system. And that’s exactly what Paccar has gone to great lengths to achieve through the design of its own transmission, to complete the integration puzzle that until now lacked one of the most critical components. The manufacturer launched its own MX-series engine in 2010 and a 40,000-lb tandem drive axle last year. But the transmission is a vital piece of the powertrain, which until now, has been sourced from Eaton, and maybe not optimally designed from the ground up to work specifically with the Paccar MX engines and axle. That now has changed. Paccar Powertrain on Aug. 22 took the wraps off its new automated transmission, three years in the making and designed in close collaboration with Eaton engineers, some of whom were embedded at the Paccar Technical Center here, where much of the development took place. This is not an automated manual transmission (AMT), Paccar officials emphasized. Unlike AMTs, which are typically built upon a manual gearbox foundation with electronics installed to automate the shifting, the Paccar transmission was built from a clean sheet design, to function as a purely automated transmission right from the start. “This was never intended to be a manual transmission and that is significant and key in explaining many of its features,” explained Carl Hergart, director, advanced technology at the Paccar Technical Center. One thing the clean sheet design allowed, was for the reduction of weight. Hergart said the Paccar transmission weighs 657 lbs, making it up to 105 lbs lighter than comparable automated transmissions and about 200 lbs lighter than the Eaton UltraShift Plus AMT. It’s a 12-speed design, with the widest gear ratio coverage in the linehaul market, Hergart added, for excellent performance at cruise speed and also low-speed maneuverability. No oil cooler is required, and the oil drain interval has been stretched out to 750,000 miles. When a lubrication change is required, only 16 pints of fluid are required – nearly half that required by AMTs, Hergart said. Working with Eaton, Paccar was able to adopt some of the best features from its existing products, such as a precision lubrication system that was first launched in the Fuller Advantage Series AMT, and neutral coast, which maximizes fuel economy on hilly terrain by coasting down certain downhill grades. The Paccar transmission also employs hill start aid, which prevents rollback (or forward) on hills when the brake pedal is released. Other features carried over include urge to move, which allows the truck to crawl forward when the brake is release – just like a passenger car – and creep mode, which allows for smooth, controlled low-speed backing and crawling maneuvers. But other elements of the transmission are completely new, including the control stalk, which is mounted to the steering column and integrates with the engine brake controls. This is an intuitive, well designed control, and sturdy, too. I got to drive two trucks equipped with the new Paccar transmission along the rolling hills between the Paccar Technical Center in Mt. Vernon, Wash., and Bellingham, about 28 miles to the north. I drove a Kenworth T680 with 76-inch sleeper and a Peterbilt 579 with 72-inch bunk. The powertrains were nearly identically spec’d: MX-13 engines rated at 455 hp and 1,650 lb.-ft. of torque, the new 12-speed Paccar automated transmission, and Paccar 40K rear tandem axles. The only difference was the rear axle ratio: 2.64 in the Kenworth for slightly lower cruising rpms, and 2.79 in the Pete. What I noticed on the drive was how well this transmission has been dialed in with the engine, and even active driver assistance systems such as Bendix Wingman Fusion and its adaptive cruise control. At 60 mph, I set the trucks in cruise and enjoyed the ride. The truck maintained a safe following distance, activating the engine and foundation brakes as required, all while keeping me within a couple mph of the set cruise speed. This was a nice way to drive, once I came to trust the system, which didn’t take long despite some steep grades. I was particularly impressed with the Wingman Fusion’s ability to determine the speed at which vehicles that crossed into my space were traveling, avoiding unnecessary braking when those cars were quick to accelerate out of my space. The transmission itself was easy to use. The control stalk is the feature drivers will interact with the most, and it’s very logically designed. A small lever on the end of the stalk can be set to the desired gear. The stalk also serves as the engine brake: pull it down to select your desired stage – first, second, third, or max engine braking. Work the stalk like a paddle shifter for manual gear changes. This is a nice way to handle traffic jams. With urge to move, the truck will creep forward when the brakes are released and you can adjust your speed by manually working through the four lowest gears. Predictive cruise is a nice feature that offers fuel savings by continuously referencing GPS maps of the upcoming terrain, and making minor adjustments to the truck’s speed to best take advantage of the vehicle’s momentum. This can reduce the number of gear changes made by as much as 20%. It will also allow the truck to coast down certain grades to reduce fuel consumption, but won’t allow it to exceed the set cruise speed by any egregious amount. A small yellow wedge appears on the cruise icon to indicate when this feature is at work. It’s very subtle, but can contribute up to a 1% fuel economy improvement. I was pulling a 53-ft. van trailer behind both trucks, loaded to a gross weight of about 77,000 lbs. The transmission handled the job beautifully. Quick, precise shifting, skipping gears with ease. The transmission itself was a nice piece of equipment, but where it really shines, Paccar Powertrain officials said, is in how it’s integrated with the rest of the powertrain. “It’s not about offering an individual component that’s optimized, it’s about offering a system that’s optimized,” explained Patrick Dean, chief engineer, Kenworth. “That’s what this transmission development has allowed us to do.” The MX-13 engine’s available power rating has been upped this year to 510 hp and 1,850 lb.-ft., a rating the Paccar transmission is approved to handle. Engine enhancements – including new variable speed coolant and oil pumps, and changes to the combustion and air handling processes – have yielded a 4% fuel economy improvement. The new Paccar 40K rear tandem axle contributes another 1% improvement, thanks mostly to reduced parasitic losses resulting from a pinion throughshaft design that eliminated some gearing and reduced energy losses. Laser-welded components reduced the need for bolts, trimming weight, and also reducing oil churn-related losses. The new transmission is available for order in Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks beginning this October. .

Paccar Unveils Automated Transmission for Medium-, Heavy-Duty Models Jack Roberts and Jim Park, Heavy Duty Trucking / August 22, 2017 Paccar introduced the new Paccar Automated Transmission, giving it a complete proprietary and integrated powertrain. Developed with Eaton, it's designed from the ground up as an automated transmission and the company says it is the lightest heavy-duty transmission on the market for several of its medium- and heavy-duty models. Kenworth and Peterbilt will begin offering the new automated transmission to North American customers in October. Peterbilt will offer the transmission with its Models 579 and 567. It will be paired with the MX-13 engine at first, and will be available with the MX-11 engine in early 2018. The Model 567 can be ordered as a Class 6 straight truck. The 12-speed, twin countershaft design completes Paccar’s goal of a fully integrated proprietary powertrain. Landon Sproull, Paccar vice president, said the all-new, clean-sheet design is optimized for Paccar MX diesel engines. “The Paccar Automated Transmission is engineered to work seamlessly with Paccar MX engines and Paccar axles and provide industry-leading performance,” he said. “Together, Paccar Powertrain components deliver superior fuel economy, uptime, and driver satisfaction — top priorities for our customers.” The Paccar Automated Transmission is designed for line-haul applications up to 110,000 lbs. GVW. It is available for engine ratings up to 510 hp and 1,850 lb.-ft. of torque and features tightly integrated electronic communications with the Paccar MX engine. Company officials said the transmission offers the best overall gear ratio coverage available, providing excellent low-speed maneuverability, and that the transmission is up to 105 lbs. lighter than comparable transmissions. A new column-mounted shifter puts gear selection and engine brake controls at the driver’s fingertips for better ergonomics and improved performance. Kyle Quinn, general manager at Peterbilt, noted that altogether, the Paccar integrated powertrain offers customers 399 lbs. of total vehicle weight savings and 7% total fuel economy savings. The transmission can be spec'd with the Predictive Cruise Control option for maximum fuel efficiency. Mike Dozier, Kenworth general manager, said the Paccar Automated Transmission will be the standard spec for the T680 Advantage fuel economy-optimized tractor. Already, he noted, 70% of all new Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks are going out the factory door with automated transmissions. Sproull said Paccar is extremely confident in the design, which has a B10 Life of 1.2 million miles. It has a 750,000-mile oil change interval, which the company says is the longest available for line-haul applications. A differentiated fluid pressure detection system protects the gears and shafts from low fluid conditions. The cooler-less precision lubrication system has an on-demand function that gets lube oil where it's needed without wasting energy pumping it everywhere else too. The fluid capacity of the system is 60 pints. Gone from the dashboard is the transmission oil temperature gauge. It's been replaced by a fluid pressure sensor that monitors lubricant level and pressure. If it senses a reduction in oil pressure, it will switch into limp-home mode to prevent internal damage. A pop-up message alerts drivers to the low-pressure condition and urges them to pull over as soon as it's safe to do so. Other features include a maintenance-free clutch and an internally routed electrical system to maximize durability. The control module is mounted on the top of the transmission case, and has been designed with an internal encapsulated wiring harness and internal sensors to reduce the possibility of moisture ingress to protect the on-board electronics. The shift actuators are electrically controlled and pneumatically driven, unlike the motor-driven actuators on many automated manual transmissions. There’s also a clutch protection system that monitors the temperature of the clutch. In high slippage situations, the driver may see a yellow or red pop-up warning advising of a high-temperature condition. The driver would be advised to cease the current activity and allow the clutch plate to cool. This condition is unlikely to arise under normal conditions, but if the driver was slipping the clutch (in creep mode, for example), friction could cause the surface of the clutch plates to get quite hot. The warning will alert the driver before damage occurs. Based on their confidence in this system, Paccar is offering a “no burn-up” guarantee. “As long as the driver takes appropriate steps to prevent further damage, we will cover any potential burn-up that may result,” said Kenworth Marketing Director Kurt Swihart in a preview last month for some of the trucking press. “That’s an industry first.” .

Neil Abt, Fleet Owner / August 22, 2017 New offering completes integrated powertrain for Peterbilt, Kenworth trucks MOUNT VERNON, WA. PACCAR Inc. unveiled its new automated transmission on Aug. 22, which will be offered in Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks starting in October. The new 12-speed transmission had been the missing piece “for our customers to complete our integrated powertrain” that includes the MX-13 and MX-11 engines, as well as PACCAR front and rear axles, said Landon Sproull, PACCAR’s vice president for powertrain. Sproull spoke during a press conference and ride-and-drive event at the PACCAR Technical Center that included executives from Kenworth and Peterbilt, PACCAR's two North American truck manufacturing divisions. The executives said the automated transmission is designed for line-haul applications up to 110,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight. It is available for engine ratings up to 510 HP and 1,850 lb.-ft. of torque. They said it the lightest heavy-duty transmission for on-highway commercial vehicles at 657 lbs., which will further spark the transition to automated transmissions, already accounting for about 70% of Peterbilt and Kenworth on-highway orders. This new integrated powertrain will be “the new for normal for line-haul customers,” with orders projected to reach 90% by 2020, said Mike Dozier, general manager of Kenworth Truck Co. Kyle Quinn, general manager of Peterbilt Motors Co., said customers will benefit from the almost 400 lbs. of total powertrain weight savings, offering higher fuel economy along with greater reliability. The continued popularity of automated transmissions was recently noted by truckload carrier Schneider, which announced it had passed the halfway mark in its fleet-wide implementation of automated transmissions. The PACCAR transmission was built from the ground-up as an automated, rather than a converted manual transmission as many competitors have done, the executives said. It was designed in close conjunction with Eaton Corp. over a three-year development period. It will be manufactured at a plant in Mexico. A new column-mounted shifter provides gear selection and engine brake controls at the driver’s fingertips, which the companies said helps improve driver performance and satisfaction. Another feature is a 750,000-mile oil change interval that PACCAR said it the longest available for line-haul applications. The transmission comes with a five-year, 750,000-mile warranty. It has already been tested for about 2 million miles. The ride-and-drive allowed journalists to test out features such as “urged to move” and “creep” modes, as well as easier driving in reverse. .

ZF brings electrically-assisted hydraulic steering to trucking Fleet Owner / August 21, 2017 ZF says its ReAX steering technology will take some of the physical burden off commercial truck drivers. LAFAYETTE, IN. Though fully autonomous trucks still have a long way to go, driver-assistive and autonomous technologies remain hot topics throughout the industry. How can fleets and owner operators leverage some of the existing and upcoming technologies to improve safety and their overall business operations? ZF Commercial Vehicle believes it has a solution. Coming soon to the commercial truck market: ZF Commercial Vehicle last week announced its ReAX steering technology will be available for heavy trucks starting next year. ZF made the announcement at its Lafayette plant Aug. 18, where it hosted a ride and drive event for the media to test out the system on different applications. ReAX is column-mounted electrically assisted hydraulic steering that uses sensors to determine driving conditions and then controls an electric motor to provide the appropriate torque feedback to the driver. According to ZF representatives, the technology helps increase safety and reduce driver fatigue by compensating for crosswind, road crown, reduced efforts at low speed, and enhanced on-center handling at cruising speed. Mitja Schulz, senior vice president of commercial vehicle technology, North America, explained that some of the major trends ZF customers often bring up are automated driving technologies and functionalities and improving fuel consumption and efficiency. “Every one of these customers is somehow thinking about automated driving or what it takes to implement functions like lane keeping and emergency braking,” Schulz said. “That’s a huge topic in the industry. For us, the main driver is to offer functionalities that improve safety on the roads.” Schulz added that over the next couple of years, the company intends to spend $200 million in the development of new autonomous driving technologies, sensors, and software. ReAX was initially introduced to the RV market in 2006 and expanded to the bus market in 2007-08. Now the technology is moving into the linehaul and vocational truck space. Mark Cartwright, global product planning manager at ZF, sees the system as a key element for fleet driver recruitment and retention efforts. He explained ReAX was developed to eliminate uncertainty and reduce driver fatigue through simplified steering. “The ease of steering makes it much easier to move in tight quarters, docking areas, etc., where a lot of minor accidents occur,” Cartwright said. “That just gives confidence to the driver and makes good drivers better.” During the event, after driving vehicles with and without the system engaged, it is apparent that ReAX requires less force and work for the driver since the system knows where the steering is at all times. When the system is engaged, steering returnability improves and the wheel quickly returns itself back to center with little-to-no work from the driver. According to the company, benefits include: Enhanced drivability and maneuverability Road crowning and crosswind compensation for safer operation at highway speeds Better handling and directional control in any adverse road conditions (potholes, bumps, etc.) Steering automatically returns to center easing operation Reduces driver fatigue Enables a larger recruiting pool of drivers City Transit Bus, located across from ZF’s Lafayette plant, uses the ReAX system in its bus fleet. Marty Sennett is the general manager there. “With the shortage of drivers, a lot of times we need drivers to work more than eight hours a day,” Sennett told Fleet Owner. “So if they’re not hurting physically, it’s much easier to get them to work overtime.” “We had one driver who had neck and back surgery this summer, and if we had the old system, he’d be on disability right now,” Sennett added. “It saves the government a little money and hopefully us a little money, extend his career another 10 years until he’s ready to retire. So far, we found it to be a win-win situation.” The ReAXe system will be available from several OEMs by next year. .

Class 8 Truck Production Increased in July Heavy Duty Trucking / August 20, 2017 North American Class 8 and medium-duty vehicle production increased in the month of July, boosted by strong order numbers. “After cutting 3,000 units from the Class 8 build plan last month, the OEMs added back nearly 6,000 units in July,” said one analyst. “This brings the OEMs’ full-year expectations to over 252,000 units.” Despite a lower build rate in July compared to earlier months, the medium-duty Class 5-7 truck market saw 15% greater production for the month. “With orders below build, the medium-duty backlog declined to about 54,000 units of unbuilt vehicles,” he said. “Similarly, medium-duty inventories declined as July retail sales outpaced production.”

The ReAX electronic steering system was first introduced in April 2013 as "Volvo Dynamic Steering". Volvo's promotion gave the impression that it was Volvo technology, however it was actually developed by Germany's ZF. Under their agreement, Volvo was the exclusive user for the first 5 years. That time now having expired, ZF is free to sell the system to all truckmakers. .

Heavy Duty Trucking / August 18, 2017 ZF is bringing its "ReAX" electronic steering system to the North American commercial vehicle market. The company demonstrated the system at a press conference at its Commercial Vehicle Technology Center in Lafayette, Indiana, last week. ZF first introduced the product into the recreational vehicle market in 2006 and the global coach and bus market a couple of years later. Since then, ZF engineers have continuously upgraded ReAX as other new vehicle technologies have come on line. Today, the system can fully integrate with a host of advanced vehicle systems, including camera, radar, lidar and other advanced safety system and adaptive cruise control enablers, as well as emerging autonomous vehicle control systems. In fact, in its current form, ReAX is a Level 2 autonomous vehicle control system designed to assist drivers, boost safety and vehicle control while reducing stress and fatigue. Here’s how it works: ReAX features an array of sensors that continuously monitor any incoming telemetry related to how the truck is being steered at both highway speeds and in low-speed maneuvering situations. Watch Jack Roberts try out the ReAX in person in this HDT On the Spot video. The easiest way to grasp the ReAX concept is to think of the system as an electronic steering control system that boosts a truck’s hydraulic steering pump output. But there’s so much more to the system than that. According to Mark Cartwright, global product marketing planning manager for ZF, ReAX is a steering-proportional control, which means that it adjusts how it augments power steering pump output based on actual driver needs. In low-speed situations, Reax lightens up steering resistance to help drivers quickly act and react when maneuvering, backing or docking. At highway speeds, the system tightens up steering resistance to give a driver better feel and precision control in holding a lane. But that’s just the beginning: The system is, as its name suggested, also reactive. This means that it can read specific situational demands and make adjustments accordingly. In low-speed maneuvers, it automatically returns the steering wheel to top dead center if the driver removes his or her hand from the wheel. This, Cartwright said, takes all the guesswork out of getting the wheels straight when backing or docking. But at highway speeds, ReAX responds to help drivers deal with crosswinds or crowns in the road that can force them to hold constant pressure on the wheel in order to keep the truck in its lane. In those instances, ReAX notes the wheel input and force being exerted on the wheel by the driver and automatically compensates for the difference within a minute or so. In other words, it compensates for the external forces trying to push the truck off its desired steering track and holds the correct course for the driver automatically. This, Cartwright explained, reduces driver fatigue while increasing overall safety for the driver. ReAX works in other ways as well. If the truck is fitted with a lane departure warning system, it can help eliminate drift in the lane by reading telemetry off the safety system cameras and other systems. If ReAX senses drift toward one lane marking or the other, it can gently nudge the truck back to its correct position in the center of the lane. Additionally, at highway cruise speeds, when little or no hydraulic system output is needed to handle limited steering wheel movements, ReAX can take over steering control augmentation and allow the steering pump hydraulic pressure to drop to zero flow. This reduces parasitic drag on the engine, Cartwright says, and can add an additional 1.5% boost in vehicle fuel economy when cruising at highway speeds. Hands-on Impressions ZF engineers had a cone course set up behind its Commercial Vehicle Technology Center in order to allow wheel time to see how the ReAX system worked in low-speed situations. (Highway drives were not available at the press event.) Driving a Peterbilt Model 579 tractor, I was able to whip the truck through repeated laps on a Figure-8 course using only my index finger to turn the wheel as needed. Another course had me taking a Volvo VHD dump truck over a series of aggressive speed bumps. AF engineers could turn ReAX on and off on command, in order to give a sense of how the system can pick up on impact forces from potholes and instantaneously counteract those forces before they get to the steering wheel or the driver. As promised, running over the speed bumps with the system engaged dampened those impact forces so thoroughly, I could take my hand completely off the steering going over the speed bumps while it tracked straight and true. ZF is currently meeting with various truck OEMs and fleets to demonstrate Reax technology and its benefits and hopes to have the system available as either optional or standard equipment in the near future. .

Electric Refuse Trucks Headed to Los Angeles Heavy Duty Trucking / August 18, 2017 Motiv Power Systems announced an order for two battery-electric refuse trucks by the City of Los Angeles' Sanitation Department. According to the manufacturer, this marks the third metropolitan area in the United States that will utilize and benefit from Motiv-powered, zero-emission refuse trucks in their communities. Los Angeles has followed the lead of their counterparts in the state capitol, Sacramento, offering their residents refuse trucks that not only eliminate carbon emissions but also noise. These refuse trucks will ensure quieter mornings for the residents of Los Angeles. According to Motiv, refuse trucks are ideal candidates (economically and environmentally) for electrification due to their fixed pickup routes and predictable range requirements. The application of Motiv's All-Electric Powertrain results in a high quality, zero-emission electric vehicle with the same capability as traditional diesel-powered vehicles without the noise or pollution typically associated with refuse trucks. Related reading - https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/50167-sacramento-to-run-electric-garbage-truck-on-regular-routes/?tab=comments#comment-372253 .

International Backs A26 Engine With Uptime Commitment Heavy Duty Trucking / August 18, 2017 International has launched the A26 Customer Uptime Assurance Program, backing the recently launched A26 12.4L engine with the promise of reimbursement for extended downtime. If a customer experiences a warrantable failure on an A26 engine within its two-year standard warranty period, and experiences downtime greater than 48 hours from the time of diagnosis, International Truck will provide the customer with a $250 International Advantage Card, good for future parts and service purchases at an International dealership, subject to standard conditions. Customers may be eligible for a maximum of eight cards per vehicle over the two-year period, a value of as much as $2,000 per vehicle. "The new A26 big-bore engine was designed with uptime in its DNA, and the best customer support in the business," said Michael Cancelliere, president, truck and parts. "We are so confident in the unparalleled uptime offered by the A26 that we are now offering a program that provides customers financial reimbursement if our uptime commitment is not met." In pursuit of improved uptime, International Truck designed the A26 engine for increased service intervals that keep customers on the road longer, including oil, aftertreatment, and a longer coolant service interval of eight years, 15,000 hours and 1.2 million miles. "By design, the engine coolant and the A26 will perform for years to come for customers who order it in the LT Series or RH Series vehicles," said Darren Gosbee, vice president, powertrain. "Our engineers continuously test and validate the A26 engine, and the team approved the extended coolant service interval in an effort to provide customers with additional efficiencies that help them reduce their total cost of ownership." The Uptime Assurance Program applies to all stock and sold vehicles in the International LT Series and the International RH Series that are powered by an International A26 engine and enrolled in the company's OnCommand Connection Advanced Remote Diagnostics system or its OnCommand Connection Telematics. Customers should contact their local International Truck dealer for program details. .

Now, you have personally insulted me, as well as another BMT member for the third time. An apology is in order sir.

Reread what I wrote. I was talking only about this thread that I started. I was not dredging up old history about other threads, rather I was addressing the present about this thread, talking about posts just made. When one member insults another member on a thread that I started, I take it personally, as my integrity was been slighted.

I beg your pardon, I don't know a "Diana". And no one by that name (to my knowledge) is involved in the issue with the thread in mention. I'm confident sir that you do not condone personal insults. As you can see below, Teamstergrrrl did not insult anyone in her two comments on my thread. I like manuals, but after eight decades the automatics have caught up. And training time is a factor too- I was at a training for water system operators the other day, and was amazed how much training it takes to run a water treatment plant properly. So should we give a new water system operator a weeks less training in running water systems so we can teach them how to drive a municipal truck with a stick shift? Rowdy, if we're hiring someone to run the water system, it doesn't matter if they can drive a stick shift or not. At the water operator training the other day every municipal truck in the parking lot had an automatic. I drove my own car there and was probably the only attendee that shifted gears to get there! You might also note that the law also protects people with disabilities from discrimination, which means if our best applicant didn't have two functional legs we'd have to provide an automatic transmission vehicle. When I respectfully "suggest we all make a conscious effort to respect each other's differing opinions and refrain from insults", my meaning of "all" is everyone.

Sir, I do not appreciate you posting blatantly insulting comments on my thread (2018 Ford F-150 News) that are an attack on a fellow BMT member. This was an innocent thread about the 2018 Ford F-150, and you came along and destroyed its pleasant tone by insulting another member's intelligence. As I said on Friday, this is getting old real fast. Socially-accepted norms of behavior on forums disallow name-calling, personal insults, threats, profanity and vulgarity. TeamsterGrrrl, in her comments below, did not attack you, nor anyone else. And yet you insulted her not once, but twice. I would never respond to your posts with heartless insults. I must respect everyone's opinion. I like manuals, but after eight decades the automatics have caught up. And training time is a factor too- I was at a training for water system operators the other day, and was amazed how much training it takes to run a water treatment plant properly. So should we give a new water system operator a weeks less training in running water systems so we can teach them how to drive a municipal truck with a stick shift? Rowdy, if we're hiring someone to run the water system, it doesn't matter if they can drive a stick shift or not. At the water operator training the other day every municipal truck in the parking lot had an automatic. I drove my own car there and was probably the only attendee that shifted gears to get there! You might also note that the law also protects people with disabilities from discrimination, which means if our best applicant didn't have two functional legs we'd have to provide an automatic transmission vehicle. Like a Bulldog and anyone in the truck business, nobody here is thin-skinned. But I suggest we all make a conscious effort to respect each other's differing opinions and refrain from insults. After all, at the end of the day, though we each hail from different "necks of the woods", we're all one big family. We all have just one life and it's far too short. Enjoy yourself on BMT, and enjoy your life. And it's far easier to with a smile and positive outlook.

Volkswagon with the Caddy and multiple versions of the Tranporter and Crafter.

Sir, I have read every post from TeamsterGrrl on this thread, and see nothing that supports your accusations. She speaks knowledgeably and frankly, as do many others. This is getting old real fast. This is not the BMT that I love. If you're going to continue, I no longer want to be a part of it.

An MH Magnum package Ultra-Liner is a rare truck. I'd rather see it sold to someone who will preserve it.

They don't make engineers anymore like Roy Lunn, Walter May and Win Pellizzoni.

'Godfather of the Ford GT40' Roy Lunn: 1925-2017 Autoweek / August 16, 2017 Celebrated engineer crosses the finish line at 92 Roy Lunn, the “Godfather of the Ford GT40,” passed away on Aug. 5, 2017, after suffering a stroke at the age of 92. His wife of 70 years, Jeanie and two daughters, two granddaughters, a son-in-law and one great-grandson survive him. Lunn was born in Richmond, England, in 1925, one of three children. He earned degrees in mechanical and aeronautical engineering at Kingston Technical College and was a pilot in the Royal Air Force. When World War II ended, he transferred to the Royal Aircraft Establishment in Farnborough and worked on the design and development of gas turbine generators for the first turboJet aircraft. He started his automotive career at AC Cars as an engineer in 1946, and, in the late 1940s, he became the assistant chief designer (1947-1949) at Aston Martin and built two DB2s that competed at Le Mans. After three years as chief designer and engineer at Jowett Cars, in 1953, he joined Ford of England as an engineer and product-planning manager. In 1958, Lunn moved to the U.S., taking a position at Ford Central Advanced Engineering. Some of the projects he was responsible for included: Mustang I, Big Red -- the Superhighway truck and all the GT40 variants. He left Ford in 1969 to become vice president of engineering at Kar-Kraft where he oversaw the production of the Boss 429 Mustang and development of Mustang concepts with mid-mounted 429 engines. In 1971, Roy was recruited by American Motors Corporation to become the technical director of engineering for Jeep. A dozen years later, he was responsible for the vehicle that changed the automotive landscape in America and beyond: the ’83 Jeep Cherokee XJ, considered the first modern, lightweight four-wheel-drive unibody SUV. The Cherokee was the first American-branded vehicle to be manufactured in China and a huge success for AMC and then Chrysler. Over 3 million units were sold by 2001. Lunn is also credited with the AMC Eagle, the first production four-wheel-drive car. He was elevated to chief engineer of AMC and president of Renault Jeep Sport and centralized all AMC-Renault competition programs in the U.S. Lunn developed the first SCCA spec-racing car in 1983, the SCCA Sports Renault. Lunn served as chairman of the technical board of the Society of Automotive Engineers in 1982 to 1983. He was elected a Fellow of the Society in 1983. After retiring from AMC in 1985, he joined AM General as vice president of engineering to head the Humvee military compliance program for the Pentagon. In 1987, he retired to Florida and continued to work on automotive projects. Aside from sailing his monohull "Cat” boat built to his specifications, building two houses and playing golf, he authored three books: "The Oil Crisis: Sooner Than You Think!," "Globalization - A Worldwide Quest For A Sustainable Future," and "The World Crisis - It All Started With 9/11." His story about the history of Jeep is still on the drawing board, as are his tireless efforts toward designing a new "Peoples Car" out of entirely sustainable materials. After relocating to Santa Barbara, California, in 2015, he again set up a working home office and continued development of his new concepts that drew the attention of the local college, University of California, Santa Barbara. Within six months, he was a mentor to their mechanical engineering program, meeting with students weekly to advise and teach them. He was rewarded with an in-depth research project focusing on his plans for the "Peoples Car" and a 3-D model of the concept. Lunn is one of the industry’s original disruptors, the product of an inquiring mind and a relentless ability to use it. He was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2016 for overseeing the development of the legendary Ford GT40 -- a car that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1966 to 1969. He felt it was the proudest moment of his life when his peers in the industry recognized his work. His goals throughout his career were visionary, with a clear eye to the future. Lunn was especially proud of the 1967-winning Mark IV, the first GT40 designed, engineered, powered, developed and built in the U.S. "All of us at Ford are saddened to hear of the passing of Roy Lunn," said Raj Nair, executive vice president and president of North America, Ford Motor Company. "His legacy as the godfather of the original Ford GT40 was well known throughout the company, and he helped bring Ford a performance car that is just as legendary today as it was in the 1960s. The team that put together the Ford GT of today was inspired by the work of Roy and his team and we will be forever grateful for what they started. "We like to think that his GT40 and our GT of today are both cars that showcased the best of what Ford Motor Company can do." In lieu of flowers, the Lunn family suggests that any donations should be made to UCSB. Gifts will support engineering and design education of the department of mechanical engineering. Checks should be made payable to the UCSB Foundation (in memory of Roy Lunn) and mailed to Steve Ramirez, lead director, engineering development, College of Engineering, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, 93106. .

Automotive News / August 16, 2017 American Motors Corp. didn't have enough money to subject the original Jeep Cherokee -- the first modern SUV -- to a traditional durability testing program ahead of its late 1983 launch. But Roy Lunn, the Cherokee's chief engineer, who died in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Aug. 5 at age 92, steered around the obstacle by securing credentials for the punishing Paris-Dakar Rally. Lunn's engineering team prepared two Cherokees for the event, not to compete but simply to run the brutal desert course and monitor how the Cherokee's "uni-frame" body would take the constant pounding over the bruising, potholed 6,200-mile course. Only the shock absorbers needed frequent replacement and both vehicles finished the rally in good condition. Lunn knew his groundbreaking design, which featured a steel ladder frame welded to a unitized body, was robust enough to take almost anything consumers were likely to subject the Cherokee to. Last year, just ahead of his induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame, Lunn told Automotive News the fuel shortages and price shocks of the 1970s influenced his thinking on the Cherokee's technical design. "I chose unitized [construction] because it is stronger pound for pound, and it is lightest for meeting fuel economy requirements," he said. The most fuel-efficient Jeep Cherokee, a two-wheel-drive model with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and manual transmission, was EPA-rated at 24 mpg city and 33 mpg highway in 1985 -- figures that rivaled many family cars at the time. The Cherokee not only was a monster hit for American Motors, and later Chrysler -- more than 3 million were sold before production ended in 2001 -- but it also became the template for the modern SUV and continues to be copied by virtually all major global automakers. "What's amazing about Roy is he had a laser focus on what the issue or problem was and he put all of his energies and thoughts into making it right," said automotive journalist and author Martyn Schorr, who first met Lunn in the mid 1960s. The Cherokee's light weight, four-wheel drive, and high ride height but low floor for easy entry, offered rugged off-road capability but in a vehicle that felt and behaved more like a car. Earlier SUVs, such as the Ford Bronco and Land Rover Series 1 (later called Defender) and other competitors were body on frame, or truck-based. "The unibody was 400 pounds lighter than the competition," said Chris Theodore, who briefly worked with Lunn at AMC and later became Chrysler's vice president of platform engineering. "The other key to the Cherokee was the four-door model," Theodore told Automotive News. "Competitors quickly copied four doors when sales took off, but it took a long time for them to switch to unibody." The Cherokee was not the first time Lunn led a team that created a groundbreaking product. Nor would it be his last. Early years Roy C. Lunn was born in Richmond, England, in 1925 and earned degrees in mechanical and aeronautical engineering at KingstonTechnicalCollege. He served as a pilot in the Royal Air Force during World War II, then began his automotive career at AC Cars as an engineer in 1946. Lunn moved to Aston Martin and worked on the DB2 grand touring car, and then took a turn at British automaker Jowett. He joined Ford Motor Co. in 1953. One of Lunn's early projects at Ford of Britain was a stylish compact called the Anglia 105E. The car was such a huge sales success that it set in motion Ford's climb in the 1960s to unseat the struggling British Motor Corp. as England's highest volume automaker. The Anglia's success was noticed in Dearborn, and Lunn was offered a management job in product development. From 1958-69 Lunn headed Ford's advanced vehicle department and advanced concept group. One of the cars Lunn's team worked on was the midengine Mustang I concept car, which debuted in 1962 and morphed into the Falcon-based Mustang in 1964. He also worked on concept trucks and the GT40, which was the culmination of Ford's total performance drive of the mid-to-late 1960s. From 1966-69 Ford won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, defeating Ferrari, a personal goal of longtime Chairman and CEO Henry Ford II. "The team that put together the Ford GT of today was inspired by the work of Roy and his team and we will be forever grateful for the work they started," Raj Nair, Ford's president of North America, said in a statement. "His legacy as the godfather of the original Ford GT40 was well known throughout the company, and he helped bring Ford a performance car that is just as legendary today as it was in the 1960s." With Ford's racing activities winding down, Lunn took a job as vice president of engineering at Kar-Kraft, a Detroit outfit that oversaw production of the thundering Boss 429 Mustang. In 1971, American Motors came calling and offered Lunn the post of technical director for Jeep -- then a niche brand of enthusiast-driven, off-road vehicles. Another project that Lunn was instrumental in creating, said Schorr, was the AMC Eagle wagon, the first modern American all-wheel-drive car and the precursor to today's awd crossovers. Lunn was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2016. Furniture designer Lunn joined AM General in 1985 as vice president of engineering to steer the HUMVEE military compliance program at the U.S. Department of Defense. Even after Lunn retired, he never stopped working, Schorr said. He designed and created furniture, built a wooden dingy and, at the time of his death, was mentoring engineering students at the University of California at Santa Barbara. Before Lunn quit driving in 2015, he regularly drove a bright-red, four-door Jeep Cherokee XJ. Said Schorr: "He just loved his Jeep and wouldn't give it up until he had to surrender his license." Schorr said Lunn suffered a stroke in late July and never regained consciousness. Related reading - https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/32038-ford’s-futuristic-gas-turbine-“big-red”/.

Ten years ago I'd say Toyota. But today, leading brands of light trucks in China are generating high volume.

Fred, that's the right-hand headlamp panel insert, part no. 111MO51M. (Left-hand is 111MO52M). Note the Sheller-Globe "SG" logo. 6MF is the part number prefix for Mack grilles. For example, 6MF59301P2 (Mack Western Cruise-Liner grilledensor) and 6MF519P2 (F models and R700).