TeamsterGrrrl

I'm down in southwest Florida this time of year, and other than the immigrants it's just old people down here. If it wasn't for the immigrants to feed, care for, and clean up after all the old folks down here this place would shut down. BTW, the actual number of Cuban immigrants to Florida has been over 100,000 a year, most coming in under provisions for relatives of citizens. That immigration is dwarfed by the "immigration" of Puerto Ricans who are of course U.S. citizens and can freely enter and leave the mainland U.S..

Historicly the Cubans have voted republican.

I'd look for an E7, last and best of the breed!

Sad to hear. and sounds like Sears is losing their discipline- I worked in a Sears auto center in the late 60s and we were told not to mess with big truck tires and any kind of split rims, we were to refer them to the Sears truck tire center instead.

There's a big data set being collected by a coalition of big fleets that together have a sample of thousands of trucks. They've found that the lemons were the 2007-2009 trucks that averaged only around 6 MPG and had more breakdowns than the earlier trucks. Their data from the 2010 and later trucks with urea injection finds them to be as reliable as the 2006 and earlier trucks and they're averaging 7 MPG. That said, it's hard to argue with the simplicity of an old Mack, but the improved MPG, safety, and comfort of the newer models is hard to argue with too.

Sorry to break the news to you, but any 15 year old truck is damn near worthless, that's what the market says, not me. By the time they're 10 years old trucks will sell for only 10% to 20% of original price, put a lot of $$$ into an old truck and you may not get it back.

And given the demand for making a few hundred thousand trucks e-logs ready, I suspect by the time they're required e-logs will be a less than $10 cellphone app. Failing that, most trucks on board computers already have most of the data needed to do e-logs, so I wouldn't be surprised to see the manufacturers offer e-logs as a cheap or free add-on. And if you're a single operator or small fleet running an older truck, it might make business sense to operate within a hundred mile radius or intrastate only and take advantage of those exemptions.

I haven't used paper logs since the early 90s- Used electronic logs at UPS starting in the early 90s and was under the 100 mile/12 hour day exemption at the Postal Service. For most of us, this is gonna be "no problem"!

Actually the world's heaviest weights are in Australia, with up to 150 metric tons possible with road trains in the outback and up to 85 tons routine with B triples and such. Weights are actually heavier in parts of the US than Europe, South Dakota allows around 76 tons on 17 axles and Michigan around 75 tons on 11 axles, much higher than Sweden's 60 ton limit, which will probably go up to 75. The difference is primarily in use patterns and ownership cycles, as European trucks will only cover a million kilometers in 10 years before the owners trade them in and they get exported to the third world, while US owners often keep their trucks for nearly twice that before they get traded off and used by a farmer, construction company, etc. for another 10 years or more. Thus when you're making an automated manual transmission of suspect durability like Volvo, it makes sense to cut back the engine's output so it and the suspect transmission can at least survive 'til the warranty expires.

Another possiblity is that Volvo's much trumpeted automated manual transmission can't handle more than 605 HP for longer than the 3 year/300,000 mile warranty they give you on a "vocational" truck like the Titan?

Volvo PR says it uses EGR: http://www.volvotrucks.com/trucks/kuwait-market/en-kw/newsmedia/pressreleases/pages/pressreleases.aspx?pubid=17405 Sales of the Volvo FH16 Euro 6 are now under way. With up to 750 hp and 3550 Nm of torque, it retains its position as the strongest truck in the world. The first Euro 6 versions of the Volvo FH16 will be delivered in early June. The Volvo FH16 is ideal as a tractor for heavy rigs and timber haulers, and also for fast transport assignments characterised by exceptional demands on driveability and productivity. Now the world's most powerful series-produced truck is available with a new generation of 16-litre engines producing a choice of 750, 650 and 550 hp respectively, all conforming to Euro 6. In addition to lower emissions, the new engines also offer higher torque at low revs, a more powerful engine brake, and quieter operation. "The Volvo FH16 with Euro 6 engine has the same high reliability, the same fuel consumption and the same power as before. But now the driver has access to maximum torque from just 900 or 950 revs a minute depending on engine version. This improved torque curve also allows customers to choose a faster rear axle ratio for best fuel efficiency," says Astrid Drewsen, Product Manager, Drivelines at Volvo Trucks. All the engines are equipped with Volvo's automated transmission, I-Shift. The 550 hp version is optionally available with a manual gearbox. All the engine versions can be specified with Volvo's VEB+ engine brake. Maximum braking effect has been raised from 425 to 470 kW at 2200 revs a minute, further improving safety and reducing wear on the wheel brakes. In order to deliver the low NOx emissions required by Euro 6, Volvo's engineers have used cooled EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) in combination with an updated system for after-treatment of exhaust gases. A new dual-stage turbo helps power the EGR loop and also delivers the high power outputs. The engine features pilot injection. This means that a small amount of fuel is pre-injected into the cylinder, creating more uniform pressure build-up and a softer engine note. - See more at: http://www.volvotrucks.com/trucks/kuwait-market/en-kw/newsmedia/pressreleases/pages/pressreleases.aspx?pubid=17405#sthash.I6LOF6gZ.dpufSales of the Volvo FH16 Euro 6 are now under way. With up to 750 hp and 3550 Nm of torque, it retains its position as the strongest truck in the world. The first Euro 6 versions of the Volvo FH16 will be delivered in early June. The Volvo FH16 is ideal as a tractor for heavy rigs and timber haulers, and also for fast transport assignments characterised by exceptional demands on driveability and productivity. Now the world's most powerful series-produced truck is available with a new generation of 16-litre engines producing a choice of 750, 650 and 550 hp respectively, all conforming to Euro 6. In addition to lower emissions, the new engines also offer higher torque at low revs, a more powerful engine brake, and quieter operation. "The Volvo FH16 with Euro 6 engine has the same high reliability, the same fuel consumption and the same power as before. But now the driver has access to maximum torque from just 900 or 950 revs a minute depending on engine version. This improved torque curve also allows customers to choose a faster rear axle ratio for best fuel efficiency," says Astrid Drewsen, Product Manager, Drivelines at Volvo Trucks. All the engines are equipped with Volvo's automated transmission, I-Shift. The 550 hp version is optionally available with a manual gearbox. All the engine versions can be specified with Volvo's VEB+ engine brake. Maximum braking effect has been raised from 425 to 470 kW at 2200 revs a minute, further improving safety and reducing wear on the wheel brakes. In order to deliver the low NOx emissions required by Euro 6, Volvo's engineers have used cooled EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) in combination with an updated system for after-treatment of exhaust gases. A new dual-stage turbo helps power the EGR loop and also delivers the high power outputs. The engine features pilot injection. This means that a small amount of fuel is pre-injected into the cylinder, creating more uniform pressure build-up and a softer engine note. - See more at: http://www.volvotrucks.com/trucks/kuwait-market/en-kw/newsmedia/pressreleases/pages/pressreleases.aspx?pubid=17405#sthash.I6LOF6gZ.dpuf

Another glaring example of Volvo's refusing to give Mack the tools to be competitive... In Europe the MP10 is available in Euro 6 compliant ratings up to 750 horsepower. Volvo could turn lose the MP10 and let Mack build the Titan with the options like big sleepers that customers want... A 750 horsepower Titan with sleeper options, etc. would chase Paccar et al right out of the high GCW markets like Michigan, South Dakota, the intermountain states, and Canada. But Nooo! Seems like Volvo wants Mack to fail...

Gearing was direct drive Allison automatic with 3.90 rato rears on 22.5 tires, top speed about 64 MPH at 2100 RPMs.

This is one case where big government using it's bargaining power to get lower prices is a good thing for all of us.

The Postal serice had hundreds of 'em, power was an 300 HP E-7 with an Allison HT740 automatic, 12k Mack front axle with 23K single or 40k tandem Eaton rears on Hendrickson air ride.

The Mack rears could theoreticly be reused, but IIRC the mounting points for the air suspension are all different and it'd be quite a welding job.

If your Mack doesn't have an air ride cab, I'd try that first. If you still need air ride rear suspension, you might be able to get a good deal on one from a truck that is being scrapped.

I suspect the players in this "value truck" market are looking to build trucks in volume at passenger car line rates, which equates to 200,000 trucks a year for a double shifted plant. Asia is a big enough market to absorb that kind of volume from a handful of manufacturers, especially if the cab is shared with everything down to 10 tons or so. Those markets have chosen a cabover, which may explain why Ford is positioning the Cargo where they are. But with North America being a conventional cab market, this leaves us the odd man out- 200k vehicles a year is the whole North American market in a slow year. Perhaps the industry will mimic Volvo and try to adapt a cabover into a bunch of conventional variants, then build them offshore to take advantage of cheap labor?

What the... Why?

With front wheel drive being a $40,000+ option on new Macks, I'm surprised that these old all wheel drive trucks aren't being rebuilt.

Good to see an old skool Mack model survive the Volvo genocide!

Sounds like they're trying to squeeze Cummins outa the market.

Back in the 70s I took a truck driving course at the local Vo-Tech, was 6 hours a day for 6 months= 1500 hours. The curiculum was dictated by the local trucking companies, and included changing tires, first aid, running a forklift, and just about everything related to trucking. We spent a day each on just Pre-Trips, logging, jacknife and skid prevention, etc.. We had to pass a test with a 100% score on each of these subjects, as well as road tests in each type of equipment and backing tests as well. When we graduated, we were ready for most anything trucking could throw at us. There was such demand for the program that they ran both morning and afternoon classes, and there was a several months wait to get in. Today that program is closed because the trucking industry no longer demands professional drivers. Instead we have CDL mills that are charging the maximum federal aid amount for less than a weeks training, with the poor student stuck paying back the loan if they quit the carrier that runs the CDL mill. Heck, there's even a Vo-Tech near me that's doing a "CDL in a weekend" program. No wonder trucking's accident rate is increasing...

Cops woulda had a field day with that rig, probably place the whole mess OOS. Probably tow and impound it too, assuming they could find a tow operator that would touch it, given that the tow bill would probably exceed the rig and load's value.

Interesting that they're refusing to sell pre-SCR Navistar trucks and any make gliders... Then again, IIRC, Arrow is owned by Volvo.