Bullheaded

I talked to an engineer from Detroit at a big trucking industry trade show a couple years back. We talked about my issues with regens. His words of advice: "Even though these new motors have lots of low end torque and we advertise running low RPM to save fuel........in you application forget about fuel economy and drive it like you stole it like an old two stroke."

That's the problem Rob. You don't want to get stuck with them when the axle laws make them unproductive. Then the resale value really goes to nothing on them. Another reason we have to keep new. Like with here, a non-SPIF lift axle will lower your allowable gross to the same as a tandem. And nobody will hire that. Best advice I can tell you is get all the extended warranty you can get, and get on a 5 year trade cycle. That is when they really seem to start costing money, but you can still have 2 years of drivetrain warranty on them at that point which helps in resale. And unlike the trucks of old, now you need to only get as much power as you need. No more big power to save fuel. You need them working hard and making heat in the engine and exhaust. I have winter fronts on as soon as the temp gets close to freezing. I've had them on for a month already. Then there's always the option of deleting. But they are really looking for signs of it here. Even the dealers and they won't give you an annual safety if you are deleted. But many are still getting away with it. So depends on if you like gambling or not. Only other thing I can tell you is the SCR/DPF catalysts were $1600 to replace in my Detroit versus $6800 for the ISX (Canadian prices here.) But I know a few guys that have the new X15 Cummins and they tell me Cummins has a very simplified emission system now with fewer sensors than anyone else? (what I was told but I have not done any hard research.)

Still one of the best reality shows on tv. I enjoy watching it. Not as phony as all the other shows....other than now that they are sponsored by Toyota they always have to show a Tundra saving the day when a big truck can't seem to pull something. LOL. But that's easy to take compared to trying to sit through 10 seconds of Ice Road Seatcovers or Goldrush.

I don't know if i really buy all that. he says he had to sell everything and is broke. But he doesn't readily tell that he owns a couple other towing companies of different names. Not to mention every time they do a camera shot of any of them driving you see Western Star, Peterbilt and KW seats, LOL. Remember the first episode of when he got the first new Star rotator and was driving it home from the factory and the driver side step fell off? That is about how the build quality of my new Star was too, LOL. I laughed my ass off when I saw that.

LOL.....you caught that too eh?

The new trucks do excel in one area though. They have a wonderfully comfortable cab interior with all the comforts and luxury. So you will be really comfortable sitting waiting for the tow truck to come get you.

But the drivers love the M-Drive's. They say they are way better than the Eaton auto's but not quite as nice as the Allison's they replaced in their city dump truck application.

Unless your old trucks are really tired, I would not buy a new truck for city dump truck work. We had to because of the new Ontario government weight laws requiring us to switch to self equalizing air ride with steering lift axles. Makes it cost prohibitive to convert an old truck. But my point being....we have ISX 600 and DD15 505 Detroit's. Running steady on the highway pulling the pony trailers at 140,000 pounds, not much issues. When working construction in town as just a straight dump truck (80,000 gross) they do nothing but require parked regens (30 to 45 minutes burning 4.7 gallons of fuel.) And the constant glow of check engine and malfunction lights, and replaced NOX sensors. In winter hauling snow, my DD15 can't make an 8 hour shift without calling for a parked regen. Both trucks have 18 speed, 4.30 rears on 22.5 rubber. I had thought about trying a new Mack, but the big contractor we hire to just bought a Mack dealership group, thus buying a bunch of new Mack dump trucks. The first three nights they were greeted with check engine lights, a shutdown requiring a tow, and parts falling off them.

Anyone watch Highway Through Hell on Discovery Channel? It follows Jamie Davis Towing. I saw in the latest Bulldog Magazine Jamie was at the Mack factory bolting the Bulldog on his new Anthem. All the pic showed was the him at the front of the hood. Anyone see the truck yet? I imagine it is just a tractor and not getting a tow body on it?

Well my last truck that I really miss is my 2005 International Paystar. It was as reliable as the old Superliner's and R model's I ran. Same with my old 9900i International. Both were Cat powered. But from 2013 up I can only comment on two personally. And I can say the Mexican built Freightliner Coronado 122SD has superior build quality compared to my US built Western Star 4900. This Star has made me hate trucks and trucking. I love the truck, but it was built by disgruntled drug addicts I think, who hadn't slept in days.

Yes, as Logtruckman has said, I am not happy with my 4900 Star. Love the looks, the interior, dash, everything about it.....EXCEPT the build quality. It's like they built it drunk, or put all their most disgruntled employees on it. And considering it was a fully loaded unit and not just some cheap dealer stock order, you would think they would have put a BIT of care into it. And yes, they are all junk now. Got a big heavy haul fleet here that has been Kenworth forever and they are thinking of switching, and the contractor I haul for bought a fleet of new Granites and a Mack dealership chain, and their new Mack's had parts falling off them the first day they went to work. All they care about now is getting your money.

And they need the stylized bulldog mirrors.

I think it looks better like that with the big steers and flat top than it does as a highway truck. I just wish they could find a designer than can come up with some better looking air intakes than those screen doors on the sides of the hood. At least those goofy mirrors can be deleted.

No more....those are the last new ones they ordered before production ended. I have two friends with Titan's here. One just burnt and the other was sold and replaced with a new twin steer tri-drive 4900 Western Star because the price of a same spec 505 h.p. Granite was way higher than 600 h.p. Kenworth's and Star's.

Yes, the green ones are Anthems.

Nortrux is one of the few dealers in Canada where I see they still spec all pedigreed trucks. Mack transmissions and rears and suspensions.

Ontario Canada is all about big spreads to get max allowable. And now we have SPIF......where all trucks and trailers must have self equalizing, steering lift axles. And you can pull a pony trailer with a twin steer tri-drive, but you get penalized with a twin steer tandem. Just more government stupidity dreamed up by people that have never driven a truck.

I take it side stacks will not be available with these new high rise sleepers? I'd rather have the old narrower bunk.

And a flat top tri-drive.

Or how about a tri-drive Anthem. Truck and pics courtesy of Nortrux Mack, Edmonton, Alberta.

Spotted this at a pit I am hauling out of in northern Ontario, Canada. I was kinda surprised to see an Anthem used for this application with wide base steers.

Seems to be a competition of who can make the ugliest hood vents these days. I think this truck and the Anthem are in the lead for the ugliest. Anthem looks like they grafted a screen door into the side of the hood.

There's one good thing on that cart. The E7-460 badge.

GM has no credit for the 60 Series. That was John Deere and Penske according to everything I have ever read about them.

It's more classic than anything Mack and Volvo offer.