Bullheaded

Whoops, not sure how I posted two, but how do I remove one? Sorry.

More fuel for the fire I just got back from the big truck show in Toronto. I was talking to reps from Western Star and Detroit Diesel and they said Freightliner is planning to also drop Cat, and go back to Cummins as their only other supplier. And the Cat reps said they are definetly not going out of the engine business. They showed their new transmissions and said they are taking a wait and see approach before they annonce their 2010 emmissions solution. They also said it is their engine business that makes it financially possible to develop all the new technologies for their equipment line engines. Wow. You never know who owns who anymore

More fuel for the fire I just got back from the big truck show in Toronto. I was talking to reps from Western Star and Detroit Diesel and they said Freightliner is planning to also drop Cat, and go back to Cummins as their only other supplier. And the Cat reps said they are definetly not going out of the engine business. They showed their new transmissions and said they are taking a wait and see approach before they annonce their 2010 emmissions solution. They also said it is their engine business that makes it financially possible to develop all the new technologies for their equipment line engines. Wow. You never know who owns who anymore

Hello everyone. Here's a couple answers. My truck tares in at 12,700kg (27,998 pounds) with half a tank of fuel (300 litres). It was a little lighter new, but I put a pintle plate and hitch on and have some thick conveyor belting on the inside of the tailgate. That Beau-Roc Diamond Line box is 900 pounds lighter than a post style box, but I will never buy another Beau-Roc. Lots of problems like all the welds breaking (after 3 months of hauling asphalt, legal loads) and they wouldn't stand behind their warranty. Said it was driver abuse I am legal to gross 35,700kg (78,704 pounds), so I usually carry 22 to 23 metric tonnes. Our weight laws in Ontario require you to have 101" from the steer to the lift. And wide axle spacings on the drives. I can gain a ton by going to a 72" axle spread, but don't feel it justifies the added tire scrub and wear and tear to the truck. You definately have to lift the axle for tight corners (they want us to run 90 psi. in them, I don't). And I leave it up off road most of the time. HK Trucking is right, most steerables reqire super singles which would knock one tonne off my legal payload. Plus the added cost to buy, so most of us just lift. I never have any odd tire wear, so they aren't too bad. I did price a Granite with that Simard air ride twin steer front end and they were about $20,000 compared to about $7000.00 for a lift. They are a nice set up though, especially the air ride ones, because you can dump the pressure in the second axle to get better traction when stuck. If guys would get the rates up we could afford to buy that nice fancy stuff. The twin steers are real popular around the Ottawa, Quebec area. I'd like my next truck to be a Titan with that setup. I have some pics I'll try to get up in the gallery soon of a Granite at the Toronto show with the twin steer. How do you like the Brandon box Joe D. They sell them here now, but I haven't looked at one yet.

Thanks for the specs Skullsquadron X. I knew Mack used to be a big producer of buses, but I didn't know much about them. I always focused my attention on trucks. Plus I've never saw a Mack bus in this area ever. Interesting.

Hello everyone. I'm just north of Sault Ste. Marie, Other Dog. About 3.5 hours from Elliot Lake. They have real nice ATV trails around Elliot Lake

Here's another twist on that. I've read on other forums of a rumour that Cat has bought International. I thought that was crap because International has just released their own big bore engine (partnership with MAN) and all the dealers around here seem to be pushing Cummins. Cummins power was also used while developing the new Prostar. Well here's where it gets interesting. I'm in a local Cat dealer getting my ecm reflashed the other day and the mechanic, seeing how I'm into my "binder" says that a Cat rep was in the other day for a shop visit and he said Cat has just partnered with Navistar and they are working on a Cat truck. He would give no other details. But he did say Cat is losing sales due to Paccar coming out with their own engines and losing other oem's such as Mack. And that the new emmisions Cat's are too wide to fit most chassis, so they want to partner with someone that will design a truck that fits with Cat's plan. Seems hard to believe to me, but I've seen stranger things happen. Never would have thought International would buy GM's medium truck line and they did, so who knows. That's probably why you heard Cat motors will be going in the mediums. They said they are going to keep the GM line separate from the Int's and GM has always offered the small Cat's.

You have to see the interior, especially the bunk and drive it to fully appreciate it. I haven't driven the Lonestar but I have tried the Prostar, basically the same except for the hood and front axle location and they are very smooth, quiet and handle great. They are available with hardwood floors and they have a really nice curved couch in the bunk.

Yes, I work out of town all the time. Local guys at home here cut the rates so bad you can't afford to work here. I bought the trailer because I was sick of motel rooms. It more than pays for itself. Plus the nice thing is when the kids are out of school for summer break, them and the wife come stay with me, so we get to all be together. Makes it easier to be away all the time. I try not to tow it with the big truck too much, but it usually goes to a location and stays all summer. I'm looking into getting one of those air ride receiver hitches.

Hey, thanks. I see you have a Mack bus. What's the details on it. What did they have for power?

Anyone have any interior pics of the Rawhides yet?

Anyone think Mack will ever offer their own version of the volvo I-Shift auto trans with the MP10. Also wonder if the upcoming Maxidyne version of the MP10 605 will have even more h.p. or torque? That's a combo i'd like in the Titan.

Thank You. just wish it got the fuel mileage of the old 350 R model.

Just something I was looking at a couple weeks ago at a dealer in Sudbury, Ontario. Crap! Says my file is too big to upload. I don't know if or how to resize? Anyway, I took some pics of a bunch of new Granites they brought in with the cab, chassis and fuel tanks all painted bright red. I thought they looked real sharp.

Thanks for the pics Barry Superdog mentioned the name....I know my local dealers kept telling the Mack reps to call it a Superliner when word first come out about it, but it didn't happen. You'll never equal the legend, but the name might of helped sales of the new one? I agree with Aus Chris, they should have kept the Aussie air intake stacks. How hard to service the filters? I heard they are under the cab? Still better than the underhood filters. Anyone have any experience with the 600 Volvo's? I heard they perform well, but they'll still never equal an E9. I do like the new interiors. I've been looking at some Granites. I love the paw print floor mats. I was ready to sell the "binder" when I saw the Titan, but I keep hearing horror stories of the new pdf equipped motors? There's just too much to go wrong with these new trucks. I can't wait until April 17th. I'll be at Truck World in Toronto, Ontario drooling all over that Titan. Between it and the new International Lonestar, I don't think I'll even notice what else is at the show.

Thanks Thermodynediesel. I put lots of work into that truck. The years of salt take their toll. I never got around to repainting the dump box when the pics were taken. I've been down in your state the last week. I've been hauling steel coils to Dodge Centre, Minnesota. Real beautiful scenery down there

Here's my present truck. 2005 International Paystar 5600i with a Cat Acert, 18 speed, 20-20 and 46 axles, Eagle interior, 20.5 foot diamond line heated dump box with vibrator and a CPL auto greaser system ( I swear by those!) it's kind of an on going project (keeps collecting shiny parts ) When this ones paid for I can start looking for another R or Superliner project, if I still have any money after I buy fuel That's my sleeper hooked to the back.