GearheadGrrrl

Do you need the weight capacity of a tandem, or just want the looks?

I've driven quite a few Macks with Allison Automatics and been very happy with them. They provide a very smooth "take up" of power when starting that seems to reduce wheelspin and the chance of getting stuck. With the new electronic controls they don't seem to end up in the wrong gear at times like the old ones did, and even if they do you can just press a button and override the transmission's choice of gears. As for the Volvo automated manual that Mack is offering, it has potential but it's reliability is still an unknown and Mack isn't offering it in a vocational model. Stay away from Eaton's automated manuals- in low speed operation the clutch slips and wears out prematurely.

That's what Mack needs to win over customers- the sleeper cab and twin steer options are going to sell a lot of trucks!

Looks like a repeat of the Cat Challenger ag tractor debacle...

I've seen a lot of UPS MHs with over a million miles on them, no cracks in the cabs and still tight. Only problem I saw was the doors sagging a bit... Easily fixed by lifting up while closing the door!

Holland. Has a "high hook" preventer and works best when it's cold and the grease is stiff.

(Inpounded until April 1, 2011) Louisville, Kentucky- The B is Back, and Bigger than Ever! Back when the B model was designed in the late 1940s many states still limited truck width to 90 inches... Which explains why the front wheels on a BCR seem half hidden in those 96 inch wide R model fenderwells. Over the last few years Mack developed specialized mine clearing trucks for the military... and blew up a lot of Macks in the process. Early on they noticed that a charge placed just right would uniformly expand a truck cab. in fact, it became a game to see who could most uniformly expand a cab. Suffice to say, there are some Granite cabs laying around the back lots at Allentown that look perfectly normal until you stand next to them and realize they're ten feet wide! Long time readers will remember the sadly stillborn new B model of a couple years ago. Fully developed for production, it had the best aerodynamics of any truck in the world. But a near 7 foot tall Volvo executive killed the new B model when he couldn't fit in the traditional B model cab. But a bunch of new B cabs had already been built, and there was still a lot of ordinance around that had to be properly disposed of. Imagine a B model cab expanded by 13 percent... suddenly there's legroom aplenty, a spacious sleeper cab option, and room for even Volvo's bulky 16 liter inline 6 under the hood. All the B models liabilities- the small radiator, cramped cab, and narrow front axle- suddenly disappear. But the new "Big B" is still the most aerodynamic big truck cab on the planet. Then put that spacious and aerodynamic cab atop Mack's new 40 inch wide and 12 inch deep MaxiFrame... There's room for up to 800 horsepower Mack V8s and the Maxitorque 500 transmission is an easy fit between those wide frame rails. The might Mack sixes and V8s can sit lower in those wide rails, preserving the B's traditional low profile and providing a lower center of gravity for better handling. As I write the primered B model that's sat all by itself in the lot in front of the Louisville Truck Show has been given a shiny coat of black lacquer and is being driven into the Mack exhibit area. They're passing out a PR and a presser is about to begin. I'll be back with more details later...

(Embargoed until April 1, 2011) Allentown, PA-Exclusive to BMT: Since 1993 their has been a gaping hole in the Mack lineup. A hole the size of a proud and unapologetic long hood, high nose conventional as only Mack can build them. Sure, the Titan was a good heavy hauler- but it had a set back axle that gave away up to a thousand pounds of payload and it's cooling system was cut down to fit it's sloping hood and metric chassis. OK for hauling Volvo's biggest dozer across the eastern seaboard, but iffy for pulling a 100 ton 20 axle gravel train across South Dakota in 110 degree heat at 75 miles per hour, all day long. The foundation for the brute is Mack's MaxiFrame, a full 12 inches deep and 6 inches wider than competitor's obsolete frames. A full 40 inches wide, the new MaxiFrame gives more service room around powertrain components while improving strength and stability. On top of that frame and legendary Mack powertrain sits the Mack "Mayflower" cab, again several inches wider and more spacious than the original Superliner's R model cab. Veteran Mack fanatics have noted the styling similarities of the R and Mayflower cabs. Careful Mack designers expanded the Superliners hood to match the Mayflower cab; The result is an even longer, wider, and more spacious hood and engine compartment that is so faithful to the original Superliner's lines that you have to be within feet to tell the old and new Superliners apart. Underneath that massive hood is the biggest radiator ever installed in a Mack, or any other brand for that matter, highway truck with plenty of room for anything short of large locomotive diesels. Pending action from the Justice Department Antitrust Division the new Mack Superliner will be available immediately with the traditional full range of Mack and vendor powertrains.

(Embargoed until April 1st, 2011) Louisville, KT- exclusive to BMT: Yesterday Volvo and the other remaining four heavy truck manufacturers were served at the Louisville Truck Show by the Justice Department's Antitrust Division. We're still reading through the lengthy court papers, but it appears that the Antitrust Division has ordered that to increase competition all mergers in the heavy truck manufacturing industry since at least 1981 be undone. Thus Volvo will have to give up Mack and White and re-establish them as separate manufacturers. As always, Volvo management saw this coming and was well prepared. Much as Apple secretly developed OSX operating systems for both PowerPC and Intel processors, Mack has been allowed to develop their own powertrains in parallel with Volvo's powertrains in preparation in case their was a need to spin off Mack. So today Mack Trucks is again unmuzzled. The Mack inline 6 and V-8 engines are again available, fully EPA compliant with new overhead cam cylinder heads. This is a positive development for truck users- the 16 liter Volvo inline 6 was too bulky and difficult to fit into todays tight chassis spaces. And as Mack has known for years and Volvo ignored, 2 liters per cylinder is the ideal size for a diesel engine, and Mack's 12 liter inline 6 and 16 liter V8 are precisely that size. Thanks to continuing development and the new overhead cam heads, the Mack inline 6 will offer up to 600 horsepower and the V8 up to 800 horsepower with more to come as development proceeds. Backing up that "best in class by a country mile" power is the new MACK 500 Series Maxitorque transmission, carrying on from the devlopment of the Maxitorque 400 that was suppressed by Volvo. Quite honestly we don't know the torque capacity of this transmission- we broke a locomotive dynamometer testing it. The 500 Maxitorque combines all the best features of the legendary Maxitorques- multiple reverses, splitters, and low holes- with full or partial electronic shifting that you can turn off when you want to "shift for yourself". Carrying this new legendary mack powertrain is the new "Maxiframe" chassis. Taking advantage of the full 102 inch width allowed by the STAA, the frame rails are 6 inches farther apart than before and a full 12 inches deep. With this new Maxiframe come a host of benefits- more room to work around components, lower engine mounting for a lower center of gravity, and a wider spring base for less sway around the corners. That's just the beginning of the unmuzzled Bulldog's bark- we'll be announcing new models today also... Stay tuned for further details!

Can't wait to see the new Superliner comming out April first(hint hint). Surely Grrrrrhd knows something about it. I've got the PR around here somewhere, but it's embargoed until April 1st so no point in digging it out. Even with the Titan in the lineup, there's clearly a hole in the Mack lineup for a premium axle forward truck. back to serious bidness- as for the "medium heavy" Granite, not sure if it's a good idea- seems like a cheapening of the brand to get some "low bid" orders. That's what Volvo is for, but I suspect the Swedes see things differently. The Granite sleeper option is way overdue- the oilfield and ag markets are booming, and they want an off road capable truck with a sleeper option. The oilfield drivers spend a lot of time out in the middle of nowhere many miles from any motels, and often the motels will be full for months and years to come. In the ag sector, a lot of farmers and ag haulers want a truck like the Granite with enough beef to survive the occasional trip into the fields. But they also need a sleeper for the occasional long trip or when they get stuck waiting at the elevator or in a blizzard. Now could we please have the Titan sleeper? I'm on the border with South Dakota, a state 400 miles across with gross weight only limited by bridge formula. 150,000 pound doubles combinations are common there, and 13 liters and 505 horses aren't going to cut it at that weight. Everybody else is offering 15-16 liter engines and 550-600 horses with a whole selection of sleepers and other options... When is Mack going to match them and make the Titan competitive?

Excellent unit! I had one on a Freightliner about 20 years ago, works great and adaptable to all the mechanical engines. Excellent support also, one of Hostess Brands' mechanics busted mine by literally standing on it while he was working under the hood. Well actually, he wasn't able to break it, he just busted a wire to it. I gave King a call and stopped by their shop on my way out of town. They came right out and fixed it in less than 15 minutes, no charge even though we broke it. Sadly, the truck was totalled in an accident after I left the company, not sure what happened to the unit.

Oh yee of little faith... Imagine a B model expanded by over 10% in all directions. Even the frame rails are 40 inches apart. Suddenly, all kinds of stuff will fit...

It looks like the sad truth is the MP10's are very buggy. Too bad they got rid of the Mack V8. But there may be hope... As a blogger, I just got an invite to a presser on April 1st. The invite hints at a new model, something called the "BB" model. Also hints at a V8...

Yes, I remember it- I wrote the press release. Problem was, the story got out too early and Volvo killed the new B model before it could enter production. From what I remember, a near 7 foot tall Swedish Volvo executive was going to take the B model for a test drive. He was so scrunched up in the cab that his knees were interfering with the steering wheel, and he had to lean so far over to keep from bumping his head into the roof that it looked like he was driving from the right seat. So a stop production order was issued just as production started... If you see an unusually well preserved B model with an E7 engine, there may have been a few of these new Bs built before the stop production order made it to Macungie. Of course, the dream of a new B model never died at Allentown. In the past few years a lot has been learned about "explosive expansion" from the MRAP truck project. The original B model cab was rather narrow, having been designed when some states still restricted truck width to 90 inches. That's all I can tell you for now.

That's a seperate model called the "BB" for "big B". Just think of a B cab and hood expanded by 10% or so... The new model announcemnt will be on 4/1/11.

Let me quess... Cummins engine? Not if it competes with Volvo/Mack, so it guess it has to be smaller than the MP7/D11. And weren't the Manager and FL killed off by a non compete agreement with GM dating from when they bought out GMC's heavy truck business in the 1980s? Well, GM just got out of the heavy truck business, so that non compete no longer applies. So it'll be a medium powered by a Cummins engine of less than 10 liters. Now the question... What cab(s) will it use?

Looks ugly... But heck, it's an LE and it ain't supposed to look pretty. Good to see Mack going to extra mile to earn a customer's business!

The one thing I would make available on the over the road trucks would be more power and torque as with the 460's I've struggled with our higher Canadian weights. I'm hoping with the new MP engines this will be changed. Volvo doesn't get it... 13 liters and 505 horses doesn't move 63.5 metric tons very well. Mack needs the MP10 and it's 600+ horses in Canada, and with a sleeper that will fit in the 5 meter envelope Canada allows (25 meter overall length, 20 meter trailers length). Canada is as big or bigger a market than Australia, and should get at least as much attention!

Weekend before last I spent at a BMW motorcycle rally. Rode up on the '84 R model that I bought new, and it was far from the oldest ridden to the rally- that award went to another R model from the 50s! There were plenty of current BMW bikes there too- BMW is one of the few manufacturers that have actually increased their sales volume the last few years. Did I hear that right... Sales increases? Yup, while Harley is fighting for it's corporate life and many brands have seen their motorcycle sales halved, BMW's sales are increasing. How? Back to those old, and new, R models. BMW built the first R model horizontally opposed twin with shaft drive in 1923. After several major redesigns and minor improvements the R model is still built in 2011, and it still has two horizontally opposed cylinders and shaft drive. Like Volvo, BMW killed the R model once. But unlike Volvo, BMW had the wisdom to put the R model back in production after but a few months abscense from the assembly line. That was back in the 80s when BMW mistakenly thought they could replace the old R model with the high tech four cylinder water cooled K model bikes. The K model is still around, but the R model outsells it. Back to those old bikes... Back in the 90s BMW cut the supply of parts for the older bikes, hoping to force their riders to buy new bikes. Sound familiar? Yup, the same strategy Volvo seems to be trying. This caused considerable anger from the owners of older BMW bikes, not unlike one reads in this Mack forum. Frustrated owners of older BMW bikes swore they'd never buy another, and potential new bike buyers shied away from BMW, fearful that BMW would abandon them. Then BMW woke up, and figured out that the parts business is profitable. When a new vehicle is sold that's just the beginning, not the end, of the profits it will provide the manufacturer. As long as the vehicle is in service it will profitably consume parts and service. Parts have the highest markup of anything the manufacturer sells, and even though they produce less revenue than new truck sales, they produce very respectable profits. Parts are also anti cyclic- parts sales increase when economic hard times reduce new vehicle sales. That can make keep a manufacturer and their dealers out of bankruptcy court! But when a Mack is junked because parts aren't available, that profitable gravy train ends. So it's in Volvo's interest to keep Macks on the road for as long as possible. So BMW set up a whole division to supply parts for older BMWs. They even sent two guys over from Germany to ask us what we needed. There sales brochures for new bikes feature their older models as well. BMW applied the same wisdom to the Mini brand, after at first heavy handedly killing off the classic Mini and substituting their new Mini. But the Mini brand management learned from their mistakes and followed BMW motorcycle's example- they insured that classic Mini parts production would continue when Rover went bankrupt and support classic Mini racers as well as racers of the new Mini. So the message for Volvo: Keep parts for the older trucks available- every one is an advertisement for the brand. Bring back simple, reliable work trucks like the R model. Get out of Goteburg and listen to Mack truck owners. And never forget that the kid with the old Mack who comes in looking for parts today will be back to buy a new Mack tomorrow... If you treat him right.

The ad was quite accurate- at the time all the other trucks were pretty crude with narrow power bands that required constant shifting. The other trucks had lousy aerodynamics and noisy, uninsulated cabs. Macks were quiet, needed little gearshifting, and were downright civilized compared to the competition. It's too bad Mack has lost their leadership in truck building and competitive advantage.

GM has shut down Saturn, Pontiac, Hummer, and Oldsmobile. They sold off Saab and EMD locomotives. And they're selling more cars and making more money! What GM did was concentrate on their more valuable brands and dump the duplicative and weaker brands. Daimler has done something similar- they give away Chrysler and killed Sterling. And Daimler new better than to brand their american market heavy trucks with even the priceless Mercedes-Benz brand... Even the Freightliner brand was worth more with truckers. And Western Star? And up and coming legend and comeuppance to Autocar, which Volvo had the stupidity to kill. And Volvo? Volvo is a powerful brand in cars, but they got a late start in the american truck market. Before most truckers had even seen a Volvo N12 they bought White and slowly rebranded it a Volvo. By the 1990s it was entirely possible to buy a Volvo branded truck with a White cab, Cummins engine, and Eaton transmission and axles. About the only Volvo parts on this mongrel would be the Volvo badges. In business this is called "exploiting the brand image" or in less charitable discussion "diluting the brand". I call it "whoring out the brand"! So Volvo's brand in america has been badly sullied. There's little chance the Volvo car brand will rehabilite the truck image, having been sold off to asian interests. But the Mack brand in america has always been more familiar and highly valued than Mack. And unlike the Volvo brand, Volvo has only had less than a decade to ruin Mack. One can see the obvious results in new truck sales as the economy pulls out of the recession, with Mack sales accelerating while Volvo sales are stuck in low gear. So it's time to send the Volvo brand back to europe and bring Mack back to it's former glory. It's time to promote the thoroughbred Mack powertrain and make "mDrive" and other such vendor components available by special request only, with appropriately shortened warranty coverage. Might even want to make the mDrive buyer sign a waiver... No way will that contraption last a million kilometers or miles! That's just the beginning- the next conventional cab design should be Mack exclusive rather than Volvo's bastardized cabover. Underneath the cab will be a "balanced design" for the 21st century. How about the Maxitorque 400 transmission for a start, a fully automated manual. But the shift lever and clutch pedal are still there, so shift for yourself if you like or kick back and let the computers do the job. The gear ratios? How about a wide ratio six speed with a splitter, just like the original Maxitorque. And that's just the start... how about 3 and 4 axle Balanced Bogies, with air ride AND maximum articulation! Your opinions, please?

Amen! I agree 100%. Let me add that Mack needs to move beyond the traditional markets, even if they canabalize Volvo. For example, since moving to rural Minnesota I learned that the agricultural market is huge and booming, yet Mack is ignoring it. Mack needs an ag marketing effort, appearing at the big ag shows and showing off the product. Set up an ag website, complete with a cute as hell u-tube cartoon of the bulldog mixing it up with the barnyard animals. And to really prove what a Mack can do, freely seed demo trucks around farm country, and challenge all comers to outpull them at the county fairs, etc.!

Hot rod your "toys", but don't mess with the truck that you depend on for your livelyhood.

The only MHs I drove were UPS's, and for a spring ride single axle they rode pretty good. In fact, I feel the MH is the finest cabover I've ever driven and a tie for the finest truck I've ever driven with the R model and the late CX. I've driven just about every cabover built- IH 9670 & 4070, White RC2, Freightliners except the Argosy, KW K100, Pete 362, Ford W, GMC Astro & "crackerbox"- but none could hold a candle to the MH. However, the Argosy might be a better truck, but given their rareness and the fact I'm retired I'll probably never get a chance to sample one. I did drive a Volvo FL a few times and preferred it to the Ford Cargo, which was a dubious "improvement" over the old C series. Thus, given that the MH tooling is probably gone, a cabover Volvo with Mack drivetrain might be a decent truck... Perish the thought! That said, there's a nich market for cabovers if someone is brave enough to sell them in the U.S.. For example, Hostess Brands is a thousand tractor fleet that hasn't bought a new tractor since 2004. They prefer cabovers, and probably have the largest fleet of Argosys in the country as well as plenty of older FLBs and even a few FLAs from the 1980s. Someday they're going to have to buy new trucks, and if Mack wants to do the paperwork to make the FM DOT & EPA compliant they'll get a several hundred truck order.