mudslut28

WOW!!!! Gearheadgrrrl you just made me smile on this cold snowy morning. I think you just said what most of us were thinking....good job!!! I'll give ya a huge heck yeah on that one. The last new Mack I bought was at least 10k higher than everything else...and you know what? It was worth every penny as almost 20 years later its second owner still runs it everyday.

Kevin...mine is pretty stiff on those 10 degree days but it has the 85w-140 in it..so Id say yours must also. 75w-90 should be fine as well.

All the new Granites I see hauling coal here have the camelback.....lets face it..it just works and its tougher than heck. I cant imagine how it could be improved on. Only thing I could think of making it better would be to make it easier to change springs..lol.

Amen Lmack. When I bought my last truck it had to be no newer than a 97 model. That should speak volumes. My only prob with the one I bought is the Eaton/Fuller 8LL which I think has weak wrote all over it. Maybe it will prove me wrong but I cant figure out why anyone would ever use 2 countershafts when you could have 3 and completely eliminate the need for that tranny pump and all those lines and coolers. Theres nothing like the simplicity and the dependability of the time tested Mack components. I will give them props on the Granite cabs...but they can keep the rest.....especially that pos motor.

As far as the new Volvo engines in the granite having more power...that is bs. I run with a fleet of Granites every day and the ONLY advantage they have over my E7 400 is the engine brake. They do NOT pull any better and they do NOT beat me on fuel consumption. This is offroad heavy hauling. I am NOT impressed with the 405's. They have nothing below 1400 rpm's...in fact the drivers use words like "soft" and "weak" to describe them.

Rotella is what has gotten my E7 to 16500 hours. Im afraid to change now...lol.

I have actually seen several different trannies used. 2 RD800's with 400 v8's had the 2090's while the 2 Superliners had 13 spd Fullers.

Its a fine looking truck that is spec'd pretty well. First one I have ever heard of with a 60 series for sure.

The V8 Mack.....the 500's are amazing when loaded heavily. Besides that you gonna have to mortgage the truck AND the house to fix that V8 Cat if it breaks....lol.

Wow...I seriously didnt know the Superliner coulda been had with the 65's. Woweeee An E9 500 with 65 rears...yeeeehaaaaaaa. I have drove an e9 just enough to know I really really liked it..lol. KY Diesel that is pretty much correct with a very few exceptions.

Yeah the Cats and Cummins are much larger. I know the older Cummins were 855 ci. I believe the Cat is over 900ci.I am thinking the 2 valve and e6 Mack motors were in the 670-680 (673??) ci range and the E7's are around 725-735 ci...cant remember the exact numbers. I could be wrong on these numbers but I am close...lol.

Mack motors always have had great lowend grunt..until some of the newer E7's that dont seem to pull hard till 1300-1500 and then like a house on fire to 2100. The 4 valve 300's pull their hardest at 1100-1500 and fall on its face after 1600...lol..or at least mine did.

My old DM800 has triple frame from stem to stern. Has the 65k rears and 24 inch rubber as well. Has the 2 valves 300 with the 6 speed so the drivetrain is pretty much idiotproof even hauling an average 45 tons. absolutely the finest heavy haulage truck EVER built by any company! The RD800's were the same frame and rears but were just not quite as tough as the dm800's. I have grossed as much as 160,000 on one of my 800's. The DM800's are the kings with the RD800's a very close second or possibly 1A....lol. I have seen 1 R Model with the 65k rears over the years but it was originally destined for South America..had a 350 with a 12 speed...was a heckuva truck. Usually the biggest you can get on the R's and rw's are 58k rears. 65 rears can be had..lemme rephrase that...could be had on a dm600. I will say the 200 series rears intro'd in 97 or so are very good rears. With the r's and rw's the sky is the limit on motors..I have seen superliners and rd's with everything from v8's to cat motors and everything in between. On the dm's the 350 was usually the biggest that could be had. Not sure if I helped ya but hopefully I did a little.

Just wanting to tell you...as a general rule the higher the gear number the stronger the gearset. Just to throw out a few numbers here for giggles the latest truck I bought which was the R Model has an 8LL with 5.73 ratio and will run 67. The dm 800 I have has a6 speed and will run almost 50...lol..it has 5.88 ratio. On the flip side my dm690 with the 7 speed and 7.58 ratio would run 62.

It sure would be nice to have a heavy-duty dump setup like the 800's back in the coalfields...but I guess the dumba$$'es in Sweden have never seen a coal mine or strip mine either. It's a niche' market which Mack owned and dominated for 40 years...now they just pull out and give a version of the Granite with 65k rears and a chicken crap frame...niceee!! Thanks Mack! This is the same Volvo who got the brilliant idea to make the ol unbreakable 65k Mack (which is far and away the best and strongest rear end design EVER) housings thinner....hey guess what?? They BROKE!! What was the solution? Replace them with older housings.....how bout replacing the whole damn truck with an older one? Thats exactly what many of the small companies have done. In the end of the RD800 era the trucks were pushing the $150,000 mark ready to haul. They were still selling....yet they were done away with.....STUPID!!! We are still actively searching for and buying the 80's and 90's model Macks. Hey Mack...why would you turn your back on your bread and butter? The Mack legend was born in the coalfields.... You sold us out!!!

Ohhhh yessssssss that truck is class from the ground up!!! Im in love...again!

Hey mackboy..does that thing have an E9? That would make it the ultimate ride...

BTW.. That CL is a gorgeous ride! I likey!!

It will always be the 70's and 80;s for me even though I really really like my 92 R model. I have owned a little of everything inb the Mack line..but to sum it up..they were all damn fine trucks. My 2 favorites would be the 76 DM and the 88 DM...because I rode the 76 out of the poorhouse more than once....and the 88 was my first mack. When times were really tough the ol DM800 NEVER let me down. I guess I will eventually start restoring the 76 but it is still working too well..lol.

Nothing like buying a cheap piece of junk to do a hard job and then wondering why its strung all over the hills after 2 years...

That tow truck also has 65K rears...Im in love!!!

Ok..I know I am late on this but I have to add this on the Granite cab size. I am 6'5 and I can say that every Mack I have owned or driven with the exception of the Granite I had sat in a slightly sideways position. All of my R's and DM's..when I replace the seat I redrill the mounting plate and move the seat 2 inches closer to the door. Sounds weird yes..but when ya spend a minimum of 12 hours a day in it squirming and trying to get comfy you will absolutely love the cab of the Granite...which I do. If you have long legs in a Mack you will be sitting with your knees pointing towards the door. This position does NOT do your back any favors. The Granite is a dream from driver comfort standpoint. THATS why it was an instant success.

GearHeadGrrrl speaks the gospel here. The appealing part of Macks to this family was always the fact that there was Mack..and then there was everything else. Meaning if you wanted something different and better get a Mack...if you wanted the same ol thing take your pick between all 10 of the other manufacturers building the exact same truck save for the cab and hood emblems. Old Mack designs are still vastly superior to anything new that has been introduced. The proof is on the road!! End of discussion!

Thanks..I hope you ar right. Anything Non-Mack is a new experience for me. Seems to be doing well so far