Mack Rd Legend

[granitefan713]

just wondering if you guys see many RD Legends around, a trucking company near me has 3 of them. they are tri-axles. i have gathered some pics of them at http://bigmacktrucks.invisionzone.com/inde...album&album=226

[Barry]

Awesome collection! I have never seen a Legend Tractor...all the ones I have seen were dumps!

Thanks for posting them!

[Lmackattack]

I have seen two near me. both were dark green and had the gold lettering. roll off trucks.

Trent

[MACKS]

Those are some nice trucks, so many people ask why did Mack stop makeing the RD, I don't have a clue does any one know why?

[Lmackattack]

Those are some nice trucks, so many people ask why did Mack stop makeing the RD, I don't have a clue does any one know why?

Volvo

[HK Trucking]

Volvo

Amen to that.

Volvo has castrated the Mack Bulldog.

[MACKS]

Big mistake on there part!!

[Terry T]

In regards to why Mack stopped production of the RD/RB.

1st off, don't get me wrong. I have never been happy with Volvo aquiring Mack, nor was I happy when Renault owned them.

I believe that the real reason that the RD/RB was replaced with the CV was the result of about 4 different things.

a) Although it worked very well, the design had run its course. Almost 40 years and 4 decades.

Gov't intervention to protect us from ourselves with required safety up-grades that probably could not be put into the platform, new requirements for engine emissions that result in redesigned engine compartments, and the such.

c) Future drivers. Humans are getting larger with each suceeding generation. There was only so much room in the R cab. And humans are getting lazy. There is a need for a platform that can adapt to future drivers who grew up playing with Playstation and X box, as opposed to us who grew up playing outside, with our friends, getting exercise and developing stamina to actually work.

d) The biggest thing that killed the R platform........ Typically a "truck guy" no longer buys the trucks. A "bean counter" does. He doesn't care about longevity of the units that he buys, only the bottom dollar.

just my .02 worth.

T.

[granitefan713]

I think RD/RB was discontinued mainly due to the success of the CV. The Granite was introduced around late 2001 and was an "instant success" I guess you can say, and remember that the RD did live on for 3 more years after the introduction of the CV and ended in 2004 with the Legend package (which was the original topic of this post) before finally being replaced by the CV once and for all in the 2005 model year.

So how about those RD Legends? What have you guys seen of them?

[MACKS]

To answer you question, I've only seen one out working here on long Island it was green cab and green dump body the truck was bran new first day working on an asphalt job. It held up the job all the drivers were checking it out!

[cfw3]

Hey Granitefan-

I see you have been watching the same macks I have been seeing recently running through T-town! They sure are some beautiful trucks - wish I could run one one someday if I had a chance. Do you know where they have been hauling to? I have too much fun running my old green DM model when needed. Good old truck- just can't kill them.

[Firemack]

I have worked in the construction business my whole life, and am also a firefighter so have lots experience with Mack's. We have plenty of R and new Grainte and Vision models in PA, NJ and NY. I recently was on a construction site and they had both R models hauling asphalt and Granites hauling asphalt. I spoke to one of the drivers of one of the R models asked him if he had driven the new Granites, which were working side by side with the R's. He said he liked the R model but loved the new Granite, it had much better visibility and much better ride for the long days of hauling loads from the plant to the site and were holding up just like the R models but were a lot more driver friendly. I personally like the look of the R better, but just like when the B was phased out I liked the look of the B model better than the R model, and like the look of the R model better than the Granite, however after speaking to the guys driving them you have to give Mack some credit for improving the daily driving for the guy in the cab. Let's hope the Granite and Vision sales keep going so Mack keeps growing.

Firemack

[Lmackattack]

I have worked in the construction business my whole life, and am also a firefighter so have lots experience with Mack's. We have plenty of R and new Grainte and Vision models in PA, NJ and NY. I recently was on a construction site and they had both R models hauling asphalt and Granites hauling asphalt. I spoke to one of the drivers of one of the R models asked him if he had driven the new Granites, which were working side by side with the R's. He said he liked the R model but loved the new Granite, it had much better visibility and much better ride for the long days of hauling loads from the plant to the site and were holding up just like the R models but were a lot more driver friendly. I personally like the look of the R better, but just like when the B was phased out I liked the look of the B model better than the R model, and like the look of the R model better than the Granite, however after speaking to the guys driving them you have to give Mack some credit for improving the daily driving for the guy in the cab. Let's hope the Granite and Vision sales keep going so Mack keeps growing.

Firemack

valid point about the new Macks replacing the old ones. The R still looks good but it is hard on you. Hell im only 27 years old but after a few long days driving the chicago streets in my RS I feel more like 72 LOL.

After i saw a few "tricked out "Graintes they kinda grew on me. There are a few outfits here now that bought granite triaxel tractors for lowboy trucks. they have all the flashy stainless and chrome on them to compete with the KW and pete crowd. Hope these new granets can get some of the lost buisness back from the people who switched to kw's or pete's back about 10 years ago. I think the new cab designs with big HP coming next year will help mack maintain there name. Only time will tell i guess

[granitefan713]

I sure hope Mack hangs on, like some of you guys said, Volvo is sure putting there 2 cents into things. When I was at the assembly plant this past summer, I asked one of the guides what he thought of the new CTPs and he replied: "they're friggin Volvos, thats what they are."

[GearheadGrrrl]

The CH/Granite/Vision/etc. cab isn't bad- it's comfortable and I've driven enough with over a million miles on them to know that it lives up to the Mack reputation. What soured a lot of Mack customers on this cab was Mack's "take it or leave it" attitude during the 1990s. Loyal customers were told that they couldn't buy another R model with Mack tranny, rear ends, and camel back suspension. Instead they would have to settle for a CH with cab by Mayflower, axles and tranny by Spicer, Meritor, Eaton, or whoever was offering the best price that day, all mounted on a Dana-Spicer frame. About the only thing Mack on those CHs was the engine. Quite understandably a lot of loyal Mack customers went elsewhere- the sight of a Freightliner in Matlack colors should have been a wake up call to Mack management.

[ThaddeusW]

The CH/Granite/Vision/etc. cab isn't bad- it's comfortable and I've driven enough with over a million miles on them to know that it lives up to the Mack reputation. What soured a lot of Mack customers on this cab was Mack's "take it or leave it" attitude during the 1990s. Loyal customers were told that they couldn't buy another R model with Mack tranny, rear ends, and camel back suspension. Instead they would have to settle for a CH with cab by Mayflower, axles and tranny by Spicer, Meritor, Eaton, or whoever was offering the best price that day, all mounted on a Dana-Spicer frame. About the only thing Mack on those CHs was the engine. Quite understandably a lot of loyal Mack customers went elsewhere- the sight of a Freightliner in Matlack colors should have been a wake up call to Mack management.

Wasnt the reason for the switch to dana/eaton/fuller/spicer components is because they were lighter and cheaper then the Mack components? Since the carriers wanted to maximise on the payload weight, they went to the non Mack driveline.

[Lmackattack]

Wasnt the reason for the switch to dana/eaton/fuller/spicer components is because they were lighter and cheaper then the Mack components? Since the carriers wanted to maximise on the payload weight, they went to the non Mack driveline.

I dont know what caused mack to open up to useing offbreed components. In a way it was good idea as it was a way to get the people that liked to have offbreed drivetrain parts. What I think is sad is that mack started to release truck models that came standard with off breed parts. Even if the eaton ,fuller, etc parts were lighter or cheeper, I know for a fact that they just cant hold up in the offroad as good as the mack drivetrain. that right there makes them cost more when your replacing parts more often. to this day i still cant figure out why people want offbreed drivetrains in ther mack if the truck runs in the dirt 50% of its use? I think those off breed parts give us mack guys a bad name LOL

[GearheadGrrrl]

Agreed. The only transmission that can match a MaxiTorque is an Allison, and that's a pretty expensive option. Dana-Spicer, Meritor, and Eaton has nothing that can compete with the Mack double reduction axles. As for weight, the last time I saw the numbers the Mack components are actually lighter than the offbreed stuff. I suspect the fitting of all those offbreed parts to the CH was driven mostly by cost and the popular fad of "outsourceing" components.

[Terry T]

When I was selling Mack's in the late '90's we were having trouble getting build slots for pedigreed trucks. Mack could only build so many transmissions and rears per week. Our customers were forced to make the choice wait on Mack or go with an Eaton/Spicer/Rockwell or what ever their names were at the time. The other thing about offering vendor components is to get new customers by offering them a Mack with components that they already have in their current fleet. This way they don't have to keep more parts in inventory. Other than the engine, they had all the components that they were use to and kept inventory for.

T.

[David]

Buying a Mack with non-mack components means you're not locked into dealing with the greedy local Mack dealer.

[fullfuel01]

Mack get back on track here in Quebec with there Granite... lot's more new granite then new RD a couple years ago...

[Mack 3P]

Mack uses the RD Legend to tow truck back and forth from the plant.

[granitefan713]

That tow truck is pretty awesome, its the first Legend I've seen with spoke rims. All the other ones I've seen had aluminum wheels.

[David]

And tube type tires!

[granitefan713]

How can you tell if they're tube type tires? I've never been able to figure it out.