GearheadGrrrl Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 One of Mack's most successful eras was from the mid 1960s through the late 1980s, with sales breaking records year after year. One of Mack's major selling points back then was the Maxidyne engine and Maxitorque transmission. Simple, durable, and easy to drive, the Maxidyne engine paired with a 5 or 6 speed Maxitorque transmissions were unequalled in the industry.You'd never know it, but the Maxidyne engine is still around, and with more horsepower than ever to boot! It can be paired with the 6 speed single lever Maxitorque for on highway applications or 8 to 10 speed deep reduction Maxitorques for on/off highway applications. And even now, this is a combination no other manufacturer can match. So again, why isn't Mack advertising this competitive advantage? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackey58 Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 maybe because its too dependable like the r and rd s and superliner were.in construction that is a killer combo to drive on or offroad.you woild think that would still be a selling point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theakerstwo Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 In a groupe of say 50 drivers there is not more than maybe 5 guys that understand a mack engine trans or rear suppension like the campbell back ride.Good for alot of operations but a dump truck needs to be a mack.Most guys dont want to know nothen about them.Most guys want a pretty peterbilt cause their buddy has one and its so nice.My freind has a 6 axle dump truck and its got something wrong under it all the time. Some think air ride is the way to go but if its off road like we go campbell back does not tear up as bad.Use the neorprme pads on the springs and it will last longer. Quote glenn akers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgallamore Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 i have noticed that guys who luv macks have no problems with them, i think because they know and understand their equipment.the guys that don't like them have trouble, but they usually have trouble with anything they are in.maybe its the guys that enjoy what their doing against the guy that wishes he could get a paycheck for sleeping late????? Quote http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/uploads/1272400769/gallery_4852_794_314995.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 i owned one,,didnt really like it,you cant shift them up a ramp,cant wait to get to the top,so u can go up a gear..i think most people agree that drive them say the same thing...i suppose u,d be ok on flatland,here in nevada,california,,i prefer more selection of gears.tooo many hills.just my oppinion...bob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other dog Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 ... the guy that wishes he could get a paycheck for sleeping late?????Wish I could do that. I just wish I could sleep! Quote Producer of poorly photo-chopped pictures since 1999. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 ya,,,gotta agree with that...other dog,,been workin since 1970,,,nowdays i just wanna stay home,and get paid....back to thermodyne,,,i think people are pushing the automatic more nowadays,,more and more company,s around here going to them...bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgallamore Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 i owned one,,didnt really like it,you cant shift them up a ramp,cant wait to get to the top,so u can go up a gear..i think most people agree that drive them say the same thing...i suppose u,d be ok on flatland,here in nevada,california,,i prefer more selection of gears.tooo many hills.just my oppinion...bobyou need to change the you cant shift them, to I cant shift them.if you try to twist a 237 mack like a 238 detroit or 555 cummins or a 3208 cat, you will get nothing but grief.all of the above screem like their pulling the world at 2000 plus rpm's shifting,shifting,shifting,siftingwhere the mack makes the most tork at 900/1000 rpm's, if you can forget about the shifting and screaming in an 8hr shift you will beat them and burn 20% less fuelyou have to understand your equipment, and expect no more than 100% of what its capable of.revin two high before you shift, shift a maxidine before 700 rpm in the lower gears.get the first 4 gears in less than 20 feet, then light a cig pour a cup of coffee get you a sip or 2 and then pull it into hi. Quote http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/uploads/1272400769/gallery_4852_794_314995.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgallamore Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 Wish I could do that. I just wish I could sleep!must be the pete Quote http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/uploads/1272400769/gallery_4852_794_314995.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other dog Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 must be the peteActually I sleep better in that than I do at home. That's why i'm on BMT at 2 or 3 in the morning a lot of times. Quote Producer of poorly photo-chopped pictures since 1999. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theakerstwo Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 i owned one,,didnt really like it,you cant shift them up a ramp,cant wait to get to the top,so u can go up a gear..i think most people agree that drive them say the same thing...i suppose u,d be ok on flatland,here in nevada,california,,i prefer more selection of gears.tooo many hills.just my oppinion...bobThe jake brake was made for a mack to shift going up a ramp. Cause thats all its good for.I use my ever day for shifting. Quote glenn akers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lmackattack Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 The 5-6 speeds are great for the Midwest and some eastern states. I love mine..but..if you have long grades its nice to have a few more gears just to keep your speed up. I notice my egt temps get to hot when I have to pull a good grade at slow speed and low rpm. It may be in the torque range but sit there to long @1100 rpm and she gets hot. I think every 5 speed owner says at some time or another..."I wish I had a gear between 3rd and 4th". I drove a 350 with a 9 speed From Chicago to Boston once and loved how it pulled the hills on ny. It was able to pull most grades at 45 mph and could keep her around 1500-1600 rpm with normal egt temp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 ya,,thats another thing ,,just like he said it..long pulls you need to drop.anyway,then your done till you hit the top.have to hear that fan screeming at you.hehe.forgot about that part been 25 years since i owned one...probably want to forget that part...guess its ideal if you can hit high gear and leave it there,all night.doesnt work here with triple trailers,and a mountain every 30 miles.bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 oh,,,,by the way,10-4 on the cig,and coffee..lol,and appreciate the heads up...bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 The 5-6 speeds are great for the Midwest and some eastern states. I love mine..but..if you have long grades its nice to have a few more gears just to keep your speed up. I notice my egt temps get to hot when I have to pull a good grade at slow speed and low rpm. It may be in the torque range but sit there to long @1100 rpm and she gets hot. I think every 5 speed owner says at some time or another..."I wish I had a gear between 3rd and 4th". I drove a 350 with a 9 speed From Chicago to Boston once and loved how it pulled the hills on ny. It was able to pull most grades at 45 mph and could keep her around 1500-1600 rpm with normal egt temp.ya,,i am also a big fan of that combination,,,bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lmackattack Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 Yea with any load that put you to 60k + gross3rd was just a little to low of a gear and 4th was way to high. Needed that "3 1/2 gear" so you could at least maintain about 35 mph. Now after saying all that I would like to try this new 505 HP maxidyne with a closer stepped 8 or 9 speed and see how the big HP will let you pull a hill... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 In a groupe of say 50 drivers there is not more than maybe 5 guys that understand a mack engine trans or rear suppension like the campbell back ride.Good for alot of operations but a dump truck needs to be a mack.Most guys dont want to know nothen about them.Most guys want a pretty peterbilt cause their buddy has one and its so nice.My freind has a 6 axle dump truck and its got something wrong under it all the time. Some think air ride is the way to go but if its off road like we go campbell back does not tear up as bad.Use the neorprme pads on the springs and it will last longer.love your oppinion about the pete owners,that was very well put,,lol dont want to say it too loud,we have allotta them here...i bring up a mack,and they start yawning,and looking at thier watch..lol bob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 Yea with any load that put you to 60k + gross3rd was just a little to low of a gear and 4th was way to high. Needed that "3 1/2 gear" so you could at least maintain about 35 mph. Now after saying all that I would like to try this new 505 HP maxidyne with a closer stepped 8 or 9 speed and see how the big HP will let you pull a hill...ya,,,forgot to mention,the 350 thermo,with 9 speed was my very next truck,after the maxidine,,man what a differance,boy that was just a real pleasure to drive,also that was going to be my next comment.if you had a 427,or that.new 505 with that 6 speed,u might be in a little better shape,maybe take all the hills,with any weight in high gear...lol.bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgallamore Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 sorry about that mowerman but you where bashing a mack, and that will allways get an argument from me.i ran from st.charles mo. down i44 to 65 south to mo7 to 71 into frt. smith ar. in the mid to late 80's dump truck and pup dodging the scales grossing between 80 and 90 k. in a 1985 r modle glider with a 285 and a six spd.no pyrometer just watched the water temp. and never had any problems. but i never asked for more than 100%. 300 hp cummins and cat couldn,t make it any quiker than me. when the 350 hp come allong they ate my lunch.but i still wouldn't give up my mack.but i came out of a 1977 r model with a 237 6spd air assit stearing and no a/c, so the 285 with power steering and a/c was like the space shuttlei run ut. co. nv. az. or.wa. mt.wy. all the time iv been threw all the major passes in ca.when i was younger, the ozark mountains in southwest mo. and north west ar. with the kind of roads they had back then would test your skills as much as any of the major hiways out west. Quote http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/uploads/1272400769/gallery_4852_794_314995.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 sorry about that mowerman but you where bashing a mack, and that will allways get an argument from me.i ran from st.charles mo. down i44 to 65 south to mo7 to 71 into frt. smith ar. in the mid to late 80's dump truck and pup dodging the scales grossing between 80 and 90 k. in a 1985 r modle glider with a 285 and a six spd.no pyrometer just watched the water temp. and never had any problems. but i never asked for more than 100%. 300 hp cummins and cat couldn,t make it any quiker than me. when the 350 hp come allong they ate my lunch.but i still wouldn't give up my mack.but i came out of a 1977 r model with a 237 6spd air assit stearing and no a/c, so the 285 with power steering and a/c was like the space shuttlei run ut. co. nv. az. or.wa. mt.wy. all the time iv been threw all the major passes in ca.when i was younger, the ozark mountains in southwest mo. and north west ar. with the kind of roads they had back then would test your skills as much as any of the major hiways out west.oh dont get the wrong idea,my freind,im a big fan of macks,always have been since 68,owned 5 of them...i just meant didnt like that one.my next ride was a 350 thermo and a 9 speed,,man what a differance.woohoo..bob p.s.cant sleep.lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lmackattack Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 My 285 does ok with 65-70k but 5th gear is a dog. I can stick with a 427 until the top of 4th buy then it'd game over. I pulled a few 963 cats with it and 55 mph was difficult to maintain. Hit any sort of grade and you were full throttle and groping speed fast. The previous owner was a produce hauler and he said he had to removed the 3.87s and put in 4.17s to get it geared better for out west. Said that it was hard to keep her going with the taller gears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lmackattack Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 My 285 does ok with 65-70k but 5th gear is a dog. I can stick with a 427 until the top of 4th buy then it'd game over. I pulled a few 963 cats with it and 55 mph was difficult to maintain. Hit any sort of grade and you were full throttle and groping speed fast. The previous owner was a produce hauler and he said he had to removed the 3.87s and put in 4.17s to get it geared better for out west. Said that it was hard to keep her going with the taller gears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lmackattack Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 Sorry for the poor spelling LOL..I'm typing from my "smart phone"....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgallamore Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 i guess the morall of the story is happyness depends a lot on where your coming from. i think, maybe. Quote http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/uploads/1272400769/gallery_4852_794_314995.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 you know guys i didnt even realize mack had bigger maxidynes,i thought 237 was it,i had a buddy with a 285,10 speed that used to go right by me,i used to wish i had at least that much pull,ya baby.least i wouldnt be the slowest chump on I.5.even a little headwind would feel like brakes dragging.hehe i also had no p.s,no radio,no ac,hot s.o.b in summer.and no air fan,,and that fan was loud,didnt even sound mack,it sounded cummins..dont know why...went from that to a 83 cruiseliner,,didnt really want the cabover,but it had 350 thermodyne,ac,ps,sterio, air fan.low mileage,quiet tight,my god it was like dying and moving on.....s--tin in tall cotton..hehe you know what im sayin,,,boy were dating ourselfs now...hehe these young kid dont have a clue.....ac,and tunes...you gotta be s--tin me?anyhow theres my story,probably shoulda kept my mouth shut on this one and probably owe gearhead grrrl an apolegy..all i could think when i heard maxidyne,,is you gotta be kidding me,nobody wants em.but now i understand allot more,and yes there probably perfect.from missouri to the east coast..but then again got to be a wise guy,and say i started on a two stick triplex,,,and if you dont like to shift,maybe you need a new hobby,,,lol...keep on truckin guys,,,and keep in touch...time for breakfast,woohoo...bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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