farmer52 Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 My MH has an EM7 300 Maxidyne with T2050 transmission. I too would like a few more gears but I am learning to let it lug around 1200-1000 rpm and shifting at 1600-1800 rpm. I am only bobtailing so it does a good job pulling its own weight at low rpms. Quote Ken PRR Country and Charter member of the "Mack Pack" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 Sorry for the poor spelling LOL..I'm typing from my "smart phone".......trust me babba,,cant be any worst than mine,with a full keyboard.lol!!!!.bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GearheadGrrrl Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 The current 6 speed Maxitorque transmission would probably not cause as many "between gears" problems as the 5 speeds did. The ratios are what they call "gathered", with a 40% split between 5th and 6th and the splits getting wider as you go down through the gears. So with a 2100 RPM governed speed you could downshift to 5th at 1500 and to 4th at around 1400 or so. I figured it out once and even with the smaller MP7 Maxidyne you could keep the engine above 1300 RPM even on a 6% grade at 80,000 pounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post greendog32 Posted May 28, 2011 Popular Post Share Posted May 28, 2011 that was the great thing about the twelve speed,you could drive it like 5 speed empty.but when loaded you had the option to split every gear.too bad they stopped making them. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullhusk Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I don't know...Maybe I just got a bad batch of Maxie's back in 1987? but I bought 4 new R600's with 300 6speed's (2stick) 4.17 Mack rears Rayco sup. for pullin cement tankers. After the firest 75K it started with the Ambec inj pumps thay started to wipe out the inner bushings then I had to put a spare fan clutch in the trucks along with a set of belts, then there was the bushings in the water pumps!! So my Saturdays I was changin water pumps, belts an fan clutchs. So I said the hell with this so I went an bought a couple of Superliners with E6 350's an T2090 trans, 4.64 rears with the new Robert Bosch P7100 inj. pump!! no more pump trouble!! I instead started braking shifting forks in the 2090 an blowin up the trans an I do mean blowin up!! thats what happens when a trans gets stuck between 2 gears!! Now after the 2'nd trans. Mack tells me that they make a new shifting cover with heavier forks an rails!! OK that's nice but what about the first 2? well anyway Mack never stepped up to the plate for any of the above. I now own F-Liners Classic's With Detroits an I have yet to have an issue with warranty an even when is over they still give me some help. Maybe Mack has gotten better? But I del. to a lot of concrete co's in the NY Metro that used to be 100% Mack an are now Western Star an front discharge mixers! the drivers I talk to don't much like the front loaders (cab is to small) but they like both W-Star an Mack for driver comfort an handling. Ernie DS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lmackattack Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Yea Mack lost a lot of sales in the 90s to other truck mfg due to poor warranty standards and limited truck models. The 12 speed was imo the best trans for a maxidyne.like you said...drive it like a 5 speed empty or split the last 2 holes when loaded. It had overdrive in 5th hi, or that deep deep reduction in that low hole gear on the dash switch... only thing that was a problem was the range selector clutch packs..always let the feats grind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullhusk Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Yea Mack lost a lot of sales in the 90s to other truck mfg due to poor warranty standards and limited truck models. The 12 speed was imo the best trans for a maxidyne.like you said...drive it like a 5 speed empty or split the last 2 holes when loaded. It had overdrive in 5th hi, or that deep deep reduction in that low hole gear on the dash switch... only thing that was a problem was the range selector clutch packs..always let the feats grind.Lmack, I never had a 12 speed; but have heard nothing but good things about them!! I also know of a few guys up my way who took out the 2090's an changed the bellhousing an put 8LL Fullers in there Macks Ernie DS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 I don't know...Maybe I just got a bad batch of Maxie's back in 1987? but I bought 4 new R600's with 300 6speed's (2stick) 4.17 Mack rears Rayco sup. for pullin cement tankers. After the firest 75K it started with the Ambec inj pumps thay started to wipe out the inner bushings then I had to put a spare fan clutch in the trucks along with a set of belts, then there was the bushings in the water pumps!! So my Saturdays I was changin water pumps, belts an fan clutchs. So I said the hell with this so I went an bought a couple of Superliners with E6 350's an T2090 trans, 4.64 rears with the new Robert Bosch P7100 inj. pump!! no more pump trouble!! I instead started braking shifting forks in the 2090 an blowin up the trans an I do mean blowin up!! thats what happens when a trans gets stuck between 2 gears!! Now after the 2'nd trans. Mack tells me that they make a new shifting cover with heavier forks an rails!! OK that's nice but what about the first 2? well anyway Mack never stepped up to the plate for any of the above. I now own F-Liners Classic's With Detroits an I have yet to have an issue with warranty an even when is over they still give me some help. Maybe Mack has gotten better? But I del. to a lot of concrete co's in the NY Metro that used to be 100% Mack an are now Western Star an front discharge mixers! the drivers I talk to don't much like the front loaders (cab is to small) but they like both W-Star an Mack for driver comfort an handling. Ernie DSthats very interesting,,glad you found what you need,unfortunate about the warrenty,i had pretty good luck with warrenty 20 years ago...seeya bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullhusk Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 thats very interesting,,glad you found what you need,unfortunate about the warrenty,i had pretty good luck with warrenty 20 years ago...seeya bobGary W Gray Trucking out of Delaware NJ ran a fleet of about 50 or 60 R's an 427 CH'S 100% Mack.. Today? not a one,he had the same prob. Mack left him hi & dry back in the late 90's so it wasn't just me... But it looks like Mack has got there act together? seems like there sellin a lot of trucks,an thats a good thing!! Ernie DS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 ya thats not cool at all,ive been out of macks for 21 years now,used to be an owner op,,company driver now,,,but thats not good business at all.we run cummins,in our kenworths,they seem to be unbreakable.only petty electric switch problems.what i didnt like mostly,about mack,at least here,was those dam fuel lines exploding,leaving you strandid in the middle of nowhere,nearest parts like 300 mile from where you are,and i usually had to tow it.ca ching ca ching.just for a dumb fuel line nobody had,rite?...bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwiaussiemoto Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Just to clarify the the Mack terminology Rear suspension is "CAMELBACK" & Econodyne succeeded Maxidyne. While Jakes were fitted to some the Dynatard was OEM engine brake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeamsterGrrrl Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Nice Macks you've been drivin' there, mate! Here in the USA Maxidyne engine ratings are still available, but the wide ratio transmissions to match them pretty much ain't. However, Mack's website says something similar to the old Maxidyne/5 speed Maxitorque is still available, in the form of the 395 HP MP7 Econodyne with the T306 gathered ratio transmission. IMHO this would make a cool old school powertrain for on highway use at our low (36 ton) U.S. weight limits- You'd need only 5 gears to go from a stop to freeway cruise speed, yet with the 40% split between the top two gears you wouldn't have the engine screaming and wasting fuel before you could upshift like the old 5 speeds did. Pair that with the current Mack air lift pusher for a 6 by 2 bogie and you'd have a heck of a lightweight, high efficiency combination... But of course, they'll only let you have the factory air lift pusher setup with the fragile Volvo automated manual transmission. 'Spose you could just buy the tractor as a 4 by 2 and DIY the pusher axle, but then you may as well buy a glider from Daimler or Paccar and really do it up right! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackdog2 Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 I pulled into a job last week with a 1978 DM triaxle the super ask if it was late 80s no his company use to by macks 20-30 a year the last batch mack had to change all the frames on the CLs now they went to Kenwoths and not lookin back between the two company's they have 200 plus rolloffs triaxle dumps and tractors. Quote Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swishy Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 My 2 cents worth sez: Mack iz bomb proof we had a cool power 300 with a 2 stik 6 speed ..... we din kno how it twould handle Heavy Haul = No Worries only problem U tend to cum off hills in tooo higher gears n burn the brakes just need th@ in between gear n drive n the 6 speed twaz the next best thing to an automatic az U did half the gear changes th@ U do with a screemer n RR we used the engine brake to kill the revs Between gears n U were able to pull the lever straight thru with no time for a cig With Mack we luvz the multi speed reverse az U can shift m on the run LOL cya §wishy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
41180 Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 18 hours ago, blackdog2 said: I pulled into a job last week with a 1978 DM triaxle the super ask if it was late 80s no his company use to by macks 20-30 a year the last batch mack had to change all the frames on the CLs now they went to Kenwoths and not lookin back between the two company's they have 200 plus rolloffs triaxle dumps and tractors. Seems strange breaking frames in CL. They are a rugged truck must of been spec'd wrong . We had 3 CL log trucks with 600k to 700k miles and the frames were all still good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackdog2 Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 The log chassis are heavier spec frames but some choose to go that route for dumps it all comes down to $$$$$$. Back in the 80s I work for a large rigging company that had 150 tractors 99% Macks and we did things you wouldn't believe what we move around New England they wasn't the fastest but no accidents Quote Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
41180 Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 9 3 hours ago, blackdog2 said: The log chassis are heavier spec frames but some choose to go that route for dumps it all comes down to $$$$$$. Back in the 80s I work for a large rigging company that had 150 tractors 99% Macks and we did things you wouldn't believe what we move around New England they wasn't the fastest but no accidents The frame is the worst place to try to save money . To me your better off making your truck a little heavier and a little bit more expensive and know it's gonna hold up. Yeah when I was a kid here in western new England mack was the leader in construction, heavy haul ,forestry . Things have certainly changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtymilkman Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Any brand truck is only as good as the service you get and how knowledgeable the salesman is that's helping you spec it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbigrig Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 On 31 mai 2016 at 0:35 PM, logtruckman said: 9 The frame is the worst place to try to save money . To me your better off making your truck a little heavier and a little bit more expensive and know it's gonna hold up. Yeah when I was a kid here in western new England mack was the leader in construction, heavy haul ,forestry . Things have certainly changed. The crossmember behind the cab on the CL's with double frames were a common and constant problem up here. Mack never did come up with a better crossmember they would just be replaced one after another. Seemed as if the frame was rigid as heck on the back side but up near the cab it was the weak link in the chain. Dump guys had it the worst as some hoist cylinders were mounted very close to the failed cross member. CL was commonly used up here for tri axle dump trucks through the 90's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
41180 Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 We never broke a crossmember on a CL . They were straight trucks 265 wheelbase loader on back . Severe off road use . 700k miles I have heard of that crossmember issue luckily we didn't have thato issue . There was quite a few CL log trucks in new England from 94 to 01 most were replaced with brand x trucks when traded . We liked ours they were just as good as the superliners we had Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtymilkman Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 I broke one behind cab crossmember. Then the parts guy said you can get severe duty ones. After that never an issue. Most parts guys never heard of the severe duty ones or they're to lazy to do the research. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kscarbel2 Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 On June 4, 2016 at 1:54 AM, Dirtymilkman said: I broke one behind cab crossmember. Then the parts guy said you can get severe duty ones. After that never an issue. Most parts guys never heard of the severe duty ones or they're to lazy to do the research. That's odd to hear. But no doubt the boys at Watts would steer you in the right direction. The former Mack Trucks had a service bulletin on the retrofit of the severe duty crossmembers (e.g. 9QL4551M and M8 variants). We sold thousands, and I never saw one of these replacement crossmembers fail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
03' Big Red Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 (edited) I have a 03 RD, I recently had my local Mack Dealer change software and turbo to the AMI 370 wow what a diderence she pulls from about 1200 to 2150 every gear. It has the Eaton 8LL and 4:42 gears and 24.5 tires. is there a transmission that would be better suited for this combo ? i really like the idea of the 5 speeds used in the 70's and 80's !! although my 4:42 ratio wouldn't work so well with that trans Edited September 22, 2016 by 03' Big Red Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeamsterGrrrl Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 Your Eaton 8LL will work fine, just have to shift more. A wide ratio Maxitorque 6 or 7 speed would be nice, but probably not worth swapping on a 23 year old truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
03' Big Red Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 My trans is scheduled for replacement in the future,what would be involved in a Mack trans ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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