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Was just saying I can't ever get pics of RB tractors and today I got a Cooling Sod Farm RB headed east on rt20.

I think Dan Lodesky Trucking of Gurnee,Il. started the RB tractor "trend" in this area.His right-hand man,the late,great Elmer VanHaake,"shaved" hundreds if not thousands of pounds off of the stock R model by going to the RB lightweight spec tractor.After having success with his specs,N.I. Mack was selling bunches of those RB's.Many are still earning their owners some money,as you can see. :bulldog1:

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IF YOU BOUGHT IT, A TRUCK BROUGHT IT..AND WHEN YOU'RE DONE WITH IT, A TRUCK WILL HAUL IT AWAY!!! Big John Trimble,WRVA

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The RB never caught on big around here,mainly I think because the dealer didn't push them. I wanted to order one in '97 when I got the one and only new truck I've ever had,but they convinced me to get a CH instead. There are a few still running around here,2 dump trucks and a roll off/container truck.

Yeah,I think the bulk of them were like you said Mike,dumps & roll offs.Heavy duty chassis. I didn't even consider one for my application.I didn't like the shorter wheelbase (= shorter bridge-less gross weight/payload) for the same empty weight as my RD.No brainer.But some salesmen sold a few RB chassis around here.

IF YOU BOUGHT IT, A TRUCK BROUGHT IT..AND WHEN YOU'RE DONE WITH IT, A TRUCK WILL HAUL IT AWAY!!! Big John Trimble,WRVA

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The RB never caught on big around here,mainly I think because the dealer didn't push them. I wanted to order one in '97 when I got the one and only new truck I've ever had,but they convinced me to get a CH instead. There are a few still running around here,2 dump trucks and a roll off/container truck.

The fella that used to be a the general manager in Rockford's opinion was that the RB was the most overlooked Mack, for many different applications. We had one for a few years and it was a good truck. I can't find any pictures of it.

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Today I was up behind the chedder curtain and nowhere near Chicago (thank God for small favors) and I spotted a couple Macks.

Another RB rolloff truck, a square nose R at the ethanol plant I was at. I don't think that plow truck has moved in three years, and

back in the Land of Lincoln I spotted a nice looking Value-Liner six wheeler near Big Foot IL right by the border. Don't think I have

ever seen it before. Al or Brad, you guys know who the Value-Liner belongs to?

I don't know the truck either, and that bothers me.
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Today I was up behind the chedder curtain and nowhere near Chicago (thank God for small favors) and I spotted a couple Macks.

Another RB rolloff truck, a square nose R at the ethanol plant I was at. I don't think that plow truck has moved in three years, and

back in the Land of Lincoln I spotted a nice looking Value-Liner six wheeler near Big Foot IL right by the border. Don't think I have

ever seen it before. Al or Brad, you guys know who the Value-Liner belongs to?

That Value-Liner might be Randy Powell from Powell's Sand & Gravel of Big Foot.Been awhile since I've seen it.

IF YOU BOUGHT IT, A TRUCK BROUGHT IT..AND WHEN YOU'RE DONE WITH IT, A TRUCK WILL HAUL IT AWAY!!! Big John Trimble,WRVA

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Speaking of R-models I have not seen I just found out that these three trucks are parked two miles from my house and

have been there for some time and I never knew it. They are on private property so no close ups but they all seem to be

in half way decent shape. I guess the owner is just storing them there till they turn to dust I'm sure. They look like nice

projects for somebody.

Not too many clues here. I see the hood scoop on the Western, so that puts it in the mid 70's, the trailer is an old Heil that belonged to Harry W. Kuhn judging by the unit number. The far R-model I would guess to be an 88 or 89. I don't like seeing Macks from my area that I don't know.
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Not too many clues here. I see the hood scoop on the Western, so that puts it in the mid 70's, the trailer is an old Heil that belonged to Harry W. Kuhn judging by the unit number. The far R-model I would guess to be an 88 or 89. I don't like seeing Macks from my area that I don't know.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that way.

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The RB never caught on big around here,mainly I think because the dealer didn't push them. I wanted to order one in '97 when I got the one and only new truck I've ever had,but they convinced me to get a CH instead. There are a few still running around here,2 dump trucks and a roll off/container truck.

We have 5 RB tractor on the run. Sorry for posting canadian truck in the chicago Thread! They're nice but being built with heavy spec and short wb don't help the ride!

post-44-0-96138400-1380254724_thumb.jpg

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Speaking of RB's, I saw another one today. I have seen it before and actually took a pic of it at Corn Products in Bedford Park

three years ago, and today it was right in front of me and got a little better pic of it.

That one started out as Lodesky truck, then an owner operator leased to Kanney had it.
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Here is another one from the Tom Bronge collection of a Northern IL Mack tow truck. Looks like is was a square nose R with

a B-81 grill on it. I don't remember this truck. Al am I correct in my guessing?

As I remember,it was a BCR on the chassis of a B-81 (PeterMack&2stacksuperdog-good eyes) & hood side panels off an steel hood RD with tastefully shop-built fenders.I think Todd Steffenhagen was chief engineer/builder on this project.

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IF YOU BOUGHT IT, A TRUCK BROUGHT IT..AND WHEN YOU'RE DONE WITH IT, A TRUCK WILL HAUL IT AWAY!!! Big John Trimble,WRVA

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