New suspension offerings from MACK

[57 bcr]

Received my latest copy of the BULLDOG,on Thursday.Page 8 shows "new" highway and vocational suspensions offerings from MACK.The air-ride highway truck suspension looks new to me,but the vocational suspension is the VOLVO T-Ride (in MACK speak-"mRIDE").I don't know how you guys feel,but this seems like too much VOLVO,and not enough MACK to me! I know-get used to it.I guess,as long as they don't discontinue the Camelback option,it shouldn't matter to me right? On the other hand,they do offer a bigger selection of suspension choices than they used to.Probably, good for them.Good news is the proven MACK top loader carriers,still in place!

[RowdyRebel]

If I were buying a new truck and it was going to have air ride, I'd opt for the Raydan Air-Link. Walking beam suspension with bags instead of a spring...best of both worlds.

BTW, pics can be found here with the writeup on both suspensions...

[Green Dash]

Volvo will keep the Camelback but change the name to V-ride or Mooseback.

[felicello122]

that "new mack airide " looks like junk to me!

[RFCDrum]

Volvo T Ride is a very good and heavy suspension. I agree about the Rayden but never seen one in person. If I bought a Mack I would stick with Camelback but if I anted full lockers then I would opt for the T Ride.

Rob

[57 bcr]

A guy that used to haul out of the same pit as me,had Volvo/White/GMC (like an '89 model) that had T-Ride on it.It seemed like a good suspension on and off the road.My cousin had T-Ride on a Volvo/Autocar,and he thought it was great.I have driven a truck with the Chalmers suspension on it and would consider that too.Hendrickson also makes walking beam/air-ride (similar to the Raydan).Keep in mind,I am talking about vocational truck suspensions.

[RFCDrum]

So was I. That's more what I know is vocational. A guy that used to park next to me in Mahwah bought a new Autocar new style that was all Volvo. It had the 365 Volvo engine with exhaust brake, 8 speed direct Volvo sychro trans, 58 volvo rears on T ride. It must of had a ton of leafs on her! The truck had a Bristol Donald on her and was repoed and wound up by the Jersey Shore. This was back in 89, 90?

[kscarbel]

Received my latest copy of the BULLDOG,on Thursday.Page 8 shows "new" highway and vocational suspensions offerings from MACK.The air-ride highway truck suspension looks new to me,but the vocational suspension is the VOLVO T-Ride (in MACK speak-"mRIDE").I don't know how you guys feel,but this seems like too much VOLVO,and not enough MACK to me! I know-get used to it.I guess,as long as they don't discontinue the Camelback option,it shouldn't matter to me right? On the other hand,they do offer a bigger selection of suspension choices than they used to.Probably, good for them.Good news is the proven MACK top loader carriers,still in place!

I don't mind the new Hendrickson-sourced air suspension, but the addition of the Volvo T-Ride just further reveals Volvo's intention to sell Mack-badged Volvos with their own Volvo global components.

It's not a matter of whether the Volvo T-Ride suspension is good or bad. It's a matter of, if the customer wanted a Volvo, he'd go buy a Volvo.

There is no more Mack engineering. Volvo shut down the former Mack Trucks Engineering, Development and Test Center, which in fact was far superior to the small Volvo R&D unit in Greensboro that has replaced it. But that's okay because, as I personally know and Volvo flat out states, "60% of the Volvo Group R&D is performed in Sweden and the rest in different locations in Europe, US, Asia, South America". The core designing of today's Swedish Macks is done in Sweden (and why not, its mostly Volvo now, aside from the cab and hood).

There are no more Mack engineers. The handful of engineers at Volvo Trucks North America, responsible for North American market Volvo trucks and Swedish Macks, receive a check from Volvo.

What Volvo has done, reduce a global icon to a mere shell of its former self, should be a crime.

[41180]

mack has been offering the t ride / m ride for a few years now only now you can get it with the mack rear ends instead of just vendor axles. t ride is a good suspension. i like camekback but it is pretty outdated and expensive to maintain when it gets old. we went with hedrickson haulmax on the new titan.

[kscarbel]

mack has been offering the t ride / m ride for a few years now only now you can get it with the mack rear ends instead of just vendor axles. t ride is a good suspension. i like camekback but it is pretty outdated and expensive to maintain when it gets old. we went with hedrickson haulmax on the new titan.

The camelback is brilliantly simplistic in design, but more modern suspensions offer greater performance (e.g. articulation) and ride quality with a tolerable increase in design complexity.

With the demise of Mack Trucks, we won't see a modern replacement for the Mack camelback suspensions. Just rebadged Volvo and Hendrickson suspensions.

[fullfuel01]

Nothing will replace a neway in my opinion. Way better the the primax.

[41180]

i think the camelback is the best spring suspension ever made. thatbeing said it has its weaknesses like the small 44k lb frog leg trunions are weak and it seems like when they get old the rubber boxes on the springs wear out quick. we always ran the 50k lb camelback they were bullet proof for atleast the first 8 or 10 yrs of service. i personally would order a new truck with the camelback 52k lb rating if i was the one ordering the trucks but my dad likes the meritor rears better than mack rears.

[RFCDrum]

52'S aren't bad we ran them when I drove for Gulino in my tri axle. They wear out too though. More so than the 58's. Never had many problems with the tandems with the big rubber.

Cheers, Rob