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The U Model Thread. Or porn for Vinny.


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For sure on the Binders-and also the GMC J??? later called Brigadier. What was OAL limit-back then? 55'??

It was 55' at one time but I don't know the exact years or whether it was a federal or a state thing. A selling point of the 90" BBC's was that you could pull a 45' trailer and be within the 55' limit. The close gap between tractor and trailer is evident in some of the Jones pictures.

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Jim

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I believe y'all are all over it with the BBC thing. Not a "new" concept!

Look up a B67 with Contour Cab. Shorter nose/fenders AND the concave cab. Lets you put the trailer right up against you. Lots of stuff they did back then had to do with getting a longer trailer behind them, and still staying within somebody's overall length limit.

The U-models accomplished that without a great deal of re-engineering, and kept the majority of components "common" between several models. Coming from a manufacturing background, I can tell you the importance of sharing components across as many models as possible, as it severely impacts cost.

Even on a U- or DM-model, when not used as a tractor, the shorter cab/hood made room for a longer dump bed or a larger mixer, while keeping the length more manageable.

Then, in later years, the length restrictions relaxed. But, a shorter cab/hood still made sense in tight areas. And, once the marketing people got hold of it, the offset cab became "for better visibility while backing". They turned it into a "feature".

I have driven a "sidewinder" before. And, yes, the view out the driver's side window while backing is great. But, as someone else pointed out, you practically lose the passenger's side of the truck!

Most of the off-road dumps I have driven (Euclid, Terex, etc...) had the little "chicken coop" cab offset to the left as well. Same deal, I suppose. It did make visibility better out that window. And, again, the RH side was a looonnng way over there!

Personally, though, I believe they just made the offset cabs to give us more ammunition to pick on Vinny! Falling over...kickstands...whatever. If we didn't have that, we might have to actually be nice to him! Sorry Vin! Remember; I kid because I care!!!

"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines."

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Most newer trucks have wider cabs and the driver sits to the left.

Accomplishes the same thing, doesn't it? Move the driver off to one side and the passenger to the other, and let the "dog house" intrude into the middle.

Hey, I know what we could do! Make the cab full-width, raise it up, and put the engine directly under the floor. Do away with the hood altogether. Might have to make the dog house bigger, separating the two seats into 2 "pods". We could even think up something clever to call it...something that sort of described the shape...like, maybe COE, for Cab Over Engine. We could even abbreviate that, and call it a "cabover" for short!

Wait...has that already been done?

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"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines."

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Probably a little bigger.

Thinking it is a LM model.

LMSW-M or LMSW-L are 2 models I remember. I think, with that type radiator, it might be the LMSW-L. But, please don't hold me to that!

Suppose that .."SW".. nomenclature is where the "sidewinder" nickname came from???

"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines."

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SW was Mack speak for six wheeler which to us is a tandem.

LJ is "standard' duty.

LJX is a heavy duty, single axle LJ.

LJSWX is a heavy duty, tandem LJ.

SW seems to be gone after the L model. With the B model, it was B-61X single heavy duty and then a B-61SX was a tandem heavy duty.

Jim

It doesn't cost anything to pay attention.

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I was shown Mack paperwork for A models that said "X=excavator". It did not specify heavy duty on the paper. I don't know how to interpret it, but that is what is said. Most B models I have seen with an X have heavier axles, but I have a B42X single axle dump truck that is not a heavy truck. I have a B 42S that is a tandem dump, ,but with no heavy components. I have a B42SX that had a tar body on it that has very heavy axles. I am no expert, just passing along what I have seen. Mike

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SW stood for six wheel

SW was Mack speak for six wheeler which to us is a tandem.

LJ is "standard' duty.

LJX is a heavy duty, single axle LJ.

LJSWX is a heavy duty, tandem LJ.

SW seems to be gone after the L model. With the B model, it was B-61X single heavy duty and then a B-61SX was a tandem heavy duty.

Come on guys! That was a joke!

"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines."

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in a B42X, X meant it had double frame. quarry up by us had 100's of B42x's with double frames, 23,000 rears, 8,000 fronts. they all had Fa505 fronts with erie wheels, not the Mack ones and had 1100x20's on them with quarry treads. Mack lost the X in the Sx with the B42's later one. most of the 61-66 B42's were just B42S with 38 rears and FA517 fronts.

post-6-0-64947600-1408238925_thumb.jpg

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Most of the off-road dumps I have driven (Euclid, Terex, etc...) had the little "chicken coop" cab offset to the left as well. Same deal, I suppose. It did make visibility better out that window. And, again, the RH side was a looonnng way over there!

Standard dump truck practice back then was to stand outside the cab or operators station and look backwards when backing up. Offsetting the cab allowed the operator to see past the dump box and still reach the steering wheel. I think it was the Boulder Dam Macks that had a platform to stand on with a throttle just for that use.

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Standard dump truck practice back then was to stand outside the cab or operators station and look backwards when backing up. Offsetting the cab allowed the operator to see past the dump box and still reach the steering wheel. I think the Boulder Dam Macks had a platform to stand on with a throttle just for that use.

I seem to remember seeing a picture of that.

"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines."

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