Wasteaway Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 The only thing I know for sure is that the Western Contractor RD has a hood that is 55" long vs. 57 1/2" for a regular RD model. Also, the fenders measure 17" high on the backside, vertically, behind the front wheels on my truck. Not sure if ONLY the WC RD has this measurement as I have read that 13" is a common height in that part of the fender. My question is; what other differences are there between the two models? I doubt Mack built both just to have one with a slightly shorter hood. Anyone an expert on this? Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/48007-western-contractor-rd-vs-rd/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtymilkman Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 The one I had had all aluminum battery boxes, air tanks and fuel tanks. I think the front axle had a different setback. I know the mud flaps were just rubber flaps on the hood where the Rd had the nice plastic fenders. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/48007-western-contractor-rd-vs-rd/#findComment-354902 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wasteaway Posted December 13, 2016 Author Share Posted December 13, 2016 I believe mine has all those things. IDK about the axle setback. I wonder if the hood is also taller by a bit and if the WC is more compact in other dimensions than just the hood. Like I said, I can't see a truck manufacturer making two different body dimensions for such a minor difference only. Though the regular RD does come in 3 different fender lengths, 13", 14 1/2", and 17". Go figure Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/48007-western-contractor-rd-vs-rd/#findComment-354904 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtymilkman Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 Most WC RDs were under mixers. 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/48007-western-contractor-rd-vs-rd/#findComment-355001 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wasteaway Posted December 15, 2016 Author Share Posted December 15, 2016 As was mine..... Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/48007-western-contractor-rd-vs-rd/#findComment-355152 Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbigrig Posted December 21, 2016 Share Posted December 21, 2016 The only difference is the front bumper to hood grill (cannot have any bumper sticker out past the front of hood. must be a flat line top to ground) and axle spacing for bridge law. the whole design has to do with bridge law out west. they count the bumper to back of a cab as a dimension that must be a certain length. also the normal mount of the bumper on any Mack is usually out past the grill. for some reason that bumper sticking out is taken into the bridge law formula. don't ask me why I don't understand it my self. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/48007-western-contractor-rd-vs-rd/#findComment-355683 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeamsterGrrrl Posted December 21, 2016 Share Posted December 21, 2016 It's the distance from the axle centerline to front bumper that's critical- many states allowed a straight truck to be 40' long and for bridge formula purposes rounded fractions of a foot up or down. So a 3 axle mixer with a boost-a-load would have both the front steering and rear boost-a-load axle as close to the ends of the truck as possible, allowing an outer axle bridge dimension of just a hair over 35'6" which was rounded up to 36' in a 40 foot overall length. Thus the 28" bumper to front axle center dimension on a RD Western Contractor Special got the buyer an extra 500 to 1000 pounds of payload. 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/48007-western-contractor-rd-vs-rd/#findComment-355687 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wasteaway Posted December 23, 2016 Author Share Posted December 23, 2016 Huh. Who knew? Makes sense.....not the law, the explanation. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/48007-western-contractor-rd-vs-rd/#findComment-355807 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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