No more Mack manual transmissions

[Mackpro]

A buddy at my old dealership sent me a screenshot of someone at Mack at Hagerstown. It’s states that the last Mack manual transmission rolled of the assembly line today. I’ll try to add the screenshot as soon as possible, 

Edited December 21, 2019 by Mackpro

[JoeH]

That's a shame.

[david wild]

Dah, they finally figured out what I have been saying, probably stop making parts too,  PAI will like that ?

[Swishy]

one of things Mack cog boxes offered was a selective few reverse gears th@ U can change on the run

n @ times we put m all to good use

RoadRangers don't offer a good selection of reverse cogs to shift on the run

we do somtimes shift lo range to hi range on the run but RR dun recommend it

cya

 

[mrsmackpaul]

Yep sadly a sign of the times I guess

Still the best manual transmission ever made for a heavy truck despite what some might say

Very very heavy duty and the strongest transmission with highest torque rating for many decades 

Only when other engine manufacturers built motors with torque ratings as high as Mack did RoadRangers begin getting made with troque ratings comparable to the Maxitorque

Paul

[1965]

My opinion. A Mack truck should be Mack from front to rear. BUT they haven’t really been Mack’s for a long time now! 

[Rob]

18 minutes ago, 1965 said:

My opinion. A Mack truck should be Mack from front to rear. BUT they haven’t really been Mack’s for a long time now! 

My opinion also. Mack started being dismembered as a whole entity in the 1960's when they became one of the "Signal Companies".

[1965]

I was talking about the volvo deal. Always thought the signal deal was ok.

[Rob]

38 minutes ago, 1965 said:

I was talking about the volvo deal. Always thought the signal deal was ok.

Agree there also. However Mack was in trouble in the 1960's and first attempted to merge with the Chrysler Corporation which was blocked by the SEC for some reason. Signal Companies did allow Mack to operate autonomous for many years only interested in profits which one would expect from investors. Renault did the same thing in allowing Mack to be Mack to gain a foothold in the North American truck market(s). This is where much of the needed $$$ to develop the E-7 series of engine came from.

Volvo's long term plan as I see it is much the same as Renault did but to eventually kill the brand with their own branded trucks entirely once the current generation of "Loyalists" die out, (sales wise).

Edited December 21, 2019 by Rob

[Bullheaded]

I saw this too. Yes it is sad, but I can't say it surprises me. Mack didn't do anything to promote their driveline in the last several years. And just about every truck on dealer lots has vendor drivelines. And EVERY time I spoke with dealers about ordering an all Mack truck they ALL talked me out of it and pushed Eaton and Meritor.

So it's pretty sad when the MACK DEALERS talked you out of buying Mack drivelines.

[fjh]

Signal really did little harm Nor did Renault These Volvo Turds Are doing there Damnedest to screw it up!  Though This trans thing was going to happen  anyway as all manufactures   attempt to create  dumber drivers , captivate parts, integrate drivelines ( in the name of the environment) and fuel mileage . Its bound to happen!  I've  not been a huge fan of Mack Trans since the 12 speed ended , Due to the pricing, cost of repair  ect ! It seems that everything these guys attempt to do with brand tends to make it less attractive ! 

[fjh]

20 minutes ago, Bullheaded said:

I saw this too. Yes it is sad, but I can't say it surprises me. Mack didn't do anything to promote their driveline in the last several years. And just about every truck on dealer lots has vendor drivelines. And EVERY time I spoke with dealers about ordering an all Mack truck they ALL talked me out of it and pushed Eaton and Meritor.

 

So it's pretty sad when the MACK DEALERS talked you out of buying Mack drivelines.

On The manual side ! Pretty tough to beat a meritor diff and fuller trans combo for longevity!  they ruined the mack diff this last "Improvement" they did !

Edited December 21, 2019 by fjh

[Mack Technician]

 It’s death by immersion here. My employer is drowning us in a sea of Volvo green. The gift from our company Christmas party is going to be a liter of High Karate and a Rainbow 🌈 colored Volvo Cardigan. 

Edited December 21, 2019 by Mack Technician

[mackey58]

The final nail in Mack's coffin isn't too far away.so sad imo best construction truck ever made

[Jamaican Bulldog]

Really a damn shame. I know automatics are becoming more a common place due to less people knowing how to drive one and the whole powertrain integration for emissions etc but Mack brand equity is carelessly and in some ways purposely wasted

[kscarbel2]

12 hours ago, Rob said:

My opinion also. Mack started being dismembered as a whole entity in the 1960's when they became one of the "Signal Companies".

I respectfully disagree.

[david wild]

You are right, Mack 2 stick trans were the best, I like them, air shift is crap, there are spaces in the 18 Mack that at a certain rpm there is no gear to go to because there is not enough overlap, either your to high or to low and yes we move different freight, but if your going to market a trans as a heavy haul trans then expect to be trashed when it turns out to be trash, yes I too like the multi speed reverse but not enough to put up with the rest of the crap. and don't bother with the ratio page, paper is crap real life it does not work. Democrats have lots of paper to prove they are right real life they are dead wrong.    

[Rob]

29 minutes ago, kscarbel2 said:

I respectfully disagree.

Signal did no harm to Mack but diverted profits needed for further development into pockets of investors which is why they invested in the first place. However, (my thoughts only) this was the beginning of what began the collapse of the brand through "big business" thought processes which ultimately allowed them become vulnerable for takeover, merger, or sale. With decreasing funds available for R&D, ever increasing safety and emissions regulations on the horizon, coupled with an engine platform against it's physical limitations, (E6 series) the company needed capital to survive and along came Renault. Not suggesting that is bad in any aspect as it is business but if the "smaller" mindset would have been worked with and a larger portion of profits kept within the company, we wouldn't have a Volvo involved in the picture as a strong company is usually not vulnerable.

Just my thoughts and may or not be correct as I only know what I've read, or heard and verified.

Thanks,

[Bullheaded]

Kinda like White. look at the powerhouse they used to be. They had 5 major truck brands, a bunch of major agricultural brands, some major heavy equipment brands, power generation companies etc. How does a corporation like that fail????

[Rob]

28 minutes ago, Bullheaded said:

Kinda like White. look at the powerhouse they used to be. They had 5 major truck brands, a bunch of major agricultural brands, some major heavy equipment brands, power generation companies etc. How does a corporation like that fail????

Stockholders first rather than sustainability. The "Signal Companies" were what is referred to as "Corporate Raiders", (IMO) as are many conglomerates. They did the same to many companies such as Fram, Auto-Lite, and others. Not suggesting anything bad or intentional at all, but if a business plan without sustainable growth is not incorporated, it is doomed to fail over the course.

Continuing high dividend payouts in times of loss and maintaining exorbitant executive salaries cannot equal success for a company; maybe for an individual, but not a business. Mack kept stockholders happy and did not retain enough infrastructure support monies to continue. Of course, cease paying out to stockholders and they pull their money out when a company needs it most. No loyalty to a company when you sell off portions of it to investors whom only care about making more money.

White is a good example as is General Motors. Flush with billions in cash from WWII sales they both went on spending sprees acquiring other companies. Some to acquire the technology, some to eliminate competition. Look at the mess both of them are in now. One has survived as a shell of itself, the other defunct and sold off in increments.

Corporate greed is a fitting name.

[Mack Technician]

I worked the first half of my life for business owners and the second half now for a traded company. The mentality and business practices are so polar opposite you wouldn’t guess they exist under the same laws of gravity.

The owners accepted the realities of a feast and famine market.

Not the Corp.......

At the middle of November this Corp gets out a vein shunt and a coffee cup so they can start drinking their own blood till the end of the last quarter. No purchasing unless it causes a shutdown. 

If the company regards something or someone as a noteworthy asset, but outdated for profitability, they/it gets a pic spot on the office wall before being quickly committed to the grave or smelting pot. 

RIP T-300.....  ⚰️ 

Edited December 22, 2019 by Mack Technician

[Maxidyne]

A lot of times the problem is trying to run something they know nothing about. Continental Baking, the bigger company of what merged to become Hostess, was a public company with listed stock and made profits through the depression. Their strength was that pretty much all they did was baking and related stuff like delivery. Then ITT bought them in the late 60s and cut investment, but the company stayed profitable. In the early 80s Ralston Purina bought Continental and another unrelated business, Eveready batteries. They tried running it like a dog food/cereal company and it was a disaster. So they dumped Continental and it merged with an absolute joke of. company, Interstate Brands, to become Hostess. They brought in some cast off execs from Pepsico to run Hostess and they sunk it with debt while product quality deteriorated. No surprise they ran Hostess into the ground.

Meanwhile, United States Bakeries in the Pacific Northwest is run by ex-Continetal Baking executives following the old Continental system and they're profitably the most successful baker in their region. They even bought some of the closed Hostess bakeries and reopened them and put some of the Hostess trucks back on the road.

[kscarbel2]

21 hours ago, Bullheaded said:

Kinda like White. look at the powerhouse they used to be. They had 5 major truck brands, a bunch of major agricultural brands, some major heavy equipment brands, power generation companies etc. How does a corporation like that fail????

Bad new leadership.......and a government which, unlike shrewder foreign governments, does not support truckmakers (as they do automobile manufacturers).

[navypoppop]

Maybe we can get lucky and Volvo will sell off Mack just like they did with Autocar. Autocar at least carved out a niche for their brand in refuse and now expanded with a beautiful AC model conventional that could become a tractor. If Mack engineers and investories could buy it, return to Mack drive lines then maybe the loyalty to Macks could return a true American icon to it's rightful position in the truck world.

[fjh]

On 12/23/2019 at 3:18 AM, navypoppop said:

Maybe we can get lucky and Volvo will sell off Mack just like they did with Autocar. Autocar at least carved out a niche for their brand in refuse and now expanded with a beautiful AC model conventional that could become a tractor. If Mack engineers and investories could buy it, return to Mack drive lines then maybe the loyalty to Macks could return a true American icon to it's rightful position in the truck world.

Ain't nothing left to sell ! A Cab and hood would be a tough sell to anyone in my mind! Hollowed OUT!