Axle mounted Steering box

[ws721]

Got into a discussion the other day with a friend who says that Superliners only had axle mounted steering boxes for 2 years.  I always thought that All Superliners, not Superliner II square headlights and air ride cabs, had the axle mounted steering box.  Wasnt until the Superliner II came out in 85 that they had the same front clip as a MH Ultraliner with frame mounted steering box.  Where as the Superliner, round headlights and no air ride cab used a front clip from the Cruiseliner.  Im sure there are those reading this who will enlighten me if i am incorrect. 

[mowerman]

Sorry I can’t help but I’m sure somebody else will chime in. I’ve never seen a super liner with round headlights.

[mowerman]

I did have an 83 cruise liner grill look the same ans an superliner and I think my steering box was on the axle. It was a Ross box. I don’t even know how I remember that I traded it in 35 years ago for a U model. Bob

[Vladislav]

Also no direct answer but a point to guess from. My 1983 Cruiseliner was made at Macungie plant. And has the axle mounted box. The round headlights Superliners had their chassis style similar to Cruiseliner. No matter they were assembled at Hayward or later at Macungie. And as long as they used Cruiseliner chassis (and there was NO Ultraliner chassis before 1984) and that chassis didn't have a spot for mounting the steering gear, the latter must be having place on the axle beam.

An add note from my side. I always keep my eyes open for chassis wievs of different Mack trucks and Superliners are near the center of the focus. Of what I ever saw there were no early series Superliner chassis with chassis mounted steering box.

[Vladislav]

On 9/6/2024 at 6:21 AM, mowerman said:

Sorry I can’t help but I’m sure somebody else will chime in. I’ve never seen a super liner with round headlights.

Double round headlights. In rectangular bezels.

[Dan Fleming]

1976 to 1984 superliners 1 had steering box on axle

On 7/14/2023 at 9:12 PM, macattack said:

Don't think i see a hand primer.  Where would it be located?  What does it look like?

Thanks

 

 

[mowerman]

3 hours ago, Vladislav said:

Double round headlights. In rectangular bezels.

OK, got you. Maybe let’s why I never really noticed… square bezels probably threw me off. Kind of hard to say I moved out of the area 45 years ago so I missed a lot and there wasn’t a whole lot of them out here

[mowerman]

hand primer on mine

[mechohaulic]

hand primer was a major asset in a road call toolbox. especially when "cost cutting" started to eliminate them on newer units, or they were removed by a mechanic to put in his toolbox! LOL

[cruiseliner64]

4 hours ago, Vladislav said:

Double round headlights. In rectangular bezels.

Did the austrailian and new zealand Cruiseliner and superliner have rectangular headlights? My 82 Cruiseliner has axel mounted steering box and round headlights in round bezels.

[mowerman]

3 hours ago, mechohaulic said:

hand primer was a major asset in a road call toolbox. especially when "cost cutting" started to eliminate them on newer units, or they were removed by a mechanic to put in his toolbox! LOL

I might be eliminating mine… truck loses prime real fast I’m going to change all the lines soon and will just bypass it 

[ws721]

20 hours ago, Vladislav said:

Also no direct answer but a point to guess from. My 1983 Cruiseliner was made at Macungie plant. And has the axle mounted box. The round headlights Superliners had their chassis style similar to Cruiseliner. No matter they were assembled at Hayward or later at Macungie. And as long as they used Cruiseliner chassis (and there was NO Ultraliner chassis before 1984) and that chassis didn't have a spot for mounting the steering gear, the latter must be having place on the axle beam.

An add note from my side. I always keep my eyes open for chassis wievs of different Mack trucks and Superliners are near the center of the focus. Of what I ever saw there were no early series Superliner chassis with chassis mounted steering box.

The MH Ultraliner came out in 82, had round headlights. They replaced the F model which ended in 81.  Prior to 84 the Ultraliner was a limited production truck

[Mark T]

6 hours ago, ws721 said:

The MH Ultraliner came out in 82, had round headlights. They replaced the F model which ended in 81.  Prior to 84 the Ultraliner was a limited production truck

I think you're confusing the Ultraliner with the Cruiseliner.

[mowerman]

Almost sounds like it ….somebody else jumped in there and asked about hand pump. I don’t even think that had anything to do. With this….Not entirely sure what this tread is all about lol bob 

[Vladislav]

On 9/7/2024 at 11:05 PM, cruiseliner64 said:

Did the austrailian and new zealand Cruiseliner and superliner have rectangular headlights? My 82 Cruiseliner has axel mounted steering box and round headlights in round bezels.

Australian and NZ Cruiseliners had rectangular headlights indeed. But from talks on here I figured those were quite few in number, something like a hundered trucks count.

Down Under Superliners had appearance similar to American ones. If we speak about the headlights. With minor nuances though.

We go off-topic here with that, so better to initiate a separate thread on the subject.

[mrsmackpaul]

On 9/8/2024 at 6:05 AM, cruiseliner64 said:

Did the austrailian and new zealand Cruiseliner and superliner have rectangular headlights? My 82 Cruiseliner has axel mounted steering box and round headlights in round bezels.

Australian Superliners had round head liggts series one

Series 2 had rectangular head lights and a different bonnet altogether as the cabs were higher and bonnets came up to meet this extra height

The headlight mount was shifted further down the mudguard to keep legal in Australia 

This is hardly noticable

The series two cab was higher, about 2 inches to allow for extra cooling as the cab at normal height is to hot to touch near floor area as it will burn

Paul

[ws721]

On 9/8/2024 at 2:54 PM, Mark T said:

I think you're confusing the Ultraliner with the Cruiseliner.

How so?   Cruiseliner came out in 76,  Ultraliner came out in 82 or 83.   I'm eager to learn so correct me if i am wrong.

[Mark T]

8 hours ago, ws721 said:

How so?   Cruiseliner came out in 76,  Ultraliner came out in 82 or 83.   I'm eager to learn so correct me if i am wrong.

I thought the Ultraliner was the MH. Cruiseliner replaced the F Model.  Not sure, I think they were a WS ?  (not sure on that)  They shared a frame with the Superliner. Then the Ultraliner came after the Cruiseliner, and again shared a frame with the series two Superliner.

[ws721]

11 hours ago, Mark T said:

I thought the Ultraliner was the MH. Cruiseliner replaced the F Model.  Not sure, I think they were a WS ?  (not sure on that)  They shared a frame with the Superliner. Then the Ultraliner came after the Cruiseliner, and again shared a frame with the series two Superliner.

Yes the MH is the Ultraliner, which came out in 82 or 83. The Cruiseliner came out in 76 and ran thru 83. The F model ceased production in 81.  The Ultraliner replaced the F model. And yes the Cruiseliner is a WS model.  The Cruiseliner is a westcoast design and built there until 81. The last 3 years of the WS Cruiseliner were built in Pa. Same cab but very different interior and had a Grilldenser off the Superliner. Where as the westcoast built Cruiseliners just had a stamped grill. IS that about as clear as mud? Hopefully that sheds some light on the subject

[Mark T]

My buddy's father went from an F Model to a Cruiseliner  back @ 1980 . Only thing I knew at that point was it was cool.  They're all a rare sight around these parts nowadays.

[Vladislav]

So seeing the dates it more looks to me that MH Ultraliner swapped out WS Cruiseliner if we observe the fact from a view point of market niche. As long as Cruiseliner was in production (in PA closer to the end) there was no big need offering another cabover (Ultraliner). And F-model was already discontinued (in 1981-?)

Would be interesting to learn better the time frame Ultraliner came into production. I thought first series trucks were made in late 1984. Sure read it somewhere (in Kevin's posts?). I was not at Mack plant seeing actual trucks leaving the assembly line.

[ws721]

I too, was hopeing that someone with knowledge would chime in here and help out.