I never here much about Mack trucks on this board ... why?

[FATCAT]

Just curious ... I always see topics about Peterbilts, Kenworths, Internationals, etc... and Cats, Cummins, Detroits, and such ...

but I can't remember ever seeing a topic or anyone saying anything about Mack trucks.



Are Macks junk? Here in the east they seem to be pretty popular and the other day on CNBC I saw a story on Kramer and Kuddlow about "Mack's comback".



It seems that there are a lot of E7-427 and E7-460's, and a lot of gravel companies and such that have fleets of these things.



Are the Mack engines, trannies, and axles not up to par with other engine/transmission/drivetrain companies?

 

[nickleinonen]

i don't know why there is little discussion about them engines and trucks. there doesn't seem to be many problems with their engines and transmissions [them tripple counter shaft trans are huge!!!]. they were the last manufacture to switch over to electronics for the injection system as far as i know. i myself like the newer vision tractors and the granite dump. they look slick...

 

[E7mack96]

lets talk about 'em. I own 8 of them. CL713, Vision, CH 613, Granite.



THey are all great. Low maintenece for sure. That Mack 18 Speed is huge. Triple countershafts let it handle enormous torque loads

 

[JStieger]

E7Mack96, Do the Mack 18 speeds have the same shift pattern as the Roadrangers? Guy at work was telling me that when he worked in paving roads years ago a lot of the Mack's had a multispeed reverse i. e, instead of shifting the lever into reverse, they just flipped a switch and then could run the H pattern in reverse! He didn't say whether they could split each gear in reverse though.

 

[RobertBolinger]

I have always heard they are very tough-too tough for some truckers (one told me the definition of a good salesman was a guy who could sell someone a Mack, and then go back and sell them another Mack, another complained that they rode rough)



Here is an article about a Mack going 409,000 miles on one oil change... although I think it's more of a sales pitch for Amsoil.



http://www.performancempg.com/diesel.htm

 

[Mactruck]

Someone talkin about me???

I love Mack's. My Fire Dept has five of them.

We have a:

1953 antique B series (gas)

1968 R series Pumper

1973 R series Tanker (w/ PTO pump)

1978 R series Pumper

1988 R series Hose Tender/ Pumper



They all run great. We did have a problem finding a replacement Flywheel earlier this year for the 68. Out of service for 6 weeks. We ended resurfacing it to the best we could to get it back in service. We still have not found one that will fit.



Our dept is working on replacing some of the older trucks.

As much as we love our Mack's they are not inexpensive. This has led us to go with less expensive International 4400's as well as 7400's.



I'm on the truck committee and when you price a Mack next to an international. The Mack is almost 40-50K more.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Re: Someone talkin about me???

Originally posted by Mactruck

I love Mack's. My Fire Dept has five of them.

Kevin I guess you could say your handle has more than one meaning

 

[E7mack96]

The mack T2180 transmission is an 18 speed, It drives just like an eaton 18 speed.



I have 4 reverse gears. They involve a certain technique.



You start out in low low reverse, then split the reverse for low-high.



the next part is not supposted to be done, as you can tear out the transmission unless you are good at floating gears.



Then you pull the stick out of reverse, flip the range to high, and the split to low, them match rpms and slide 'er in. then split to high side and you'll be going about 30 in reverse.



I do this all the time backing up long distances.



I don't teach the drivers about the ability to do this.



Now, Mack has come out with a new 10 speed that has the switch for reverse that you mentioned. I don't have any of them yet. Supposedly, you shift just like going foward.





As for ride, Yeah they are rough empty, but they can handle the abuse loaded.



And the salesman has no problem selling to a repeat buyer. Once you go Mack, you'll never go back

 

[tntway]

hey Kev--that old "B" series is SWEET. oh heck ALL or your "R"s are too. have always liked Marlbrough's Macks.



as for the new ones... you should go for REAL fire apparatus.

Not the I Hope it gets there... ... . lol

 

[Mactruck]

Re: Re: Someone talkin about me???

Originally posted by Vaughn MacKenzie

Kevin I guess you could say your handle has more than one meaning

Vaughn, It always has... (more than one meaning that is)



TNT, we just replaced our Rescue with an Int 4400 w/ a DT530 engine. The amount of power is impressive.



We are in the final stages of purchasing a new Tanker. (not a replacement. An additional Oo. )

It may be a 4400 chassis but I'm pushin for the 7400. I tried to get them to go w/ a Freightliner (with an ISC) but no dice.



E7mack96: I agree w/ your rational. Once you go Mack you never go back! Well almost never.

 

[woodsrat]

macks

does mack make a truck??



had six of them got rid of three and dont think ill have any more. .

the old one are not bad but the newer E7-460s just flat out suck had nothing but trouble with them compared to the petes with cats that i run. still have an older superliner that is a good truck.

the rest you can keep.

 

[Will24]

I am a diesel tech student at Pennsylvania College of Technology, here's our mack



#ad

 

[bmoeller]

On the farm where I work, we run 2 CH613's. 1-'95 w/E7-350+ Eaton 9spd. Other, '90 w/EM6-300+ Mack T2050 5 spd.



I really only have 4 complaints with them.



1. Not enough leg room (6' 6") and have the seat back as far as it will go (rubbing against the back of the cab).



2. Changing the oil sucks with the way they have the oil filters arranged (blow-by tube is in the way also).



3. Don't like having the starter when it is, wish they had longer hoods so the motor could be moved ahead like it should be.



4. Wish the engines had more torque in the 1450-1600 rpm range, it is mostly under that range.



Aside from the above, they are great trucks. Very tough and reliable.



We have alot of different people running the grain cart during harvest, and always have problems with certain drivers, who almost always overload the trucks. They take the abuse from it without breaking anything, even with our crappy roads.

 

[bmoeller]

woodsrat- What kind of problems are you having with 460's? Electronic or mechanical?



We're looking to get another truck. Hopefully a CX Vision w/ flat-top sleeper, instead of another CH day-cab like we have. Was hoping that we could find one with a minimum of a 427. Preferably more power like a 460.

 

[tntway]

What a shame Kev..... to bad you're stuck with IH's. as for the tanker, shoulda gone with an AUTOCAR like the one up the road... ... ..... lol

 

[Jeff H]

They at one time built pickups.

 

[J DeMaio]

dl5trees:



The gold bulldog symbolizes a non Mack engine under the hood. What did that old truck have in it, an old 8 or 12 cylinder Detroit?

 

[woodsrat]

macks

the gold dog means that everything is mack. if it dont i got ripped cause all of mine are gold dogs and they all have mack engines.



bmoeller i had problems with everything. but in all fairness the two that were the worst were built together took delivery of them the same day and had trouble with both. They had no power, sure im used to my cats, but that mack 460 is awful. they say the 427 pick up a little better but i have never drove one.

 

[bmoeller]

Re: macks

Originally posted by woodsrat

They had no power, sure im used to my cats, but that mack 460 is awful. they say the 427 pick up a little better but i have never drove one.

That is what I've been told about comparing the 454 and the 427 also. 454 , 427



If I had any say, I would get a KW 900L (or T-600) with either a min. 475 hp (prefer 500-525) N-14 or 3406 Cat, 13spd. Road Ranger, and a flat- top sleeper and can't forget STACKS.



As for the gold bulldog on the hood, if it means it is all Mack, we should have on the 5spd. , as it is all Mack.

 

[barbwire]

speaking of Mack

I was at a Whitmore lubrication seminar,about 15 years ago, and was told that Mack made their own eng. oil. And, they said that it was, at that time, the highest refined oil on the market. This coming from an independent lube specialist, I guess that he had no reason not to tell the truth.