newmercman:
It would be a much better idea for the boffins at Freightliner (and the rest) to concentrate on making sure their current trucks could manage to pass by a dealership without breaking down before they start poncing around with fancy models for the future
Yeap , my truck has been broken down in Brandon since 11.30 this morning How can the manufacturers get away with marketing this utter junk ?
Because they dont know and have never had anything any better over here. If its got a big hood, a low seat, a tall gear stick and loads and loads of dials on the dashboard then its a good quality machine. If its got modern technology like an I-shift, disc brakes and no stacks on the side of the cab so you can actually see to reverse then its “European junk” and we wont be having any of that, thank you very much.
newmercman:
It would be a much better idea for the boffins at Freightliner (and the rest) to concentrate on making sure their current trucks could manage to pass by a dealership without breaking down before they start poncing around with fancy models for the future
Yeap , my truck has been broken down in Brandon since 11.30 this morning How can the manufacturers get away with marketing this utter junk ?
Because they dont know and have never had anything any better over here. If its got a big hood, a low seat, a tall gear stick and loads and loads of dials on the dashboard then its a good quality machine. If its got modern technology like an I-shift, disc brakes and no stacks on the side of the cab so you can actually see to reverse then its “European junk” and we wont be having any of that, thank you very much.
newmercman:
It would be a much better idea for the boffins at Freightliner (and the rest) to concentrate on making sure their current trucks could manage to pass by a dealership without breaking down before they start poncing around with fancy models for the future
Yeap , my truck has been broken down in Brandon since 11.30 this morning How can the manufacturers get away with marketing this utter junk ?
Because they dont know and have never had anything any better over here. If its got a big hood, a low seat, a tall gear stick and loads and loads of dials on the dashboard then its a good quality machine. If its got modern technology like an I-shift, disc brakes and no stacks on the side of the cab so you can actually see to reverse then its “European junk” and we wont be having any of that, thank you very much.
That’s why Volvo has to Americanize it’s product to sell trucks. I shift I’d say most of us could live without unless you do a lot of city work and I know fly sheets firm had a few problems with it.
One of our firms owner drivers has a Volvo all be it with a fuller box I used it round the yard shunting trailers and I was realy impressed. It drove nice and as you say been actually able to see out of the mirrors while reversing was nice.
Pat Hasler:
It would be perfect for Swift’s, J B Hunt’s or Werners as they never use their mirrors anyway
Newmercman recons freightliner have a man on the production line with a hammer making dents in the Werner trucks as you never see one with out a dent or a bit missing
jonnytruckfest:
Apparently this is the new Freightliner that’s hitting the US market. I reckon its the same people who made the actros now designing the new Freightliner. Personally I think it looks ugly, and although the concept is somewhat good some of the Ideas i reckon are just bad for instance replacing the mirrors with cameras, not the best Idea I reckon!!!
At least with the Cascadia’s and Volvo’s you don’t run the risk of falling out the door when trying to see where the back of the trailer is when jacknifing into a loading bay as happens with the ‘‘traditional’’ style of american trucks, they’re ok reversing so long as you can see the trailer rear in the mirrors which on my Peterbilt only swivel side to side and are ok for watching the clouds go by, try to see the trailer wheels and you have to stand up in the seat, can’t wait till our new Volvos arrive next month for a nice quiet truck with good visibility, decent mirrors and cubbyholes around the dash to put things in not to mention more room between the seats.
chazzer:
At least with the Cascadia’s and Volvo’s you don’t run the risk of falling out the door when trying to see where the back of the trailer is when jacknifing into a loading bay as happens with the ‘‘traditional’’ style of american trucks, they’re ok reversing so long as you can see the trailer rear in the mirrors which on my Peterbilt only swivel side to side and are ok for watching the clouds go by, try to see the trailer wheels and you have to stand up in the seat, can’t wait till our new Volvos arrive next month for a nice quiet truck with good visibility, decent mirrors and cubbyholes around the dash to put things in not to mention more room between the seats.
I was pleased to do a year in an old Freightliner Classic when I first arrived in Canada as it looks the part of the traditional Amrican truck but it was a pig to manouver. Since then I’ve had a few Cascadias and a Volvo and while they dont look like the stereotypical American big rig, they’re nicer to drive and definetely easier to back in to places. I certainly wouldn’t want to go back to something like a Classic of a 379 etc.
Our company tried out a solution from Freightliner to fix the dirty mirror problem on our Casadias, it was a little rubber lip thing that was stuck on the lower sides of the windscreen, did’nt work
I don’t like the idea of no passenger door and wonder if that rear slideing door on the new truck would still work if the cab gets bent in a wreck ?
All that modern technology and i’ll bet it’s got a ‘crash gearbox’
remy:
Our company tried out a solution from Freightliner to fix the dirty mirror problem on our Casadias, it was a little rubber lip thing that was stuck on the lower sides of the windscreen, did’nt work
I don’t like the idea of no passenger door and wonder if that rear slideing door on the new truck would still work if the cab gets bent in a wreck ?
All that modern technology and i’ll bet it’s got a ‘crash gearbox’
Charles
Its ridiculous that the mirror issue hasn’t been addressed. Its not a slow gradual thing, if you use windscreen washer for a split second, the whole lot gots hurled sideways on to the mirror and renders it useless after the first use. How it can even have passed trials when they were designing the truck is beyond me, but then, this is north America and in that vain, yes it definetely will come with a crash box if specced that way, which most companies will.
Don’t get that with a Pete or k whopper as the mirrors are at least 4 foot from the wiper.
The Americans got the sleeper right years back but as for the rest of the truck they are up there with the British for bad design
kr79:
Don’t get that with a Pete or k whopper as the mirrors are at least 4 foot from the wiper.
The Americans got the sleeper right years back but as for the rest of the truck they are up there with the British for bad design
As I’ve always said. American trucks are 25 year old ERF’s with a big cab. I’ve never actually driven an ERF, let alone a 25 year old one, so I’m just imagening they were this bad.
kr79:
Don’t get that with a Pete or k whopper as the mirrors are at least 4 foot from the wiper.
The Americans got the sleeper right years back but as for the rest of the truck they are up there with the British for bad design
As I’ve always said. American trucks are 25 year old ERF’s with a big cab. I’ve never actually driven an ERF, let alone a 25 year old one, so I’m just imagening they were this bad.
ERF’s are good old tools, I had one or two during my life and they were far more advanced that most modern US trucks
I don’t get the problem with the wipers messing the morrors up on my Cascadia ? If I use the washers at speed I get it but othewise no problem. The reason the KW’s etc dont get it is bacause they have such riddiculously narrow driving areas and antique mirrors on 4 feet of scaffolding
I did a trip with one of our new Peterbilt 579 trucks yesterday and some of the european qualities presumably due to Paccars ownership of Daf have appeared on it such as mirrors that you can actually see out of and fully adjust, an assisted clutch pedal that is nice and light and does’nt make your leg ache while sitting at the lights, a quieter cab with euro style air seats with an air release button so you don’t have to slide on to it but still retaining a crash box so not quite ready to go the cissy way of a synchro gearbox and become less of a rugged truck driving man.
Pat Hasler:
ERF’s are good old tools, I had one or two during my life and they were far more advanced that most modern US trucks
I don’t get the problem with the wipers messing the morrors up on my Cascadia ? If I use the washers at speed I get it but othewise no problem. The reason the KW’s etc dont get it is bacause they have such riddiculously narrow driving areas and antique mirrors on 4 feet of scaffolding
Yes but when you’re getting sprayed with road salt or whatever the hell that evil stuff is that cakes up the windscreen the minute anyone drives infront of you and kickes up spray you have no choice but to use your wipers at speed, unless of course freightliner thinks we should pull on to the hard shoulder every 20 minutes which isn’t too far off what I’m having to do at times now.
kr79, you mention a Volvo in your yard with a eaton/fuller box, why anyone would forgo a nice synchro box is beyond me but I have been driving a Penske rental Volvo with the E/F box in it so it must be an option that is offered, apart from that a lot nicer to drive and you can actually see where the back of the trailer is in the mirrors.
chazzer:
kr79, you mention a Volvo in your yard with a eaton/fuller box, why anyone would forgo a nice synchro box is beyond me but I have been driving a Penske rental Volvo with the E/F box in it so it must be an option that is offered, apart from that a lot nicer to drive and you can actually see where the back of the trailer is in the mirrors.
I drive a Volvo with a 13 speed in it Chazzer, its fairly good I think, most of our fleet has I-shift now but I can’t get on with that, I did try one for 15,000 miles but it was’nt for Me. Volvo are offering incredible warranties from the gearbox back if You have an I-shift I’m talking 500,000 miles plus which is a good selling point up here, I’m sure our fitter told Me the I-shift was $5000 more from new than a Fuller box. I think these Volvos are smashing trucks they’ve got all thats good about an American lorry but with the scandinavian bits thrown in.
chazzer:
kr79, you mention a Volvo in your yard with a eaton/fuller box, why anyone would forgo a nice synchro box is beyond me
Maybe because they prefer the advantages of a lighter to use faster changing box than a heavier to use slower shifting bag of bolts like the old ZF ecosplit amongst others for example.Although usually complaints about fullers in regards to wanting a euro synchro job usually says more about the driver being challenged in road/engine speed matching abilities than any non existent drawbacks which the fullers have.Although it might help if a lot of drivers stop believing all the bs about clutchless changes and use the things properly by using the clutch for every shift.
chazzer:
kr79, you mention a Volvo in your yard with a eaton/fuller box, why anyone would forgo a nice synchro box is beyond me but I have been driving a Penske rental Volvo with the E/F box in it so it must be an option that is offered, apart from that a lot nicer to drive and you can actually see where the back of the trailer is in the mirrors.
I drive a Volvo with a 13 speed in it Chazzer, its fairly good I think, most of our fleet has I-shift now but I can’t get on with that, I did try one for 15,000 miles but it was’nt for Me. Volvo are offering incredible warranties from the gearbox back if You have an I-shift I’m talking 500,000 miles plus which is a good selling point up here, I’m sure our fitter told Me the I-shift was $5000 more from new than a Fuller box. I think these Volvos are smashing trucks they’ve got all thats good about an American lorry but with the scandinavian bits thrown in.
In which case they might as well do the job properly by putting a big power Scania V8 in a Pete or a KW but make it a glider kit so that it can run on open exhausts with no smog bs.I’d guess around 800 hp in that case.
How can the manufacturers get away with marketing this utter junk ?
