Last Sunday, I visited the first major truck show since more than two years, and it was delightful. Every serious gathering in that period of time was cancelled, sometimes months in advance, for obvious reasons. But before strolling along modern and big (sometimes downright colossal) rollers, the spotlight is on a duo of classic US tractors.
Starting with this magnificent 1964 Mack B-61 6×2, which means the rearmost axle is a tag axle. Actually, it’s liftable too, as can be seen here.
According to its registration, there’s a six-cylinder diesel engine under Mack’s hood, rated at 140 kW (that’s 190 DIN-hp). To my best knowledge, that must be the naturally aspirated Mack END 673 engine, as all turbocharged ENDT 673 diesels went well over 200 hp.
That about wraps it up, as they say. Old Mack was first registered in the Netherlands in February 1998, so it has been around here for a while.
Meet the young one, a 1995 Peterbilt 379 6×4 tractor, imported near the end of 2003. This series of Peterbilt conventionals and the similar Kenworth W900 are quite popular here as show-/hobby-/promotional mastodons on wheels.
Pete wears the colors of its owner, the Heisterkamp hauling company, and it’s rated at a GVM of 22,700 kg (50,045 lbs).
No need to guess here, this says it all. Back in the days, Fuller transmissions were also used by several mainstream European truck makers, like DAF, MAN, Iveco and Berliet.
Much more to come, as there is plenty in stock now.
Related articles:
Cohort Capsule: Mack B-61 – Resting After Its Many Exertions
Curbside Classic: Mack B-20 – Skinny Jeans
Truck Show Classics: 2016 Oldtimer Truck Show Stroe – American Trucks
CC Global: 2007 Peterbilt 386 6×4 Tractor – Pete The Purring Cat
Meanwhile in the states I’ve been seeing one of these from Milltown Trucking, Saint Stephen, New Brunswick. Cabovers in general and Scanias in particular are extremely rare in the US.
Nice, that’s the previous Scania top model, the R-series. More recent Scanias have been spotted in North America too. Testing on behalf of Navistar, most likely.
Navistar, Scania and MAN are owned by Traton, the VAG Group’s truck and bus division. My guess; Navistar will get Scania engines as in-house power units. I wonder if that includes the 16.4 liter V8 (up to 770 hp in Europe).
I spotted a European cabover in Vancouver traffic a couple of years ago. It was a Volvo, and I’m guessing it was part of a pilot program like this one, also described here.
I used to occasionally see Mercedes cabover trucks on I-5 and highway 26 near Portland since these are Freightliner’s test routes. I also used to routinely see various Freightliner trucks with “Freightliner Validation” written on the doors.
The lift rear axle on the Mack is a real oddball. I would guess that this was a modification done sometime well after it was built. Hard to imagine a Mack tandem setup without those massive camelback springs and the top drop in differentials. Those differentials were legendary around here.
I’ve seen Volvo 6×2’s that had the non-powered rear axle except they didn’t lift. Always wondered if there was any weird handling or weight distribution issues with this set up. The fifth wheel is located behind the drive axle so when you drop the weight off of the rear axle the drive axle is now the fulcrum.
The problem with 6×2 is poor traction in bad weather. The fix is a locking diff and a lifting axle in front of the drive axle instead of behind. The tough part is getting a lift axle that clears the driveshaft when it is lifted.
The real oddball 6×2 configuration was the 4×2 tractor with a pup dolly to make it a 6×2, sort of. I wish I had pictures of on of these. IIRC Indianhead Transport had some of these tractors. The tractor had a pintle hitch for attaching a pup dolly. Instead of being attached at the end of the frame the frame was open between the rails up to the fifth wheel. The crossmember located under the rear of the fifth wheel had the pintle hitch attached to it. I figure this was mainly used just to transport pup dollies but then this seems to complicated for that. I really wish I had taken some pictures and talked to some people to see how these tractors were used.
If only digital camera’s had been around back then.
Liftable tag axles (on the classic 6×2 configuration) go way back in Europe, to the late fifties/early sixties, I’d say. Both on straight trucks and tractor units. Starting with the Swedish and Finnish truck makers. The main goal, at first, was to get more traction on the drive axle when needed. Less tire wear when driving empty was a welcome side effect.
These days, Volvo and Sisu (Finland) offer a liftable drive axle too. This means you can see a 6×4 chassis with its rearmost axle up.
I would like to underline xr7’s first and third paragraph.
Lift axles are common on straight (rigid) trucks in the US. Medium duty trucks, such as agriculture, are often 4×2 with an added lift axle. A heavy truck will probably be a 6×4 with one or more pusher and/or one tag axle.
Oops, I misread the third paragraph, never mind there. Sorry
Thanks for the extra info. Any non-driving axle goes up over here (not counting a twin steer set-up) when the vehicle is rolling down the road empty. Both on straight trucks, see example below, and tractors.
They are raised in the US, too. One lift axle is common, you change a single axle into a legal tandem. “Bridge formula” laws mean the weight has to be spread out and balanced, tandems are almost always enough. The EU often has higher axle weights closer together.
Construction has strange arrangements, twin-steer concrete mixers are big in Canada.
In the US the Peterbilt could have a gross vehicle “weight” of 80,000lbs (36,287kg), 12,000lbs (5443kg) on the steer, 34,000lbs (15422kg) on the tractor tandem, and 34,000lbs (15422kg) on the trailer tandem. Super single or dual tires don’t matter.
Have a nice day/night
I’m not a truckie, nor mechanic, nor qualified to comment at all really, but I can tell you that I think these Macks with a liftable axle were also seen in Australia. My (imperfect) memory is as jogging jinkers.
You notice this stuff when you’re a kid (in the ’70’s) and already a car and machine nutter. Whether you notice it reliably is a whole ‘nother issue.
xr7’s description sounds like Jodog or JifLock equipment.
I remember some of Indianhead’s unique equipment. The shortest bumper-back-of-cab IHs ever conceived. I’m not positive on this now, but it seems like Indianhead either eliminated the cab jack equipment, or had their own mechanical system – something. Oh, another Indianhead Flashback: 10-speed transmissions in city pedal trucks, with pushbutton clutch brake on shift lever. Clutch brake consisted of the brutal MO of an air cylinder that would jam a metal “piston” against transmission gears, to stop/slow gears.
How about the Mack carrier’s hidden bolts? lol
“Cap drive” axle shafts?
Johannes I really enjoy your pieces. I am going to be in Holland next spring. Perhaps we can do some car spotting together.
…worked in Canada, semi-retired in Holland?
Love these! B-61 almost put Mack out of business. They were so durable that owners were not replacing their B-61’s with newer trucks!
Great to see these trucks, and to hear that the trucks shows are back for you all!
Here’s a period ad to go along with the Mack. This series of ads ran in the early 1960s, and they’re beautifully illustrated. Truck and heavy equipment ads weren’t typically this alluring, so these Mack ads are quite memorable.
Wonderful ad! For many years at a stretch, Macks were imported and also assembled here. A fine example of a B-series below, 170 hp and 55 (metric) tons GVW, it says on the bumper.
Much more Macks with Dutch license plates:
https://magazine.bigtruck.nl/08-2020/mack-trucks-in-nederland/
I never see American trucks (pickups yes) in the UK except very occasionally for heavy recovery.
Of course, if you’re a world champion boxer you can use one when you need to pop out for a pint of milk.
Love those B-61 Macks. These were just everywhere in the Baltimore and mid-Atlantic area during my years there (1965 – 1971). But that did not diminish my appreciation. I can hear it now.
That B-61 Mack is absurdly good-looking, and was even without the squinty amount of chromage here (and which, btw, does suit it). They existed in Oz, but I don’t think they were common.
There’s just something about the proportions that is somewhere between a ’30’s oversized luxury car and a beautiful locomotive.
Always more trucks please, Mr Dutch. I’ve learnt much from your contributions here, and always enjoy them.
Thanks Justy. Just keep your comments coming, truckie or not.