son of a truck drivin mother. honk honk boogedy boogedy boo

John_PA

Well-known Member
Took a ride in and R model Mack triaxle last night through the lovely town of Homestead and Rankin, into Turtle Creek... so lovely!


To all who have to drive those things daily in a town that is not friendly to trucks...

God Bless You!


If you are reading this and have not done anything like that... Well, if you fear God and are afraid for your life, please don't try it!




I had a good time. R model Macks are really a treat for any good man if you like living on the edge. If you have never run one where you gain or lose 400 foot of elevation within a half mile, you have never really "run" one!

I'm glad to have my feet back on the ground and if you see one of those trucks on the road... just give them space. Don't hog the road!




Was it worth it in the end? Yeah!


After all, for anyone who has to drive those daily, it is truly a rush without having to go base jumping, or skiing on a mountain.

I feel like I need to buy a CAT Diesel Power hat and wear a flannel shirt....



grinding gears in a town near you: John
 
I live in NY Catskill Mts my dad used army
surplus CCKW 6x6 for log trucks all wheel drive
meant getting closer to logs in the woods less
skidding. We took those trucks places you wouldn't
believe, and the paved roads can be steep and
twisty. We came down one hill every day loaded in
low gear my brother would fall asleep as it got so
hot in the cab. The first big truck I drove on
the road was a B model Mack no power steering,
steering wheel was big for leverage wish I had
that truck now. Or the CCKW
 
Worst accident I ever saw was a lumber truck in the catskills.

Coming down a mountain - typical crazy twisted road - going too fast or his brake overheated, whatever - he punched through the sad excuse for a guardrail and plunged about 100 feet straight down into a waterfall.

Beautiful place to go is about the only good thing you could say about that.

It also permanently crossed off the idea of ever driving a truck through the mountains for me.
 
I drive a redi mix concrete truck around western mass
southern NH and VT. Some of the places I have put an
80,000# truck can get pretty interesting. Here is a few pics
from a power line job out over a swamp we have been
pouring on this summer sure beats running up and down the
road all the time
a123507.jpg

a123508.jpg

a123509.jpg
 
(quoted from post at 02:30:20 07/29/13) Took a ride in and R model Mack triaxle last night through the lovely town of Homestead and Rankin, into Turtle Creek... so lovely!


To all who have to drive those things daily in a town that is not friendly to trucks...

God Bless You!


If you are reading this and have not done anything like that... Well, if you fear God and are afraid for your life, please don't try it!




I had a good time. R model Macks are really a treat for any good man if you like living on the edge. If you have never run one where you gain or lose 400 foot of elevation within a half mile, you have never really "run" one!

I'm glad to have my feet back on the ground and if you see one of those trucks on the road... just give them space. Don't hog the road!




Was it worth it in the end? Yeah!


After all, for anyone who has to drive those daily, it is truly a rush without having to go base jumping, or skiing on a mountain.

I feel like I need to buy a CAT Diesel Power hat and wear a flannel shirt....



grinding gears in a town near you: John

Just went to the Circus World Museum yesterday. They get these old macks on display -

Was yours as old as these?
mvphoto19478.jpg
 
I used to haul logs with a flatbed through PA up down US 219 and some on 422 to a couple different mills.Me being a flatlander the first couple times were a bit hair raising but after that it got kind of fun.
 
i went with my grandfather for about 25 years he
drove the kw and the 45 foot flatbed in this picture
down the 101 highway through downtown san francisco
a123561.jpg
 
NYS, those WW2 vintage CCKW's were not especially driver-friendly. There aren't many left anymore. I've driven one just putzying around and they sure weren't built for a tall guy like me. And brakes? Did they have brakes? Jim
 
(quoted from post at 06:18:38 07/29/13) I drive a redi mix concrete truck around western mass
southern NH and VT. Some of the places I have put an
80,000# truck can get pretty interesting. Here is a few pics
from a power line job out over a swamp we have been
pouring on this summer sure beats running up and down the
road all the time
a123507.jpg

a123508.jpg

a123509.jpg

Dave, I have a friend named Roy who drives a redi-mix truck. He works in western MA and he lives in Belchertown.
 
Dad has often told the story of him hauling logs in Western Arkansas. He started down a particularly hairy downgrade. Figured he'd shave off a little speed, but quickly realized the brakes were gone. So he grabbed on the chromium plated, fully illuminated, genuine accessory shift knob. He pulled it into a lower gear and let out the clutch. Then he looked in the mirror and saw the tranny come out of the truck. About half-way down, he was passed by the Arkansas Highway Patrol. I figure he was clearing the road ahead for a spectacular truck wreck.
 
That's crazy! I know up and down hills from pulling 12000 in an F350, but hauling 28 tons in an old truck... Pure crazy!


The R model is no where near the same as a B model. I have driven those! My knuckles hit the windshield if I held onto the wheel through a tight turn.

The best part... Putting one arm through the steering wheel to hit the second range in the tranny, while putting the first shifter back into the next gear!

I think those things topped out around 50 or 55 mph downhill with a tailwind pushing you!

I toyed with the idea of buying a B model for a daily driver, just to be "that guy." that idea was soon crushed when I realized that I couldn't pass a DOT, no matter what, with it being stock.


Someone posted a pic of a really old mack, with wooden spokes and hard rubber... I have ran one of those around a lot, to load it. I am pretty sure with that truck you have to get out at the top of a hill and manually change the gears by switching the chain to the axle?


I don't wish for that lifestyle!

All this really makes me wish for the 379 pete I last drove.


Even an 8LL in one of those is a dream compared to the old 4X2 in the R model!

Pulling out loaded when you think it's 1st when really 5th is fun!


The biggest problem is just the area... Rankin and Braddock, Homestead... WOW! just going through downtown Pit is a load of fun. That is what kills me! For guys who do this all the time... My hat is off to you! I guess I spent too many hours in luxury in a car driving through towns like that.


Some of the intersections, with the big slopes and tight turns, I just can't comprehend.



My brother is going to do the next 10 loads. He drives that all the time. I'm glad to not be the one behind the wheel. I'd rather tackle my muddy slopes on a tractor with 30K lbs of corn behind me, than deal with that traffic! 1/2 mile in 45 minutes, and 1 mile to go! Good thing it was after dark, as I hear it is worse in the day time.


Oh my!
 
No they didn't have brakes most of the time. Once
coming out of the woods down hill loaded 1/4 mile
from road transfer case jumped out of gear brakes
went and Dad tried to steer into small trees to stop
but ran over rock that rolled the truck on its side.
Cousin still limps from that but it kept him from
going to Vietnam.
 
My Dads mill was in Grahamsville and tractor trailer driver that hauled most of his lumber to wholesaler lived over the mountain near Boiceville. Lynne Hoyt was his name and he went over Peekamoose with that trailer loaded sometimes 12000 or more boardfeet of hardwood.Don't know if you know this area.
 
My stepson drives concrete pump truck in Colorado, and has pumped for chairlift tower footings at some of the ski areas at 9000 or 10000 ft. Has pictures of truck on those access roads and landings built just for him. He has a 4 year degree in biology but good jobs with good pay hard to find to the CDL is paying rent ect.
 

Went on a couple of trips with my step-dad back in the 50's as he hauled steel pipe etc around the Midwest. He had at that time a IH KB7 with add-on sleeper cab where the doors angle out. I thought that was the coolest truck, but he couldn't keep up with his buddy who had a gmc diesel of some sort, but they would stop pretty often for some 100 mile coffee.
 

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