Mack bid for heavies market
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by Trevor Longcroft FOLLOWING their appointment as UK distributors for 'American built Mack trucks, Commercial Truck Services Ltd, Bolton Lanes will be marketing fourand six-wheel Mack tractive units and sixwheel on/off and off road normal control dumpers in the new year.
The units will be plated for operation at up to 38 tonnes gcw and are aimed at the long haul and inter-continental section of the market. Although no prices are, as yet, available, I understood from Mack's vicepresident, Europe, who I met during a Euro Truck Press test earlier this year that prices will reflect the premium specification and will be relatively high.
All of the vehicles destined for the UK will be powered by various versions of Mack's Maxidyne in-line engine. The engine features high torque hack up which provides an almost constant horsepower at the top end of the engine speed range.
This feature, compared with engines with more conventional horsepower curves, cuts down on the number of gearchanges required during normal operation and provides good fuel economy. The engines have yet to be certified to BS AU 141a.
For purely domestic operation the Mack F785RT tractive unit will appeal to British operators. Plated for operation at 32.5 tonnes (32 tons) gcw this normal control fourwheeler is offered in rhd form, and is fitted, as standard, with a non-sleeper cab.
The 3.3m (10ft 8in) wheelbase unit is specified with a six cylinder in-line Maxidyne engine developing 177kW (237 bhp) at 1700rpm, 175kW (235 bhp) is developed at the enginerated speed of 2100rpm. Peak torque 1228Nm (906Ib ft) is developed at 1200rpm. Drive is transmitted via a twin-plate 356mm (14in) diameter clutch and five-speed or optional seven-speed constant mesh gearbox to the rear axle which can be specified with various ratios to suit operating requirements.
The cab tilts to 90deg for engine maintenance and a sleeper cab option is available.
For operation at up to 38 tonnes Mack offer both a fourand six-wheel tractive unit. Both vehicles are specified with the same six-cylinder Maxidyne engine producing 228kW (306bhp) at 1800rpm and 1559Nm (11501b ft) torque at' 120Orpm.
A seven-speed constant mesh transmission is offered for both vehicles as is the 356m (14in) twin-plate clutch and a sleeper cab with single bunk is standard.
The Mack R685RSX six-wheel dumper is offered for on road use at up to 24.4 tonnes (24 tons) gvw and for off road use at up to 25.9 tonnes (25.5 tons) gvw.
The vehicle is powered by a Maxidyne engine producing 177kW (237bhp) at 1700rpm and 1228Nm (9061b ft) torque at 1200rpm. The twin-plate clutch is again specified and is coupled to a six-speed gearbox.
The 4.6m (15ft 3in) wheelbase normal control dumper is equipped with an rhd cab, under-frame exhaust and radiator guard.
At the top end of the weight scale the Mack DM886SX sixwheel dumper has a 25/30 ton rated capacity and is specified with the 218kW (285bhp) Maxidyne and the same type clutch and gearbox as the lighter dumpers. The 4.4m (14ft 4in) wheelbase truck has a double drive rear bogie with third differential and the bogie design capacity is 29.5 tonnes (29.0 tons); the front axle is designed to 10.4 tonnes (10.2 tons). The offset cab has a Bostrom suspension seat.