Cabover ID Question

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by Ducks, Jan 30, 2011.

  1. king Q

    king Q Road Train Member

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    The conventional Internationals and Freighliners sold here are a good 15% cheaper than the COE models.
     
    Scania man Thanks this.
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  3. InTranzit

    InTranzit Light Load Member

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    For me, it don't bother me to drive both Cabovers or Conventonals, but to go trough Canada in the way to Alaska you're limited to 244" wheelbase on the tractor. In order to be able to have a big sleeper cab and enough space between the trailer and the cab for overhang of extended length cargo when pooling a flatbed trailer, you need a Cabover truck. For example: if you have a KW W900 with a studio sleeper, the drive axles are just inches from the sleeper back wall. No room to install a headboard at all.
     
  4. InTranzit

    InTranzit Light Load Member

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    At least you have a choice! There's choice here too, only between bad quality conventional and bad quality conventional with a different name on the grille.
     
  5. InTranzit

    InTranzit Light Load Member

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    This new idea of conventional trucks with short hoods where half of the engine is under the cab is crap. It makes any repair on the engine absolutely a nightmare. No access to get to anything on that engine without having to spend half day uninstalling a bunch of crap that's in the way, and even then the cab is in the way of most of the back half of that engine.......can't move cab outa the way.
    Darn it! If it's a conventional then give me the long nose truck, or otherways give me a Cabover any day......I'll take that COE in a heartbeat.
     
  6. Pablo-UA

    Pablo-UA Road Train Member

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    all cabs of this design have hatch to acess engine from cab. You can find it in Scania T-series, Volvo VN, ST, Columbia and other... It is like engine acess in RVD vans, like Vario, Ram Van, Aerostar and other.
     
  7. InTranzit

    InTranzit Light Load Member

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    Dude, I had to drill and pul out from the engine head a broken exhaust manifold bolt at the #6 holle in my truck, a VN. After removing the air cleaner and the rest of the stuff autta the way, then trmoved the exhaust manifold with the tubo and all that, the access was still kinda crappy. Out came the cab's little "dog house"/hatch and still the drill and the retracter wouldn't clear the firewall edge properly, only at an engle, which is no good. I had to use the welder and weld a nut to the broken bolt that broke at the same level with the surface of the head. After allot of swea and trial and error, finally it came out. The rest is history.
    well, in a COE the cab goes up and the engine assembly is exposed all around, easy to work on. The same goes for removing and replacing the transmission. In a COE you have easy access all around the clutch housing from above and under. Use the fraim rails as a bridge for a rolling "A" frame contraption(easy to manufacture and small and light enaugh to kip in your tool box) which can be used as a crane to lift and support the trany.
    In a conventional you have to crawl underneath and squeeze and peel the skin of your hands and arms trying to get at and loosen the bolts on the cross member and clutch housing in order to get the trany loose. Then more funn starts when trying to pull the trany out without a trany cart equipped with a hydraulic jac. And even that's not muck help if you're not on a smooth and flat surface like a shop floor.
    So, don't tell me about hatches and the ease of working on conventionals.

    If you're just a steering wheel holder and don't touch the truck other places then the door handle and the steering wheel, then I guess that anything will do just fine, but if you're an o/o that do most of the maintenance and repair work on the truck like me, then you come to appreciate allot a few things that makes your life easier.
     
    Scania man Thanks this.
  8. Scania man

    Scania man Road Train Member

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    Yeah coe design has by far the best access for maintenance , it's too hard work on a conventionalise gearbox or anything behind the engine, ya'd want the hands of a fairy!
     
  9. Pablo-UA

    Pablo-UA Road Train Member

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    I'd say COE design is better to fix something, but maintance is easier with hood, becouse all maintanance points are moved to front.

    Yep, Volvo VN may be nightmare for mechanics, and FH too. What is good with COE - easy to drop tranny with crane, ore fork truck, especially with some really heavy transmissions like Mercedes EPS (late version of EPS is used on shaker, but they call this tranny Freightliner Auto transmission).

    But as I know later all highway trucks worldwide will be of short hood design and they will look like a family vans. It is related with fuel economy. EU cabover is like a four way brick, but in EU they limit truck lenth from bumper to bumper.

    http://infotruck.blogspot.com/2010/11/futurist-trucks-worldwide-inner-city.html

    f0ef4_FutureTruck-8-x-11-amber1-660x330.jpg

    http://resurrectedrestorations.com/2011/06/page/10/

    http://www.distrocars.com/2004-renault-radiance
     
  10. InTranzit

    InTranzit Light Load Member

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    Man! I'd love to agree with you on something today, but you kip on making some statements that don't make any sense!
    Which is easier, lifting a big'olle hood to check your fluid levels or lifting the grille like on the EU COE's??? Here only the Volvo VN has a one action in cab hood release. The others you have to go on each side and release the hood from the 100 year old design rubber straps, go to the front and put your foot in the bumper and pull on that heavy a s s hood, like in some of the classic models with a mile of straight nose in the front.

    Yea, get a nose on the truck while the trailers are getting longer and longer and when they're talking about wantnting to go the route of road trains by coupling more trailers behind one tractor so the freight shippers would move more freight for nothing, while the poor guy driving the truck has to sleep on a bed the size of a 2" X 4" stik.

    Brave new world we're heading toward!

    Makes me "pop a grumpy" on the whole idea!
     
  11. Pablo-UA

    Pablo-UA Road Train Member

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    Have you ever ride EU cabover, Volvo FH for example? really main mainanace points are available easily (coolant, oil level, whash fluid, all filters).
     
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