Why do so many Americans hate European trucks?

When I'm talking euro what I actually mean is Swedish , there is plenty of crap in Europe too, iveco, man, daf etc

Have to say never had a problem with heating going up hills even with 330,000lbs

I'm with you on the BMW, lovely cars to drive and looks nice but really don't last, too complicated, too expensive to repair, I've owned enough of them to comment

 

Euro trucks are subjected to limits in middle east, where temperatures sore to 50 deg C in summer days with high humidity and extensive overloading, avg road speeds 100km/h or above on highways. Poor driving skills and maintenance practices. fuel consumption is the least cared thing. Clutch & brake failures are regular otherwise these trucks deliver.

 

Hi
are you from Kuwait?

as this is pure european model , never sold in middle east ( for middle east they are 2040S or 2048S)

-for non european members 18 means permitted tonnes on truck only , technical weight is always higher it can be even 22t , while 20t version starts at 20.5t and can be even up to 25t on trucks axles only ,versions 20xx have stronger frames , stronger suspensions and come only with robust hub reduction axles , also version 19xx this is for 4x2 tractors

second number is hp, engine 44=435hp this is v6 with euro3-euro5+eev emission, while on middle east mercedes sold older versions with euro2 emission, strongest in europe was back than 430, but due to more difficult conditions in middle east mercedes sold v6 only with 313,354,394hp while 476hp is v8 already , here in europe v8 starts at 510 while v6 is up to 476


for normal european conditions there is no need for some heavy duty cooling,and too robust construction of components

so maybe this specific truck have problems because of this


also since it can be even 11years old , you can not be sure it is 100% working cooling


middle east is among most important mercedes markets , and mercedes is not going to sold something which does not work , their trucks have some unique features , for this market, as double air filtration , also oil filter for air , oversized cooling for engine and gearbox , every component is build larger than necessary ,double clutches, strong hub reduction axles .....

mercedes start to offer optimised trucks for middle east some 50years ago , other manufacturers are much later


as mercedes is apsolute market leader in middle east, i think market knows what is best for them


also here for used truck if it is mercedes you get twice money for same age/condition other make because of arabs

you also know you will find many 40-45year old mercedes still working working in middle east


if you say MAN truck is not able to cope with those temperatures i would agree, they dont work best even here where max temp does not go above 40 last summer was 42max, worst truck from can experience here in mine region is italian heat ....but i would not say this for mercedes





also all trucks are not same speced, you cannot say by impression of one truck about this brand in general,

my friend bought this week , 2009 scania r440 with egr, from germany, more or less normal tractor, highline cab, retarder, opticruise, walkingfloor hydraulics, full spoilers .......except few things, it have only 12speed gearbox without crawlers , have bit slower transmission (1400rpm at cruising) about 150rpm slower than scania reccomends

and it have , larger radiator, big 11blade fan (normal it come with 8blade and smaller) it have 1:1.25 fan gear ratio normally they come with 1:1 or faster, and have larger 470L water pump , normally they come with 330L

so probably 40-50% stronger cooling than normal

while in probably most extreme job , in indonesian coal mines, they have 0.81m2 ratiator , 11blade fan , 1:1 gear ratio , and 330L water pump , for 200-220ton gross, 12% hills 24/7 operation humidity(95-97%) temps go up to 43C , i was talking a lot of people involved in this, from drivers,driver trainers, mechanics,supervisors , to people involved in sales and they dont complain about heating , except when mud get in radiator ( they wash them every day)


Same specification used for heavy haulage in Oman , in deasert, pulling 10line modular nicolas trailer , here at video towing broken mercedes gross weight ~280ton

you did not say, how many airbags on axles , it is not when you compare 2 with 4 , especially if 2 stay close to axle and carry most weight....

 

What's that you say about GVWR? Meh. Don't worry about that, those numbers mean absolutely nothing.

 

Who said EU trucks aren't strong and tough. :smt066:smt071:smt068

 

Trucks sold in middle east are with reinforced chassis frame, heavier torque rods, Tropical cooling system. most of the 4X2 are 19-20 ton and 6X4 Tandem axles (most selling spec in middle est) are 33tons as frame or tractor with 3 1/2 inch fifth wheel popular is Jost, Rear suspension is trapezodial leaf, front Parabolic. 4X2 usually sold with rear parabolic leaf suspension. Only some fuel tanker transporters or some other prefer air suspension. planetary axles make these trucks deliever, new planetary hubs have helical gears for handling more torque. Usually about 370-400 HP engines are used for Concrete mixers or water tankers and tractor sold with 450-500 HP most of the engines are Euro-III. Another reason is non availability of low sulphur diesel and synthtic oils.

Mercedes is #1 overall in Middle East. MAN tops in sales in Oman & UAE. In Oman lots of HINO-700 were sold but they have lots problems with driveline and frame. One reason they dont have planetary axles, fuel consumption is also issue with them. their selling point is truck is very simple no much complicated electronics only engine management and basic ABS. It is combination of EURO and American truck or to say European looks of the truck but inside American truck.

I remeber Rosenbauer Aircraft fire tender on MAN 8X8 frame V12 Engine sold to airport in UAE with Euro cooling system. The moment truck reaches 110-120 km/h even without running fire water pump the overheating warning. certain modifications were done to cooling system. It has hydraulically driven cooling fan mounted to top facing radiator on rear of cab. But on some millitary trucks with WSK Torque convertors for desert operations they have installed fuel coolers too.

 

some of those trucks are exported trough our ports, i can see dominating 3848s with 12r24 tires, 33 is pretty rare and i think they come only with small tires

also there are some larger trucks , for example 4054 6x6 or 4060

also often those larger trucks come with some offroad tires

there are some 5-6 tractors sitting in port for years, one have damaged roof on cab

 

Usual 6X4 is tractor 33.480, There is another spec 40.XXX chassis frame specifically for dump called 40 toner. Hino introduced 40.460 Tractor head code named SV basically it was 40 toner frame with fifth wheel. May be now European manufacturers have introduced that spec 38.XXX. or else it may be 8X8 with single tyres for desert. There is very popular spec 8X4/2 as 41.370 by Mercedes and MAN for concrete mixers this can carry 12 ### mixer where as 6X4 33.370 can carry 8 ### all with NMV PTO.

There are 8X8/2 with military with 36.480 as troop carriers and fuel /water tankers they can be 41 ton but load rating is reduced because of single tyres used for desert operations. These fuel tankers I remeber were with rim 20.5" and wide it was difficult to find tyres only michelin was supplying on special order. where as troop carriers were having bigger dia and comparetively less wide tyres. there were various equipment mounted on these trucks by Eruopean body builders like EMPL, DOLL, Erstrer.
I have seen 8X8 MAN FX with V10 originally made for US army for their bases in Europe and may be transffered later to middle East or sold to UAE army.

u r ight 12r24 is preffered by construction vehicles. In trailers BPW 16 ton axle is popular. All trucks sold in middle east have cyclonic air intake stack then paper element then safety element some call it secondry element.

Can post pictures of those trucks.

 

here almost no MAN come , only some firefighters bodybuilded here

but as for mercedes, yes 40xx is tipper chassis , but those also have tractor frame layout at rear, as far i know

mercedes 2axle is only 20xx, 3axle 26xx is only concrete pump(but with 4springs), 33xx can be both tractor and rigid, 38xx is only tractor 6x4 ,40xx is tipper/mixer chassis , but as say above i see them with larger engines and 6x6 , or wsk

i am not sure where is difference between 44 and 48xx

 

Pictures.....?