What happened to cabovers?

Emissions had nothing to do with cab overs going by the wayside. The lack of market for them is why. Companies stuck with them longer than owner operators due to being cheaper to buy till driver turnover and fuel mileage became a concern. As was previously mentioned.
The old kW and Pete's do look cool and I had to take a stab at buying one. Found a k100 with a b model and 355s and a friend to drive my workhorse while I spent money and time on it to put on the road. After a month or more on it I stretched the frame 6' did several engine mods so my other truck wouldn't run off and leave me cause it is a power house and I'm not getting out of something that runs so good to be backing up. Put high torque 18 speed in it and hit the road. All it needed was a paint job and interior customizing but I ran out of funds for it and had to run it.
First trip out I kept asking myself what the hell was I thinking. I'd get home with a stiff neck everyday and I'm in my early 30s. That's the first time I ever complained about a vehicles ride and driving down rough roads is normal to me but it was unbearable. Even with air ride all the way around.
After a few months of it beating the hell out of me my driver lost his license so I parked it and crawled back into old trusty. Let it sit for 6 months and sold it.
Only got out of it was what I put into it so I took a loss but was glad to see it go. They still look cool but unless I win the lottery and can let it sit I won't ever make that mistake again. Good riddance

 

the first big truck I drove was a cabover. Took a ride with a friend hauling pipe going west on I10 he says you want to drive it. This was one of the first ford 9000 with air ride. So I say sure he says well lets switch places. We switched seats doing 70mph. I drove little trucks at the time and pulled trailers with them but knew nothing about driving this one. It was good ride. That must have been 1979 or somewhere in there. I think he was paying me back for a car ride I took him on once.

 

Can you buy an 2014 emissions legal cabover? No!

Can you buy a 2014 Argosy cabover glider? Yes, Frieghtliner sells 400-500 of them a year and the cost is more than a comparable Coronado.

Can you buy a new Freightliner, Kenworth, or Volvo Cabover? Yes, in Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. The Freightliner and some Paccar are made here in the US.

Then why can you not buy a Freightliner, Kenworth, or Volvo Cabover in the US? Because emissions! Feightliner does not see the market to re-engineer the Argosy to meet US current emissions standards. They can continue selling the Argosy through the loophole in the emissions laws exempting Gliders.

What happened in Canada? The very popular Argosy cannot be sold as a glider in Canada anymore. Walmart dolled up one with a drom box and a 60.5' trailer and sent press releases to all the trucking and environmental groups selling the idea that 60.5' trailers are going to save the world of terrible truck emissions 30% at a time. Astute truckers and tree huggers noted that the 2000 spec glider did not even meet current emissions and in fact polluted more not less and Walmart was trying to pull a fast one. Canada closed up the glider loophole because of emissions.

All the other problems with cabovers have been solved. European cabovers meet strict safety standards, The doghouse is gone. Argosy lost its doghouse in 1998. Argosy is easy to work on.

The ride has to do much more with suspension tuning then the location of the driver on the chassis. I really wonder how many trucks some have driven. I have driven cabovers that rode great and others like crap. Some of the new highway spec. conventionals ride like crap. it is a non-argument point.

Cabovers have the benefits of tight turning, short chassis, wide cabs, and great visibility. They make it easy to move weight to the front axle for more capacity.

 

http://m.truckinginfo.com/news/185547/the-return-of-the-truck-that-never-went-away


Think I'll just leave it at that on emissions

 

There are a lot of myths out there about COE's, people that have never owned or driven them have opinions, thanks for the clarification, I have several Freightliners including my Argosy that I have purchased from the USA and RIV Canada (Transport Canada) is very strict about importation and upfront about the ban on glider trucks and or modifications. KW and Freightliner still promote them in Australia and some very expensive used ones are advertised on Truckpaper. It's interesting to note that MANN and SAAB are among the manufacturers of COE's that we don't see in North America. I think a lot of it is perception, I don't disagree that it does take some adjustment to driving one. But they are no longer the loud, hot, rough riding sardine cans from years gone by, even my 2000 is quiet, extremely roomy (standup) fuel efficient, ergonomic truck.

 

Read somewhere that a company in Canada got a couple Globetrotters from England and are testing them in Canada cant remember where I read it or the company, one of the trucking rags at a truck stop I think. I dont like the climb into the cabovers but thats just me.

 

http://www.truckinginfo.com/blog/al...uro-style-cabovers-in-the-u-s-and-canada.aspx

 

An easier way into the cab............

 

Hmm.. interesting...

Well, I guess that settles that, then.