How are Mack Pinnacles?

It's funny that we should start talking about this, because I just ran a Volvo yesterday for the first time in quite a while. You get in one and the difference between it and a Mack is stark. The dashes are so much lower than in a Pinnacle, and you feel like you are sitting in a space ship with that huge, one piece windshield to look out. It almost feels overwhelming at first because you can see so much better out of a Volvo. It seems like their rear-view mirrors are larger, too. I told somebody that an old man that has driven a long-nose Pete all his life would get into a Volvo and have a seizure from information overload.

The ride quality also seems better, although Mack's aren't bad at all. I would give Volvo higher marks for ergonomics, vision, and ride quality. But I still love my Pinnacle. Plus, the Vovlo I ran was a wore out 2011 with 750K on it and a 10spd that needs dropped in a ditch somewhere. I'll stick with my 2014 450K Pinnacle with a 13spd, thank you very much.

 

I just looked at a 2011 CXU613 Pinnacle today and I really like it, 405k miles. I will be pulling logs with it, short hauls. So obviously there will be a lot of offroad work but nothing crazy like Alaska or Canada.

Have you had many problems with DPF?

Do you think it will be ok for offroad work?

Thanks for your help.

 

I know nothing about the fancy pinnicales. Or whatever you call them. It can be either the cat's meow or a top pile of *&^%.

Macks are not really for speed in pulling hills, you can get a modern 400 mack with a 9 speed to settle into a 41-42ish mph upgrade on town hill which is about 5% for 4 miles at 80000 near breezewood Pa. Way better than a old big cam 350 cummins on a set of tall 10 speed gearing fighting to stay above 15 on that same hill at that weight.

I like the macks, but that does not mean I go running out with arms wide for every new mack that comes along. They always trying to reinvent the wheel, imho needs no reinventing. Macks from the 60's and 70's do the work just as well, just need to update the engine and transmission and you will be fine. But I guess you have to be like building the newest and latest whizbang stuff to wow the companies into buy it.

Ive taken macks into places that will absolutely break a regular OTR truck. And loads become possible to deliver when it's 40% slope on a shale rock too slippery to walk on with the right tires and some handholding to keep her from going head over wheels.

And the old CH models either day cab or sleeper version on winter ice during a active ice storm in the mountains near Altoona away from the Pike are like mountain goats to me. Provided you have it set up right and don't rush it. I would be the one moving when everyone decided to stay home with them. You cannot get much higher praise for macks than that.

Finally if it is that rectangular wheel design they better toss it quick. I see alot of broken wrists, arms etc in the future because sometimes that front end has to cross certain things in certain angles, that wheel will catch you, if not in the arms but maybe a corner jab you in the lower ribs with potential health problems.

 

I'm a driver, not a diesel mechanic, so take that into consideration...

That being said, it is quite possible the truck will have DPF problems. Has it had injectors replaced lately? MP8/DD13s are notorious for blowing injectors left and right. We have had several trucks need new head gaskets or completely head replacement before 500K. One with 460K is down right now due to DPF being plugged and needing replaced. While it was in there for the DPF work, they figured out the head was bad, too. So now its getting the DPF system completely replaced, and a new head to boot. I don't even want to guess what all of that costs... Has this truck had the DPF filter replaced yet? If not, you can figure on doing that sometime in the near future.

Macks seem very hit or miss when it comes to how they run. You might get an awesome truck, or you might get a total lemon. You asked if it would have DPF problems. If you are really worried about DPF, then my advice would be completely bypass it and either buy a per-emissions truck or go with a glider. Because that is the only sure way to avoid the problem. Otherwise, you are playing Russian Roulette.

What transmission does this truck you are looking at have? What kind of gearing? How heavy will you gross? What HP/TQ is the truck set at? Which tune for that rating? (There are three different tunes for every HP rating Mack offers)

I would guess as long as you don't get a bad one, it would handle the work just fine. Macks are tough built trucks, even the Pinnacles. An MP8 backed by a 13spd or better, especially a 505hp MP8 with the max torque tune, would definitely get the logs moved.

 

From everything I have read so far. If I maintain strict adherence to the maintenance program, address issues as soon as they arise, learn the truck and pay attention to detail, I should be ok. Of course there will be things to fix/repair but I will be able to avoid or at least mitigate major problems. With these emission trucks, paying attention to detail and really taking care of the truck is very important. That applies to any truck but seems that the emissions trucks need a little more monitoring. I plan to stay ahead of things and not take any short cuts when it comes to maintenance. I think that will be the key for me.

Thanks for the information, I appreciate it. Like you said hopefully I will get a good truck, that will make it easier to take care of. Not sure what I could do with a lemon, knock on wood.

 

I'm currently driving a 2015 mack and have to admit besides a cummins the mp8 is a great pulling motor.Truck has 220k on it now and so far no issues.Mack use to be my least favorite truck,but not no more they jumped way ahead of freightliners and internationals or petes/kws with the crappy (non pulling always emissions issues) paccar motor.

 

The one I'm buying has 405,000, what advice would you give as far as maintenance and minimizing downtime?

 

There is definitely a BIG difference between an MP8 and a MX-13. I just came out of a Peterbilt 579 day cab with a 455hp MX and went back into a Pinnacle with a 445 MP8. As far as motors go, the horsepower rating is almost dead even, and the day cab has the advantage of being considerably lighter. But the Mack pulls harder, and I think you would rapidly leave the Peterbilt in the dust if you were steadily pulling in the mountains. They just don't have the grunt the Macks do. I would love to try out a 505hp MP8 with the Maxidyne tune with 80k behind it.

 

No problem, maintenance is key. I may have misspoke earlier. What I was hearing was total head jobs might just be head gaskets, but this goes to prove your point. I think a lot of the problems we have had are due to poor maintenance. I think they started blowing head gaskets because mechanical dept wasn't keeping an eye on the coolant and letting different types get put into trucks and never changing it/flushing it. I've often wondered how many of our problems we have brought on ourselves...

You seem to have a good plan going in. Maintenance is absolutely crucial. Follow the manufacturer's guidelines to the T. If anything, be stricter. The guys who don't have issues with emissions trucks are usually the ones who change oil often and don't push intervals on stuff. When the book says that little filter needs cleaned or changed at 300k, there is a reason for that...

Anyway, best of luck if you do go the Mack route. They are nice trucks. God bless!

 

yes sir way better then the paccar motors.