Cabovers

Disagree all you want, I still wouldn't want one and half the truck drivers I see would hurt themselves trying to get in and out of them, unless they have a built in staircase that folds out when you open the door. Turn any sharper than you see some people doing already and they'll peel the tires right off the wheels. You must be running a real long wheel base truck if shrinking it 6 foot is even a possibility.

 

One aspect of short wheelbases I always hated was trying to drive them bobtail in heavily rutted roads. Yes, most of the time you are under a trailer, but sometimes those short wheelbases can be dangerous in those cases when bobtail. I remember seeing several times a bobtail single screw cab over crashed after the driver lost control of the rear. That is a phobia I have.

 

6ft, is just to loose the hood. So yeah, I would love a shorter overall truck with the exact same capabilities as what I have. As far as fat ### and out of shape drivers, you can't put that on the truck. That is their fault. I'm not saying they are for everyone, but why not have the option? For the most part every negative you list is because of a drivers inability, not because of the fault of a truck.

 

So again, just like the other guy. The problem isn't the truck, it's the driver. Because every other continent other than ours doesn't have this problem. Only Canada and the US?

 

Man, I grew up on the doghouse of the GMC cracker box, as well as the Transtar and an ol’ White Freightliner. Those doghouses got hot as hades. Minimal insulation on those things. Great in the wintertime, but really, really sucked rest of the year.

 

But, the fact remains the roads in the US are rutted in some cases really bad. I'm not getting down on the short wheelbase trucks. I have driven them. This issue is way less than 1% of a driver's total time on the road. I also agree with your point about choice. I just would not choose to operate one. However, I'm retired so I rather just drink coffee and chase women! This is way too much like work!


PEACE!!!!!

 

Anything built in the last 10 years is a 100% flat floor.....no doghouse. The same floor height in the entire truck. On a side note, I did the same as a kid. It wasn't pleasant at times....lol

 

Oh that is absolutely on the driver, as a bigger guy myself that is all entirely a choice. Guess I'm looking at the average fleet trucks, they don't have 6 foot of hood to begin with doesn't look like to me. I wouldn't want one, I've broken enough bones falling out of and off of stuff about half that far off the ground. If I had to pick a cabover to drive I'd want a Kenworth Aerodyne, they're making new of those in Australia yet aren't they?

 

I do agree about the road conditions. That isn't going to change anytime soon. However, again, you can't compare the two. The euro spec cabovers are a whole different animal altogether. The ride and handle extremely well.

 

Yes, kw has never stopped making a cabover. your right, the average fleet truck isn't a long hood. So with those trucks, you might loose 3 feet or so? Look at youtube to see how to get in and out of the newer cabovers. Completely different than the old style altogether.