What if cab-overs wern't so aweful?

Tilting the cab for maintenance was a nuisance. One time, my lead driver chose to stay in the sleeper during repairs at a dealership. Another time, the police phoned at 3 a.m. wondering if my truck was being vandalized. I had left the cab tilted behind the supermarket next to my home. Another time, I tilted the cab in downtown Benton Harbor and carried the failed alternator to the shop that had rebuilt it the week before.

Love that 1953 Mack COE that was not a tilt cab. To work on the engine, you remove the seats, dog house, and floor boards. Then, climb over the steer tire.

 

We still have a cabover fire truck and we have to tilt the cab to check the engine and belts out each month.

 

I drove three different types of cabovers, the first was the old style doghouse with the mattress level with it. It rode horrible, but it got the job done. The second one I drove had the dog house but had a stand up sleeper, still a rough ride but nice when you were sleeping. The third was a flat floor, JB Hunt ran these, it was ok, but really weak on power, very roomy, a decent ride. I prefer hoods, but honestly, I'll drive what the boss man tells me too, LOL.

 

We just had a local man killed this week while driving a small type cab-over, believe it was an ISUZU. About a ton and a half truck, had a 12 foot flat bed on it. He raised the cab, did his maintenance, lowered the cab, somehow it did not lock.He drove a few miles, hit the brakes, the cab flew up, threw him out [ he was not wearing a seatbelt] , and the truck ran over him.
I learned to drive on a cabover, have owned several in the past, and they have a special place in my heart. But as far as ride, safety, convenience, etc., a conventional is your best bet.

 

I think it was because the cabover GMC had such big windshields that when your partner got up to drive, he showed the world his expectations. They were hot too. GmCs rode nice but were crappy trucks. Ran them OKC to LA for American Farm Lines in the 70s and ran team.

 

Besides all of the obvious points that have already been covered here....Even if you could make'em ride decent and have more roon in'em...They'd still be "butt ugly"!
Look at all the trucks in europe...They may or may not be good trucks, But they're all F'ng ugly as sin!

 

I had a chance to ride in a MAN cabover in Italy a couple years back. While it rode much better than the old 78 White Freightliner I started with, it's still a rough ride.
Europe is very different than NA. The distance an average driver over there covers is MAYBE 300 miles per day. Half what we do. Hours are shorter for drivers and sleepers are not common like here. You don't drive the OTR trucks there in the cities. They are basically line haul from terminal to terminal. The streets of the city are just too small and tight.
My biggest problem with driving a cabover was cutting my feet on the fillings that shook out of my teeth while driving over big bumps such as expansion joints on highways.
I don't mind the extra effort to put a conventional into a tight spot. And I don't have to stop so often for a pit stop since the ride on these newer trucks don't beat your kidneys into submission.

 

You know.....

I kinda like cabover's. The old school nastagia of them is appealing to me. And then I kinda enjoyed the one I drove for awhile.

 

saw a friend of mione--working on an old pete co---was leaning over the wheel and the cab didnt always lock right---cab crept down and while it didnt hurt him it pinned him tight enough he couldnt get out
nother buy i know was working on a long hood engine--the idiot accross the shop had co up in air and reached in to start it--didnt check to make sure it was in neutral--i guess brakes must have been offf as well---anyways it charges accross the shop and hits the pete--slams the hood down on the other guy--breaking his arm and collar bone