Why do so many Americans hate European trucks?

The very long chassis of these tractors serves as a lever, you need a lot of force to slide the rear axles over the surface of the road when such a tractor makes a curve. Very bad for the tires too by the way. DAF (for instance) has a similar tractor, but much shorter. It is a 8 x 4, and the first of the three rear axles is steerable (single wheels). That makes such a tractor far more manoeuvrable, two axles steering instead of one, and one axle sliding instead of two.

 

You would think it is better for the roads too,having 2 steers instead off 1.
But again the lawmakers see it differently.
there are many absurd and dangerous laws on the books,allover the world.

 

after i have seen this , tri-drive, no thanks , although you can never believe to american adds , they always try to show somebodys else product much worst than it is , for example here they dont use longitudinal diff locks ,

 

You need the tridem in canada to legally carry the weight, I'm sure you could have steer axles but you wouldn't be allowed carry the weight, weight laws in NA are as silly as our lenght limits, also a euro Coe is far too heavy on the front to be allowed on the roads so it's a non runner, trucks in NA are built light to suit the laws, once again it's drivers are the after thought, in NA they don't allow for a heavy strong cabs and in Europe they don't allow a hood for frontal impacts.

True American trucks are way behind European trucks but you can't beat the view headin down the highway with that big hood stretching towards the horizon, that's something most euro trucks are lacking these days.....character!

 

Here is the reason Americans don't like European trucks, at least if we are talking about "Cabovers" and the older American drivers that can remember.
If it hasn't been mentioned already and it may have, being this is a long running thread - The ride in a cab over was terrible being as you sat over the steer axle.
Many an old timer lost kidneys if i have the correct body part? from the bouncing around -a old timer would have to verify that was the cause.
But in general it was a horrible ride.
I see many younger drivers on this site mention how cool the cab overs look, but if they had to drive one all the time i assume their view would change.
Mind you i have no clue how the modern COE ride -but it cant be as comfortable as a new long nose.
Here is one plus side they had if you were teaming, if you were loading or unloading or waiting to get a load you could pile stuff on the seats and sleep across the dog house for the driver that wasn't scheduled to be in the bunk.

 

[QUOTE="Hang - Man";4164305]Here is the reason Americans don't like European trucks, at least if we are talking about "Cabovers" and the older American drivers that can remember.
If it hasn't been mentioned already and it may have, being this is a long running thread - The ride in a cab over was terrible being as you sat over the steer axle.
Many an old timer lost kidneys if i have the correct body part? from the bouncing around -a old timer would have to verify that was the cause.
But in general it was a horrible ride.
I see many younger drivers on this site mention how cool the cab overs look, but if they had to drive one all the time i assume their view would change.
Mind you i have no clue how the modern COE ride -but it cant be as comfortable as a new long nose.
Here is one plus side they had if you were teaming, if you were loading or unloading or waiting to get a load you could pile stuff on the seats and sleep across the dog house for the driver that wasn't scheduled to be in the bunk.[/QUOTE]

things have changed a lot, they do actually ride better than US conventionals, quieter too, there's no doghouse anymore unless it's a small low delivery truck

 

I have been in more than one US spec cabover that rides as good if not better than most conventionals.

 

Yup pretty bad especially when light, American air suspended trucks have very bad axle articulation, hangar springs are usually mounted on top of the axle with a real short airbag

 

It would still be a blind side turn. regardless of the extra mirrors. What I'm getting out though is trailer not cutting enough to make the maneuver.

 

Have to ask. That long hood. Does it sitt still or can you see it vibrating while you are driving. Last hood truck I drove was an old 80s Sisu Sl and I almost got crazy seing the small vibrations in the hood. Not really comparable and I hope the reason for it being it was an 80s truck