Cabovers

I did read an article on that setup that did state that it drove very much like a std. 53' trailer, they run almost a 50" KP setback on that trailer.

But you are right, there are a lot of cabovers out there that do turn shaper, UNLESS Freightliner addressed that when they revamped that truck?

 

What is the best class 7/8 cabover truck currently for sale in North America. just wondering

 

as for this walmart combination , i think this is most stupid truck-trailer combination i have ever seen

in europe we use this for high volume transports,it rides far better than tractor+semitrailer , more comfortable, better in winter, easier to reverse, better manuverability , they come in different sizes most popular are 7.3xPALx3m+8.2xPALx3.15m, 7.7xPALx3m+7.7xPALx3.15m

but there is lot other like 7.45+8.2, 7.775+7.775, here it was popular 6.2+8.2 due to length laws in neighboring countries
anyway this trailer have in my opinion too low tires (235/75r17.5) they dont last long , rolling resistance is high, they make problems with brakes and bearings, i think this extra 15cm in height can be sacrificed for super single wheels

 

Wait till you get a walmart over there...... They are a blight on the planet. And there are some who think the " private fleet" is the best truck carrier in the country.......(not me).

 

here it was before trend each company which primary job is not transport was buying trucks and doing transport itself this reduce prices of transport significantly as there was too many trucks on market

now they dont longer want to deal with transport especially large companies but let job to transport companies , who drive for cheap owner operators almost extinct

as for walmart combination , i am not afraid of it here we have all regulated by law ,

-for tractor+semitrailer 16.5m overall , from bumper to 5th wheel 4.5m, from king pin to rear bumper 12m, from king pin to front corners 2.04m
-for truck+full trailer 18.75m overall ,from front wall of truck body to trailer rear wall 15.65m , minimum distance between truck and trailer 0.75m , make 2.35m left for cab and space between body and cab
turning circles inside and out are regulated by law as well

 

Do not see where that muffin truck (http://dailydieseldose.com/the-drom-box/) would handle like anything like a 53'. Deep kingpins like 50" hardly make a dent on trailer tracking radius and make tight maneuvering harder since the over-swing on opposite side now is a issue. I am sure it goes down the highway fine but what doesn't. With that slow argosy steering, long tractor chassy, long kingpin to axle distance, spread axle, and large trailer over-hang or over-swing that thing is a disaster to drive in tight areas.

As you know there is a big push by shippers for 60.5' trailers and 51,000lb triple axles to reduce shipping costs. That is why that walmart supercube contraption was made. Neglecting all the dynamics of trucking, some office idiot wanted to show the world that a 60.5' trailer could be run as long as a normal truck length of 75'. As if truck length was the only thing that effected truck maneuverability or safety.

No one in the states would grant permission for such a contraption, so the corporate idiot toke it to Canada to run press releases on it. The bottom line is they just want to see the introduction of 60.5' trailers in the US. It makes no other sense to run this crap in Canada when you can us 53' turnpikes in most of Canada.

 

Yes I have ridden in one. And yes it is a rough ride. But I still love the mack mr

 

I guess I just don't see the issue, truth be told if you put on of my rigs with some of our loads aside of that truck we would no only be longer overall, we would also have (effectively) more KP setback, (by quite a bit) and also have more rear swing, and we go EVERYWHERE.

This truck is built for a private fleet that caters to what they need, it isn't intended to change to face of the industry as a whole, for one thing, most shipper/rec. would not want to deal with a drom box, or the dropped floor, it is what it is, but I can't see why you would think it that hard to get around with?

 

BTW, I just looked up the chassis specs for the argosy, 50degree wheel cut with a 40" set back axle, exactly the same as my Cascadias, I don't understand why you would think it articulates badly?

 

I guess you did not read what I wrote or the 'Walmart press release' ;The whole point of the walmart supercube is that is not any longer than the average truck at 75'. I am not familiar with your setups so I cannot comment on you KP setback or why you would want to run a deep KP. However KP setback has the least effect on how a tractor articulates.

No, that is my point. Almost no walmart store can handle this trailer; they do not have forklifts and cannot pull freight from the upper deck. Most do not have the overhead room for the trailer to raise to the dock. Logistically walmart prefers the drop and hook; The drom requires live unload. Many stores do not have the room to maneuver this beast.

This truck tractor set-up is the worst possible set-up to run walmart loads! It is nothing but a political statement espousing the benefits of the industry to move towards 60' trailers. Walmart spices up every press release with how this thing conservers fuel, reduces costs, and saves the environment. And that is what this thing is for; to convince the general public and law-makers the benefit of longer trailers.

In all respects 48' or 53' turnpikes provides walmart with more volume, more maneuverability, more load capacity, lower cost, easier maintenance, easier logistics, and easier loading. This supercube is a political gimmick!