OTR Trucks

[RobS]

I know there are some truckers on here, maybe someone can answer my curiosities...

I've been a fan of trucks and trucking since I was a kid. I was a big time carpet trucker and built my share of plastic model kits of the big rigs. Back then I knew the difference between a cabover and a conventional, but didn't know the pros/cons of either.

So yesterday, I'm on a quick trip to Detroit with nothing to do but observe trucks. It didn't take me long to realize there are no more cabover trucks (except the smaller, city delivery type rigs). It wasn't long ago that JBHunt had a whole fleet of International (Navistar?) cabovers with set-back front axles. Not sure why I remember those, but they seemed kind of neat. But now, nothing. Not one single cabover amongst hundreds of semi-trucks that I saw.

I'm sure there are good reasons for this, and I can imagine a couple but why the relatively sudden demise? If cabovers are so "bad" now, what made them attractive a couple of decades ago?

Thanks in advance for enlightening me!

 

[jwstewar]

I noticed this same thing a few months ago. I'm just guessing here. But I would guess 2 reasons for their demise. Driver comfort. The cabovers were pretty cramped because of a big engine hump in the middle of the truck. I also heard they didn't ride as well. Second and probably more important to the companies fuel mileage. It is easier to start breaking the air up with the hood and slope it around the cab and trailer. Take a look at the newer Kenworth sloped hoods.

Why were cabovers popular? I would guess maneurverability. A little bit shorter so they could turn sharper. I would say redesigns have helped the newer ones turn as well. I think I had heard at one point conventionals were banned in certain cities because of turning ability, but as that improved it conventionals that ban got lifted.

None of these are facts, just my opinion from looking at it from outside as also a fan of trucks and trains and well pretty much anything with wheels and an engine.

 

[MossRoad]

My quick guess would be aerodynamics.

 

[jdbower]

Why were cabovers popular? I would guess maneurverability.

That fits my observations, cabovers are still popular in cities with box trucks. For long haul trucks they've fallen by the wayside.

 

[MossRoad]

In all seriousness, I just remembered hearing several years ago that truckers that used cab over trucks had lower fertility rates. Sitting over the engine caused more heat to build up under the operator's seat, which heated the blood vessels, which killed or seriously diminished the motility of the "boys in the army", so to speak.

Truckers also complained about the ride over the axle being extremely rough, and the fact that you had to tilt the entire cab up to service the engine. Large sleepers would have to tilt, too. Have you noticed the size of some of the sleepers these days? They are huge and I could see where a cab over with a large sleeper would not work very well for servicing the engine.

 

[kenmac]

I don't remember seeing alot of cab overs with sleepers. If they had them, I'am sure they were small

 

[MossRoad]

I don't remember seeing alot of cab overs with sleepers. If they had them, I'am sure they were small

Here's a link to a trader site that has lots of them with cab overs/sleepers. Yes, they are small... not the apartment sized ones you see today.
Cabover/coe for Sale - CommercialTruckTrader.com

 

[Phils]

My wife and I drove cross-country for a decade starting in the mid-seventies.

We had cabovers because the length laws required us to... the laws, at least in some states, specified the total overall length limit. The laws were later changed to specify the trailer length limit only, allowing a tractor of any size.

Cabovers have a worse ride because you are sitting over the front axle. They are also more dangerous in crashes, especially head-on accidents. We would have owned a conventional tractor if we legally could have.

Phil

 

[Lasgambler]

I have a Volvo/White Cab-over dump truck. Talk about a pain to get and out of. It is like climbing a tree going up and good luck getting out with out falling.

 

[RobS]

Very interesting insights, thanks all. I was unaware of the length restrictions, that makes sense now.

I see a lot of current, conventional trucks with the front axle set back pretty far. I assume that's for manueverability but doesn't that make the ride as bad as the old cabovers?

 

[Timber]

Swift still uses them in their car carriers, If you ever lived in a truck you would never want a cab over. The conventional is beautiful inside like campers. The front seats swivel around into the bunk and open up the space. We run all 72 inch condo sleepers, the drivers love them

 

[RobertN]

I know there are, or used to be, length restrictions. My neighbor ran a KW Cabover because of that. He lost that truck in a wreck; a car hit him in the rain. Since then, he replaced that truck with a KW conventional.

Someone mentioned tilting a cabover. All the fire engines in our district are cab overs. With the cab big enough for seating 5, it makes it interesting to tilt durin daily's, weeklies, and monthlies...

My favorite truck is the '74 KW used in "Movin On". There was a thread about that a couple months ago; someone in New Jersey has the only known remaining truck from the show, in original paint.

I know there are some truckers on here, maybe someone can answer my curiosities...

I've been a fan of trucks and trucking since I was a kid. I was a big time carpet trucker and built my share of plastic model kits of the big rigs. Back then I knew the difference between a cabover and a conventional, but didn't know the pros/cons of either.

 

[milkman]

My favorite truck is the '74 KW used in "Movin On". There was a thread about that a couple months ago; someone in New Jersey has the only known remaining truck from the show, in original paint.

My favorite TV truck was the GMC with the screaming Detroit on the old "Cannonball" show.

 

[Taylortractornut]

The cab overs are all but gone still a few companies use them as back ps. They had the overall lenght restrictions and manueverability issues. All that had sleepers were integrated sleepers. Not like the old crakcer box GMs.
Theres an International that I rode in when I has a kid that has almost 2 million miles on it and has had 3 owners still goins strong. As for engine service they had hand pums and cylinders to tilt the cabs. they did have to have a cab latch/lock on back. Dads friend had to brake hard on an off ramp. the cab tilted over and he was staring at the stripes and laying halfway ontop of the windshield. In that position the cant be shifted or steered because of the universal joints involved.
Also anothr downfall was the hight climbing in an out of one, we have DM macks they are conventionals but the cab sits almost over the axle and the drivers side is flush with the left hand axle. It make climbing in and out every rolloff load less than fun.

 

[Ductape]

.....

 

[Ductape]

I see a lot of current, conventional trucks with the front axle set back pretty far. I assume that's for manueverability but doesn't that make the ride as bad as the old cabovers?

Its more for weight distribution. Setting the front axle back puts more weight on it. Running the the front axle as heavy as is allowed, allows you to transfer more weight onto the drive axle(s). Running your front axle well under its legal capacity "wastes" your load capacity.

Now federal law dictates trailer length only (though states regulate overall length still). As stated, this killed the cabover.... as they were designed to meet length requirements. Driving a truck like this was unthinkable in the past.

 

[Ductape]

One for RobertN !


I think for me...... trucks is a worse addiction than tractors.

 

[RobertN]

One for RobertN !


I think for me...... trucks is a worse addiction than tractors.

Oh Ya! I've been looking at Ebay; there are some DVD's available of the show, as well as the movie that proceeded it.

The KW from "Smokey and the Bandit" was very similar.

 

[Ductape]

A couple pics i found from a recent show.

 

[Ductape]

Couple more.......