200 tonne rated and an ideal spec for HH.
Star down under.:
200 tonne rated and an ideal spec for HH.
SDU are you thinking we should go into partnership I regret not much of a fan with the Western Star no real reason a mate purchased one similar to the one on here and I found it noisy compared to my Titan when we swapped trucks on a job for a while he admitted I was correct, not much of a reason as they are obviously a very popular and reliable unit that plenty of operators would be proud to own me the Titan proved to be a money pit until I fitted a C15 in it.my old W Model was my pride and joy I should never have sold it kept it until retirement then painted
it red an used it as a letter box.
All the best Cheers Dig
Thank you for your most kind and generous offer, Dig. After due consideration (precisely .53 seconds) I have decided to reject your tantalising proposal.
If however we are tempted in future, a Star would be streets ahead of any other vehicle short of a Range Rover, unless you enjoy rubbing shoulders. 
Over twenty years ago I had a Superliner on heavy haulage. That was enough to put me off Mack forever. They look tough and comfortable but in reality they’re just a tarted up cramped R Model. It had a nasty, unnerving habit of wandering, seemingly steering from the drive and particularly in the wet. A number of mechanics, including Mack couldn’t cure it, despite rebushing front and rear suspension, replacing the steering box, all tie rod ends and king pins, not to mention the numerous alignments. I got to the stage where I parked up if on a wet 100k road.
One day I engaged the diff lock to negotiate a steep pinch, on an awkward angle and blew the guts out of the power divider. Investigation by Mack as to the cause revealed two different diff ratios.
As for the Star not being as quiet as the Mack, I suggest you didn’t have the wireless turned up enough. 
Star down under.:
just a tarted up cramped R Model
Blimey, can you be referring to the dream I had as I bounced along in my B model. 
Spardo:
Star down under.:
just a tarted up cramped R ModelBlimey, can you be referring to the dream I had as I bounced along in my B model.
You were to skinny David B models were built for men of bulky measurement then the steering wheel could wear holes in your singlet and with no power steering you could put pressure on the wheel with your guts to keep it straight.
Im with Star I have owned 2 Macks one a R600 Coolpower the other a Titan both were money pits the KW was by far the most economical truck as I said The Western Stars don’t ring my bell but If heaven forbid I was to start all over again I would most certainly give them some consideration.
Cheers Dig
DIG:
:lol:Spardo:
Star down under.:
just a tarted up cramped R ModelBlimey, can you be referring to the dream I had as I bounced along in my B model.
You were to skinny David B models were built for men of bulky measurement then the steering wheel could wear holes in your singlet and with no power steering you could put pressure on the wheel with your guts to keep it straight.
Im with Star I have owned 2 Macks one a R600 Coolpower the other a Titan both were money pits the KW was by far the most economical truck as I said The Western Stars don’t ring my bell but If heaven forbid I was to start all over again I would most certainly give them some consideration.Cheers Dig
Well you got one thing right, I was very skinny in those days, before my body decided I needed more anchorage to avoid being blown away.
Sorry to shatter your dreams, David.
Dig, re the B model; don’t forget about having to wear two pairs of thongs (get your collective minds out of the gutter*) because the floor got so hot.
Star down under.:
Sorry to shatter your dreams, David.
Dig, re the B model; don’t forget about having to wear two pairs of thongs (get your collective minds out of the gutter*) because the floor got so hot.*0 Surfer Joe brand thongs.
Oh, I well remember that, skin blistering, then I got to the middle of the Victoria River for the first time and parked, opened the door and toppled out. Suitably refreshed I climbed back in and headed for the other side where Noel was waiting with his double drive in case we couldn’t make it up the other bank.
And then, they told me about the salties.
The MAP cat3 A team, Jase and Tommy P, hard at it today hauling a 65 ton piling rig from St Helens to Portsmouth.
Star down under.:
Sorry to shatter your dreams, David.
Dig, re the B model; don’t forget about having to wear two pairs of thongs (get your collective minds out of the gutter*) because the floor got so hot.*0 Surfer Joe brand thongs.
Yes but we had a secret weapon in the melt your thongs trick we had the Leyland Super Hippo with Leyland 690 engine with the turbo charger mounted at the back of the engine so it could distribute its heat directly into the truck floor.
Dig
DIG:
Star down under.:
Sorry to shatter your dreams, David.
Dig, re the B model; don’t forget about having to wear two pairs of thongs (get your collective minds out of the gutter*) because the floor got so hot.*0 Surfer Joe brand thongs.
Yes but we had a secret weapon in the melt your thongs trick we had the Leyland Super Hippo with Leyland 690 engine with the turbo charger mounted at the back of the engine so it could distribute its heat directly into the truck floor.
Dig
Looking on the bright side, when I started at K&M Haulage and before I had a motor of my own, they gave me a Micky Mouse Foden powder tanker which had the side of the bonnet nearest my leg missing. I never found out if there was a heater in the wagon because in the depths of a freezing cold winter it was so hot I had both windows open all the time.
I can’t remember but would I be right in thinking that the manifold was on that side?
Spardo:
DIG:
Star down under.:
Sorry to shatter your dreams, David.
Dig, re the B model; don’t forget about having to wear two pairs of thongs (get your collective minds out of the gutter*) because the floor got so hot.*0 Surfer Joe brand thongs.
Yes but we had a secret weapon in the melt your thongs trick we had the Leyland Super Hippo with Leyland 690 engine with the turbo charger mounted at the back of the engine so it could distribute its heat directly into the truck floor.
Dig
Looking on the bright side, when I started at K&M Haulage and before I had a motor of my own, they gave me a Micky Mouse Foden powder tanker which had the side of the bonnet nearest my leg missing. I never found out if there was a heater in the wagon because in the depths of a freezing cold winter it was so hot I had both windows open all the time.
I can’t remember but would I be right in thinking that the manifold was on that side?
Gardner engine had the manifold on that side, flakes of rust used to break off and melt the pipes to the air change and on long drags the fibreglass bonnet panel insulation would occasionally set afire!
Pete.
windrush:
Spardo:
DIG:
Star down under.:
Sorry to shatter your dreams, David.
Dig, re the B model; don’t forget about having to wear two pairs of thongs (get your collective minds out of the gutter*) because the floor got so hot.*0 Surfer Joe brand thongs.
Yes but we had a secret weapon in the melt your thongs trick we had the Leyland Super Hippo with Leyland 690 engine with the turbo charger mounted at the back of the engine so it could distribute its heat directly into the truck floor.
Dig
Looking on the bright side, when I started at K&M Haulage and before I had a motor of my own, they gave me a Micky Mouse Foden powder tanker which had the side of the bonnet nearest my leg missing. I never found out if there was a heater in the wagon because in the depths of a freezing cold winter it was so hot I had both windows open all the time.
I can’t remember but would I be right in thinking that the manifold was on that side?Gardner engine had the manifold on that side, flakes of rust used to break off and melt the pipes to the air change and on long drags the fibreglass bonnet panel insulation would occasionally set afire!
Pete.
Thanks Pete, it would have been a Gardner, perhaps the panel had been removed as a fire prevention precaution then?
Spardo:
Oh, I well remember that, skin blistering, then I got to the middle of the Victoria River for the first time and parked, opened the door and toppled out. Suitably refreshed I climbed back in and headed for the other side where Noel was waiting with his double drive in case we couldn’t make it up the other bank.And then, they told me about the salties.
A good mate of mine did the same thing. Freshly arrived from Un Zud, the land of the long white cloud, in the late 60s, he scored a job with Westerns, mostly running Darwin. Each trip to the Top, he would park in the river, sit in a trailer wheel and do his washing. Did it four or five times until he was wised up.
Just to keep it on topic.
Some years ago I won a job taking a Cat 12 grader from Townsville to Nambour. In an arse about way to normal, I needed to find a load to get me north. A forty foot donga (portacabin) fitted the bill. The conga was easier to load onto a 42’ drop deck with ramps than a float and as the grader would also fit on the drop deck, logic dictated that trailers choice.
All went well, I chucked the donga off at a roadworks site and drove the short distance to the wharf to load the Cat.
Whilst I stacked and secured the unneeded detritus on the upper deck, a wharfie went to find the machine. With the gear stowed and ramps down I awaited the arrival of the freight.
Eventually a bloke turns up with a big yellow grader. I told him he’d brought the wrong one out, as he turned up in a Cat 14G, his reply was “Can’t be, it’s the only grader on the wharf.”
Following a phone call, I determined that it was the right machine.
Now, at 35’x11’ a 14G is considerably heavier and larger than a 12. With over half a tyre width hanging off either side, I jammed the thing hard against the drop and surveyed the situation. The machine was close enough to “on”, so I cross chained it and raised the ramps as far as possible, ended up at about 60⁰ and chained them to the rippers.
It was an “interesting” drive down the Bruce, avoiding Transport and Highway enforcement.
