There are a lot still running in Central America. They love Macks, especially R models. If they can't kill them down there after having countless miles and hours put on them up here, that says a lot about their build quality and durability.The R models used to be a common sight on the road but dont see very many these days.
Thats my understanding as well CM. My customer that still runs the 3 R model macks have sold other R models in the past to a truck broker that ships them to the middle east.He said the like them over there as well.There are a lot still running in Central America. They love Macks, especially R models. If they can't kill them down there after having countless miles and hours put on them up here, that says a lot about their build quality and durability.
I have a friend of mine in Costa Rica that runs two R model tandem dumps. I would guess they are early to mid 80's models but it was hard to tell exactly with all the "modifications" that had been done over the years.
"No-SH*T" …willie….. funny tho that Mack used the same cab right thru to the Super-Liners …. very minor changes to make them maybe more comfortable ??? …. LOL ….. That twin stick might be the early version of the 12spd before they had the big round knob on the stick ….. CheersThose trucks were made before Volvo contaminated them.
Hey, Only way to drive an "R" model. Gouge on it and go. Let the black smoke roll. Get the guy with the little "tackle box" tool it in Lakeland, FL to add some washers in the pump.We go the Bahamas every October, there all old USA R models all over the place. Most run with big bodies, no mud flaps and no cover. On this trip saw an ex Yonkers contracting DM on the road.
The DM600 was the very best site truck ever made with no exceptions if specced properly.I like the steel cab better than the glass cab but that didn't make any difference about handling on the job site.I liked the 250 with the quadruplex better than the Maxidyne but if it was equipped with the maxidyne I would want the transmission with reverse in the auxilliary,that was the most versatile setup,the only thing that you gave up with that setup was being able to catch it on the rebound if you needed to get out of a bad spot quick because reverse even if you could catch it quick enough was about two gears lower than you would have been going forward and you were dead either way,if backing in got you in trouble when you got it in a forward gear you would be geared too high to move out of the soft spot.I drove a DM600 10 wheel dump for 2 years, probably the most reliable truck I've ever driven. The only time it let me down was when a 50¢ hose clamp blew off one of the boost hoses, I was back on the road within an hour. Cab was cramped and ride was terrible but that truck got the loads where they needed to go!