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International Corp. On a Skid?

Birken Vogt

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Joined
Nov 30, 2003
Messages
5,305
Location
Grass Valley, Ca
I realized the other day I hardly see new Internationals any more.

Of course their big trucks are so ugly no one would ever buy one.

But their mediums used to be the mainstay of fleets like propane and dump. Now you hardly see one any more.

Consequence of their terrible EGR/non-urea gamble?

The ones I do see are fire trucks and city fleets. Probably spec'ed by people who don't know any better I guess....

The county bus fleet has some smaller chassis I have never seen elsewhere. They have engines that have such a loud knock/rattle to them it makes an old 5.9 or 8.3 Cummins sound quiet by comparison.

I'd be interested in market share reports to see if it is like this elsewhere. Seeing lots of new little Peterbilts in this medium duty role now.
 

Buickspec6231

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2013
Messages
77
Location
cny

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,432
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
IHC became Navistar and lost a lot of following then returned to International and not made up what was lost then the days of FUGGLY hoods, just don't know what they were thinking there. Very similar with the Ford/Sterling muckup. GM cannot seem to make up their mind if going to fully stay or leave the Medium duty market where Ford also toys at the far low end.
 

catwelder

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2016
Messages
383
Location
north carolina
Occupation
welder
id like to see a new version of a gm topkick also out of all those I like western star the best if we are going off looks
 

Birken Vogt

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Joined
Nov 30, 2003
Messages
5,305
Location
Grass Valley, Ca
Frieghtliner 37.1%
Peterbilt 15.9%
Kenworth 12.5%
International 10.9%
Volvo 10.5%
Mack 10.4%
Western Star 2.7%

**As of March 2017**

Interesting to see Paccar almost on par with Freightliner. In my opinion their quality is far above any others on that list.

If you consider Volvo/Mack as one company then IH is really down at the bottom of the heap.
 

Buickspec6231

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2013
Messages
77
Location
cny
Interesting to see Paccar almost on par with Freightliner. In my opinion their quality is far above any others on that list.

If you consider Volvo/Mack as one company then IH is really down at the bottom of the heap.
.I was thinking that too. The Pete's and Kenworths sure do have a bigger share than I realized. Being an east coast guy, it is kinda sad to see Mack have such a small share. Toured their factory a few times as a kid in Pennsylvania before the Volvo days. Antique Mack trucks have always been a thing in my family.
 

mowingman

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2010
Messages
1,228
Location
SE Ohio
Occupation
Retired
GM and Navistar have teamed up to offer medium trucks under the GMC name. So, a new Topkick/Kodiak are just around the corner. Navistar will build them using there chassis and some of their sheetmetal. GM will provide the Duramax engines, fiberglass hood design, and who knows what else. Should be out for the 2018 model year, if not sooner.
 

catwelder

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Jan 5, 2016
Messages
383
Location
north carolina
Occupation
welder
GM and Navistar have teamed up to offer medium trucks under the GMC name. So, a new Topkick/Kodiak are just around the corner. Navistar will build them using there chassis and some of their sheetmetal. GM will provide the Duramax engines, fiberglass hood design, and who knows what else. Should be out for the 2018 model year, if not sooner.
i like that idea because in the future id like to have a nice small dump truck because I like the look of the topkick more then the 750s and above
 

DMiller

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Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,432
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
Worked for Mack St. Louis in 77, tough gig, lots of OLD Macks were still in use everyday including those with the Fire Department. We were busy most days. My foreman was Herb Talley, mean little short skoal dipper, had no problem sending you on a goose chase just to prove who knew more(he always did). Taught me to 'Short' out nozzles to find worn cylinders, had never heard an engine knock so bad in my life until a B61 with a Thermodyne came in, did as instructed, sounded like pistons swapping holes, had 850,000 original never overhauled miles on it, drank oil like a refinery. My first hard nose conventional overhaul standing on my head under the hoods most of the time. Loved working on them, simple, dependable and built like armored vaults. Did however despise changing rear camel back springs and end blocks, 1600 ft lbs dragging a torque wrench thru a multiplier sucked.
 

catwelder

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2016
Messages
383
Location
north carolina
Occupation
welder
Worked for Mack St. Louis in 77, tough gig, lots of OLD Macks were still in use everyday including those with the Fire Department. We were busy most days. My foreman was Herb Talley, mean little short skoal dipper, had no problem sending you on a goose chase just to prove who knew more(he always did). Taught me to 'Short' out nozzles to find worn cylinders, had never heard an engine knock so bad in my life until a B61 with a Thermodyne came in, did as instructed, sounded like pistons swapping holes, had 850,000 original never overhauled miles on it, drank oil like a refinery. My first hard nose conventional overhaul standing on my head under the hoods most of the time. Loved working on them, simple, dependable and built like armored vaults. Did however despise changing rear camel back springs and end blocks, 1600 ft lbs dragging a torque wrench thru a multiplier sucked.
one of the biggest company's in my area only uses mack trucks they got around 20-30 of them and they seem to stay with them since I can remember
 

Truck Shop

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Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Messages
16,553
Location
WWW.
Little known fact {Kenworths were built in Yakima Wa during WWII, the Seattle plant was used for war effort} Any Kenworth built between 42 and late 45 are very rare.
Kenworth was bought by Pacific Car & Foundry in 47.

Last place I worked at some years back had a 66 RL Hayward Cal built Mack, It was one of the first RL's built. It had a 335 Cummins, Spicer boxes and Rockwell drives.

That Max Force engine of International has just about killed IH.

Truck Shop
 

crane operator

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
8,275
Location
sw missouri
The ones I do see are fire trucks and city fleets. Probably spec'ed by people who don't know any better I guess....

That's the only international's I see also, and with the maxxforce things that I read, fire, county /city/state, etc, are the only people who can afford to keep them running. Owner operators just go broke with the repair bills.

The owner operator doesn't have the constant tax flow $ to repair their trucks with, if their truck doesn't run, they don't make any $.
 

Truck Shop

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Dec 7, 2015
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16,553
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WWW.
Washington St. is dumping IH for Freightliners and Food Services of America are phasing out corn queens as well. And the county I live in is dumping Mack for
Freightliners I believe. Volvo has cut Mack down to only three models, It won't be long and Mack will be gone,

Truck Shop
 

Legdoc

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2007
Messages
464
Location
south texas
Navistar lost their way years ago. Down here they owned the school bus and MDT business. You used to see alot of their HDT units. Now more and more Freightliners even though there is no dealer within 100 miles. The day of good tough trucks like the old Transtars, Loadstars, Paystars is over. Mickey Mouse crap like Prostars and their rediculous multiplexing electrical systems that even their dealers struggle with sealed their coffin. They even screwed up the bullet proof DT466.
 

crane operator

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
8,275
Location
sw missouri
I was actually thinking along this topic today, and I actually think there should be a market for simple reliable over the road and vocational trucks. Not all the bells and whistles, just point A to B, with reasonable fuel mileage.

But I think the same thing about simple cheap cars, and I open the hood on this new stuff and all I see is a big piece of plastic and nothing that even looks like a engine.

And I think the same about pickups, and a customer was on the job today with his new $70,000 pickup

And when all the new agricultural tractors got computerized and plastic and the JD 4020's from the 70's bring way more than they cost new, because the new stuff doesn't work and costs to much, and you can't keep it running.

I'm not that old, and I sound like a cranky old man, telling kids to get off my lawn.....
 

kenh

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Joined
Aug 12, 2010
Messages
264
Location
bonners ferry,id
Hate to go off topic, but, Ford now has four top of the line high cost models now. With the topmost one with all options the price would be north of $94K!!
 

Truck Shop

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Messages
16,553
Location
WWW.
I was actually thinking along this topic today, and I actually think there should be a market for simple reliable over the road and vocational trucks. Not all the bells and whistles, just point A to B, with reasonable fuel mileage.

But I think the same thing about simple cheap cars, and I open the hood on this new stuff and all I see is a big piece of plastic and nothing that even looks like a engine.

And I think the same about pickups, and a customer was on the job today with his new $70,000 pickup

And when all the new agricultural tractors got computerized and plastic and the JD 4020's from the 70's bring way more than they cost new, because the new stuff doesn't work and costs to much, and you can't keep it running.

I'm not that old, and I sound like a cranky old man, telling kids to get off my lawn.....

I have had Peterbilt, Kenworth and Freightliner corporate people in the shop this last six months all giving me a spiel about how wonderful there trucks are. I reply with {When are you going
to start making trucks again instead of trying to build a large car? Trucks don't need crap like power door locks, power windows, heated seats and such}. They leave wishing they hadn't
stopped in. That's the reason I built that tow truck out of a 94 W900, simple DDEC III Detroit Series 60 the only electronics in it. Plus being 94 We don't have to run E-logs.

I am older and cranky

Truck Shop

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