Ford F-Max class 8 tractor

[Renze]

Ford is having the F-Max over the road tractor built in Turkey, in their joint venture partner Otosan which also builds the Transit

It sports a 12.7 liter 500hp Ford designed engine, with a 12 speed automated manual ZF gearbox: Though work is carried out on a Ford/Otosan gearbox.

I see Ford of America only produces up to the F 750 these days, so the F max leaves a gap between it and the F 750

The first one in Western Europe is sold to a Belgian haulage company, in a fleet of several other brand trucks. The press is positive about the design and the state of art.

Do you guys see a market for it in North America ?

https://www.fordtrucks.com.tr/en/tractor/f-max

THE STORY BEHIND THE FORD F-MAX

Ford’s new 4×2 heavy-duty prime mover took many by surprise when it was launched at the Hannover IAA Truck Show. Ford has kept many of the details of the truck secret and few were aware of its…

www.truckandbus.net.au

 

[Hay Dude]

Yeah it’s weird how Ford & GM are long gone in heavy trucks now for decades. They were solid, affordable trucks. Miss the old GM “General” and the Ford “Louisville”. Just another sign of America’s long and torturous decline.
I think there would be a market for them. 12.7L power looks substantial, although you have to wonder with electric everything being shoved down our throats why anyone would be introducing a new ICE powered anything. The production location doesn’t surprise me with the unfriendly, over regulated American industrial environment.

 

[Renze]

12.7L power looks substantial, although you have to wonder with electric everything being shoved down our throats why anyone would be introducing a new ICE powered anything.

Turkish industry does good business in the former Eastern Block. Especially Russia itself will not rely on batteries on their transsiberian dirt highway..

 

[nisaacs]

Kinda news for us here but both articles are old , 2018 and 2019. Can you say cabover Scania Looks like it has an engine or exhaust brake plus optional hydraulic retarder. Cat used the retarder way back in the day with very little success, created a lot of heat. Still interesting!

 

[ptsg]

There is a fleet of these F-Max tractors in my area, hauling silica sand for glass container manufacturers pretty much 24/7. They pull 40 ton dump trailers all day long. They seem to be doing well though.

As nissacs said, the article is a couple years old, so they have been in service for at least 2 years.

 

[Renze]

Looks like it has an engine or exhaust brake plus optional hydraulic retarder. Cat used the retarder way back in the day with very little success, created a lot of heat. Still interesting!

Its the standard in Europe. Jake brakes are too noisey in 80% of European roads, so why use them at all... off course a hydrodynamic retarder needs cooling capacity as much as its braking capacity, as like all other brakes, its turning kinetic energy into heat.

 

[Cat385B]

Truck seems to be short an axle, there.

 

[ptsg]

Truck seems to be short an axle, there.

That's just extra wear and tear with another axle.

It will pull 40 tons as is.

 

[Cat385B]

We need it to pull 72, thanks.

 

[redman135]

Won't work in New Zealand, road tax is brutal on 4wheeler tractors and there is a tandem drive requirement @44tonne and higher.

 

[nisaacs]

Do you guys see a market for it in North America ?

Short answer is no. Cabover big trucks are rare, as are 2 axles. Two axle trucks are limited here and require a set of doubles to get 80k gcw. Every state is slightly different. So to go coast to coast, you need to follow the most restrictive state, in your route. The standard is 5 axles total or 34k per tandem and 12k steer axle, that gets you 80k. A spread axle trailer (10') can get you 20k per axle but still only 80k total, in some states. Some states will allow the 20k per axle for a total of 86K. Some states will allow Rocky Mountain Doubles, or two full size trailers but they have to stay within the states that allow it.

Big truck rules are brutal here, so that is why I quit them in '92 after 20 years. Now I run non-cdl hotshot, 26k max.

 

[Hay Dude]

Short answer is no. Cabover big trucks are rare, as are 2 axles. Two axle trucks are limited here and require a set of doubles to get 80k gcw. Every state is slightly different. So to go coast to coast, you need to follow the most restrictive state, in your route. The standard is 5 axles total or 34k per tandem and 12k steer axle, that gets you 80k. A spread axle trailer (10') can get you 20k per axle but still only 80k total, in some states. Some states will allow the 20k per axle for a total of 86K. Some states will allow Rocky Mountain Doubles, or two full size trailers but they have to stay within the states that allow it.

Big truck rules are brutal here, so that is why I quit them in '92 after 20 years. Now I run non-cdl hotshot, 26k max.

AND big truck fines are brutal.

 

[Renze]

Short answer is no. Cabover big trucks are rare, as are 2 axles.

I know. The axle thing, that can be arranged as Meritor and others offer plenty of OEM choices. Scania also put a hood in front of their cabover cabs, and i dont know if they swap the tunneled floor for a flat one on hooded versions..

But would Ford develop an engine for Europe (allmost the same emission standards as the USA) and not use it in a USA built truck as well ?

Paccar is now using the Dutch developed Daf engine in Kennies and Petes, to spread the development costs over more units... would Ford do the same ?

 

[oliver1555]

It would have to be a different platform to sell in th US. I don’t think you’ll find much enthusiasm for a cabover, especially in the western part of the country. I haven’t driven one since the late 80s. Cabovers are about like hen’s teeth - pretty rare and for good reason. It’s so much easier to tilt a hood than to jack a cab up. They might have a small market as city delivery trucks.

 

[Renze]

They might have a small market as city delivery trucks.

But then, city delivery doesnt require a 500hp 12.7 liter engine, does it ?

What you see is Volvo sharing technology between their European and American branches. Paccar using the European Daf engine in their American trucks. Detroit Diesel building European Mercedes Benz engines. Navistar used to build their MaxxForce 13 based on European MAN tech, which will inevitably return now the European members of Traton (VW) group, MAN and Scania are sharing a new 13 liter platform.

Vertical integration is the norm in the truck world. So Ford developing a brand new Diesel for their European (west Asian) truck works is an unusual move, especially since they sold their bigger truck lines to Freightliner years ago...

 

[4570Man]

There’s quite a few coke, Pepsi or beer delivery trucks that are single axel. But I agree a single axel cab over isn’t going to be a big hit in the US.

 

[ptsg]

It would have to be a different platform to sell in th US. I don’t think you’ll find much enthusiasm for a cabover, especially in the western part of the country. I haven’t driven one since the late 80s. Cabovers are about like hen’s teeth - pretty rare and for good reason. It’s so much easier to tilt a hood than to jack a cab up. They might have a small market as city delivery trucks.

You really don't lift the cab on a cab over that frequently. Only if you have a major issue on the engine that requires taking things apart there.

All of the daily maintenance stuff is easily accessible by lifting a front panel up. Even still, these newer trucks will most likely have some sort of electric pump to lift the cab with a flick of a switch.

 

[nisaacs]

You really don't lift the cab on a cab over that frequently. Only if you have a major issue on the engine that requires taking things apart there.

All of the daily maintenance stuff is easily accessible by lifting a front panel up. Even still, these newer trucks will most likely have some sort of electric pump to lift the cab with a flick of a switch.

Even once a month is too much. Can you say, secure/remove all your belongings before you tilt. Such as your steel thermos, very hard on windshields

 

[ptsg]

We would rather have the slight inconvenience of putting the stuff back in the proper storage spaces so kindly provided by the manufacturer than needing three football fields to make even the slightest maneuver and still won't fit on most places.

And we do have plenty of axles for heavy loads too, most are able to steer.

 

[oliver1555]

Nice load. I guess each design has its place. Unlike highways in much of Europe, we generally have room to maneuver “three football fields” to get around.
My retirement job is driving grain trucks during harvest. Conventionals are so much easier to get in and out of. Plus, those cabovers are too tall for the auger on a grain cart to clear and would be a pain for the cart operator.
Three football fields?