Air Trac

[cuttin edge]

I had mentioned before that I cut my teeth on Ford Louisville trucks. Once I actually got old enough for a car license, I began driving 359 Petes. When I finally got a truck license, a 379. I was always amazed how smooth they were. KW 8 bag was good, but I always felt like I was on an icy road. Was it the length of the truck. That hood you could land a plane on, but yet balanced so well that you could open it with one finger. For the last couple days, I have been hauling gravel with one of those fiberglass short nose excuse of a Peterbilt hauling a 3 axle dump trailer. As ugly as the truck is, not the classy highway truck I remember, but a work truck. I was stunned how smooth she was. It was like the old days, seat on the floor, tunes on, and one finger on the wheel. All I needed were my cowboy boots. Mounted atop the rear housings was the trusty Air Trac suspension. Does Paccar build their own suspension, or do they farm it out?

 

[Truck Shop]

. Does Paccar build their own suspension, or do they farm it out?

Build their own/own designs. Trailing four bag air suspension has always been smoother and
less roll no matter who built it. The early designs were shallow bags on most designs. Early
Freightliner had issues with u-bolts. The first to build a reliable deep bag suspension was
Reyco with the AR102, after that most all manufactures worked off that design. Freightliners
{Airliner} suspension is one of the better, rated at 46,000 lb. KW AG400L is ok as a
4 bag but they inboarded the shocks which made it busy between the rails and doesn't ride
quite as good, travel isn't as much.

 

[cuttin edge]

We have mostly Western Star tractors, not sure what type of air ride and they are no where near that smooth. I remember the guy I worked for with the 359, and 379s tried hauling a bit of gravel with belly dumps(no wet line), but the trucks were not holding up on the gravel roads. This Pete seems more suited to be an off road truck. Not sure if they changed the suspension over the years, or if they offered a beefier setup for off road apps

 

[Truck Shop]

Got to remember it's a dump truck, those are not suppose to ride smooth.

 

[cuttin edge]

Got to remember it's a dump truck, those are not suppose to ride smooth.

That's the surprising part though. The Pete is a dump truck, and it's as smooth as the highway Petes were

 

[Truck Shop]

Better look it over there's something wrong.

 

[cuttin edge]

Better look it over there's something wrong.

I know right