Mack Vision
Steve Sturgess
Senior Editor
Mack's Vision is a sleeper, to borrow an old hot-rodding term. On the outside it doesn't seem to have changed a whole lot. Introduced in 1999, the Vision was a not-so-radical update of the CH and was distinguished by the now familiar dimple in the grille that gives the radiator opening a giant M shape.
Recent updates to the powertrain to meet the '02/'04 emissions have changed the driving characteristics somewhat. But the big change to the on-highway Vision came more recently with the switch from the old, traditional Mack frames to the Advantage chassis that shares some heritage with Volvo's on-highway products.
Around the same time, Mack unveiled a 60-inch mid-rise sleeper, adding to the 48- and 56-inch flat tops and the 70-inch mid-rise and increasing the flexibility of the Vision range. Most recently, a 70-inch high rise has been introduced.
I drove the Mack with the Advantage chassis at its launch at the Las Vegas truck show last year, but it was a short loop around the northern suburbs of Sin City. In order to better explore the features of the new chassis, I wanted to have a longer drive and also take more of a detailed look at the new sleeper.
As chance would have it, I was back in Las Vegas and went for a far more extensive drive up toward Salt Lake City before heading off west to complete a major loop of mixed freeway and Nevada two-lane on our way back into Las Vegas.
The truck was a 221-inch wheelbase Vision with 427 Mack ASET power, driving through an Eaton Fuller 10-speed. The truck was loaded to 65,000 pounds representing the average freight load, and I dialed in the Mack driver display so I could see what sort of fuel consumption the sleek Vision could score on the mixed highways I was running.
Mack Vision Specs
Chassis: # 1037
Frame: Mack Advantage 7 mm
Engine: Mack ASET AC - 427 hp at 1,800 rpm
Engine Brake: Mack PowerLeash
Transmission: Eaton Fuller FRO15210C - 10-speed
Wheelbase: 221 inches
Front axle: Hendrickson Airtek 12,000-pound air suspension
Front tires: Goodyear G397LHS
Rear axle: Meritor RT40-145A 40,000-pound with aluminum carrier
Suspension: MaxLite 40 40,000-pound airride
Ratio: 3.73 to one
Rear tires: Goodyear G362
Wheels: Mack Diamond Edition with Alcoa Dura-Bright finish
Fuel tanks: Dual 117 gallon polished
Fifth wheel: Fontaine Clean Connect
Seats: Mack heated Performance Seats on swivels
Interior: Elite Garnet Red
Weight: 16,240 pounds
Paint: Whisper design, Champagne metallic
Other: Mack heated, motorized mirrors; roof fairing and side shields; exterior sunvisor; remote keyless entry; AM/FM/CD weatherband radio; automatic temperature control HVAC; daytime running lights with override lights; Eaton Vorad Collision Warning with Smart Cruise.
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The Truck
The significant mechanicals on this unit were the engine and the chassis. The engine featured the Application Specific Engine Technology path chosen by Mack to meet the last emissions change. As such, the on-highway engines like this one feature cooled exhaust-gas recirculation (EGR). The vocational engines have a rather subtle internal EGR that achieves the emissions reduction without the added complication of the variable geometry turbocharging (VGT).
Mack has had its issues with the VGT. A series of bearing failures has led to a total redesign of the turbocharger and a series of campaigns by Mack to get trucks up to the latest level of technology. The history and the completion of each campaign can be viewed on a label fixed inside the driver's doorjamb. The effort is to ensure all Macks are to the latest turbo specification.
I have had some exposure to the 427 in the past, and found it a very willing engine with exceptional driveability. It has excellent throttle modulation so that it is easy to float-shift the transmission and it pulls like a locomotive. And the fuel economy is nothing to sneeze at, either.
The frame shares some of the features of the Volvo frame, and with good reason: Both Volvo and Mack on-highway trucks are built in the New River Valley, Va., plant. When the program originated, the intention was to try to make the frames common, but there are Mack features and customer deliverables that simply could not be accommodated, so in the end, the commonality is around 50% - still a worthwhile savings with some significant customer benefits.
Mostly, frame for frame, the Advantage is lighter than previously. Available in 6, 7, 8 and 9.5 mm thickness, all feature improved RBM. So, where a recommended 8 mm rail might previously have been specified, a 7 mm Advantage frame offers the same strength at about a 100-pound saving.
But other good things come from the change. For one, steer axle wheel cut is up to 50 degrees, adding greatly to the maneuverability of the trucks. And there are significant changes to the suspension offerings to improve ride, while relocated and enhanced cab mounts mean a quieter driving environment.
The test truck featured the 7 mm rails with a rugged MaxLite 40,000 tandem suspension and Meritor RT40-145A axles with aluminum carriers. Up front was a Hendrickson AirTek air-ride axle. Steering was by TRW.
The sleeper was the 60-inch mid-rise with the high series Elite trim in Garnet Red. It's not the biggest in the Mack offering, but it is versatile and it saves a little weight.
The sum of the savings add up. Despite the high level of specification, this Vision weighed in at 16,240 pounds, giving it the ability to scale very close to 50,000 pounds of payload with a lightweight reefer.
In The Cab And Sleeper
When the CH Mack was first introduced, I liked the cab for its gorgeous dashboard. The problem back then was, you couldn't get far enough away from it. With the sleeper trucks you get the best of all world, with plenty of legroom and still, that wonderful dash.
The seats have available swivels so they can be swung around to be a part of the sleeper, opening up the space to make it a thoroughly useful work/relaxation place.
Lighting is ample and here are 12-V outlets and convenient controls for the HVAC back in the sleeper.
Obviously, with the abbreviated test, I was in no position to critique the sleeper except to note that fits and finish were excellent.
The styling repeats the dimple in the hood surround in the stripe around the sleeper and across the back wall. The 60-inch sleeper is designed for customers looking for headroom and more comfort than a flattop, but without so much weight and cost as a big sleeper. In this, the 60-inch delivers, but the trade off is less storage. There's a hanging closet, and a refrigerator unit with a writing desk and likely other options. But for sure the 60-inch is designed for flexibility.
On The Road
Heading north out of Vegas on I-15 there's a long, steady pull where the Mack 427 shows its excellent torque and the flat horsepower curve over 1,500 rpm. The latest generation Mack engines have the power curves a little higher than before so, unlike Caterpillar's ACERT, the Macks have to be stretched out a little to get the best performance.
Having said that, the Mack is a delight to progressive shift since, as mentioned above, the throttle modulation is so good that the rpms can be very precisely matched to whatever gear is required for fast, smooth shifting.
The loop chosen for the test was unfortunately abbreviated but I still ran 100 miles (I was sick, that's my excuse) and in just a shade over two hours. This meant I was averaging 50 mph, which is a very respectable speed given more than half the loop was on two-lane. There were a number of stops and starts, including a brief halt for pictures. Still, over the route we averaged 8.03 mpg, a very respectable figure post '02 and a tribute to the Econodyne rating and the gearing match.
It was immediately apparent the new chassis and cab mountings had made a major difference to the transmitted noise in the cab. Putting the noise meter on the truck during cruise showed levels comparable with the Volvo VN - up to now the benchmark for in-cab noise. A cruise number of 78 dB(A) allows for easy conversation, and the two hours passed quickly. My co-driver - David McKenna, the marketing manager for engines, axles and transmissions for Mack - found swapping stories easy.
We were also in agreement that the Airtek air-ride front axle is a bit of overkill for the Mack. The changes to the chassis have brought major ride and handling improvements that, on the previous occasion, made the truck a pleasure to drive. In fact, back then I felt the slight loss of steering precision was not worth the trade off for a slightly better ride. Again, when negotiating the somewhat swoopy two-lane Nevada highway, I would have preferred the truck had one of the new UniMax low-maintenance steer axles on a conventional suspension - specifically a Sheppard gear.
That aside, there's no doubt the new tight wheelcut makes the Mack a lot easier to get around in tight situations, and the fabricated Airtek axle/suspension option does bring some significant weight savings and maintenance pluses.
Although it wasn't the full day-long test I had planned, this jog around the mountains north of Las Vegas confirmed that the switch to the Advantage chassis brings a bunch of deliverables to the Vision.
As well as the weight savings there are cost savings that likely will get to the end user. But there are the new levels of comfort, low noise and improved handling that all make the Vision relaxing to drive.
I have always found Macks to be drivers-friendly. The switch to the Advantage chassis only makes them better.
