Trucks

[aaytay]

I know we had a thread about "Trucks" somewhere, but I couldn't find it, so I made us a new one. (Actually I think we tagged on to some thread about something else, and started talking about trucks, but whatever...)

Anyway, I got this email today, thought some of our members might be interseted:

"Good Morning Mahindra Truck Fans,

Congratulations. You are part of over 30,000 signed up to be the first to experience the hardworking Mahindra trucks.

I know you are wondering when you will have the opportunity to get behind the wheel of one of these amazing, authentic, robust, fuel-efficient trucks at a Mahindra dealer near you. While I cannot give you a firm answer on timing, I can tell you in my estimation, trucks will arrive in the spring of 2011.

Mahindra has applied for and received their EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) certificate, which means the vehicles have passed emission requirements. They also filed with (NHTSA) National Highway Safety Administration, which handles US standards for safety.

With these hurdles completed, it would seem production is imminent, but other factors may hinder the US launch. India’s car sales are on a dramatic trajectory upward. The sales pace combined with an industry wide parts shortage is impacting home market sales, which will have an affect on the United States introduction.

In closing, I know each of you anxiously await the arrival of the Mahindra trucks, and I am confident that you will see a launch announcement in the next few months.

If you haven't seen the Specsheet on the trucks yet, please click on the link below to see it."

Mahindra Truck Spec Sheet

 

[digger]

Hey Art!
Are the people in India that want to talk to a service center gonna have to call the USA!?

 

[dfrisk]

Interesting little truck. 140 HP 2,2L turbo diesel, 236#/ft of torque, THIRTY MPG.

Funny comment in their e-mail. Sales so good to the home market they can't keep up with demand but jump into the US market anyhow. Guess it's just another step for this LCC, (Low cost country), trying to become like the US.

 

[mgonitzke]

No manual transmission? Come on...

 

[dfrisk]

MATT - Getting very very hard to find manual trans in ANY truck or car anymore.

 

[aschumacher]

They built Jeeps a way back when...!?

 

[dfrisk]

ALLEN - Dad was in the CBI Theater in WW II, (China, Burma, India) and must have left a jeep there when he left and they copied it.

I'd be real curious to see why they say their tractors are so popular in the US & the World. LOTS of competition with green, several (at least 3) shades of red, blue, etc.

 

[mhomrighausen]

Dennis F. If I recall correctly didn't Mahindra have some trouble in the late 1950s to early 60 and IHC stepped in and helped get the company rolling (again?) with their tractor brand? I remember seeing at a couple of 1970s Farm Prgress shows Mahindra tractors that looked very similar and had the IH five speed shift pattern and torque amplifiers and a slightly different sheet metal version of the early 1960s IH utility tractors. At the time I was informed something about IH stepping in and helping the company and letting them use old IH technology since over there it was a up to date new technology.

 

[dfrisk]

MARLIN - Not sure about Mahindra back around 1950, 1960, or so. May very well have been.

I know we didn't send anything to India from FARMALL. Just stuff to Fargo/Stieger, and Saltillo, Mexico, & Geelong, Australia, and Broadview Parts depot.

I suppose most of that stuff would have shipped from LVL or even Doncaster, England, maybe Nuess, Germany, if anything was supplied by IHC at all.

Not sure I'd even have any books that would discuss something like that. Seems like I do remember some small imported brand of trsctor pirating IH designs but I had the impression it wasn't sanctioned by IH, and didn't remember it being an Indian company. Also seems like I remember someone pirating the old Ford/Fordson design, the 2N/8N/9N style.

I know in the late 1960's, early '70's IH did help I want to say it was Komatsu but that may not be correct. IH loaned them some cash, and owned about 30% of them and eventually they ended up supplying FARMALL the frt axles for the 2+2's, known as KIMCO axles. You know, the ones that had SEVEN major engineering changes before the first tractor was assembled? The later RABA axles used on the last Super-70 series were MUCH better. That wall of axles that used to set outside Milan Surplus were ALL RABA axles. I personally thought IH should have got those axles from CAT in Davenport, been a much better axle and a lot less freight and a shorter supply line.

 

[mgonitzke]

Dennis-

Really? Both the 2011 Chevy Colorado and Ford Ranger have a standard 5-speed manual...

 

[dtanner]

Matt Gonitzke

(Really? Both the 2011 Chevy Colorado and Ford Ranger have a standard 5-speed manual...)

I would not call them trucks lol . Just a Car with a box

 

[mgonitzke]

Don-

I'm going to have to disagree with that. My dad has an S-10 that has hauled lots of Cub Cadets, sometimes 4 at a time. We can't all afford a full-size truck, you know. We haven't needed one 90% of the time either.

 

[klorenz]

Guys...look at the interior pic...right click and use the zoom feature...I see a clutch pedal and what looks like a 5-speed shift pattern on the shifter knob.

 

[mgonitzke]

Kirk-

That's right, but it's not listed in the specs, so...?...

 

[aschumacher]

Matt, I've got a S-10, but so far have not tried to put my 147 on it. How did you get 4 on it, stacked one on top of another??

<font size="-2">Just joking Matt. I know they will only stack 2 high.</font>

 

[dfrisk]

DONALD, MATT - Not sure about the Colorado, but SON was just shopping for a new Ranger a month or two ago. The manual trans was only avail in a "Work Truck" pkg for use by power, utility, or construction companies. You know, 2-door reg. cab, 4-cyl, no 4WD, vinyl seats & floor mats, no radio, no A/C. He's about six foot, and 250#, it's not a truck he really wanted or even FIT in real well. And good luck finding one on the lot if you want to buy one in the US. He ended up in an '06 F150 SuperCab FX4, 4X4, 5.4L 4L75 auto, towing pkg, after-market wheels & tires, with only 18,000 miles and over a year of factory warranty left. I cruised thru my local Ford dealer's lot a week or two ago, they used to have 30-40 F150's, bunch of Rangers, and 20 SuperDuty's, and I think I counted 18 or 20 new trucks TOTAL on their lot. Nobody is buying them so they don't stock them.

Auto co's have been getting away from manual trans for decades in the US. When I ordered out my '87 F150 they had an incentive package for getting the manual trans, free upgraded interior & exterior, discount on tu-tone paint, almost the XLT level in the Custom trim level without the typical A/C, tilt wheel, cruise control which I didn't want. But I wanted the creeper low 4-spd. The auto trans for that vintage truck, think it was the predecessor to the E4OD was in short supply.

When I ordered out my '96 F250 PSD I could have gotten the E4OD equipped truck in 5-6 weeks but ended up waiting thirteen weeks for my manual 5-spd. I had a terrible time even finding a 5-spd truck to test drive. That ZF-547 5-spd is SO much more tranny that the old NP-435's I had in my F150's. Best shifting manual trans I've ever driven bar NONE, and I've driven a LOT of manuals. And like MATT & His DAD, most of my 298,000 miles have been put on with just Me in the seat, box empty, no trailer, but when I want or need to haul or tow something it's NOT a problem, don't think I'll ever go back to a short box pickup ever again. Plus the PSD averages about FOUR miles per gallon better fuel/gas mileage than either one of my 300-6 owered F10's ever did, and the first 250,000 miles I put on it #2 diesel fuel was 30-40 cents/gal cheaper than regular gas.

ALLEN - I suspect "Disassembly" was required to fit four CC's in an S10. ;-)

 

[mgonitzke]

None in the bed, 4 in the trailer

 

[dfrisk]

MATT - "Ohhh"

DAD had a little S15 GMC extended cab for a while with the 4.3L V-6. I remember Dad coming up to visit once and we went to an antique tractor pull about 15 miles away. He drove. Pulled out onto the road, that little GMC shifted into second hard enough I banged my head on the rear window! I think he was in a hurry to get to the pull! Compared to the 2.8L V-6 2WD S-10 Blazer we had for a while that 4.3L S15 was QUICK! Ohh, I was sitting in the jump seats in the back too, SON was riding "Shotgun".

Kinda like a CC, they can pull WAY more than they should, but I don't think a trailer with 4 CC's would be too much. Now my Brother-in-law towing a trailer with a skid-steer loader with his Ranger, THAT was too much.

 

[mgonitzke]

Yep, his S-10 has the 4.3 V6...great engine. We've towed close to the 4000lb. capacity a few times. We've also routinely gone to auctions with the smaller of our trailers, had a Cub in the trailer, and the entire bed of the truck full of other stuff, and driven home with the headlights pointing into the trees

 

[proessler]

Dennis, #1 son flew out to Denver, picked up a 2000 F 250 PStroke, 5speed,Reg cab,4x4 with steel 5th wheel flat bed & drove to Cedar Rapids, IA picked up all aluminum covered utility box before headin' home. He started his own electric/handy man business, since he has been laid off from (IBEU 159)Dec. '08, & needed a service vehicle to facilitate his jobs & projects.I need to get him to put a trailer hitch on the F250 , so when I get a Bigger trailer....