Now Ken as far as Volvo being a freight carrying truck, you of all people know it is how that truck is spec’ed out. My Volvo’s had 20 fronts 46 rears double frame and a D12 Volvo engine and it was a VNL cab. The trannys were Volvo 8LL with that incredible T ride suspension. I hauled fully loaded dump trailers and lowbeds daily and my business was strictly site work. The Northeast also has the toughest conditions when your talking dirt work. I had never had a Volvo stuck or unable to pull a grade loaded or unloaded with a proper driver behind the wheel, which is a big factor in driving as you know. As far as reliability, one example of a VNL I purchased new in 91’ and sold in 08’ I replaced one drive shaft (driver error, popped the clutch without releasing the air break, and it was about 12 years old at the time) other than regular pm’s that was the only major problem with the truck. I understand what you mean about them being freight carriers also because Stop and Shop one of the big grocery chains here strictly used the Volvo VNL’s to supply their stores so they were everywhere on our roads with completely different specs than mine. We always put up with jokes about the Volvo’s, but ours were always on the road when the others were either on the side of the road or not on the road at all like the newly purchased 2008 Pete 379 tri axle dump I had, the only good thing about that piece of garbage was how it looked, but that did not make us money. The Volvo to me is a wolf in sheeps clothing, as the saying goes there is a rear end for every seat. Ken I’m sure you have have similar stories to back up why you dislike Volvo’s, that is why this forum is great because we can explain why we disagree on certain products but we can all agree on one thing and that is: Quinella likes cab overs.
Steve

Difference of opinions! Heavy haul in the Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit areas are mostly all KW's, Pete's and Mack's. Volvo's and Freightliners are mostly driven by foreign steering wheel holders hauling gravel. All Catom's Kenworth's have 46,000 rear ends and 46,000 New Way Air ride (or heavier) !8B double under and overdrive transissions (with 2 spd rears or auxiliaries ) on some, and the highest HP in Cat or Cummins engines. Senority drivers can order the options they want, and all are loaded with shiny stuff. They have been in business since 1979.

I remember watching IRT, I think it was the second or third season when they went to Alaska with Carlisle Trucking. One of the drivers was telling about the T800W he was driving, saying it was double frame, heavy rears, 20,000 front axle, etc. He mentioned it had dual steering boxes, one one each side of the frame rails, I guess. I thought that was interesting, I've never been around anything with two steering boxes before. Do Cantom's trucks have two steering boxes?

That Carlisle model originally came with a 4 axle tractor. I switched it with the W900 you see that was coupled to a tanker. Yes, Catom's have duel steering boxes. My first big KW in 1995 had the duel boxes. They put duels on the higher rated front axles.

Ken, this is not a true Cantom truck but defiantly done in their flavor. Remember Fatjack? He built me three trucks, this was the first of them. That was a long time ago and I really don't care for the Tonkin Trucks now because of their size. If they would have been true 1/50 they would have hit a home run in my opinion but it was more like a foul ball. D ave added rear frame cover, air hoses, scale blackened chain and polished the chrome on the tractor. The lowboy is a Conrad Talbert in black, He added wood floor, DOT stripes, and chrome wheels. Sorry about the crappy pics.