HI guys, I've been thinking about something that has been kind of gnawing at me lately and thought that folks around here may have the answer to... Anyways, I recently bought a F800 truck and through reading here on this forum I learned that the cab on this medium duty truck is the same as the pickup truck's cab (my first though was with a truck body so wide why use such a narrow cab?). My question is, why are all truck cabs so much narrower that the truck body and / or the trailers they pull ?..... I mean even a tractor trailer cab is somewhat narrower that the trailer they pull, dump truck cabs are somewhat narrower than the dump beds, Ditto w/ stake body trucks and flat beds etc.... For daily work I drive a step van (wide body version of the step van) and the space inside side to side is awesome....Never really thought about it but if a bench seat was inside you could probably sit 6 across comfortably ! I would think that a wide body could make trucks more useful since more people (crew) could be seated without needing to have an extended cab (more maneuverable if shorter and if you did put an extended cab on a wide body you could pack in some serious people!), plus for long distance truckers (an others) I'm sure extra space would be nice for storage, not feeling cramped up etc... etc... So why is it truck cabs are so narrow ? (Side note: with all the RV conversions out there I wonder if there would be a market for wide body truck conversions?)... OK let the theories run wild! Andrew
Well, some brands are much wider than others. With your F series truck, it is much cheaper to use the same cab they already have. I am not a Peterbilt man, but I have actually heard guys say they like them because it is easier to roll uop the passenger window from the drivers seat! Many heavy truck cabs are only a wheel width. on each side narrower than the overall width. My Volvo cab is plenty wide to seat 4 across if you didn't have to allow for the shifter. I am guessing part of the reason is because a truck would look funny with the cab the same width as the front tires, i.e. like an older pickup. Most newer pickups, the hood goes down on the sides so as to simulate the fenders on a big truck. Never underestimate the influence of style on what people will buy. There are many things that are style over function.
Yair . . . mitch504 Isn't that the truth!!! (big grin) Cheers.
I agree more people transported to site would be good if that is what you need. Most sites and jobs require one person. One truck driver, one field mechanic. It would be a waste of materials to make a big cab for these situations.
How many heavy duty trucks need to carry more than 2 people (team drivers) on a regular basis? I guess the jobs medium duty trucks perform might require more than a 2 man crew but who would want to rub shoulders riding to and from the projects sitting three or 4 wide in the front seat??:beatsme
I like the narrow cabs. I have a IH truck and in the 15years i have owned it the passenger seat has had 2 people in it and my dog buster. If i was to buy a truck and i could it would have a narrow cab.I drove a lot of cabovers years ago but the first truck i drove a Volvo white that had a big cab and sleeper as one unit made me feel like i was pulling a trailer from my liveing room and i dont like that filling.
I know the feeling Old Doug. My buddy drove a GMC Astro cab over with a 8 V 71 . Those trucks should have came equipped with a wood stove in the bunk as they were hard to heat in cold temps .
I did some work on a Chevy Titan 8v71 13speed. It would freeze your feet off in the winter. I saw one that had a quilted winter front that covered the hole front. They had good visablity the windshields came down about knee level.
generally smaller means lighter . Big trucking has always been about more load .With the off hand window being closer it gives more vision . See around the stacks better . Easier to climb into than the wide one's, They are more of a straight up climb . driver preference .