7Mary3 Posted February 19 Share Posted February 19 Any F-650/750 news? Only change for 2026 appears to be the deletion of an optional bumper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Rosadini Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 9 hours ago, 7Mary3 said: Any F-650/750 news? Only change for 2026 appears to be the deletion of an optional bumper. 7m-page one has nothing but deletions..they continue to make 650/750 as basic as they can. I sent a note to my source regarding upcoming work truck show but nothing but crickets. Ford again I think has the biggest available exhibit space. Plenty of room to showcase Transits and displays of the wonders of Ford Connect.😎 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7Mary3 Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 In other news, I hear the Shyft Group will eventually stop manufacturing Isuzu trucks when Isuzu's South Carolina plant comes on line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe771476 Posted February 22 Author Share Posted February 22 Just saw a GMC truck ad and I think it's only available with EV's, but it features 4-wheel STEERING! I thought GM gave up on that a while back. The rear wheels turn in the opposite direction of the front at low speed, while at high speed they turn in the same direction. I don't know where the break-off point is. Is it a way to get customers to go electric? Personally I think you'd see hundreds perhaps thousands of accidents because I don't think motorists could adapt to the change in handling! One example is lane changing at high speed. The 4 wheel steering will send you into the lane you're aiming for sooner, possibly causing the motorist already in that lane to brake. This is why whenever possible, I take a half mile or longer to make the lane change because it sends me farther ahead of that other vehicle. Unless you're scurrying to take an exit, there's no need to get into the new lane within 100 feet! Try it sometime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motorpsychology Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 32 minutes ago, Joe771476 said: Just saw a GMC truck ad and I think it's only available with EV's, but it features 4-wheel STEERING! I thought GM gave up on that a while back. The rear wheels turn in the opposite direction of the front at low speed, while at high speed they turn in the same direction. I don't know where the break-off point is. Is it a way to get customers to go electric? Personally I think you'd see hundreds perhaps thousands of accidents because I don't think motorists could adapt to the change in handling! One example is lane changing at high speed. The 4 wheel steering will send you into the lane you're aiming for sooner, possibly causing the motorist already in that lane to brake. This is why whenever possible, I take a half mile or longer to make the lane change because it sends me farther ahead of that other vehicle. Unless you're scurrying to take an exit, there's no need to get into the new lane within 100 feet! Try it sometime. As I understand it the crab walk feature is restricted to low speed maneuvering. I can't see any reason for the crab walk other than showboating on the lake as you perform flank maneuvers driving to your ice fishing house. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick73 Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 1 hour ago, Chrisgb said: As I understand it the crab walk feature is restricted to low speed maneuvering. I can't see any reason for the crab walk other than showboating on the lake as you perform flank maneuvers driving to your ice fishing house. Chevy now calls it Sidewinder mode. 😀. Every manufacturer using 4-wheel steering seems to want to use a different name, as if that changes function. Maybe it’s protected name. Anyway, I recall reading that owners of the original Quadrasteer often loved it, but cost was too high for mass adoption. Don’t know if that was real reason. In any case the crab walk feature could improve parking in tight places, and more importantly, I can imagine rear-wheel steering capability could be very useful when backing up trailers. To me it sounds like a potentially good idea but it comes down to cost. Does it add enough value to justify added cost and complexity when normal steering is good enough most of the time? Another example of why vehicles are so expensive today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Rosadini Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 2 hours ago, Rick73 said: Chevy now calls it Sidewinder mode. 😀. Every manufacturer using 4-wheel steering seems to want to use a different name, as if that changes function. Maybe it’s protected name. Anyway, I recall reading that owners of the original Quadrasteer often loved it, but cost was too high for mass adoption. Don’t know if that was real reason. In any case the crab walk feature could improve parking in tight places, and more importantly, I can imagine rear-wheel steering capability could be very useful when backing up trailers. To me it sounds like a potentially good idea but it comes down to cost. Does it add enough value to justify added cost and complexity when normal steering is good enough most of the time? Another example of why vehicles are so expensive today. Amen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe771476 Posted February 24 Author Share Posted February 24 On 2/22/2025 at 12:24 PM, Bob Rosadini said: I suppose it could come into play for some parallel parking scenarios where there is PLENTY of space, because I'm quite sure the steering angle doesn't reach 90 degrees, so it would still be tricky and the inexperienced driver might hit a left-front fender corner of the car parked behind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying68 Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 On 2/22/2025 at 7:14 AM, Joe771476 said: Just saw a GMC truck ad and I think it's only available with EV's, but it features 4-wheel STEERING! I thought GM gave up on that a while back. The rear wheels turn in the opposite direction of the front at low speed, while at high speed they turn in the same direction. I don't know where the break-off point is. Is it a way to get customers to go electric? Personally I think you'd see hundreds perhaps thousands of accidents because I don't think motorists could adapt to the change in handling! One example is lane changing at high speed. The 4 wheel steering will send you into the lane you're aiming for sooner, possibly causing the motorist already in that lane to brake. This is why whenever possible, I take a half mile or longer to make the lane change because it sends me farther ahead of that other vehicle. Unless you're scurrying to take an exit, there's no need to get into the new lane within 100 feet! Try it sometime. Um, they debuted that with the Hummer EV and have carried it over to the Sierrado EV's. The rear steer is all computer controlled and you wouldn't notice any change in handling other than the ability to turn tighter at low speed. At higher speeds the angle of the rear tires is very limited. Also I don't know how you would change lanes sooner, the timing of a lane change is completely dependent on when you signal and turn the wheel, you aren't getting over faster just because the rear wheels my slightly change angle. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick73 Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 42 minutes ago, Joe771476 said: I suppose it could come into play for some parallel parking scenarios where there is PLENTY of space, because I'm quite sure the steering angle doesn't reach 90 degrees, so it would still be tricky and the inexperienced driver might hit a left-front fender corner of the car parked behind. You’re correct that wheels don’t turn 90 degrees, but in theory you could parallel park with less available space by zigzagging back and forth at whatever the maximum wheel angle is; usually limited by rear wheels. Example would be to go 2 feet at 20 degrees, stop, reverse direction and turn wheel opposite direction, and keep repeating while moving closer to curb with each cycle. No one would realistically do that in my opinion other than to show off, but I can see wanting to zigzag out of a tight spot where some selfish idiot boxed you in. Normal 4-wheel steering should also reduce necessary parking space because rear tires could turn parallel to curb while vehicle is at an angle backing in. Doing the same with regular vehicle could make rear tire climb onto curb. I can see occasional benefits, especially when towing, just wonder if added cost is worth it for average buyers. The very rich will probably like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 (edited) On 2/22/2025 at 8:14 AM, Joe771476 said: Just saw a GMC truck ad and I think it's only available with EV's, but it features 4-wheel STEERING! I thought GM gave up on that a while back. The rear wheels turn in the opposite direction of the front at low speed, while at high speed they turn in the same direction. I don't know where the break-off point is. Is it a way to get customers to go electric? Personally I think you'd see hundreds perhaps thousands of accidents because I don't think motorists could adapt to the change in handling! One example is lane changing at high speed. The 4 wheel steering will send you into the lane you're aiming for sooner, possibly causing the motorist already in that lane to brake. This is why whenever possible, I take a half mile or longer to make the lane change because it sends me farther ahead of that other vehicle. Unless you're scurrying to take an exit, there's no need to get into the new lane within 100 feet! Try it sometime. Come on....exaggerate much? Yes, everyone is going to die because the wheels turn a bit more.... Many luxury sedans and SUVs already do this, and it helps to reduce turning radius. You're making it far more drastic/dramatic than it is. Edited February 24 by rmc523 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 Honda debuted 4 wheel steering with the Prelude way back in 1988 or so. Of course that system was mechanical and not computer controlled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherminator98 Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 There are military vehicles that use brakes to skid steer with, I wonder if you could apply that to cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordmantpw Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 2 hours ago, Sherminator98 said: There are military vehicles that use brakes to skid steer with, I wonder if you could apply that to cars. The Bronco does something similar with trail turn assist. Not quite skid steer capabilities, but it does lock the inner rear wheel for sharper turns. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 42 minutes ago, fordmantpw said: The Bronco does something similar with trail turn assist. Not quite skid steer capabilities, but it does lock the inner rear wheel for sharper turns. They say that's meant for loose terrain only, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordmantpw Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 1 hour ago, rmc523 said: They say that's meant for loose terrain only, though. Correct. I'm sure the 360 turning mode on BEVs is too, otherwise you destroy tires (and other bits) quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick73 Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 9 hours ago, fordmantpw said: The Bronco does something similar with trail turn assist. Not quite skid steer capabilities, but it does lock the inner rear wheel for sharper turns. IIRC that’s similar to what was done starting in 1960s or 1970s with dune buggies built on VW Bettle chassis. It was mechanical and also manual system but quite effective given simplicity and low cost. Parking brake was split with two levers, one for each rear wheel. It could also be used to improve traction if one wheel was spinning freely. I suppose they got idea from tractors. Funny how there are few completely new ideas. 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 7 hours ago, Rick73 said: IIRC that’s similar to what was done starting in 1960s or 1970s with dune buggies built on VW Bettle chassis. It was mechanical and also manual system but quite effective given simplicity and low cost. Parking brake was split with two levers, one for each rear wheel. It could also be used to improve traction if one wheel was spinning freely. I suppose they got idea from tractors. Funny how there are few completely new ideas. 😀 This wasn’t viable in passenger vehicles until the advent of 4 channel ABS which allowed the computer to brake one wheel at a time. This led to electronic traction control which can brake only the spinning wheel sending torque to the other side via an open differential and stability control which can brake the inside rear wheel helping the vehicle manage corners at higher speeds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick73 Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 13 minutes ago, akirby said: This wasn’t viable in passenger vehicles until the advent of 4 channel ABS which allowed the computer to brake one wheel at a time. This led to electronic traction control which can brake only the spinning wheel sending torque to the other side via an open differential and stability control which can brake the inside rear wheel helping the vehicle manage corners at higher speeds. Yeah, a Mercedes SUV was the first vehicle I can recall that advertised using brakes to improve off-road traction capabilities with open differentials. We’ve come a long ways with up to four electric motors, one for each wheel. In a few years younger guys may not even know what a differential was or did. 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe771476 Posted February 25 Author Share Posted February 25 On 2/24/2025 at 10:47 AM, rmc523 said: Come on....exaggerate much? Yes, everyone is going to die because the wheels turn a bit more.... Many luxury sedans and SUVs already do this, and it helps to reduce turning radius. You're making it far more drastic/dramatic than it is. People can't drive with normal steering, let alone 4 wheel steering. Ever notice that rear wheel steering is only found on slow moving payloaders and fork lifts? If you had ONLY rear wheel steering on cars, everybody would be spinning out and flipping over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7Mary3 Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 On 2/19/2025 at 8:55 PM, 7Mary3 said: In other news, I hear the Shyft Group will eventually stop manufacturing Isuzu trucks when Isuzu's South Carolina plant comes on line. An update, it appears Shyft Group will support Isuzu's operations in South Carolina as an upfitter: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-shyft-group-and-isuzu-expand-collaboration-to-drive-long-term-growth-in-north-america-302384537.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 (edited) 14 hours ago, Joe771476 said: People can't drive with normal steering, let alone 4 wheel steering. Ever notice that rear wheel steering is only found on slow moving payloaders and fork lifts? If you had ONLY rear wheel steering on cars, everybody would be spinning out and flipping over. What does a forklift have to do with a vehicle? The rear wheels turn only a few degrees, not anywhere like the front wheels. Ok...... Edited February 26 by rmc523 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Rosadini Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 18 hours ago, 7Mary3 said: An update, it appears Shyft Group will support Isuzu's operations in South Carolina as an upfitter: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-shyft-group-and-isuzu-expand-collaboration-to-drive-long-term-growth-in-north-america-302384537.html Impressive "resume" Spartan RV?? Not to be confused with the Spartan that builds fire truck chassis?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7Mary3 Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 20 hours ago, Bob Rosadini said: Impressive "resume" Spartan RV?? Not to be confused with the Spartan that builds fire truck chassis?? Same outfit, though the fire apparatus chassis business was spun off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick73 Posted March 7 Share Posted March 7 Cummins B7.2 medium-duty truck engine debuts: “Cummins said the B7.2 will be rated 240 to 340 hp and 650 to 1,000 lb.-ft of torque. It will has a slightly higher displacement at 7.2 L, and is designed to be a global platform that allows customers to ensure their vehicles are future proofed, as well as to enable a wider range of torque offerings for different applications and duty cycles.“ https://www.powerprogress.com/news/cummins-b72-medium-duty-truck-engine-debuts/8051487.article Not sure if new engine was covered already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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