The Mack RD series was the heavy construction member of the R family, the truck that outlived the highway R models by a decade. In 1991 it received its own more aerodynamic nose with square sealed-beam headlights, and it stayed in production until late 2003, when it was sold as a 2004 model.
Mack RD series at a glance
| Maker | Mack Trucks |
|---|---|
| Family | Mack R series (1966–2005) |
| Role | severe-duty and construction chassis |
| Distinctive 1991 nose | more aerodynamic, with square sealed-beam headlights |
| Other R models | kept the 1965 nose to the end of production |
| End of production | late 2003, sold as a 2004 model |
| Final edition | R-Model Legend, announced 2003 |
| Assembled | Allentown, Pennsylvania; Macungie after 1975 |
The RD is described in the production history of the English Wikipedia article on the Mack R series; there is no dedicated RD article.
History of the Mack RD series
The RD came out of the R series, the conventional Mack introduced in 1965 with a one-piece fibreglass hood hinged at the front. While the highway versions of the R were gradually replaced by the CH and CL in the 1990s, the severe-duty derivatives stayed in the catalogue and were sold into construction and heavy haulage. That is why the RD looks different from an R600: in 1991 Mack gave it a new nose with square sealed-beam headlights, more aerodynamic than the round-lamp front of the 1965 design, while the other R models kept the old face until they went out of production.
The family also gained a setback front-axle version, the RB, in the 1990s, and the RM ran alongside the RD to the end. The RD and RM finished in late 2003 as 2004 models; the RB and DM were still scheduled for building into 2004, and the Granite took over the work of the severe-duty R models. To mark the end of the run, Mack announced the R-Model Legend in 2003: a small series with a special steering wheel, limited-edition paint and chrome badges.
Design and features
- 1991 nose: square sealed-beam headlights and a more aerodynamic front, unique to the RD among R models.
- Severe-duty chassis: built for construction and heavy haulage rather than line-haul work.
- Long life: ten years more than the highway R models, whose buyers moved to the CH and CL.
- Legend special edition: special paint, badges and steering wheel at the end of production.
Mack RD series versions
- RD600: the standard construction chassis.
- RD800: the heavier rating in the family.
- RD688 and RD822: later designations with the post-1988 engine numbers.
- RB: the setback front-axle version introduced in the 1990s.
- R-Model Legend (2003): the limited final edition.
The RD belongs to the Mack R series; its sibling lines are the Mack RS series and the Mack DM series, and the truck that replaced it is the Mack Granite. More trucks are in the Mack collection.
Sources
- Mack R series, English Wikipedia: the RD nose of 1991, the RB, end of production, Legend edition
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