The Mack Pinnacle is a series of heavy duty trucks produced by Mack Trucks. Introduced in 2006, the Pinnacle is the successor of the Mack Vision. Currently, the product line is sold in the United States and Canada; in Venezuela and Peru, the Pinnacle is marketed as the Mack Vision Elite. Marketed primarily as a highway tractor, the Pinnacle is sold in a set-forward front-axle configuration. Mack assembles the Pinnacle in its Lehigh Valley Operations facility in Macungie, Pennsylvania.
Design
The Pinnacle is a long-hood conventional semi-tractor. Designed for local and regional use it usually has a day-cab but five sleepers, from a flat top to a hi-rise, are available. Roof faring, side shields, and skirts aerodynamic aids are offered. Commonly a 6x4 there are also 4x2 and 6x2 models. Advanced electronics are used for engine and chassis controls, as well as maintenance. All trucks have ABS. Mack builds most of their components to work together. Trucks can also be custom-designed with vendor components. Total loaded weight can be up to and over including trailers.
Engine
The Mack MP8 engine is the only engine used in the Pinnacle. It is a overhead cam turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine. It develops and of torque.
Transmissions
All Mack transmissions have aluminum cases and three countershafts. Multiple countershafts allows smaller countershaft gears to spread the load between them and allow easier shifting. Manual transmissions have five or six main gears, extra ratios are made with different combinations of ranges. Both Mack and Fuller have manual and automated shifting models. Allison transmissions are available as fully automatic only. Mack mDRIVE™ automated manual is the base transmission. It has no clutch pedal and shifts itself on demand. The driver can override it but it is normally driven in "D". It can have 12, 13, or 14-speeds. Other Mack manual transmissions have 8-18 speeds. Fuller UltraShift™automated shifting systems are available on all transmissions from 9- to 18-speeds. Allison RD series 5, 6, or 7-speed transmissions are available. The RDS is a fully automatic planetary gear transmission with a lock-up torque converter.
Frame
A ladder frame with beam axles is used. The front axle is set forward on semi-elliptical leaf springs. The set-back axle version was replaced by the Anthem in 2017 The base rear suspension is a Mack tandem but other axle/suspension combinations are available. Wheelbases are from Meritor supplies S-cam air brakes, steering systems, driveshafts, and other components. Front air disc brakes are available.
Axles
Front axles are available with rating. Mack powered axles have the drive carrier on top of the housing. This lets the driveshafts be in line from the transmission to and between the axles at a higher level above the ground. With the higher level above the ground the driveshafts and u-joints are less prone to dirt and damage, important in on/off-road construction. The Twin Y air suspension is base. It has trailing arms that fork to the rear and attach to both the top and bottom of the axle. There is an air bag behind the axle. Each axle is sprung individually. They are rated at. The Camelback tandem was offered in earlier models. This has multiple leaves mounted above the bogey pivot which curve down and under the axles. It was not offered after 2015. Vendor spring and air-ride axle/suspension combinations are rated up to.
Applications
The Pinnacle's set-forward front axle and high rectangular grille make it high drag and not well-suited for long-distance hauling. It is available with a sleeper but it is commonly used as a day cab for local and regional hauling, where local laws and conditions restrict length or affect weight distribution. The Pinnacle has the high ground clearance, strong chassis, and available components for on/off-road construction. It is suited for dump, flatbed, and lowboy use. On-highway markets for Mack are freight, bulk materials, and farm products like grain and livestock.
