This article needs attention from an expert in Trucks. (July 2012) |
Ford L-Series Trucks | |
---|---|
1989 Ford LN8000 single-axle dump truck | |
Overview | |
Type | Medium-duty truck Heavy-duty truck |
Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company |
Production | 1970 - 1998 1997-2009 (as Sterling) |
Assembly | United States: Louisville, Kentucky, (Kentucky Truck Assembly) |
Body and chassis | |
Class | Class 6-8 truck |
Layout | Conventional cab |
Chronology | |
Predecessor | Ford N-Series |
Successor | Ford F-650/F-750 Super Duty (for Ford) Sterling Trucks: A-Line, L-Line, Acterra |
The Ford L-Series (also named Ford Louisville or, for the 1988+ aerodynamic models, Ford Aeromax) is a range of heavy-duty trucks that were assembled and marketed by Ford between 1970 and 1998. The first dedicated Class 8 truck produced by the company, the L-Series range replaced the N-Series short conventional (derived from the F-Series). Produced as both straight trucks and semitractors, the Ford L-Series encompassed a wide range of models through the Class 7-8 GVWR ratings in medium-duty, severe-service, and vocational applications. The line would become one of the most popular series of trucks Ford ever produced. [1]
Ford Motor Company is a multinational automaker that has its main headquarter in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobiles and commercial vehicles under the Ford brand and most luxury cars under the Lincoln brand. Ford also owns Brazilian SUV manufacturer Troller, an 8% stake in Aston Martin of the United Kingdom and a 32% stake in Jiangling Motors. It also has joint-ventures in China, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, and Russia. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is controlled by the Ford family; they have minority ownership but the majority of the voting power.
The Ford F-Series is a series of light-duty trucks and medium-duty trucks that have been marketed and manufactured by Ford Motor Company. In production since 1948, the F-Series includes full-size pickup trucks, chassis cab trucks, and commercial vehicles. As of 2019 production, the Ford F-Series includes the F-150 pickup, Class 3-5 Super Duty trucks, and the Class 6-8 Super Duty trucks. The most popular version of the F-Series is the F-150, now in its thirteenth generation.
The L-Series was produced in the Kentucky Truck Plant near Louisville, Kentucky, which gave rise to the nickname "Louisville Line" trucks [1] ; as part of a 1996 redesign, part of the model line officially took on the Louisville nameplate.
Kentucky Truck Plant is an automobile manufacturing plant owned by Ford Motor Company in Louisville, Kentucky. The 4,626,490-square-foot (429,815 m2) plant on 500 acres (2.0 km2) opened in 1969 and currently employs 8500 people total. It is located at 3001 Chamberlain Lane in the Northeast corner of the city. Ford also operates another plant in Louisville, the Louisville Assembly Plant.
Louisville is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 29th most-populous city in the United States. It is one of two cities in Kentucky designated as first-class, the other being Lexington, the state's second-largest city. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, located in the northern region of the state, on the border with Indiana.
Following the sale of the Ford heavy-truck line to Freightliner in 1996, the L-Series was discontinued by Ford at the end of 1998. Freightliner would concurrently take over production of the Ford L-Series, opening its Sterling Trucks subsidiary; the L-Series became the Sterling A-Line, Acterra, and L-Line, remaining in production until 2009 when Sterling Trucks closed operations.
In 1963, Ford produced its first Class 8 conventional with the introduction of the N-Series Super Duty, replacing the Super Duty models of the F-Series. As Ford did with the H-Series cabover (derived from the C-Series), an all-new chassis raised the cab upward; while sharing its grille with the H-Series, the N-Series shared its cab with the F-Series pickup trucks.
By the end of the 1960s, Ford sought to modernize and streamline its heavy-truck line. In 1967, the medium-duty F-Series (F-600 to F-800), becoming a larger, separate model line; the same year, the H-Series was replaced by the all-new W-Series cabover. In a change from adapting the F-Series to become a heavy truck, to replace the N-Series, Ford began design work on an all-new truck range, which became the L-Series. With an all-new heavier-duty chassis, the L-Series also featured a larger cab; to improve serviceability, the design included a front-hinged hood.
For 1970, the L-Series was introduced in 4 size ranges, two hood lengths and grille styles, and with single or tandem (denoted by the "T" in the model designation) rear axles. Powertrains included a wide range of gasoline and diesel engines, based on GVWR.
In 1971, Ford introduced a set-back front axle configuration. For the rest of the 1970s, the L-Series saw few major changes. In 1976, the LL/LTL-9000 was introduced. Designed as a truck for long-haul drivers, the LTL-9000 was a competitor to the GMC General, Kenworth W900, Mack Super-Liner, and Peterbilt 359. Fitted with a set-forward front axle and a longer hood, this version had more room for larger powertrains. In 1978, Ford gave the LL/LTL-9000 its own grille and headlight styling, including one of the first uses of the Ford Blue Oval in North America.
The Kenworth W900 is a model line of conventional-cab trucks produced by the American truck manufacturer Kenworth. In continuous production since 1961, the W900 is among the longest-running nameplates in American automotive history. The "W" in W900 denotes Worthington, one of the two founders of Kenworth.
The Mack Super-Liner is a class 8 heavy-duty truck that was introduced by Mack Trucks in 1977, to replace the Mack RW (R-Western) model. It was a development of the prototype Brockway Super-Liner, Brockway being a Mack subsidiary closed in early 1977. Production lasted for fifteen years until it was discontinued in 1989. The model designation is RW. Mack Trucks Australia still manufactures the Super-Liner as a lighter-duty version of the Mack Titan.
Although the L-Series would see few revisions throughout its production, elements of its design would see use in other Ford vehicles. In 1974, the W-Series cabover received a larger grille similar to the chrome version on the L-Series. For 1978, the F-Series/Bronco grille was given a similar eggcrate grille pattern. In the 1980 redesign of the medium-duty F-Series, the hexagonal shape of the grille was carried over; it is a theme used in all Super Duty trucks since their 1999 introduction.
In 1984 (as 1985 model year), the rest of the L-Series became one of the last North American Fords to adopt the Ford Blue Oval; as with the LTL-9000, it was placed above the grille. In 1988, the L-Series changed its grille design from an eggcrate design to that of horizontal chrome bars; the Ford Blue Oval became centered. In addition, rectangular headlights became standard in 1991.
1992 saw the introduction of the set-back front axle version of the LL/LTL-9000, designated the LLS and LTLS-9000, along with the corresponding Aeromax versions that had more aerodynamic bumpers and optional chassis skirting.
As a response to the aerodynamic Kenworth T600, for 1988, Ford introduced its own aerodynamic semitractor. Named AeroMax L9000, the new design was an extensive upgrade of the L-9000. While sharing the same cab and the hood of the medium hood LS-9000, the Aeromax used a set-back front axle to add a form-fitting front bumper with swept front fenders. For the first time in a North American truck, automotive-style composite headlights were used. Other aerodynamic enhancements included skirted fuel tanks and a specially designed "Aero Bullet" sleeper unit. The Aeromax L9000 was one of the most aerodynamic trucks in North America upon its introduction in 1988. [2]
The KenworthT600 is a model line of conventional-cab trucks that were produced by the American truck manufacturer Kenworth from 1984 to 2007. Distinguished by its aerodynamic sloped hood, the T600 was a Class 8 truck, typically sold in semitractor configuration.
Following its introduction as a semitractor, the AeroMax line expanded into the vocational truck lineup alongside the rest of the Ford L-Series. A later LA-8000 was introduced for "Baby 8" intra-city delivery.
1992 saw the introduction of the extended hood, set-back front axle Aeromaxes designated LLA and LTLA-9000. These featured optional full-length chassis skirting, along with the same aero headlights and bumpers of the older medium hood LA series.
The L-Series came in a total of four size ranges, designated by GVWR. As with previous Ford heavy-truck tradition, gasoline-engine trucks received a three-digit model number while diesel-engine trucks were given a four-digit model number. L-600/L-6000 and L-700/L-7000 series were Class 6/7 medium-duty trucks, typically sold as straight trucks. L-800/L-8000 trucks were Class 8 trucks, typically sold in severe-service configurations. L-900/L-9000 chassis were available in all axle configurations, but were typically sold as semitractors; the LTL-9000 was only sold with a diesel engine.
1973-1977 Models
Model [3] [4] | Max. GVWR [lower-alpha 1] | Engine [lower-alpha 2] | Trans [lower-alpha 3] |
---|---|---|---|
LN 600 | 24,000 lb (11,000 kg) | 361 V8 | 5M, 4A |
LN 700/7000 | 27,500 lb (12,500 kg) | 361 V8/V175 | 10M, 4A |
L 800/8000 | 35,000 lb (16,000 kg) | 361 V8/V175 | 13 M |
LT 800 | 46,000 lb (21,000 kg) | 475 V8 [lower-alpha 4] | 13M |
LT 8000 | 61,000 lb (28,000 kg) [lower-alpha 5] | V-225 [lower-alpha 4] | |
L 900/9000 | 35,000 lb (16,000 kg) | 401 V8/NH230 | |
LT 900/9000 | 61,000 lb (28,000 kg) [lower-alpha 5] | 475 V8 / 3406 [lower-alpha 4] | 5x4M |
LL 9000 | |||
LTL 9000 | |||
LTLS 9000 [lower-alpha 6] |
Almost all models had at least one engine option, the 9000 Series had several. The 600-800 Series had a Ford 361 V8 standard, 700-900 had a 475 V8 optional. The 900 Series had a 401 V8 standard. In 1977 the 361 V8 was replaced by a 370 and the 401 V8 was replaced by a 429, the 475 V8 remained an option.
The 7000 and 8000 Series had a Caterpillar V175 standard, the 7000 had a V200 and the 8000 had a V225 available. The 9000 Series had a Cummins NH230 standard, Cummins N series up to 350 hp (260 kW) and Caterpillar 3406 series up to 375 hp (280 kW) were optional.
Caterpillar Inc. is an American Fortune 100 corporation which designs, develops, engineers, manufactures, markets and sells machinery, engines, financial products and insurance to customers via a worldwide dealer network. It is the world's largest construction equipment manufacturer. In 2018, Caterpillar was ranked #65 on the Fortune 500 list and #238 on the Global Fortune 500 list. Caterpillar stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Cummins is an American Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, and distributes engines, filtration, and power generation products. Cummins also services engines and related equipment, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission control, electrical power generation systems, and semi trucks. Headquartered in Columbus, Indiana, United States, Cummins sells in approximately 190 countries and territories through a network of more than 600 company-owned and independent distributors and approximately 6,000 dealers. Cummins reported net income of $999 million on sales of $20.4 billion in 2017.
1973 engines (not all are shown.)
Model [5] | Displacement | Type [lower-alpha 7] | Power | Torque | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ford 361 V8 | 361 cu in (5.9 l) | G V8 | 138 hp (103 kW) | 250 lb⋅ft (340 N⋅m) | Std 6/7/800 |
Ford 401 V8 | 401 cu in (6.6 l) | G V8 | 171 hp (128 kW) | 274 lb⋅ft (371 N⋅m) | Std 900 |
Cat. V175 | 522 cu in (8.6 l) | D V8 | 175 hp (130 kW) | 352 lb⋅ft (477 N⋅m) | Std 7/8000 |
Cat. V225 | 636 cu in (10.4 l) | D V8 | 225 hp (168 kW) | 530 lb⋅ft (720 N⋅m) | Opt 8000 |
Cum. NH230 | 855 cu in (14.0 l) | D I6 | 230 hp (170 kW) | Std 9000 | |
Cum. NTC350 | 855 cu in (14.0 l) | DT I6 | 350 hp (260 kW) | Opt 9000 | |
Cat. 3406 | 893 cu in (14.6 l) | DT I6 | 375 hp (280 kW) | 1,091 lb⋅ft (1,479 N⋅m) | Opt 9000 |
For 1996, the Ford heavy-truck lines were redesigned, the second-generation heavy-truck line was nearly exclusively for Class 8 weight ranges.
Chassis weights were increased, front axle GAWRs [lower-alpha 8] were available up to 20,000 lb (9,100 kg), single rear axles to 23,000 lb (10,000 kg) as before, and tandem rear axles to 46,000 lb (21,000 kg). On tandems a walking beam type was standard and 2 different air suspensions were available.
In the redesign, both the Aeromax and Louisville gained a wider cab with a sloping windshield. Although Aeromax models would lose their composite headlights, it gained a much larger slope to the hood. To aid ergonomics, the Aeromax and Louisville would borrow many interior controls from other Ford vehicles. Another redesign was the grille bars, in the second generation the trucks that had extended frame bumpers knocked of the "middle" full painted piece off the grille.
As was the case previously, the heavy truck line was split into aerodynamically optimized semitractors (the newly renamed Aeromax 9500) and vocational/severe-service trucks. In the case of the latter, the popularity of the Louisville nickname led Ford to drop the L-Series nomenclature and adopt the Louisville nameplate officially.
1996 models
Model [6] | Max. GVWR [lower-alpha 1] | Engine | Trans |
---|---|---|---|
LN 6000 | 35,000 lb (16,000 kg) | ||
LN 7000 | 35,000 lb (16,000 kg) | ||
L 8000 | 35,000 lb (16,000 kg) | mid-range | |
LT 8000 | 64,000 lb (29,000 kg) [lower-alpha 9] | mid-range | |
L 9000 | 35,000 lb (16,000 kg) | ||
LT 9000 | 64,000 lb (29,000 kg) [lower-alpha 9] | ||
LA 8000 [lower-alpha 10] | 35,000 lb (16,000 kg) | mid-range | |
LA 9000 [lower-alpha 10] | 35,000 lb (16,000 kg) | ||
LTA 9000 [lower-alpha 10] | 60,000 lb (27,000 kg) | ||
LL 9000 | 35,000 lb (16,000 kg) | ||
LTL 9000 | 60,000 lb (27,000 kg) |
The second generation didn't offer gasoline or diesel V8s, all engines were inline 6 turbocharged diesels. The Caterpillar 3406 and Cummins N14 (the evolution of the NTC series) continued as heavy duty engines in the 9000 models.
1996 engines (Not all are shown)
Model [6] | Displacement | Type [lower-alpha 11] | Power | Torque |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cat. 3176 | 611 cu in (10.0 l) | Mid | 250 hp (190 kW) | 975 lb⋅ft (1,322 N⋅m) |
Cat. 3406 | 893 cu in (14.6 l) | HD E | 475 hp (354 kW) | 1,650 lb⋅ft (2,240 N⋅m) |
Cum. L10 | 611 cu in (10.0 l) | Mid | 260 hp (190 kW) | 975 lb⋅ft (1,322 N⋅m) |
Cum. N14 | 855 cu in (14.0 l) | HD E | 460 hp (340 kW) | 1,650 lb⋅ft (2,240 N⋅m) |
DD Series 60 | 677 cu in (11.1 l) | E O | ||
DD Series 60 | 775 cu in (12.7 l) | HD E O | 450 hp (340 kW) | 1,550 lb⋅ft (2,100 N⋅m) |
At the end of 1996, Ford completed the sale of its heavy-truck operations, selling the rights and production tools of the Louisville, Aeromax, and Cargo to Freightliner. Ford would end production of the Louisville/Aeromax in 1998; the truck lines would re-enter production as Sterling Trucks from 1997 to 2009; both lines were produced concurrently by Ford and Freightliner during 1998.
In 1998 Sterling began production in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada, of their L-Line 7500, 8500, 9500, and A-Line 9500. A Mercedes Benz diesel was introduced and a very low profile “CarHauler” model was developed, otherwise there was very little change between 1998 and 2008. Production ended in 2009. [7] [8] [9]
The Ford E series is a range of full-size vans produced by the American automaker Ford since 1960. Introduced for the 1961 model year as the replacement for the Ford F-series panel van, four generations of the model line have been produced. In addition to cargo van and passenger van body styles, the Ford E series has been produced as a cutaway van chassis and stripped chassis.
The Ford Excursion is a heavy duty, extended-length sport utility vehicle that was produced by Ford from 1999 to 2005, launched for 2000 in the North American market. The longest and heaviest SUV ever to enter mass production, the Excursion was based upon the Ford F-250 Super Duty pickup truck. A 3⁄4-ton (0.68 t) chassis vehicle, the Ford Excursion was designed as a competitor for the 2500-series Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon XL.
The Ford F-Series Super Duty is a series of trucks manufactured by Ford Motor Company. Introduced in 1998 for the 1999 model year, the F-Series Super Duty trucks marked the addition of a heavy-duty pickup to the Ford F-Series range with the new versions of the F-250 and F-350 pickups, while the previous 1987–1997 F-Super Duty chassis cabs were replaced by the F-450 and F-550 Super Duty.
The Chevrolet and GMC B series is a series of cowled chassis that were produced by General Motors, primarily fitted with school bus bodies throughout its production. Based on the medium-duty trucks produced by the Chevrolet and GMC divisions of General Motors, the B series was produced in three separate generations; GMC initially produced its own version separate from Chevrolet. Introduced in 1966, the B series was redesigned in 1984 and 1992 as a 1993 model.
The Chevrolet Kodiak and GMC TopKick are a range of medium duty trucks that were produced by the Chevrolet and GMC divisions of General Motors from 1980 to 2009. Introduced as a variant of the medium-duty C/K truck line, three generations were produced. Slotted between the C/K trucks and the GMC Brigadier Class 8 conventional, the Kodiak/TopKick were developed as a basis for vocationally-oriented trucks, including cargo haulers, dump trucks, and similar vehicles; on later generations, both cutaway and cowled-chassis variants were produced for bus use.
The medium-duty Ford F-Series is a range of commercial trucks manufactured by Ford since 1948. Derived from the smaller F-Series pickup trucks, the medium-duty range is currently in its eighth generation. Initially slotted between the F-Series pickup trucks and the "Big Job" conventionals, later generations were slotted below the L-Series "Louisville" trucks; during its production, the medium-duty F-Series has been used for an extensive number of applications, competing against the medium-duty Chevrolet/GMC C/K, International S-series, and Freightliner Business Class.
The Ford C series is a range of trucks that was assembled by Ford between 1957 and 1990. The first cab-over engine (COE) truck produced with a tilting cab by Ford, the C-series replaced the C-series COE variant of the F-series, produced since 1948. Produced as both a straight/rigid truck and a tractor, a wide range of versions of C-series was produced, ranging from Class 5 to Class 8 GVWR ratings. The C-series was also used as a basis for fire apparatus production.
The GMC General are heavy-duty trucks that were assembled by the GMC Truck and Coach Division of General Motors. The largest conventional-cab truck ever produced by GM, the product line was introduced for 1977, replacing the C/M 90/9500 trucks.
The Chevrolet Bruin and GMC Brigadier are heavy-duty trucks that were assembled by the GMC Truck and Coach Division of General Motors. The second generation of the H/J-series heavy-duty conventionals, the Bruin/Brigadier were produced from 1978 to 1988. A short-hood conventional similar to the Ford L-Series and Mack Model R, the Bruin/Brigadier was configured as both a straight truck and a semi-tractor. As a Class 7-8 truck, the product line saw use with short-haul, vocational, and severe-service users.
The International DuraStar, is a product line of medium-duty trucks produced by Navistar International from 2001 to 2018. Introduced as the successor to the International 4000 series of 1989–2001, the 4000 series was renamed the DuraStar in 2008. Developed as a Class 6-7 product range, the 4000/DuraStar was slotted below the 8000/TranStar regional-haul semitractor, with the Class 5 International TerraStar (2010–2015) serving as the smallest International conventional-cab product range.
The International S series is a range of trucks that was manufactured by International Harvester from 1977 to 2001. Introduced to consolidate the medium-duty IHC Loadstar and heavy-duty IHC Fleetstar into a single product range, the S series was slotted below the Transtar and Paystar Class 8 conventionals.
The bus chassis variant of the International S series is a cowled bus chassis that was produced by International Harvester from 1979 to 2004. Produced primarily for school bus applications, the chassis was also produced for other applications, including commercial-use buses and cutaway-cab buses. In addition, the cowled chassis formed the basis for front-engine and rear-engine stripped chassis produced for bus applications.
Daimler Trucks North America LLC, formerly Freightliner Corporation, is an automotive industry manufacturer of commercial vehicles headquartered in Portland, Oregon, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the German Daimler AG.
The Ford B-series is a bus chassis that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. Produced across six generations from 1948 to 1998, the B-series was a variant of the medium-duty Ford F-Series. As a cowled-chassis design, the B-series was a bare chassis aft of the firewall, intended for bodywork from a second-stage manufacturer. While primarily used for school bus applications in the United States and Canada, the chassis was exported worldwide to manufacturers to construct bus bodies for various uses.
The first-generation of the Ford F-Series is a series of trucks that was produced by Ford in North America from 1948 to 1952. While trailing the Chevrolet Advance Design trucks by a year, the introduction of the F-Series marked the divergence of Ford car and truck design, developing a chassis intended specifically for truck use.
The seventh generation of the Ford F-Series is a line of pickup trucks and medium-duty commercial trucks that was produced by Ford from 1979 to 1986. For the first time since 1965, the pickup trucks were based upon a completely new chassis and body. Distinguished by its squarer look, sharper lines and flatter panels, the trucks were designed with improved fuel efficiency in mind; to this end, Ford added its new AOD automatic overdrive (four-speed) transmission as an option on light-duty models. The 4-speed manual and 3-speed C6 automatic transmission were retained from previous years. To increase longevity, Ford increased the use of galvanized body panels to fight corrosion. Light Pickups were available in six configurations: Regular Cab, SuperCab, or Crew Cab, in either 6ft or 8ft bed lengths. They are typically considered to be the last of the "classic" Ford trucks, due to features such as sealed beam headlights that would become obsolete in the next body style.
The ninth generation Ford F-Series is a line of full-size and medium-duty commercial trucks that were produced by Ford from 1991 to 1997. While still based on the basic design dating from late 1979, the 1992 F-Series brought a number of minor changes to the exterior and interior. This is the last generation of the F-Series that was produced as a complete range of trucks from a half-ton pickup (F-150) to a medium-duty Class 6 truck. As this generation was replaced during the 1997–1998 model years, the larger models of the F-Series were split from the F-150; these became the Ford Super Duty trucks, related to the latter with a few powertrain components.
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Type | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||
Medium-Duty | F-Series (F-600/700/800/8000) | F-Series | F-Series Super Duty (F-650/750) | Super Duty | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Conventional | L-Series/"Louisville" | Louisville | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
LTL-9000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Aeromax | Aeromax | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cabover (COE) | C-Series | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cargo | LCF | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CLT-9000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bus | B-Series (B600/B700/B800/B8000) | B-Series |