Caterpillar Rumor

[Louisville_Joe]

There has been a rumor going around that Caterpillar was looking to exit the truck diesel engine business before 2010. The reasons given were that the 2010 emission standards would be too expensive to meet and most truck manufacturers were pushing proprietary engines. With International soon offering their own MAN based designs and PACCAR teaming up with Cummins, It was looking like Caterpillar's market would be limited. The latest rumor now is that Caterpillar may buy Sterling from Freightliner. That would be one way to make sure they had someone to sell truck engines to! This comes as Daimler is in the process of reorganizing Freightliner. Very interesting!

[Parts Jimmy]

Please post the source for our reading pleasure.

[Louisville_Joe]

Here's something about it:

http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/p...ost?id=2278581

Keep your ears open for more.

[Joe771476]

If anybody should get Sterling it's Ford, especially since they gave it away to Daimler/Freightliner! This is one thing that has been bothering me. If Ford does go back into Class 8, who will supply engines? The International relationship is souring. Also, will customers be willing to buy Class 8 Fords and have to wonder if Ford will abandon it again in the future. Ford surprised a lot of customers back in 1997.

[Louisville_Joe]

Unfortunately, Ford is probably the LEAST likely company to buy Sterling if Freightliner is really going to sell it. I am still waiting to see how the GM/International deal plays out.

[Dualie]

if ford does buy them it will further my mindset theirs no one with a damn bit of brains at the helm of the company.

heck they spent $198 million on R&D developing the new Louisville cab and platform only to sell it to freightliner with all the tooling, parts stores, market share and dealer network for $200 Million. sounds like a great business plan to me.

Also the engineers that used to be in the HD division would often time collaborate with the LD division with no additional cost to ford.

I remember back in their hay day all most ALL the large mixed fleets around here were ford ONLY. from cars to Class 8's all ford. that market share is gone to never return.

[Joe771476]

Just read that Cat engine sales have tanked because the right side of the new engines has drivers/owners scratching their heads! They say there's too much complex stuff on that engine! Everybody's switching to Cummins.

[Louisville_Joe]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dualie</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Also the engineers that used to be in the HD division would often time collaborate with the LD division with no additional cost to ford.</div></div>

I was told the light duty side and the heavy duty side didn't get along very well at all. The heavy group resented the light duty group for going with International (their biggest competitor) for the 6.9L diesel in 1984. The light duty group was always trying to make a case for converting Louisville over to all light duty production, claiming the plant would generate more profits. They eventually won.

[Parts Jimmy]

Thanks for the link. I sold Class 8 Ford parts from 1984-1993 and really enjoyed those trucks. They were the best priced best built truck for the buck out back then. Its a shame to this day that we (I still sell Ford parts) no longer have a class 8 division. The class 6-7 trucks are no where near as popular as the competition and that parts catalogs are junk. Its a chore to look up parts on them now.

Ford can't afford a class 8 division right now and they don't have the people to run it either.

[31catdr26]

Caterpillar is going to buy international because a long time ago, caterpillar let ford use there heui system, all ok untill ford went with someone elses injectors, cat suied international for an ungodly amount of money and they still owe cat. i have heard that paccar is making there own engines, and signed a long year contract with cummins,frieghtliner anf detroit has merged, frightliner owns sterling as well as thomas bus. So look forward to cats in international trucks

[Louisville_Joe]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 31CATdr26</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Caterpillar is going to buy international because a long time ago, caterpillar let ford use there heui system, all ok untill ford went with someone elses injectors, cat suied international for an ungodly amount of money and they still owe cat. i have heard that paccar is making there own engines, and signed a long year contract with cummins,frieghtliner anf detroit has merged, frightliner owns sterling as well as thomas bus. So look forward to cats in international trucks </div></div>

I would say that is possible, but not likely. I would also say that I would not be surprised if GM bought International (or at least part of it) a few years down the road. Keep your eyes open.

[Red Horse]

So Louisville,
Why do you think GM will buy International? I believe you previously stated you doubted Ford would ever buy International.

Both kind of in the same boat aren't they? Plus with the Bluediamond JV, while things aren't exactly "rosie" between the two, there is a relationship in place.

[Dualie]

I can tell you right now here and firm Caterpillar wants NOTHING to do with the building of light and medium duty trucks.

[milskired]

I could not see International being bought out by CAT. International is just coming out with there own series of Motors for all of there trucks. The MAXX series is what they are called. The majority of International trucks have Cummins in them. The majority of the large trucking companies out there that have Internationals use Cummins because they are more reliable then CATs new motors are. Freightshaker does not offer anything but Detroits now I believ they may still offer the Mercedes Benz seeing as it is built by Detroit. I doubt Ford will have anything to do with Class 8 trucks just for the simple fact that they are in financial trouble as it is they dont need anymore headaches. I think they are just at the point where they are trying to get back on there feet with the light duty diesels and getting there pick-ups to be as reliable as they were with the 7.3.

[Phillipmc1268]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 31CATdr26</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i have heard that paccar is making there own engines, </div></div>

The plant just broke ground, it's big news around here. Paccar linky