New engine for Lemont FPD (more) « chicagoareafire.com

New engine for Lemont FPD (more)

From Bill Schreiber:

Lemont FPD rescue pumper update

Rosenbauer photo

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Tags: chicagoareafire.com, Chicagoareafire.com/blog, fire engine being built for the Lemont FPD, fire truck being built, Lemont Fire Protection District, new engine for Lemont FPD, Rosenbauer America Commander pumper, Rosenbauer Commander chassis being built, Rosenbauer Commander fire engine being built, Rosenbauer fire engine body being built

This entry was posted on June 19, 2021, 9:58 AM and is filed under Fire Department News, Fire truck being built. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

8 Comments

#1 by Mike C on June 28, 2021 - 7:52 AM

Lfguy – I’m glad you had good success with your Pierce rigs. I wouldn’t consider them to make a great product. Pierce is a technologically advanced company. Meaning, they produce the latest innovations and technology and it’s often copied by competitors. As much as I hate the PUC layout, it’s actually a pretty reliable setup. The TAK-4 is awful with multiple recalls, as well as the Command Zone. Remember when the wheels kept falling off of the TAK-4 front axles putting firefighters lives at steak? The Ascendant aerial lineup had several structural issues early on causing a major, yet a quiet recall by Pierce. The Ascendant was so bad, Rockford returned one of their to Pierce Ascendant ladders. Indianapolis had a major structural issue as well. The Dash CF was quietly discontinued as there was a major engineering issue causing rigs to overheat. Look at how Carpentersville and Lockport retired their Pierce towers early as there were structural issues. I understand every apparatus builder has it’s issues, but Pierce is nothing but issues. I definitely wouldn’t consider their product to be great by any means. I would go as far to say that between all of the major builders (Pierce, Seagrave, E-One, Sutphen, KME, Ferrara, Spartan, Rosenbauer, etc.) Pierce is probably one of the lowest quality of them all.

Tim – I’ve actually seen E-One produce pretty decent rigs. Occasionally, I’ll see a bad one just like any other brand but all and all they seem to hold up quite well. Perhaps this is why Boston, Joliet, and Aurora are repeat buyers? Spartan seems to be halfway decent too but I never felt the longevity was there with the Spartans. The Spartans seem to be great for a lower volume department as they are cost effective but then look at how the Chicago Spartans have held up. As far as I know they’ve been better than the biodegradable Pierce ladders that have been total garbage.
#2 by Tim on June 26, 2021 - 8:36 AM

Ah yes the continuation of the Pierce drama. Mike C can continue to bash Pierce on every post which is like beating a dead horse. He has good points as far as some of the Pierce quality. Sebastian has a point too on Mike C’s ongoing no love of Pierce. Lfguy has a point too. If Pierce is so bad WHY are they selling so many rigs? That I don’t understand.

With 35 years in the fire service, I spent about 5 on a Pierce. Every issue Mike C complains about, our rig had. Tak-4 sucked, command zone sucked, rust, you name it. Spent time on E-1s. I think I had more time driving them back to the dealers in Frankfort and Elmhurst than on actual calls. Assigned to a few Spartans. If you were able to keep track of where all the nuts, bolts, and screws fell out of (in the cab) was an ok rig. They should have given the crew a mini toolset when assigned to a Spartan. Is there better stuff out there? I don’t know.
#3 by Lfguy on June 25, 2021 - 11:01 PM

Pierce actually makes a great product, if they didn’t I don’t think people would buy them. We have 5 pierce engines and they all run great. Also every manufacturer has flaws
#4 by Mike C on June 25, 2021 - 5:08 PM

Not true Sebastian, the arm-chair quarterback. I didn’t comment on Highland Park’s new truck. Maybe I’ll do that now!
#5 by sebastian on June 25, 2021 - 1:48 PM

Mike C…. look who is talking about ruffling feathers… everyone know about your distaste of pierce. but yet you can’t help yourself commenting on every pierce post on here.
#6 by Mike C on June 25, 2021 - 9:22 AM

Nice try! You’re just trying to ruffle feathers. Pierce is one of the lowest quality apparatus builders on the market.
#7 by Lfguy on June 24, 2021 - 6:04 PM

Lemont should have purchased all pierce
#8 by Mike C on June 24, 2021 - 4:39 PM

If the picture with the rear chevron was taken at the same time as the sideview pictures, Rosenbauers assembly method is awful! How do you start trimming out the body when the fabrication isn’t even complete? In addition, I don’t have a problem building the body on the frame but Rosenbauer paints the body on the frame too!

I’m certainly not bashing Rosenbauer. It seems like they’re halfway reliable for those who purchase them but it just seems like the way this company operates is a bit backwards on multiple levels. It’s still a way better product than Pierce!