By 1984, E-Z Pack had barely been making rear loaders for 20 years. During that span, the firm had fielded three different designs, the latest only six years old. Yet once again, an all-new model was added, joining the existing rear loader line as E-Z Pack's 'flagship'. The new model, officially designated GL-370, was dubbed Goliath after the warrior giant-king of Biblical infamy. A more appropriate name could not have been chosen.
Goliath was a bruiser, a heavy-duty packer of massive proportions that looked unlike any rear loader produced, before or since. Two huge longitudinal braces ran along the sides of bodies of 20, 25 or 31 yards capacity with curved roofs. The hopper was an immense box with a capacity of 3.7 cubic yards; the biggest ever built. Automatic unlocking tailgate clamps (directly actuated by the tailgate lift cylinders) were an E-Z Pack exclusive on a rear loader.
The packer mechanism was perhaps the most interesting feature. Two large panels, hinged together were suspended in the hopper by four swinging links. The upper links were slightly longer than the lower, giving a gentle arc to the blade path to sweep out the huge new hopper. As on previous E-Z Pack models, the sweep panel was actuated by 'pusher' type cylinders located rearward in the tailgate. Unlike the old series, tracks and slots in the tailgate sides were now completely eliminated.
Details of Goliath's unique 4 link packer mechanism
The new monster was easily the best rear loader ever to emerge from Galion. Even today, the swing-link packer mechanism of Goliath stands as the most innovative rear loader design of the last quarter century. A true bulk loader, it headed a product line which still included the old C-200 and M-150 series, which now stood as the mid-range and light duty models respectively. In 1990, the mid-range C-200 was finally replaced by a smaller version of Goliath, the A-300 Apollo. With its three cubic yard hopper, calling Apollo 'smaller' may be somewhat of a misnomer. Eventually, a variation of Goliath (the GL-300) was also offered with a three yard hopper.
Early models of the new E-Z Pack rear loader featured a likeness of Goliath, in battle dress with a giant sword on his hip...and a garbage bag in hand, held high in the air.
The new 'mascot' was typically applied to the wide support brace at the front of the body.
25-yard Goliath with overhead reeving cylinder for containers up to 12 yards
Automatic tailgate clamp is locked/unlocked by the actuation of the end gate lift cylinders
With Goliath, E-Z Pack now fielded a rear loader competitive with the 2-R Leach and Loadmaster 400
Two other styles of container hoists; chains hooked to packer, and and overhead drum winch
Early model GL-370 in front of the Peabody Galion factory
Apollo made its debut in 1990, dubbed the "big-mouth lightweight". It replaced the C-200 series
Working components of the Apollo series were based on the larger Goliath
25-yard G-300 Goliath in action at a recycling drop-off
Video courtesy of Solid Waste Entertainment
25-yard Goliath on Peterbilt 310 series truck chassis
Goliath on the Ottawa Rogue chassis
The 1993 Goliath II was lighter than its predecessor
