This is the page for the custom chassis formerly made by Seagrave. For the chassis currently made by Rosenbauer, see Rosenbauer Commander.
The Commander, also known as the Model J-cab, was a fixed cab custom cab/chassis manufactured by Seagrave Fire Apparatus. It was introduced sometime in 1988 and was discontinued in 2008.
History[]
The Commander Series chassis also featured a low-profile cab called the "L" cab for aerial devices. It lowered the truck's overall travel height by 12 inches.
In 2003, the Commander was replaced by the Commander II, an updated cab/chassis that featured larger side windows, longer cab entry steps for the driver/officer, and improved ventilation for HVAC systems. The interior space had also been increased. The original extended cab was 68.50" (from the center of the front axle to the back of the cab), the Commander II increased this to 74.50". This extra interior space accommodated engines with EGR such as the Detroit Diesel Series 60. The first apparatus built on the Commander II chassis was Squad 61 for the FDNY.
The Commander series chassis was the only Seagrave chassis that Aerialscope products could be built on until the Marauder II and the Aerialscope II in 2005. This was due to the other Seagrave chassis featuring a cab tilt design which did not allow accommodations for the front outriggers. The chassis was very popular with the FDNY from its inception until 2006.
The last Seagrave Commander chassis produced was in 2008 for the Kentland Volunteer Fire Department in Maryland.