Roads Australia - Edition 1

Roads The Australian UD Trucks Customer Magazine

On the Road With

TOLL HRT

V8 Legend Garth Tander goes for a spin

Condor #1: Horsepower is King

4x2 Keeping Costs Cool

#01

2012

COVER SHOT: TOLL HRT’s UD GW 470 Automated.

Photographer: Cristian Brunelli

On The Road With Joe 2011 saw UD Trucks return to the V8 Supercar paddock with an alliance with the legendary Toll Holden Racing Team. The outfit’s truck driver Joe Sullivan recently caught up with Roads Australia to talk about the UD GW470.

Roads Australia Managing Editor: Cris Gillespie Editor & Designer: Mark Walker Produced for UD Trucks Australia by Media & Communication Services www.mediacomservices.com.au Phone: 03 9226 6666 Fax: 03 9226 6677 UD Trucks Australia Locked Bag 4001 Chullora, NSW, 2190 Phone: 1800 BUY A UD www.udtrucks.com.au

12

6

UD Trucks News

Catch the latest news from UD Trucks, including our seven years on top of the Japanese Heavy Duty annual rankings, our new website, motorsport latest, and CMV at the ITTES.

18

Condor Number 1- Horsepower is King The first of the all-new Condor medium duty UD Trucks to land in Australia is a tale of horsepower- from both the engine and the cargo.

Roads headed to Toowoomba in Queensland to catch the MK 11 280 in action.

22

Local Condor 6x2 Launched

Expanding UD’s medium duty range, a full set of locally developed 6x2 options are now available.

24

Garth Tander Goes Truckin’

Garth Tander loves a truck. So when Andrew Van Leeuwen was looking for a driver to show him around a typical V8 Supercar workhorse, Toll HRT’s UD GW470 Automated, he jumped at the chance.

6

32

Comfort & Economy - Condor Customer

A Queensland furniture delivery contractor is one of the first converts to the comfort of UD Trucks’ new Condor medium duty range, with early economy figures putting the vehicle in a league of its own.

36

Power No Problem - Customer Story

Koo Wee Rup Tilt Tray Services have seen significant efficiency and productivity gains by upgrading its UD Truck to a more powerful GW400 LWB model.

38

Keeping Costs Cool - Heavy Duty 4x2

For Sydney family owned company Freezex, the recent acquisition of a UD GK 400 AMT has proved a revelation for the refrigerated transport specialists, with the 4x2 configuration contributing strongly to the outfit’s bottom line.

42

Parting Shots & Up Next in Roads Australia

4

Roads

22 42

36 24 18

32 42 38

Seven Years on Top: U D Trucks continues to dominate Japanese manufacturers in the over 350HP heavy-duty truck bracket, claiming the top spot in the yearly sales race for the seventh year running.

The result comes on top of the launch midyear of the Quon Euro 5 spec series, which further refined the company’s successful Euro 4 product, with several new features added to the vehicles.

Leading the changes included in the model upgrade is the standard inclusion of an SRS driver’s side airbag with seatbelt pretensioner, the standard fitment of a Front Underrun Protection System (FUPS), an

6

Roads

all new-touch screen entertainment and navigation system, as well as new A-pillar grab handles for easy cabin access.

2011 also saw the reintroduction of the legendary CW nameplate, with the designation being applied to the long wheel base model.

Prior to the commencement of UD’s reign at the top of the charts, the earlier CW385/445 models held down second place on the yearly sales statistics for three years, giving the company a decade in the top-two positions.

All told, since January 2008, UD Trucks has sold a total of 603 GW, GK and new

Quon #1 generation CW trucks.

“The Quon series of heavy duty trucks and its predecessors have demonstrated that our clients look for well engineered and environmentally friendly trucks, and with the latest changes to the range, safety can be included in that criteria,” said Erik Andersson, General Manager UD Trucks Australia.

“We have listened to our customers, and driver safety is now a very important factor for fleet managers in their purchasing decision, so the fitting of a standard SRS driver’s side airbag was simple.

“From an environmental standpoint, UD

Trucks were the worldwide pioneers of SCR technology, with the system first appearing on our production vehicles in 2004, and we continue to lead the way in this area today.

“With the latest ECO Fleet emission reduction systems in place on the Quon, the power plant has been developed to the stringent JPLT 05 emission standard.

“What this means is that the Quon is the cleanest and greenest heavy duty truck on Australian roads today.

“Needless to say, we won’t be resting on our laurels, and we aim to continue to improve our product line up into the future.”

Apart from leading the way with its

environmental credentials, UD Trucks have also been innovators within the Japanese truck segment, being the first company to introduce an Electronically Controlled Braking System in 2002, while in 2003 the trucks gained B-Double compliance and a Road Train rating.

The Quon series remains the only Japanese prime mover manufacturer to offer Eaton’s AutoShift AMT Transmission, which features ECO Fleet shift programming, ensuring smooth acceleration that results in significant fuel savings.

Further fuel savings are gained via the aerodynamic cab styling, as well as the standard NAVTEQ transport specific navigational system, which selects the most efficient route for trucks, with each of the individual vehicles’ parameters able to be entered into the system.

The navigation system can also locate nearby AdBlue sales points.

Meanwhile, the all new-entertainment system offers a touch screen, AM/FM radio, CD, DVD, iPod, MP3, WMA, Bluetooth integration, with inputs including USB and SD card.

The system can also be equipped with up to three external cameras, including infra red cameras and with optional microphones, giving the driver a full 360 degree view of the truck’s surroundings or cargo.

Vision is also assisted via the fitting of electrically operated and heated exterior mirrors.

As the first Japanese manufacturer to introduce FUPS, which assists in the event of a collision with passenger vehicles, the standard fitment across the Quon range of this system allow the trucks to comply with ECE-R93 standards, giving the vehicles a 6,500kg front axle capacity.

The long wheelbase CW model enjoys the braking stability provided by standard antilock brakes (ABS), while the prime mover GK and GW models also have the added safety of Anti Slip Regulation (ASR) traction control, and an Electronic Brake System (EBS), for additional piece of mind.

Capping off the main safety features is the cabin build itself, which is certified to ECE-R29 standards.

Other features of the Quon series include engine and exhaust brakes, cruise control, auto climate air-conditioning, an ADR42 compliant sleeper cab with mattress and wrap around curtain, as well as a choice of factory cab paint options.

The Quon range comes standard with a 400 litre fuel tank, while the GW models can be upgraded to 800 litre capacity.

UD Trucks offer a factory warranty of three years or 500,000km, which can be optioned up to 800,000km.

Roads

7

LATEST NEWS

A New Online Look

W

ith UD Trucks’ new Euro 5 series vehicles taking over the roads of Australia, the company’s website has received a complete overhaul, becoming the one-stop-shop for all of the latest UD news and information.

Viewable at www.udtrucks.com. au, the website contains all of the specifications and information regarding the new Condor and Quon series trucks, as well as information on the dealer network, UD Finance, UD Genuine Parts and UD Genuine Service.

Consumers can also catch up with the latest technology innovations, such as AdBlue (including links to suppliers), and a feature outlining the differences between Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and Exhaust Gas Recirculation (ECR) emission systems.

Visitors can also peruse the latest news, the UD customer magazine, UDrive, as well as download images and desktop wallpapers featuring the latest generation of trucks.

Importantly, the website also gives direct access to UD Trucks’ social media outlets, including Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.

us on www.facebook.com/UDTrucksAust

UD #1 on the Mountain

U

D Trucks visited the top step of the Bathurst podium on the weekend, with the Toll Holden Racing team duo of Garth Tander and Nick Percat taking a thrilling victory in the 2011 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.

With laps counting down, Tander resisted a last ditch charge from rival Craig Lowndes to claim the crown by a slender 0.2917sec.

Throughout the week the winning combination were front runners, with Tander claiming provisional pole position prior to wet conditions half way through the Top-Ten Shootout, which relegated the car to the fifth row of the starting grid.

Twenty-three year old Percat meanwhile was one of the revelations of the race, with his success the first for a Bathurst rookie in 34 years.

The result came in the first season of UD Truck’s involvement with Walkinshaw Racing, with the team’s race cars hauled nationwide behind the cleanest and greenest prime mover in the V8 Supercar paddock, the UD GW470 Automated.

“The whole of UD Trucks are incredibly proud of the efforts of Garth, Nick and the entire Toll Holden Racing Team crew, in winning the biggest

event on the Australian motorsport calendar,” said Cris Gillespie, the Marketing and Communications Manager of UD Trucks Region Oceania.

“To date our relationship with Walkinshaw Racing (which includes the Toll Holden Racing Team as well as Bundaberg Racing) has been incredibly successful, much in the same way that the UD GW has been the top selling Japanese built prime mover over 350HP for the past six years running.

“We are particularly proud to be able to assist the Toll Holden Racing Team lower its carbon footprint, with the UD GW470’s ECO Fleet emission control system giving the team the only prime movers in the V8 paddock that meet the strict JPLT 05 emissions standard.

“Even while hauling the team’s B-Double trailers around Australia, the trucks emit lower harmful gases, and consume less fuel.

“We look forward to more success on and off the track together into the future.”

The win in the main race is not the first for a UD Trucks transported vehicle in the Bathurst 1000, with company a backer of the all-conquering Gibson Motorsport Nissan GT-R squad in the early 1990s.

Join the conversation on www.twitter.com/UDTrucksAust

V8 Supercars: 2012 Edition UD Trucks have strengthened the company’s ties with the V8 Supercar paddock, throwing their support behind an expanded four car line up in Australian motorsport’s top two tiers in 2012. Heading the talent line up are Toll Holden Racing Team drivers Garth Tander and James Courtney, who are joined by new additions to the UD Trucks racing family, Supercheap Auto Racing driver Russell Ingall, as well as the Dunlop Series Coates Hire entry of Nick Percat. UD Trucks will also be represented in V8 Ute Racing by Cameron McConville.

On Show in Melbourne...

C

MV Truck and Bus, the home of UD Trucks in Melbourne, for the first time at the ITTES will displayed the brand’s latest medium and heavy duty offerings.

Leading the charge was the Condor medium duty trucks, featuring the MK and PK models, which were recently launched to the market after undergoing a ground up rework.

The trucks feature an all new seven litre ECO Fleet engine configuration, the first Japanese built medium duty truck to incorporate a urea based SCR emission control system. The

10

Roads

engines provide more power and torque over their predecessors, with the SCR system providing for lower engine operating temperatures and improved fuel consumption.

The cabin has also received a complete makeover, with the all-new aerodynamic exterior styling being matched by a new interior layout.

Main features include an SRS driver’s side airbag, an all new driver’s seat, as well as improved interior storage and driver visibility.

Another feature now standard across the range is an advanced entertainment and navigation system. Functions include CD, AM/

FM radio, USB, SD card, Bluetooth and iPod compatibility, while the NAVTEQ navigation system is installed with transport industry specific route information.

From a safety standpoint, chassis strength has increased by up to 22% (compliant with ECE-R29 standards), while an integrated FUPS bar is now standard on all PK models. The trucks feature electric heated and operated external mirrors, while visibility can be further enhanced with up to three optional cameras with sound, available through the entertainment/navigation system.

The Condor series trucks on display included an MK 11 250 Automatic, as well as the first public viewing of a PK 11 280 nine-speed manual, complete in 6x2 configuration.

The 6x2 model is a locally fitted lazy axle option using a UD Trucks Corporation Japan supplied kit. The 6x2 model gives the Condor PK up to 23,500kg GVM, while offering a range of GCMs, depending on transmission options and final ADR testing.

Roads

11

TOLL HRT

On the Road with Joe

12

Roads

TOLL HRT

2011 saw UD Trucks return to the V8 Supercar paddock with an alliance with the legendary Toll Holden Racing Team. The outfit’s truck driver Joe Sullivan recently caught up with Roads Australia to talk about the UD GW470.

Roads

13

40

TOLL HRT

A

t the start of the 2011 season there was a new manufacturer in the V8 Supercar paddock. A Japanese manufacturer. No, Toyota, Mazda or Honda didn’t join the Holdens and Fords on starting grid, but rather UD Trucks scored the prize role as transporter of choice for the legendary Toll Holden Racing Team (HRT), with the company’s GW 470 Automated hauling the squad’s B-Double trailers filled with Bathurst winning cargo nationwide.

Enter the team’s truck driver Joe Sullivan, one of the familiar faces in the V8 Supercar family that has been a part of the pit lane scene since the formation of the category in the early 1990’s. Like many of the V8 Supercar truck drivers, Joe is a integral part of the race team, with his role not only limited to the logistics side of the operation, but also taking care of the outfit’s race tyre bank.

For some the UD may be a bit of a culture shock, as the only Japanese prime mover in the V8 paddock, so are people surprised to see it behind the Toll HRT pit bay?

“Probably so, probably at first glance some people might think that the UD isn’t in the same league as the other trucks,” Joe said.

“For us it does exceptionally well, from first appearances you have to look a bit deeper to see what it’s got.

“I’m really impressed, certainly it’s done all that it has needed to do, it’s been totally reliable, it’s quiet, it’s comfortable, which I think really adds to saving on the fatigue side of things. It’s hard to measure it, but those sorts of factors are important from a driving point of view.”

The bright red GW470 is appointed with all of the trimmings, including an aftermarket aero kit, a genuine UD bulbar and driving lights, as well as the new multimedia touch screen entertainment/navigation system. The truck also features an Eaton AutoShift 18 speed transmission, which Joe describes as “Brilliant”.

“It’s a bit of a challenge to get the electronics matched up considering all of the inputs, but the UD engineering staff have done a great job,” Joe said.

“From a driving up the highway standpoint, it leaves us with a totally satisfactory experience. With two trailers weighing in at nearly 60 ton, we can’t afford to be stranded in the middle of an intersection. The weight might vary a little with the different race meetings we do, but generally speaking it doesn’t vary a lot.”

Another change in direction for the modern trucks is

the use of a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) exhaust emission control system requiring the use of AdBlue, but a year of driving the UD has shown Joe the advantages of the system.

“The AdBlue certainly is a change of direction from the days of fill up with diesel and drive away, it adds a new dimension,” Joe said.

“But it certainly appears to be much more environmentally friendly, you don’t see the black soot or get the smell that you used to get with some other diesel engines that aren’t as well managed and controlled.”

The Bling Factor With multi-million dollar sponsorships attached to the team, the presentation of the V8 Supercar transporter fleet is second-to-none of the roads of Australia. The Toll HRT A and B trailers are no exception, with their flanks featuring yards of stunning reflective chrome, which can cause headaches in some dusty rural race track settings.

“Fortunately a few of the guys at the workshop help out on the presentation side of it,” Joe said.

“At the track it’s a bit more dependant on the drivers to sort out the truck washes at the different locations we go to, or the hose and sponge yourself with a bit of elbow grease.

“It does require a fair bit of polish, which is all good if you have the time. If you go through some road works or a dust storm at the race track, it undoes a bit of your hard earned work, so it needs a bit of a top up on the detail a bit later on. But it comes up well, the general presentation and the graphics, together with all of the polish side of it, they look a treat and are flash driving down the highway.”

Although the mere presentation of the truck itself would be a star attraction, the fact that it is emblazoned with the logo of one of Australia’s most recognisable sporting teams bring it to the attention of fans nationwide.

“I’m sure there is probably more interest than you really notice, you see people going past on the dual lane roads taking photos with their phones, which probably gives you an indication of how much interest that is out there. For every person who is interested, there are probably four or five you don’t notice. V8 Supercars have a high profile, and HRT has been around now for over 20 years and have had a lot of success, so we certainly get noticed.”

Roads

15

TOLL HRT

16 Roads

Hitting the Road

Trackside Service

With races as far and wide as Perth, Darwin, Townsville and Launceston, the V8 Supercar travelling circus takes in many of the country’s main arterial roads.

That said, between racing, testing and promotional activities, the fleet may only travel between 4050,000km a year.

Fortunately these days with the spread of events on the calendar, the need to travel two-up is for the most part negated. With extended turn around periods between events, transportation times usually fits into regular the driving hours for a single driver.

For Joe, the highlight of the year is the trip from Melbourne to Darwin via Port Augusta, with the mid-winter change of scenery a welcome stop on the calendar.

“The conditions you travel in, the roads, the lack of frustration with other motorists and the general scenery, it would be the one I look forward to most each year,” Joe said.

“We travel on pretty good roads for the whole trip, and to me there is a just a bit more character about that trip, the people and places you see, being so far away from Melbourne it’s just a different world for us.

“If you lived along there it would be different and probably lose a bit of its excitement factor. We go to Darwin at a good time of year weather wise, we leave Melbourne when it’s pretty dismal, heading into some serious winter weather, and when we arrive in Darwin it’s 25 degrees in the morning, you’re in your shorts, and the people up there embrace the racing pretty well. They enjoy us coming to town and show a lot of support.”

A handy feature for fans of the team is the use of Gridtraq technology, which allows them to log onto the Toll HRT website, www.hrt.com.au, and track the team’s trucks around Australia in live time via a Google map.

At the race track over the weekend, Joe is a part of the tyre team, which looks after the outfit’s stock of the control Dunlop tyre. Category regulations stipulate tight supply criteria, meaning the teams have to keep on top of their allocation of both slick and wet weather rubber.

Usual tasks over a race weekend including keeping track of tyre condition, as well as checking and adjusting pressures as dictated by race engineers, and clean and scrape any rubber build up after on track sessions.

“You’ve really got to keep on top of the tyres, and make sure you know what the best tyres are, because we are only given a set number for a weekend. It’s not an excessive number, probably a bit less than ideal, so you really have to manage the tyre numbers we get given,” Joe said.

Another factor that can throw a spanner into the works is changeable weather conditions, with sudden rain often bringing on a flurry of pit lane activity.

“The rain is certainly an unpredictable aspect, you’re in the lap of the Gods so to speak, there is no real way of picking what the conditions are, if it’s full on, drying, or coming and going. You sometimes wind up on wet tyres when you don’t want to be and vice versa, but that’s a bit more of a decision for the engineers to deal with,” Joe said.

Although the V8 Supercar calendar has expanded this year to take in a record 16 events from March through to December, the lion’s share of Joe’s workload takes place at the team headquarters, based in Melbourne’s Clayton industrial park. Joe explains that despite taking care of the squad’s logistics, tyres remain a priority.

“The wheels and tyres take up more of my time than the transporter does. The transporter maintenance and general operating, restocking from a race meeting, or getting ready for a trip up the highway,

probably doesn’t involve a great deal of involvement.

For major jobs like servicing we get competent operators to look after them, it’s more about keeping track of what goes in and out of the truck.”

A part of Joe’s job description is being involved in the fly away races, which in recent years has included events in countries such as New Zealand, China, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain. Although not strictly involving the team’s UD and transporter, Joe co-ordinates with international freight provider Gibson Freight, for the delivery of the team’s cars and equipment from the workshop to their international destination.

UD in Motorsport UD Truck’s support of the Toll Holden Racing Team is one facet of its greater motorsport involvement, which takes in the whole of the Walkinshaw Performance team. In 2012 the squad includes the Supercheap Auto Racing car of Russell Ingall, Nick Percat’s Coates Hire sponsored car in the Development Series, and Cam McConville’s Bundaberg sponsored V8 Ute. To get all of these cars, spare, garage equipment and consumables around Australia, the team have the use of two UD GW 470 Automated prime movers, as well as an MK 6 Automatic medium duty truck fitted with a lift tailgate. The MK also proves to be a useful tool between race meetings, running errands to various other suppliers and teams.

UD’s involvement in motorsport dates back to the early 1990’s, when the company supplied trucks to Gibson Motorsport to haul their fearsome Nissan GTRs around the Australian circuit.

CONDOR NUMBER 1

Horsepower The first of the all-new Condor medium duty UD Trucks to land in Australia is a tale of horsepower- from both the engine and the cargo. Roads headed to Toowoomba in Queensland to catch the MK 11 280 in action.

18

Roads

Is King

Roads

19

CONDOR NUMBER 1

H

orsepower is king for the first of the allnew UD Trucks Condor series trucks to hit the roads of Australia, with the delivery of an MK 11 280 to the Queensland city of Toowoomba.

With the all new UD Trucks engine pumping out 275 horsepower, the cargo has significantly less grunt, with the father and son duo of Brian and Grant Carroll using the rig to tow a 34 foot trailer containing up to four prize polocrosse horses.

For Brian, the managing director of Carroll Truck Sales, the move to the new model was a logical choice, with the vehicle replacing his previous 2007 model MK 265.

The primary driver for the outfit will be his son Grant, who is a current Queensland polocrosse representative.

“I’ve done a lot of homework, I knew what we wanted, we were really sweating on this truck to arrive, and it’s been worth the wait,” Brian said.

“I honestly can’t fault it; I’m pretty critical of trucks, and very particular about how we spec our own trucks, but it’s perfect.

“Really, it’s my son’s truck. He’s 18 years old, and I feel much better with him driving the UD rather than driving a car with a trailer attached.

“When you’re pulling the trailer, you need horsepower, and the new truck has that, as well as a fantastic ride and safety features.

“I love the seating position in the new truck, the instruments, the visibility and the comfort are all spot on.”

The Carroll family’s previous UD outfit was acquired off fellow polocrosse enthusiast Bruce Allison, who has also recently taken delivery of his own Condor series vehicle, which is in the process of being fitted

with its own gooseneck body.

The truck and trailer set up is very well thought out, with the rig a virtual home away from home.

Immediately behind the cabin of the truck is a feed and general store room, with the truck body containing lockers, storage for a portable horse pen, as well as a storage space for a pop-up marquee, a fridge and BBQ facilities, all of which have been transplanted from the previous truck.

The 34 foot long trailer starts with the living quarters, with a fully functioning kitchenette and living area complimented by a separate bedroom area. Out the back of the combination is area for four horses to travel in comfort. On the road, life is made easy with the use of a portable generator, which sits in its own dedicated storage space in the trailer.

Another important factor in keeping the horses fresh for polocrosse competition is the ride of the truck, with air suspension the preference on the short wheel base model MK. “The ride is a very big thing, the horses get a very comfortable ride with the air suspension, which is very important,” Brian said.

With the truck the first landed in the country, new accessories are constantly being attached to the truck as they become available, with a bullbar and driving lights the latest additions, with the cab interior already featuring fitted seat covers and a CB radio.

So impressed are the Carroll’s with their milestone acquisition, they have already purchased a second Condor series truck, a longer wheel base model with a full body fitted, for use on the family’s cattle farm.

Brian Carroll sums up his feels on the Conodor.

“My own road car is a Porsche Cayenne, and I love the UD just as much, you can’t beat the horsepower.”

Roads

21

22

Roads

Local Condor 6x2 Launched F

or the first time, UD Trucks have released an Australian OEM developed lazy axle kit suitable for their medium duty trucks, with the option now available for Condor series PK 17 280 models.

Fitted by the dealer, the kit comprises a complete hub to hub axle assembly, with all necessary air lines and suspension components.

Using the 6450mm “S” wheelbase PK 17 280 with larger factory inner chassis reinforcement as a donor vehicle, the lazy axle kit is installed and the truck is reborn into a 6x2 configuration.

With the extra wheels on the ground, rear axle load capacity is raised to meet the standard set by the 6x4 Quon models, with maximum legal rear axle loads of 16,500kg, or 17,000kg with Road Friendly Compliance in Victoria.

In addition to this, the GVM can be increased from 16,500kg to 23,500kg, with a larger air compressor the PK 17 280 can also have the GCM upgraded to the maximum on 26,000kg on 6 speed and 32,000kg on the 9 speed and auto models.

The move has come in response to demand from the local market, with engineering firms currently not having a solution for UD’s taper roller braking system, which was pressed into service with the new Condor models in 2011.

UD Trucks moved to this system following the success with the Quon models since 2002, with the superior control and activation speed of this system far superior to the previous “S-cam” arrangement.

Initially the kit will be available in two wheelbase configurations

of 7,110mm (16 standard pallet body) and 5,790mm (12 pallet body),shortly to be joined by the popular 6,710mm (14 pallets) configuration.

The system is currently undergoing ADR brake testing, and once complete, this report will assist with the engineering certification system and will ensure these vehicles meet all ADR35/03 requirements. This extensive program has been undertaken to ensure that the kit is of the usual high standards set by UD Trucks.

The new configuration retains the WABCO four channel ABS antilock braking system from the standard truck, with the automatic adjusting taper roller setup providing improved responsiveness and reduced stopping distances over previous models.

The 6x2 variation continues to utilise Road Friendly Compliant Hendrickson air suspension, the new variant becomes the widely used HAS460 suspension found in the GW Quon range.

The arrangement uses identical final drive ratios as found on each of three transmission options to the standard 4x2, it also retains the hand operated pneumatically controlled spring park brake on the drive axle with the added assistance of actuation on the newly installed lazy axle assembly.

UD Trucks revealed the new Condor 6x2 vehicle at the recent ITTES in Melbourne, with the PK 17 280 nine-speed manual on display receiving widespread positive feedback.

The entire range of UD Trucks medium duty Condor and heavy duty Quon vehicles are available from a 36 strong dealer network nationwide.

GARTH TANDER

Garth Tander loves a truck. So when Andrew Van Leeuwen was looking for a driver to show him around a typical V8 Supercar workhorse, Toll HRT’s UD GW470 Automated, he jumped at the chance.

Reprinted with the kind permission of Motorsport News- www.mnews.com.au

GARTH TANDER

S

ize might not be important, but it sure is impressive.

Standing outside the Toll Holden Racing Team’s workshop in Clayton, near Melbourne, it’s hard not to be impressed by the team’s transporter as it glistens in the winter sun. It’s only in semi-trailer form today, with the B-Double trailer disconnected after post-Townsville unpacking, but the UD GW470 still cuts an imposing figure.

While I feel completely dwarfed by the massive UD tractor, HRT driver Garth Tander looks right at home. His 6”2’ frame seems suited to the rig as he clambers inside the cabin; in fact, he looks more comfortable in the truck than he ever did crammed in a Formula Ford.

Tander is no stranger to trucks. As a self-

40

made V8 Supercar driver, Tander spend his formative years in the sport singing for his supper. He drove trucks when he worked for Fastlane Racing while competing in Formula Ford, he drove trucks while working on the workshop floor at Garry Rogers Motorsport in his early V8 Supercar days, and he drove trucks when he and wife Leanne started their own race team, TanderSport, several years ago.

These days Tander doesn’t have to drive trucks. HRT has its own truck driver, Joe Sullivan, and TanderSport’s truck driving duties were eventually shifted to Leanne, and then to one of the crew members.

But it doesn’t take much convincing to get Tander behind the wheel of the GW470, and once there he recalls that there is something strangely relaxing about piloting

a 70-ton monster on the open road.

“Truck drivers are strange creatures; they seem to like going places on their own,” says Tander.

“I remember when I used to drive the truck it was the same thing; you can quite happily drive up the road, do your own thing, solve the world’s problems ... it’s very therapeutic.

It’s very unlike driving a V8 Supercar.”

Today we’re confined to the Clayton Business Park due to licensing restrictions, so there’s no open road driving, but it is a great opportunity for Tander to get up close and personal with the UD GW470. The prime mover is one of three on loan from UD Trucks to Walkinshaw Racing, with two GW470s (one for the HRT transporter and one for the Bundaberg Racing transporter), and a smaller Mk6 used to tow Cameron McConville’s Ute, carry spares, and run errands around Melbourne between race meetings.

It’s a pretty typical set-up; most V8 Supercar teams own their own trailers, and then do lease, loan or sponsorship deals for the prime movers. It makes sense, because a V8 Supercar transporter only covers about 4050,000 kilometres a year, which is pittance in the world of interstate transport. So, at the end of the season, the movers can be re-sold as low-kilometre units, with fresh trucks brought in for the new year.

The concept of driving the GW470 with its 18-speed gearbox sounds daunting, but as Tander points out, the days of crude roadranger manual gearboxes and double clutching are long gone.

“These trucks aren’t necessarily complicated to drive, especially now with the automatic gearboxes, and the power that the engines are producing,” says Tander.

“It’s pretty much stick it in drive, take the park brake off, and drive it away. The tractor has a clutch, because it’s like a semiautomated gearbox. For launching, you use the clutch – and then it essentially changes gears by itself. It’s not quite that simple, because when the truck is in B-Double form, it’s a big unit. But actually physically driving these trucks is actually quite comfortable.

“I learnt to drive with a roadranger gearbox, and it was much harder. Now it’s like with cars; you can get a roadranger license or an automatic license, and if you have

“

“

Standards, the entire industry is becoming more aware that we have to be more environmentally responsible,” says John Bushell, President of UD Trucks Region Oceania.

“Fortunately for us here at UD Trucks, we have been at the forefront of emissions control for many years. While some people believe that it was the European manufacturers who first introduced Selective Catalytic Reduction technology for

road transport, it was actually UD Trucks in Japan, and we are proud to still be further developing the system to this day.

“The system easily copes with the demands of modern distribution work, while effortlessly meeting the Euro 5 emissions levels without sacrificing engine durability or oil change intervals.”

In more simple terms, the ECO Fleet technology surpasses Euro 5 standards by complying with the stricter Japanese JPLT

“

a roadranger license then you can drive anything. Nowadays, the fatigue level when you’re driving trucks like this are much lower at the end of a journey, because the trucks are much easier to drive.

“Sure, you still need to be vigilant and alert when you’re driving, but physically its easier, so drivers are more refreshed throughout a trip – especially on the long-haul trips, like Perth, Darwin and Townsville.”

An 18-speed gearbox is the only impressive figure on the GW470’s spec sheet. Strangely impressive is that this massive tractor, capable of pulling huge loads around the country, only makes 360kW (460hp) – well down on the power figure of a V8 Supercar, which is closer to 635hp. But, the 13-litre turbocharged six-cylinder diesel engine makes that power at 1,800rpm, and produces a whopping 2,255Nm of torque at just 1,200rpm. Now compare that to a V8 Supercar, which makes around 616Nm of torque at its peak.

“It’s all about torque,” says Tander from the driver’s seat.

“Diesel engines are all about torque, not power. That’s how these trucks maintain their speed at the 100km/h speed limit.

Maintaining a speed up hills out in the country is critical, and you have to get these things off the line, too. The more torque they have the better they get going, particularly on B-Double weight. You can have as much as horsepower as you want, but if a prime mover has no torque, you’re not going anywhere.

“If you look here (Tander points to the dials), we’re red-lining at 2,200 rpm, and the operating range is 1,100 to 1,700. A V8 Supercar operating range is 7,100 to 7,400, so we’re talking about a 6,000 rev difference. It’s a vastly different engine characteristic.”

Of course, producing huge levels of torque from a diesel engine comes at a cost – emissions. In the modern world of carbon taxes and melting ice caps, trucks blazing around in a trail of black smoke is a big no-no, with a worldwide emphasis on low emissions in road transport. UD trucks has been a world leader in lowering emissions, and the GW470 sets international standards thanks to its ECO Fleet technology.

“With the move to Euro 5 Emissions

I remember when I used to drive the truck... you can quite happily drive up the road, do your own thing, solve the world’s problems- it’s very therapeutic. It’s very unlike driving a V8 Supercar.

Roads

27

05 emissions standards. The SCR system adds a fluid called AdBlue to the truck’s specially-designed catalytic chamber in the exhaust system, where Nitrous Oxides are converted into harmless Nitrogen (N2) and water (H2O). So not only does HRT’s tractor make all the torque necessary to haul a V8 Supercar team around the country, but it does so without destroying the earth.

The other hugely efficient part of a tractor like the GW470 is the brakes. With air brakes on the mover and the trailer, coupled with the exhaust brake, the set-up is actually too efficient for how it is configured today, with just an unloaded semi-trailer on-board.

“When you’re driving on the highway, and you know you have to slow up, you very rarely use the brakes, you just tend to use the engine brake,” says Tander. “It’s an effective system, but the cost is the noise, so it can’t be used in residential areas.

“The air brakes are very, very effective too.

You’re carrying a lot of weight, so pulling that weight up inside a reasonable distance is important. The brakes are effective to the point where if you’re not carrying enough

“

weight, it’s easy to lock the tyres up. You often see that with trucks that aren’t carrying any load. It’s just because the brakes work best when they’re stopping a heavy load. Air brakes are completely different to hydraulic brakes, but can create massive amounts of stopping power.”

Due to the sheer size of a B-Double truck, safety is very important. Along with the surprisingly effective braking system, the GW470 also has FUPS, otherwise known as Front Underrun Protection System. It’s essentially a bar set low on the front of the truck that will ensure that a regular car’s airbag system will deploy in the event of contact. Without FUPS, trucks often strike passenger cars too high to deploy the airbags, worsening the outcome.

But as great as the mod-cons are, Tander adds that driver vigilance is the most important safety aspect.

“Vision is the hardest part,” he says.

“You’re up higher and you can see plenty happening in front of you, but it’s a big thing. This truck actually has great

vision; you can see almost everywhere. The mirror layouts are so important, particularly being able to see down into this blind spot (Tander points almost straight down through the driver’s side door). “There’s also external cameras that run through the entertainment system, so as you can see it’s essentially a 360-degree view. It’s no so much about knowing what’s ahead of you, but knowing what’s around you – especially when you’re driving around town.

“You also need to keep a good eye on what might be carving in front of you. Everyone is guilty of it – pulling in front of a truck. It’s not until you drive trucks that you realise ‘hey, that isn’t a cool thing to be doing,’ because trucks take longer to stop. You need to be aware that it’s going to happen even before it does, and that’s just being aware of what’s around you and what cars are coming up underneath the doors.

That’s critical.

“You have to keep your wits about yourself.

You’re carrying $10 million worth of cargo, so you can’t doze off. A truck driver’s role is massively underrated.”

A truck driver’s role is massively

28

Roads

Garth Tander doesn’t drive trucks these days.

At the Holden Racing Team, that role goes to Joe Sullivan (read about Joe in our cover story). He’s responsible for making sure that the HRT B-Double, which houses both Commodores and all of the gear required to run them, arrives to each race meeting on time and safely.

But Sullivan’s weekend role doesn’t end upon arriving at the race track.

“He also works on the tyres,” says Tander.

“The majority of truck drivers on pit-lane have a second role in their team, and for the majority of the truck drivers it is tyres, so looking after pressures and depths and getting tyres on and off rims.

“That’s the same role Joe plays back at the factory. He maintains the trucks, and makes sure they’re clean and operating, and loaded and unloaded in the right order, and then in between that he looks after tyres.”

As for TanderSport, up until late last year the truck driving role belonged to Leanne Tander. She is still licensed to drive big rigs, although the thought of the petit fast femme behind the wheel of a B-Double seems a little strange.

“She hasn’t driven the truck for a while, but she was driving up until about Bathurst last year,” says Garth.

“I remember Greg Murphy rang me after a Winton round, because he was driving back to Melbourne and he went past the TanderSport truck. He looked in the window, saw who was driving, and then rang me and abused me! I said ‘hey, I’m not licensed to drive and she is!’

“That proves that these modern trucks are not impossible to drive. Leanne is obviously a very capable driver when it comes to racing cars, but this is totally different. However, if you go and get your license, do the training, modern day trucks are something anyone can drive.

“You don’t need to be wearing a singlet and stubby shorts to drive a truck these days. The trucks have come a long way.”

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

“

underrated

Common rail

Engine Management System

Catalytic converter

GH7 fuel injector

Images clockwise: The common rail pressurises fuel to more than 36,000psi. The Engine Management System module is the brains of a brilliant engine. GH7 fuel injector can vary the angle of fuel injected into the combustion chamber. The dosing unit injects AdBlue into the exhaust stream, creating the chemical reaction.

The heart of the SCR process takes place in the catalytic converter.

Dosing unit

s one i r o t c a r t ery con v i l e d e r Trucks’ u t i D n U r f u f o t d r n la e comfo h t A Queens o t s t r th early e i v w n , o e c g t n s r a duty r of the fi m u league i d a e n i m r e l o c i d h n new Co g the ve n i t t u p s e figur . economy of its own

Comfort & 32

Roads

Economy Roads

33

34

Roads

mmute e regular co . th ck g u n tr ei b st e Warrego foremo d Sheree e first and am of Ian an ge along th te Th an e R d if g w s in d ck id u an and UD Tr at Div the six-spee or the husb ba, with up the Gre r series from air were m O o o d o EC n w o o C ew To n lew n ear ep e al Jones, the Highway n enough. Th upled to th with me quickly smission co K 11 250, an nting road M tr au d ew al e n u th a could not co an g m er in rd ag o an ew to n m first their plant one of the pointed by Fleet power be been disap ’t en rgo tends to av h ease. and they und, our ca o ry ar st u re d u in it rt rn said. transpo “Hauling fu acquisition. eight,” Ian ht rking in the up the involved eig lume than w as been wo h e ad going vo n lo am re Ia f o ec al ile m b h h W ee at limit e er id Sh ck w ee u s, a e tr 20 year n the sp d mpling “I can hav ver time sa for the last fifth gear, o o as r in h ai e p g n e Ia an , R th a ience with Toowoomb se years ago, blems. h this exper r his harsh load, I just u way, no pro cks. Throug fo u le tr o ck f h u o w tr y e ct et th even at full fe , it, er n vari p w lim e o d d th k ee e bac the sp D to b “On the way sits nicely on found the U it t u d o t. an t en ar ke m m ra n b viro per A the exhaust ’s operating en re delivery routes for Su is the truck issue.” u y of the new it m an rn o t n u fu o o g h ec in it of the UD n at w s th n e s o Run th ti in g la ac in h p tr d it n big at ty, w outsta ba, Ian ex One of the for reliabili eberg, with ic of Toowoom an n f o e g o ti th s in ta f tt ie u o u it p p p al re g qu ions the ti outstanding f the leadin n’s destinat truck is just ews rt also one o many of Ia fo f Thus he ren o m . n co le o t ic ti h an la ve p o is le occu ab d es en n Jo Ian n a dep emphasis o n’t fault it,” the truck. five years. working uck, I could tr ery three to t ev an lli ck ri ting on Ian’s u b tr ac p is h im r “It’s a o e ct s I’v ant fa roads, with e best truck other import ity of local th n al A u f q o e said. e n ed n ri o ee va b handling th is the int I’ve to drive, conditions lbase model e to the po ee “It’s great iv h o ss w h re w g p n . rs lo im rive m lessly . It’s the other d his 5,500m across effort e ever owned for. s he comes the truck to p proved by th rk g m o im u in w b d ly s e al en u w o re m y ri is an va p n ck recom m u Ia r tr co ” te e e y, rt of th brilliantl of or bet tract to th “The comfo ver, it rides the equal ri d also sub-con ’s e it ry th , ve r ic fo ’s st seat , and it is fanta suspension I’ve owned “The ride rtainment on diesel, pean trucks /L ro km Eu 5 e . e new ente to th id th se sa o is cl io than re g g u n n ti at out of rad reat fe e’re seei . We’re get e in and problem, w “Another g ar a o. economical n e g w ee e b w t ’t es n ay ut w d aw Blue has console. O iPhone in, an through the and the Ad y tank.” y, m L le g 0 al lu 5 V p I r er t p u ckye km usic reception, b ya in the Lo and play m nearly 8,000 ee.” e in Coomin include as far west as sy to setup as ea one hands fr b h r ry p ei e ve th th ’s It m se k u Fro ee the as h w , l it 1 a el w 1 w , 0 in , as ber 2 nations th Wales truck’s stereo early Novem in New Sou typical desti km in e 0 d re 0 o y o o ,0 er w 2 M iv 4 le el to g d g le free south eld, In Since takin Roma, and ed up troub ding Tenterfi ck u cl ra in y s ad p o re st al r truck has other regula ne g 490km o n ei s. b xa s Te te of service. u d ro an of these d to the t te n es g se n re lo p e e With th allenges ar ue set of ch way, a uniq

F

Power No Problem

K

oo Wee Rup Tilt Tray Services have seen significant efficiency and productivity gains by upgrading its UD Truck to a more powerful GW400 LWB model.

In September 2010, Koo Wee Rup Tilt Tray Services’ owner-operator Mick Crowley updated his trusty UD CW250 after three years of trouble free service to the newer Euro 4 model, with the increased power making light work of the toughest jobs.

Decked out with a nine metre long tray supplied

by Custom Transport Equipment and combined with a 9,000kg winch, the outfit proves incredibly versatile, with Mick finishing the immaculate truck with chrome wheels and neat pin striping.

From shipping containers, tractors and agricultural equipment, mini buses, fork lifts, and site huts, Mick also finds a fair share of local work towing cars and trucks as a roadside breakdown service.

“I had a great run (with the CW250), it was very reliable, but it was time to update, and that’s why I went with the GW,” Mick said.

“The new truck is much more comfortable, fatigue from driving it is much lower.

“With the increase in power, the truck’s not working hard, and I’m not working hard.”

One of the big differences that Mick has noticed since taking an extra 140HP on board is a significant drop in fuel consumption.

With the engine fitted to the GW400 utilising an SCR emission control system, Mick says that the truck on average achieves 3.15km/litre, whereas the old model would run about 2.7km/litre.

“The 250 just had to work very hard, but the bigger engine just cruises,” Mick said.

“I haven’t had a problem with AdBlue at all; I really think it’s the best way to go.

“Even when you factor in the cost of the AdBlue,

the package is still very fuel efficient.

“Once you start using AdBlue, it just becomes a part of your routine, and you never really have to think about it.

“The temperature gauge never moves, it sits on its normal temperature and does it easy.

“Really, with that amount of horsepower and a 23.5 ton GVM, it’s good fun to drive.”

While the truck can be found most days on the country roads to the east of Melbourne, Mick does cover a wide area, with the GW taking him west to Warrnambool, north to Sydney and even Cobar in western New South Wales. In the 13 months since delivery, Mick has taken in a total of 113,000km.

“With this work, I could end up anywhere, and I think it’s a good way to be. I like mixing it up, so there is very little repetition in the work I do,” Mick said.

“My first job in transport was driving a J6 Bedford for the Holden Dealer in Koo Wee Rup when I was 18, and I’ve been involved in the industry ever since.”

In the ensuing years, Mick has worked in a wide range of roles, including hauling interstate lines, with his most recent employment before starting his own business being with a tow truck company out of nearby Warragul.

In a bid to utilise all of the available pulling power of his UD, Mick is currently in the process of commissioning a 20 foot long bogey pig trailer.

“The truck certainly has the power to handle it, and it will definitely improve the truck’s capacity; it will be able to service our customers much better,” Mick said.

“All in all, I’ve never been happier with a truck.”

Roads

37

Keeping Costs

38

Roads

Cool

For Sydney family owned company Freezex, the recent acquisition of a UD GK 400 AMT has proved a revelation for the refrigerated transport specialists, with the 4x2 configuration contributing strongly to the outfit’s bottom line.

Roads

39

F

ocussing on the delivery of perishable food stuffs, Freezex operates a 20 truck fleet from its Marsden Park temperature controlled warehouse, delivering over 500 pallets of products to over 80 venues daily, with the assistance of subcontractors and an affiliate network.

For Ben Howard-Bath, the move to the automated 4x2 truck is a trial of the configuration, but all factors point to it being the future of the business.

“Comfort, cost and manoeuvrability are the big things for us,” Ben said.

“One of the advantages of the truck I’ve found from a buyers point of view is cost; lower rego costs when compared to a bogey drive prime mover, and also less on replacement tyres, which are between five and six hundred dollars each on the drive axle. With a single drive there are four less tyres to replace.

“Also the manoeuvrability of that truck is great, you can get into really tight driveways, it basically spins on a dime. This first truck has been a trial for our business, and it’s really paid off.

Being a single drive, we were worried about the weight, but with the power available, it has never been an issue.”

With Ben and his brother Luke managing the business, their hands on approach saw Ben get behind the wheel of the UD for its test period. According to Ben, one of the stand-out features of the prime mover is the nine speed semi-AMT, which results in lower driver fatigue and maintenance.

“The creature comforts are great; I love the automatic because we will be putting wage earners in it,” Ben said.

“We’ve had drivers in the past wreck gearboxes that they can’t drive… now I wouldn’t look at any other type of gearbox. It also broadens the field when we are looking to put on new drivers.

“We cart dairy products over to the northern beaches, and

there are quite a few hills on the way. So instead of having to go through nine gears, as well as pushing the clutch in at every change, it makes a massive difference with the comfort of your day. I’m the biggest fan of this truck, especially coming from the last truck I was in, I was double clutching. At the end of the day you’re tired, really tired. And it’s easy on the gear, you’re not missing gears at all, it’s beautiful.”

While this particular UD Truck is the first new vehicle from the company to join the Freezex fleet, the move to newer equipment for the business only commenced four years ago, with the rewards flowing ever since.

“We moved away from running old gear and big repair bills, for much newer stuff… it transformed our business,” Ben said.

“Now we don’t have mechanical breakdowns and down time.

We do have the added expense of not owning the gear by having the hire lease cost, but we do have improved customer satisfaction. We now have the technology to back ourselves up. We now have GPS and temperature monitoring. It’s slowly evolved, and even when buying this truck new, we had a look at second hand, but it’s new gear all the way, and it does pay off in the end.”

Another dimension brought into play with the new UD GK 400 is the truck’s SCR emission control system, which requires the addition of AdBlue fluid. Although this has taken some getting use to, Ben explains that Freezex plans to utilise its new found green credentials to its marketing advantage.

“I saw another company put on their trucks, ‘We’re doing our bit for a greener environment’, I want to do something similar and put it on our website as well,” Ben said.

“It won’t necessarily translate to sales, but it gives the customer piece of mind that we are moving in the right direction. A lot of

the multinational companies we work for, being green ticks a few boxes for them when we go to tender.”

The Freezex UD GK 400 is currently mated to a 16 pallet trailer, which features its own stand alone refrigeration unit and fuel tank. Having a quality, reliable trailer is imperative for transporting perishable foods, with plenty of second hand units currently available offering exceptional value for money.

“At the moment the market is flooded with really good gear at really good prices,” Ben said.

“We paid $70,000 for that trailer second hand, but for a new trailer you are looking at $170,000. There’s not much to trailers; there’s a handful of really good brands out there, you stick to them and you’re ok. We predominantly use Thermo King fridge units. There are two main players, Thermo King and Carrier, we’ve got some good contacts at Thermo King, so that’s who we’ve gone with.”

One of the main tasks that Freezex carries out is cross-docking, whereby B-Doubles offload stock at the warehouse, which is then unpacked, repacked, and redistributed for clients including Linfox, Fonterra Brands, Heinz, Norco and Riverina Fresh.

“We service all of the major chains; we do Woolworths, Coles, IGA, Franklins and Aldi. They have major distribution centres, and then we also do some store deliveries,” Ben said.

“Being close to the M7 (Motorway in Western Sydney) has been really good, and having our own depot has transformed the business. Three things took us from being a backyard business to where we are now; renewing the fleet, getting away from being a third party transport provider, and running our own warehouse. It’s been a massive learning curve, but it’s been worth it.”

Roads

41

Parting Shots

Zupps Condor Launch

The St Kilda Football Club UD MK6 ‘Saints Locker’ mobile merchandise unit It’s the pits- as seen at V8 Supercar events in 2012:

42

Roads

UD Tucks Racing 2012: Garth Tander (top), Nick Percat (middle) & Cam McConville (bottom).

Next time in..

Golden Grove get serious with their new UD GW in Adelaide

Catch up with Produce Carton Supplies, with three generations of UD Trucks

Red trucks go faster! We talk to the Lopez Brothers in Sydney

Roads

With state of the art variable geometry turbo diesel technology, SCR emissions reduction and high pressure common rail fuel injection, UD’s Condor range of medium duty trucks go further for less. Less fuel, less greenhouse gases, less whole of life cost. That’s why we say UD Condor saves money and the earth. udtrucks.com.au