PowerTorque Issue 72 AUG-SEPT 2016

AUSTRALIA'S LEADING TRUCK AND TRAILER MAGAZINE

ISSUE 72 AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2016

www.powertorque.com.au ISSUE 72 AUG/SEPT 2016 RRP: $8.95 (NZ $9.95)

GRS TOWING

EXPANDS ITS FLEET

PROFILE

TRUCKING can be a cruel mistress at times, and, regardless of how careful the driver, how new or how well maintained the equipment, factors outside your control can turn things “pear shaped” at the most inconvenient of times. So it stands to reason that at some point in time you will need the services of a tow operator.

Greystanes Recovery was established in 1979 and purchased by the current owner, Barry Hunt, in 2002.

This initial company purchase formed the basis for GRS towing as it is today. Barry over the next few years set about expanding the business by purchasing another four small nearby towing businesses, expanding his fleet and removing some of the “dead wood” by offloading underutilised equipment from within the new acquisitions.

Fast forward to 2016, and the GRS fleet now stands at eleven trucks comprising three rigids, three prime movers and five underlifts. The company also operates five trailers – flat-top, drop-deck extendable widening and drop-well trailers – all of which have winches and tilt facility.

Two of the heavy tow trucks have detachable underlifts, which provides great fleet diversity by enabling them to be used as prime movers. A further two have integrated underlifts, meaning they incorporate an extendable recovery boom within the overall vehicle to achieve maximum versatility. An underlift system also enables the towing of an unladen trailer, uncoupled from the damaged or faulty prime mover.

The fifth unit is a rotator, which has a 40ft extension capability, five winches and an independent underlift.

Unlike a crane, this unit doesn’t have counterweights, but does have a tow system enabling it to correct awkward situations with greater ease, especially where only a partial lift is required to move the disabled vehicle.

GRS Towing operates throughout the Sydney metropolitan area and covers the wider Sydney area to a radius of 300 km. The company also handles long distance changeovers for interstate clients as well as regional NSW deliveries, with the ability to match economical interstate transport on the self loading tilt trailers. Barry explained, “I have always kept a close eye on new developments within the heavy salvage industry, both here and in the US, and endeavour to keep pace with customer expectations and compliance with regards to legal weight regulations.”

TOTAL RE

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TOTAL RECOVERY

GRS towing has just taken delivery of its latest workhorse to best meet the above mentioned points in the form of a Kenworth K200 big cab prime mover, with a Cummins ISXe5 SCR engine rated at 600 hp and utilising the latest Eaton UltraShift PLUS transmission.

The unique feature of this Kenworth being the Ingersoll self-tracking axle it has fitted. These axles are imported from the US by Truckworks in Adelaide and fitted locally by Charlie Borg at Mulgoa Custom Bodies. The self-tracking axle does just that and is not connected the vehicle’s steering. Relying on pressure to initiate the turnout, it is automatically deployed once axle weight reaches a point where it breaches the legal requirements on a bogie axle set.

Raising the axle is a manual operation and the axle has a locking system when reverse is selected to prevent “kick out” during manoeuvring.

Barry explained, “Previously we have used dollies which have created their own set of problems.

Getting to a location and having to unload and manoeuvre dollies into position on the side of the road adds up to a whole lot of sweat, and available space may also be at a premium. Additionally, the use of a dolly would extend us out to in excess of 22 metres long, creating an oversize situation and limiting travel time options.

GRS Towing has some new and exciting additions to its Sydney fleet – words and images by Warren Caves

ECOVERY

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PROFILE “Our permits require us to maintain a certain amount of weight on the drive axles as a minimum, which is difficult as opposed to, say, an excavator, which can be loaded in differing orientations to apply load over the gooseneck and subsequently the drive axles.

“The benefits of utilising the Kenworth with the tri-axle setup are numerous. We can now use our rows of four low-loader trailers without a dolly and obtain a 39-tonne payload at 2.5 metres wide. When compared to rows of eight trailers to get the same payload it would have to be opened up to 3.5 metres wide, effectively grounding it until legal travel times allow departure, which is far from ideal from a speed of removal standpoint.

“With this new set-up we can run at the combinations gross weight of 66.5 tonnes giving a payload of around 39 tonnes at 2.5 metres wide.

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PROFILE

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TOTAL RECOVERY

The K200 adds its own spectacular presence to the image of the GRS fleet.

This represents a payload increase of 5.0 tonnes over a bogie-drive unit, but, most importantly, we can do this 24 hours a day, which is a huge benefit to our clients and other road users. We are fine tuning our fleet to be able to do the work faster and compliantly, maximising our versatility,” added Barry.

The latest K200 is the third of this model to enter the growing GRS fleet and is a custom-built float truck. The first K200, an aerodyne prime mover, was purchased in 2013. The second K200, an aerodyne, twin steer 10x4 with a tridem rear (The Hulk), joined the fleet in 2015 and is the largest underlift operating in the southern hemisphere.

Fitted with an extreme-duty American rotator body, “The Hulk” has a 40-foot boom and five winches. Barry says it has key benefits of being able to work off the side to bring a stricken vehicle closer to roadside for hook-up and maintaining traffic flow, a task that without this truck may require the use of a crane, counter-weights and perhaps another truck, congesting the scene and tying up resources that could be better utilised elsewhere.

The last 18 months have seen an increase in workload for GRS, and that has led to the addition of the two new Kenworth trucks this year, the first being the K200 self-tracking unit and the second the carefully restored T904. It is a 2003 model with a Gen 2 Cummins signature 15-litre engine rated at 600 hp and backed up by an 18 speed Roadranger transmission.

The truck was completely stripped down, sandblasted and reconditioned to the gleaming example you see in these pages.

It has a front mounted 20,000 lb remote control winch, which, by virtue of its size, required a good deal of modification to the original Kenworth radiator as it sat in the area needed for mounting. The winch is mounted within a custom-built steel reinforced bumper bar that provides suitable support as a counterbalance weight.

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PROFILE

The T904 is equipped with a Holmes DTU towing unit, which is light in weight yet strong, and is mounted, like all the towing units in the fleet, with a removable tow body that allows them, at short notice, to quickly and efficiently remove the body and utilise the truck as a prime mover.

“This adds to our versatility by allowing us to tow or place a trailer for a customer with the same tow truck, as placing a loaded trailer alone directly onto the underlift would result in a weight imbalance,” said Barry.

“We like to keep the trucks unique and well presented, in turn the drivers take pride in the gear and we would like to think this impresses our customers that we will take care of their trucks like we do our own,” explained Barry.

“We keep the colour scheme consistent for branding, however, the styles are different on each truck. Adrian Marchio of Airbrush World, did all the masking, blending and airbrush work. The trucks are our billboard and it pays to keep them looking good,” concluded Barry.

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PROFILE

RJN Transport combines North American and European technologies to find the best overall solution for heavy haulage – words by Chris Mullett

it

never fails to amaze me as to the high degree of knowledge required to be successful in the transport business. Whatever the area of specialisation, the knowledge base extends far more from the ability to drive a truck, and demands firsthand expertise in legislation, load restraint, permit restrictions, maintenance requirements, finance and business practices.

One of the most demanding aspects of transport is that of heavy haulage, where much of what needs to be known has to be learnt by firsthand experience or by learning from the experience of others. In most cases, what you need to know cannot be found in a book.

PowerTorque recently had the opportunity to join Ray and Jenny Nicholson of RJN Transport in Tamworth, for a close look at how the company has specialised in a specific area of heavy haulage and consequently created a niche of its own for heavy-duty tilt tray and float work.

Ray comes from a family with strong ties to the haulage industry, albeit in his native Scotland, where his father started driving Bedfords and carting limestone from a Carlisle quarry alongside another driver that would ultimately become a household name in transport, that of Eddie Stobart.

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While in Scotland, Ray had worked in heavy haulage, driving long haul in Scanias and DAFs through Great Britain and into Europe. While this had given him valuable experience of what to expect from a European fleet, the opportunity to evaluate trucks with a North American heritage wasn’t something he was able to experience until Ray and Jenny migrated to Australia in 1988.

After working initially with Stockmaster in 1989 on livestock haulage, Ray joined McKenzie Civil, the Tamworth-based excavation and earthmoving contractors, where he worked on civil construction projects.

In 2000 Ray and Jenny founded RJN Transport, having decided that the idea of being able to be at home more than always travelling interstate was a strong incentive.

While that intention was an important part of settling in the Tamworth area, of course, like many transport operations, there remains a need to be flexible and to operate wherever the work requires.

“I certainly had the aim not to always be away interstate, but as you start your own business that option is sometimes not easy to accommodate, despite the best of intentions,” said Ray.

MIX MASTER “At the heavy end of the business we have a Kenworth T909 Limited Edition prime mover, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of Brown and Hurley. This is powered by a Cummins ISXe5 engine at 550 hp with AdBlue and is rated for double road train work or for use with AB-triples at a GCM of 109 tonnes.

“Other prime movers in the fleet include a Kenworth T408 powered by a Cummins ISX EGR at 505 hp, a Western Star 4800 Constellation with a pre-EGR Cummins ISX engine, and a T403 Kenworth powered by a Cummins ISX with EGR and a DPF at 450 hp that is fitted out as a crane truck with a HIAB. The T408 with a Cummins ISX at 505 hp usually hauls a low loader and we have trailers by Drake, Barker and Lusty.

“From the perspective of running European trucks we have recently purchased a DAF XF105 prime mover with the PACCAR MX at 510 hp, and this is usually coupled to a TUFF Super-Tilt Trailer.

The purchase of local business, Tamworth Tilt Trays, saw that company’s activities incorporated under the RJN Transport name for heavy haulage activities while retaining the Tamworth Tilt Tray identity for lighter weight work.

“I had done a little bit of heavy haulage in Scotland but it is a very different ball game over there,” said Ray. “Today we have five prime movers and four rigids.

We purchase most of our fleet through Brown and Hurley in Tamworth and we have a mixture of both North American and European trucks, dependent on their application.

“Our rigid fleet includes DAF CFs configured as 6x4 and 8x4 heavy-duty EKEBOL bodied tilt trays, and at the lighter end of the scale we are using Isuzu rigids that we purchased through Sutton’s of Arncliffe. Brown and Hurley look after servicing for the Kenworths and DAFs, and Peel Valley Machinery for the Isuzus.

“I would have had the PACCAR MX 13 engine with the T403, but I was a bit too early in the piece for that, as they were just trialling them, so we went at the time with a Cummins,” said Ray. The DAF XF105 has now completed 80,000 km and has lane departure assist, adaptive cruise control, the ZF 16-speed AS Tronic AMT with a Meritor rear axle at 4.1:1 ratio.

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PROFILE

Ray Nicholson, with the DAF XF105

“This technology is amazing to experience but I think that DAF and MAN have probably now got the right level of technology available. I don’t think it is necessary to go any further, except to extend the use of EBS and roll stability for higher safety standards throughout our fleet. We already have disc brakes on some of our trailers and this is the way to go in the future,” said Ray. “The fuel economy of the DAF XF105 and the T909 are very similar at 2.2-2.3 km/litre if you keep the weights around the same.

For the Cummins ISXe5 this is a big improvement, saving on fuel consumption by up to $3000 per month.

That is an immense saving that is nearly equal to the cost of the monthly vehicle finance repayment. AdBlue use is between 4.0 and 5.0 percent.

“Most of our work is moving plant and equipment, compressors and excavators. The DAF is a great thing for what we do with tilt trays. They are really effective and comfortable and I feel they are more solid than the Japanese vehicles. To do what we do, which is bigger tilt tray work, it’s ideal.

“When it comes to selecting the right vehicles as a base for rigid tilt trays we have to be mindful of the overall cab dimensions to ensure we can maintain easy access to the locations we service.

“We currently operate a DAF CF85 eight-wheeler and a CF75 with a lift-up pusher axle, both of which are fitted with EKEBOL tilt and slide tray bodies. We are currently looking at upgrading to the latest DAF LF models because of the more compact cabin dimensions.

“Although I was involved in earthmoving as a youngster, our future is to specialise in moving earthmoving equipment rather than operating it. That way we maintain efficient use of our equipment and complement the service provided by other companies,” added Ray.

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PowerTorque caught up with RJN Transport drivers Malchom Stubbs and Gavin Fisher during a scheduled break with the T909 at the Caltex truck stop at Wyong.

PROFILE

AS

any good Italian worth his salt will tell you, you can never have enough concrete. So it’s no surprise that Roy Mammone found his way into his line of work.

Roy Mammone Developments specialise in the construction of industrial and commercial building complexes from the ground up.

“We buy the land and look after the whole construction process ourselves,” said Roy. “We purchase a greenfield site and we commence excavation and preparation, and from our steel fabrication workshop base at Chipping Norton we manufacture the building frames.

Concrete supply is contracted out along with specialist trade work such as electrical,” he added.

While the majority of construction projects are for his own buildings, Roy also does spec jobs for a handful of regular clients, including Freedom Food where we found him currently working on their new production and warehousing facility at Ingleburn, NSW. This will be quite a large complex once completed, incorporating a 10,000 sq. metre warehouse building and a 20,000 sq. metre production area, which is great to see from an Australian company.

Roy has been at this game for around 40 years, previously operating a structural steel sheet metal shop employing 40 people, which specialised in, among other things, diesel engine generator soundproofing enclosures.

This specialised industry experience left Roy well placed to handle all the metal work now utilised in the fabrication of the steel framework requirements for his projects.

Roy operates a Kenworth prime mover, which has served him well for the past 14 years or so, and continues to do so. It alternates its duties between hauling a float trailer and a tipping body extendable step-deck trailer, as work dictates. Recently, Roy felt the need to source a rigid tipper to incorporate into the business, and after doing his research and evaluating a number of options, including the possibility of another Kenworth, the decision was made to go with the Mack Trident. “After the comparisons were made, I found the Mack to be the better choice all round and best value for money,” said Roy.

purchase was handled by Mick Inzitari of Mack Trucks of Huntingwood.

Roy added, “They even flew us up to Queensland to inspect the assembly process, and I was really impressed with the procedure of punching the chassis holes to suit the individual order applications”. This must be first-class work as I’m sure somebody with Roy’s steel fabrication experience would not be easily impressed.

Roy says that there are only about three of his employees that will be driving the Mack, in addition to himself, of course.

Mack Trucks made available its driver trainer to come out for the day to empower the guys with the necessary driving techniques to get the most out of the MP8 535 hp (399 kW) mDRIVE combination.

Mack Trident ticked all the boxes for Roy, the extraheavy-duty chassis and the availability of a twin-steer and third lift-up axle were exactly what he required. The

Warren Caves finds a Trident 10x4 sets a new benchmark for ability with Roy Mammone

MOVING WITH

MACK 44 PowerTorque ISSUE 72

MOVING WITH MACK The decision to opt for the mDRIVE 12-speed automated transmission, for Roy, was an easy one. “I couldn’t be bothered changing gears anymore,” he quipped, adding to that he believes drivers would be hard pressed to change gears as efficiently as the mDRIVE. This also equates to fuel savings by maintaining the correct gear selection and, subsequently, engine revs. “It does a great job,” said Roy. The MP8 535 hp producing 2603 Nm of torque, may seem a little overkill for a truck with a gross mass of 32 tonnes.

However, Roy wanted to incorporate as many benefits into one truck as he could.

The Trident has been set up so that at a later date it already has the capability to couple up to a dog trailer, and, consequently, it has been built to a heavy-duty spec to handle the demolition work that is also part of the work requirement.

“We wanted it to be tough enough to ensure a neat appearance and stand the test of time with regards to durability. To achieve that we used extra-heavy-duty chassis rails, and got Muscat trailers to custom build us a heavy-duty tipper bin and fit a 60-tonne hoist.

“We do quite a bit of demolition work. When loading steel and concrete rubble from a 35-tonne excavator it is quite rough on trucks, so Muscat built the extra-heavyduty bin for us to cope with that and maintain a reasonable appearance with the truck. Also fitted was an Auto Tarp with in-cab controls for convenience,” added Roy. Ruggedness comes at a price in terms of weight, to a degree, and with a tare weight of 16 tonnes the Trident has a payload of around 16.5 tonnes. Not great by any means, but Roy is okay with that.

“We are not as much concerned about weight as we are with volume and durability,” said Roy. “We are also really happy with the stability of the truck, both on-road and while tipping onsite. The extra axles (steer and lift) add a huge degree of safety to the package, and handling is great.

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PROFILE

“Add to that the level of comfort from the driver’s seat and we are really happy with the whole truck. This truck is even more comfortable to drive than my HiLux ute,” said Roy. One area of small concern Roy mentioned, and it has long been associated with any drivetrain featuring a lazy axle is the tendency to leave a drive axle spinning in the air on uneven surfaces, even with inter-axle and cross-locks this can result in either dry, or wet bogging.

Improved productivity comes with additional onboard safety features such as blind spot cameras.

While his job site is usually sporting a large array of machines to extract the truck from these situations, it’s a hindrance just the same. With the way the lift axle controls are configured in this application the front (lazy) axle is automatically dropped down when weight is applied to it, and then requires manually raising after the load is tipped.

This setup ensures that, when loaded, there is no chance of heading out onto the road with only the two rear axles on the ground at 20 tonnes instead of being spread over three. Roys says he would like to set up an over-ride valve to lift the front axle up when onsite to alleviate this problem and keep all the drive wheels firmly in contact with earth.

At an estimated 50,000 km per year usage, the Trident should serve Roy Mammone Developments well, long into the future. And after Roy discovering the degree of creature comforts available in modern trucks in comparison to his 14-year-old Kenworth, he was quoted as saying, “I would now never buy another truck unless it’s a Mack with an mDRIVE.”

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THE LATEST INNOVATIONS IN

TRAILER TECHNOLOGY

DAD'S TRAILERTORQUE

RIDE The answer to profitability for TJB Transport Services means 20-metre efficiency under 19-metre constraints

A

s a strong supporter of both the Mack and Volvo brands, well before they became part of the same corporate group, Cliff Brown of Newcastle made his living behind the wheel of prime movers hauling semi-tippers, backed up by flat-top and general freight when the tipper industry went quiet.

Not surprisingly, when Cliff’s son Tristan started driving trucks, it was the Volvo and Mack brands that led him to look closely at what he would subsequently operate when, with his partner Kristie Smith, he started his own business, TJB Transport Services of Beresfield, Newcastle.

“Dad owned trucks, and driving is in the blood. He was always a Volvo man, operating G88 and G89 prime movers and even an early F86. I remember as a kid riding in his Mack E9500 V8 Valueliner. That’s the way it’s always been, and, with Dad now having passed on, we put “Dad’s Ride” on the front of my truck in his memory,” said Tristan.

In April this year Tristan took delivery of a brand-new Volvo FH540 supplied through CMV Trucks in East Gippsland. With the Hercules Trailer manufacturing facility being relatively close to the dealership, Tristan opted to maintain a common link with his previous truck, a Kenworth T404 SAR, which also features Hercules bodywork.

The T404 SAR is a 2005 model powered by a Cummins ISX Gen II engine. It’s rated at 550 hp and is a pre-EGR and pre-DPF version.

“I bought theT404 as a day-cab unit through Gilbert and Roach of Newcastle and already knew the previous owner and its history. It had been operating as B-double on tipper work on a 24/7 basis and had notched up one million kilometres. The chassis was already built to tipper spec, and I had it converted to tipper and dog.

“With the delivery of the new Volvo, I’ve recently been joined by Mathew “Frog” Wilson who drives the T404. Mathew is a qualified heavy-vehicle mechanic that I’ve known personally for ten years and was with Wallsend colliery until they shut it down and made him redundant.

“The new Volvo was purpose-built specifically because we have to run off an 18 m weighbridge. I wanted a truck that conformed to PBS 20 m spec, and there is not a truck on the market with a bonnet that will fit on an 18 m bridge.

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DAD'S RIDE

Tristan Brown, using technology and sensible design to improve efficiency for TJB Transport Services.

It has exactly the same wheel spacing as a 19 m SAR even though it is 20 m in length (at 19,995 mm).

“That includes everything, with a bull bar, a long draw bar and bodied with a big 8350 mm long bin as a quaddog combination. Delta Hydraulics supplied the 65TT hoist for the truck and also the 77TT hoist for the trailer.

We also specified Right Weigh digital load scales.

“This 20 m combination gives me a total load volume of 65 cu.m, with a 39.5-tonne payload within a gross of 57.5 tonnes, and it tares off at 18.34 tonnes including 680 litres of fuel and a 90 litre AdBlue (DEF) tank.

By being able to maintain this level of efficiency it has justified us looking at ordering our second unit.

“When comparing the fuel economy of the Volvo with the T404 SAR, the Volvo is just ahead on fuel, despite carrying an additional 10 tonnes more in payload. At the moment I am getting 1.9 km/litre and this consumption figure is for running loaded both ways.

“I particularly like the safety features of the Volvo.

With the truck featuring EBS and ABS and disc brakes, I’ve insisted on continuing that design spec throughout the trailer for absolute compatibility.

“Hercules completed the PBS accreditation and the quad-dog features Hendrickson INTRAAX axles that come with a 1.2 million km warranty, disc brakes and a full Knorr-Bremse EBS system with roll stability control.

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TRAILERTORQUE “It’s an amazingly safe system. There’s nothing like disc brakes. I can pull it up anywhere and the braking is unbelievable.

“When it comes down to maintenance, the truck is a fully greaseless system apart from the BPW ball-race turntable, the tipping pins on the back of the body and the back of the subframe. Service intervals are 40,000 km, and as an operator you really benefit from the reduction in maintenance intervals that lead to lower operating costs.

“Our business is based on carting quarry products and specialised grains and meals that require a dry containment. As I cart dry sand that has zero moisture in it, I had my own requirements for a completely waterproof, roll-back tarp system.

“I worked out my design ideas, and Hercules was able to incorporate my requirements and link them to a wireless remote-control Razor powered roll-back system.

“We are aiming for simplicity in recording systems and absolute accuracy. In addition to running manual work records for compliance we run all electronic mass management to validate full compliance. This includes electronic pre-start checks, and, although it’s not compulsory, a fully electronic work diary.

“When it comes to the mass management side of things, the Transtech electronic recording system provides axle weights, the start and finish location, kilometres travelled, docket number and identifies, and records every individual axle weight.

“You set the reporting intervals, and at the end of the term you log on and all mass management, pre-start checks etc. will be printed out. By positioning the data unit on the centre of the dashboard where it is right in front of you, rather than up above the windscreen, it’s right by your fingertips and is easy to keep up to date.

“The RMS doesn’t seem to be interested in the electronic management, even though it provides everything and more details than they could ever require. But with the way compliance is these days, if you are not up with it you have no chance.

“Our future buying policy will be centred on Volvo and Mack for the simplicity of the I-Shift and the mDrive.

If we can get the axle spacing right with a bonneted truck, we’ll be looking at a 685 hp Super-Liner, and when the time comes for replacement of my FH540 I’ll be looking at the FH700.

“The performance of the FH540 is on par with the Cummins 550 because of the 1920 lb-ft of torque.

I can just match the Kenworth and just start pulling away as I head up the Hawkesbury over Ourimbah on the M1. If it was 1850 lb-ft I reckon it might struggle.

“The Volvo pulls well, and I know when I load it to 50 or 50.5 tonnes the Kenworth at 550 hp is a direct match.

If we do go ahead with a Super-Liner it will be 685 hp.

The 700 would replace the 540 after a four-year programme, as I would keep the bin and the dog.

“Because I also do a lot of work out towards the West, the option up from 540 hp to 700 hp, price-wise, means there’s very little difference. It’s a bigger motor, and, although it’s 600 kg heavier, I would get 39.5 tonnes when set up with a sleeper cab and bull bar.

“I don’t need the new I-Shift with crawler gears, first gear is low enough. The only thing I don’t like is when in soft ground and you want to be able to rock it back and forwards to clear mud. It doesn’t really like it.

But, for what we do, it’s perfect,” said Tristan.

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The unique waterproof sealing for the roll back tarp was designed by Tristan Brown and incorporated into the final build of the trailer by Hercules.

TRAILERTORQUE

W

ith its 30th anniversary not too far on the horizon, Tefco Trailers has developed an excellent reputation for producing high quality tipping trailers, including tri-axles, sliding and roll master “A” trailers, rigid bodies, three, four, five and six-axled dog trailers together with a range of solutions for road train requirements.

Managing director, Richard Brown, told TrailerTorque he developed an interest in manufacturing trailers after working in the industry operating and repairing his own tipping-trailer fleet.

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“Tefco started as a repairer, and then became a manufacturer. It was a progressive move, because there were only so many trailers to repair, plus there was a strong market for new tipping trailers.”

The company has its roots in Goulburn, in regional New South Wales, where the company quickly established its reputation in the grain cartage industry.

“In addition to our early core business of grain and coal trailers, we are now building trailers for the recycling and quarry industries,” said Richard.

CHICKEN FEED

CHICKEN When looking for ways to carry chicken feed in bulk, Tefco Trailers proposed the quin-dog solution

FEED

Tefco has always been an innovator with its trailer designs, with the introduction of creased sidewalls and front-mounted hoists as advancements in the early 1990s. The first Tefco B-double combination was produced in 1992, and, together with one of Australia’s first roll-back A trailers, it made its debut at the 1992 Sydney Truck Show. Two years later the company developed its own lightweight aluminium dog trailers, using an aluminium chassis.

In 2001 Tefco opened the doors of its second factory, a new facility in Murarrie, near the Port of Brisbane.

“The expansion to Brisbane represented an expansion of the company, opening the door for Tefco to enter into new markets, such as the recycled products trailers range,” said Richard.

The use of Hardox steel was introduced after consultation with operators revealed the need for good impact resistance to rough loading, and strength to last many years of carting scrap steel ranging from railway lines to flattened cars.

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TRAILERTORQUE “In the recycled products trailer range we manufacture sliding A trailers and chassis tip and dropframe B trailers.

It is now a quite significant part of our market.”

The move to Brisbane also opened the doors to a number of national fleets, such as Hanson Australia, where Tefco has been supplying tipping trailers from its quarry spec range including rigid and dog units, B-doubles and tri-axle trailers to all states of Australia.

“The five-axle (quin) dog trailer completed on behalf of Red Lea Chickens was an exciting innovation for those looking to achieve higher payloads when carrying specific products,” said Richard.

“The unit was designed from the outset to carry chicken feed for Red Lea and provides a gross weight and payload benefit over a quad dog or 19 m B-double.

The combination tare weight is 21,000 kg, the combination volume is 75.5 m3, with a combination payload of 42,000 kg and a PBS-compliant combination gross (HML) of 63,000 kg.

“Tefco supplied and fitted a Walinga Rotary Seal, plus a Gardner Denver CycloBlower T5CDL12L. Other features include Narva lights under the coaming, in the guards and on top of the tailgate; Alcoa Polished Durabright rims on the outer ends of the axles; and Alcoa LVL 1 rims on the inner section of the axles, all fitted with Goodyear LHT11 11R22.5 tyres,” added Richard.

The Mack Trident has a bin size of 4600 x 2150 mm, the material used was 5mm Polished aluminium walls, with 6mm aluminium flooring. The ROC 30-tonne rated hoist is fitted with a safety cut-off valve and the top of the bin features a Pelmet Tarp.

The Tefco five-axle dog trailer provides a cargo volume of 75.5 cu.m with a gross weight of 63,000 kg.

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CHICKEN FEED

The Five axle dog trailer has a bin size of 10,300 x 2150 mm and is also constructed from 5mm Polished aluminium walls, with 6mm aluminium flooring.

The customer choice for the axles on this unit are Hendrickson HXL7 AAT250K HP axles with wheel end bearing monitors and 285 PCD 10-stud alloy hubs.

In line with Hendrickson policy, these are backed by a manufacturer’s warranty for 1.2 million km. The braking system throughout uses the latest WABCO EBS system, with roll stability and SmartBoard.

For 5 axle dog Tefco used the higher rated ROC 54 tonne hoist and fitted with a safety cut-off valve.

The ball-race turntable is by Rothe Erde and rated at 16 tonnes and the top of the trailer features a Pelmet Tarps.

Wabco EBS systems maintain easy vehicle compatibility with maximum safety.