A U S T R A L I A’ S L E A D I N G T R U C K A N D E N G I N E M A G A Z I N E
www.powertorque.com.au
ISSUE 43 October/November 2011 RRP: $7.95 (NZ $8.95)
Freightliner New Generation Argosy
OldGirl
The
RUNS THE HUME
FEATURE
The
Argosy has been a great success story for Freightliner, and, as it currently holds around five percent of the total cabover market in this country, it’s obviously got a lot of supporters. Back in its early days it suffered from poor build quality, and in 2004 PowerTorque commented on how the company spent $750 million to advance the engineering standards. This involved strengthening components, replacing underperforming suppliers and generally fixing complaints that included poor dashboard durability, cracking intercoolers, failing hoses, and dramas with cab mounts, bulkheads and connectors. In September 2006, the Argosy had settled down into life on Australian roads, and the launch of the Evolution model just about sorted out any of the remaining complaints. With around 2,500 Argosy’s running on our roads at that time, the common spec was to match 550 hp with an 18-speed Roadranger, upgrade the shift logic of the Eaton Autoshift to the Eaton Generation 3 level, and enjoy the fact that specific bits had stopped falling off. Thanks to revised bracketing under the dashboard, heavier duty Sachs shock absorbers, taperleaf front suspension, a front axle weight rate rise from 6,648 kg to 7,258 kg and a new potentiometer on the throttle pedal, things were looking quite good. How things have changed in five years. In 2006, the engine mix was 40 percent Detroit Diesel Series 60, with 55 percent of buyers choosing Caterpillar and just five percent taking Cummins. No-one at the time foresaw that CAT would just walk away from staunchly loyal Australian fleet operators without so much as a thanks and a cheery wave.
Undoubtedly, that attitude cost them dearly, particularly when the CAT empire decided to strike back into Australia with the CAT truck brand. The American fathers thought that the name CAT would recreate a road paved with gold, no matter how poorly the company had handled its withdrawal from the Australian market. The reverse is actually the case, as evidenced by the 500+ CAT trucks sitting on grass at Tullamarine, looking for a new home to go to and getting older and more outdated by the hour. So, five years on, and here we are with the latest generation of Argosy and a choice of two totally new engines, one from Cummins, and the other from Detroit. Caterpillar remains totally out of the game for the supply of any on-highway engine conforming to Euro 5 and beyond. We’ll start with the Cummins option, and with the ISX an operator can choose from ratings of 373 kW, 395 kW, 418 kW (485 hp, 500 hp, 525 hp respectively) and 2,500 Nm of torque (1,850 lbs ft) of torque. At the top of the power and torque offering from Cummins is the Signature at 448 kW (600 hp) and here the torque output is available in two levels, 2,500 Nm (1,850 lbs ft) or 2,780 Nm (2,050 lbs ft). Moving over to the latest Detroit Diesel engine, and currently the only available choice is the 15-litre, DD15 with power outputs of 373 kW, 395 kW and 560 kW (500 hp, 530 hp and 560 hp respectively), again at 2,500 Nm (1,850 lbs ft) of torque. The smaller capacity 13-litre DD13 available in the Coronado is not going to be made available in the Argosy, but its big brother, the 16-litre DD16 will become an option eventually, although its introduction is dependent on the completion of current testing being run by Detroit Diesel in conjunction with both Western Star and Freightliner.
THE
GRAND
PLAN 22
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Has the “New Generation Argosy” moved far enough with its upgrades, or will company conservatism restrict its sales potential? Chris Mullett looks at the options
THE GRAND PLAN
Whether you choose the Cummins ISX or Signature, or the DD15 from Detroit, you’ll be running with a common cooling package that uses a 1,650 sq in (10,645 cm2) sized radiator. This cooling package is a full 27 percent larger than the system fitted to the outgoing Argosy, and the installation for the engine and transmission now mounts on a totally new EPA10 chassis platform with both engine options conforming to the exhaust emissions legislation requirements of ADR80/05.
The exhaust system running up the back of the cab has been retained with the addition of the exhaust aftertreatment system, which is now installed vertically. Attempts to reposition the exhaust system under the chassis rails were rejected due to the conflict in available space versus the requirement for maximum fuel storage. Warranty cover is different dependent on the engine choice, and in this category you have to remember that Detroit Diesel is a division of Daimler Trucks, and Cummins Inc is an independent supplier. Consequently, Daimler is going to promote the advantages of the Detroit Diesel DD15 engine over those of the Cummins ISX and Signature, and it’s going to be up to the customer to determine which brand of engine he wants under the cab floor. At the launch of the New Generation Argosy, Hans Tempel, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Australia Pacific, made it clear the company focus would aim to draw customers more towards the Detroit Diesel product than Cummins. “Our recommendation is for Detroit over our decision to supply Cummins,” he said. The warranty cover for the
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PROFILE
The
Winkless family is synonymous with the development of the Volvo truck brand in Australia, and this heritage continues today through Truck Centre WA, the sales and service support conglomerate that represents Volvo, Mack and UD. Founder, Max Winkless, is still very much involved, albeit, more recently, in a behind the scenes role, with the day to day operation of the group now having passed to his son, Phil Winkless.
future lies in both trucks and buses, and with TransPerth now projecting the purchase of 100 buses over the next ten years, it’s a portfolio that’s going to continue growing,” said Phil. “Another trend we see occurring for the future is the adoption of CNG. It’s already available for the bus fleets, but is now being used by truck fleets such as Mitchells. Much of the CNG produced in WA is already slated for export, but we see the opportunities here for alternative fuels as being able to grow substantially,” he added.
The group operates seven distinct branches, and, with a head office at Kewdale, these locations include Albany, Bunbury, Bibra Lake, Geraldton, Guildford and Port Hedland. Further service support is provided through additional service contractors at Broome, Dalwallinu, Esperance, Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Kununurra and Merredin.
Having a large network of dealerships brings advantages through the economies of scale, enabling Truck Centre WA to run with a strong apprentice training programme that can be tailored to suit the workflow through the different branches. Apprentices can gain a broader experience of the industry by working in the different branches, while the company also has the flexibility to move staff to wherever the work dictates additional support is required.
Truck Centre WA resulted from the amalgamation of Truck World Pty Ltd, and Max Winkless Pty Ltd. This effectively resulted in the bringing together of the Mack and Volvo brands under one umbrella of sales, service and customer support. The UD Trucks brand is a recent acquisition, joining the group in 2009.
With a total of 120 mechanics and approximately 25 apprentices on the payroll at any one time, the company is always on the lookout to satisfy its demand for an intake of around 12-13 trainees each year.
“The UD product is a good fit, and there’s really little crossover between customers looking for new trucks in their fleets. Each brand has a unique applications benefit. For Volvo, the
“On joining the company, the apprentices spend six weeks in a training centre so they go straight onto the shop floor knowing a basic background to the work required, and not just to push a broom around. These days, it’s a three and a half year course before they qualify,” said Phil.
OUT WEST
WITH VOLVO PowerTorque catches up with Truck Centre WA dealer principal, Phil Winkless, and local operator, the Ridolfo Group
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OUT WEST WITH VOLVO
As well as the synergy of one major company offering an extensive customer support base across Western Australia, the subsequent advantages of centralised data control also benefits the customer, as each branch can access service records for any customer vehicle. “With the recent improvement in the rural sector in WA, the future for the state does not just relate to the mining business. In rural areas, such as Port Hedland and Geraldton, we are seeing an improvement in sales from 40 to 60 percent, Kewdale up 12 percent and Spearwood up five percent. This is countered by temporary downturns in the market in areas such as Bunbury and Albany,” said Phil. During our visit to Truck Centre WA, PowerTorque was able to join Customer Manager, John Lubrano, as he followed up his regular customer contacts with two operators, Cochrane’s Cartage Contractors of Kewdale (see page 58) and DGR Diesel Services of Maddington. The Ridolfo family story is typical of many Italian migrants where adaptability and a willingness to try new careers led the family into new areas. Vince Ridolfo came to Australia with his wife Domenica in 1957. Having trained as a barber, Vince soon left the clippers behind as he realised there was a future to be had supplying and delivering power poles. As Vince’s son, Daniel Ridolfo, took up the story, he outlined how the family had worked together to develop a network of companies, each contributing to the overall advantage of what is now collectively known as the Ridolfo Group. The group comprises DGR Diesel Services, Intercon Millar Logistics, Western Poles Company and Ridcon Properties. Daniel himself is responsible for the operation of DGR Diesel Services, providing truck and trailer maintenance and service requirements. Current expansion programmes at the Maddington premises see the installation of the latest rolling road brake diagnostic equipment from Levanta, providing DGR’s customers with written validation of faults and repairs. “The rolling road diagnostic system provides us with the opportunity to give each customer a printed readout that identifies wear or underperformance from a component. After the component problem has been rectified, a final analysis on
the equipment validates the repair. It’s an important service and maintenance recording advantage, and a level of service that we believe is extremely important, given the increasing technology contained in the latest vehicles,” said Daniel. “Through the group, we now operate our own fleet of 37 company trucks and approximately 180 trailers, half of these being with single trailers and the remainder being configured for up to three-trailer multi-combinations. With this type of configuration we can offer GCM options in the region of 40 tonnes with a single trailer, 90 tonnes with two trailers, and rising to 105 tonnes with a three-trailer configuration. “Many of our trailers were actually supplied by different manufacturers, as we have inherited different plant and equipment with the purchase of individual companies through our expansion. Our preference would be for Vawdrey trailers, if buying new, as we believe they have the best finish for our type of work. Our specification is consistent with the rest of the fleet, retaining spider hubs as tare weight is not an issue in our type of operation. All our trucks run with ten-stud wheels. “As 90 percent of our work is within gauge, running exceptional weights and dimensions is not a high part of the work that we do. It’s also the reason why we don’t run high horsepower prime movers. We still specify drum brakes, and either K-Hitch or Boomerang turntables. All braking systems use pneumatic signal lines for actuation, rather than electronic signalling. “The key to our type of work is to standardise and keep the specification simple. Everything we use can couple up to each other, using a standard Bendix coupling that’s identical through the fleet for lighting and braking systems. “Any new trucks we buy are Volvos, and, with 21 prime movers in the fleet, we also run rigid trucks fitted with cranes. Also included in the fleet are three Isuzu rigid 6x4 FVZ 1400 trucks. “The relationship we have with Truck Centre WA is excellent, and is the reason behind our staying with them as a supplier. All our Volvo-engined prime movers run with the 12 and 13-litre engines, with the newer vehicles having moved to the FH 520 and FH 540 after the 420-460 hp versions.
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PROFILE
FIRST
Jason Churchill has Been quick to emBrace new technology with his first Detroit DD15
IMPRESSIONS The
Churchill family is certainly one that has diesel flowing through their veins. Graham Churchill ran his own truck operation out of Wollongong, in NSW, and for many years specialised in refrigerated freight. Both Graham’s sons, Jason and Anthony, started driving for their father, but as they gained experience, they each took the opportunity to branch out with their own
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FIRST IMPRESSIONS transport companies – Jason staying in the Wollongong area and brother, Anthony, moving to establish his business at Holbrook, near the NSW border with Victoria. “In the early days, Dad was running cabover Kenworths with Detroit 8V92s, but when I started working with him, the first truck I drove was a Volvo,” said Jason. “That was back in 1991, and by 1994 I was driving a Western Star. I subsequently bought that from him two years later and started working for myself. Anthony also bought a Kenworth T600 from Dad and also started his own trucking business,” Jason added. By the time Graham Churchill retired from transport, in 1996, both sons were well established in their own right, with Jason running flat top trailers and Tautliners, gradually moving back into refrigerated freight around the close of 2008. “We saw some advantages in running refrigerated freight, and, with changes taking place in the industry, it’s been a good move for our business here in Wollongong,” said Jason. The original Western Star, with which Jason started his own company, was powered by a Detroit Diesel Series 60 running with DDEC III electronics. His brother Anthony’s Kenworth T600 was also running a Detroit Series 60, but at DDEC II technology levels. In 1999 the Western Star was sold and replaced with a Kenworth Aerodyne used for B-Double work as a flat top and powered by a Caterpillar 3406 E engine, the last before the introduction of ACERT technology in the C15, and rated at 550 hp. “I started employing additional drivers around 2007, and subsequently bought a T904 after the Aerodyne, again powered by a CAT engine, this time a C15 at 550 hp. I then added a 550 hp Kenworth T608 with an ACERT engine, and a big cab aerodyne powered by a Cummins ISX at 550 hp. In 2009, I added a normal cab aerodyne and this was powered by a Cummins ISX rated at 600 hp. “Buying the latest Western Star was initially more a question of looking to try the latest Detroit DD15. It didn’t scare me to switch from Kenworth to Western Star as I’d had experience in the brand before, and, likewise, I had good memories of the earlier Series 60 engines and was looking forward to the comparison,” said Jason. Jason has always intended to drive the new Western Star, equipped with the DD15, himself, in order to judge the performance and appeal of the combination at first hand.
The Detroit DD15 engine is showing good economy and is similar in drive characteristicsto a CAT ACERT engine with low rpm at cruise speed.
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PROFILE
The
Old Girl There’s always a place in the Scarcella fleet for a valued long-term employee
Frank
Scarcella, the founder of the Narellan, Sydney, based company that specialises in long haul, road train work between Sydney and Darwin, was someone who appreciated power and performance. So much so, that as increased horsepower became available from engine manufacturers such as Cummins and Detroit Diesel, he was always one of the first to bring a high horsepower truck into the district for his fleet. Back in the late 1960s, and long before the company moved into road train work, the Scarcella truck fleet worked on hauling coal from Oakdale, down the mountain to the Port Kembla coal loader. That time also coincided with Kenworth launching its W model, powered by a 335 hp Cummins and fitted with a 15-speed Roadranger transmission and running on 38,000 lb rated diffs on six-rod suspension. The attraction of owning the highest horsepower truck in the area proved too strong for Frank, and, by 1969, a brand new Kenworth W Model was out hauling coal, surprising everyone with its power, performance and the journey time in which it could complete the trip, hauling a single tri-axled tipping trailer.
said Rob Russell, Operations Manager at Scarcella’s. “The upshot was that the “Old Girl” won against all the competition. and we came home with prize money of a $6,500. We thought that was a marvellous result for a weekend, and we’d had a ball as well,” said Rob. The “Old Girl” went back to a life on the coal immediately after the race weekend, but, for Scarcellas, there followed a commitment to truck racing that resulted in the company entering a purpose-built race truck and completing considerable development work to increase competitiveness. Rob Russell tells an interesting tale about when Frank pulled up on Brimstone Mountain in the “Old Girl” one day to help a colleague, Allan Wood, the driver of a V8 petrolengined International single drive prime mover that had blown a diff hauling a single-axled trailer. “Frank hooked a chain onto the front of the Inter and hauled the truck and trailer up to the summit of Brimstone Mountain. This prompted Allan to say at the time, that he’d never climbed the mountain that fast before,” said Rob. As the years passed, Frank, and the team at Scarcellas, kept the “Old Girl” operating on local work, and, eventually, as a mark of respect for Frank, who by then had sadly passed away, the Scarcella’s workshop team set about restoring her back to her former glory. After an 18-month rebuild, the “Old Girl” was ready for reregistration. This was completed by John Scarcella, Frank’s son, who registered the truck on the same August date as on the original registration documents received when the truck was purchased. Powered, since 1995, by a Detroit Diesel Series 60 rated at 500 hp, with a 15-speed Roadranger and an eight-bag Kenworth Air-Glide rear end, it’s estimated the “Old Girl” could well have notched up over 7 million kilometres in its 42year life. Driver, Ken Sheather, is now driving the “Old Girl” on a regular basis, covering local trailer movements, and he is also personally responsible for much of the detailed work involved in the restoration. “Ken and the boys have done a marvellous restoration job, even down to creating a perfect replica of the original bumper bar,” said Rob.
Frank was renowned for his first big truck and he continued to use it hauling coal through until the coal work stopped in the early 1990s and the company focused its attention on grain haulage.
In keeping with the high standards of the maintenance team at Scarcella’s own workshops, the “Old Girl” has also now been joined in the fleet by a second restoration project, a Kenworth SAR.
The “Old Girl”, as the W Model was affectionately known, continued to work for her living, and during this period was re-engined with a 400 hp Cummins, still using the 15-speed Roadranger but uprating the rear end to 44,000 lb rated diffs.
Originally bought in 1976, the SAR was powered by a Cummins KT 450 engine. Once again, when Frank bought the truck, it was the highest horsepower rating available.
During its career, Australians took to truck racing, and with Frank’s enthusiasm for the “Old Girl” still burning strongly, he and company driver, Arnold Ahrenfeld, thought they’d have a crack at truck racing at Sydney’s Oran Park circuit, only a stone’s throw away from the Scarcella depot. “We thought it would be a bit of fun, so Frank and Arnold entered the truck at the weekend. We got a sponsorship of $5000 from Muscat Trailers, and off we went, basically with a truck that had been working on the coal through the week,” 40
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These days, the SAR can boast also being powered by a Detroit Diesel Series 60, and this was subsequently changed to a 525 hp Cummins, and then to a Cummins 620 hp Signature engine. It runs regularly on local work, with the occasional longer trip out to Dubbo. Like the W model, the SAR can probably boast a total lifespan in the region of 8 million kilometres.
THE OLD GIRL
New life for an old lady as Scarcella’s original W Model returns to active duty.
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FEATURE
ECONOMY IN OPERATION
Scania keeps its factories working, through running its own fleet efficiently
While
we like to believe that Australian trucking is second to none in terms of efficiency, there are still things we can learn by looking at how others tackle the same problems. Sure, there are differences in road conditions, temperatures and distances travelled, but at the end of the day, the job is still to get the load through from A to B. Travelling 12,000 km to find a transport solution sounds like a bit of overkill, but in this example, PowerTorque was invited by Scania to discuss how it runs its own fleet through Sweden, Denmark, Holland and Germany, delivering engines, transmissions and components to its various factories. Scania makes the point that it manufactures virtually everything it needs to build its trucks, buses and coaches. Known these days as vertical integration, the fact that every Scania truck can contain a Scania engine, Scania gearbox and Scania axles, plus Scania made chassis rails and a Scania manufactured cab, means that somewhere along the line, all these bits have to come together. And they do this thanks to a wholly company-owned subsidiary that’s called the Scania Transport Laboratory. Anders Gustavsson is the Swede who runs the transport operation and looks after a fleet of 20 prime movers with 90 trailers, and employs 62 drivers, each of whom works a 40-hour week.
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Each of the prime movers is a 4x2 running at an average all-up weight of 34 tonnes, well within a maximum all-up permitted gross train weight of 40 tonnes. Coupled to a curtainsider, tri-axled semitrailer, the engine rating is pretty much standardized at 440 hp. The prime mover runs on 295/80R22.5 tyres, while the trailer runs on 19.5 sized single tyres to give a full three metres of load height availability above the deck, but keeping it under the maximum four metres height limit required on these European roads. As you’d imagine, the fleet is almost universally limited to Scania, but, in its day-to-day operations, this fleet provides the perfect environment for Scania to compare its own products with those of its competitors. Into the 4x2 Scania R440 model mix comes a current model Mercedes-Benz Actros, plus a Volvo FH, and frankly, what better way is there for a truckmaker to ensure it stays ahead of the game than by running a continual comparison with its main rivals? The operation involves five trucks leaving Stockholm every 11 hours, and with satellite tracking, there’s very little information the fleet supervisor doesn’t have available on screen, 24/7. Each truck and trailer combination covers around 360,000 km per year, and runs 92 percent fully laden.
ECONOMY IN OPERATION Drivers are staged across Europe, and, because of the maximum daily drive time of nine hours, each driver has a set distance to travel and a set arrival time. As each driver reaches their changeover point, they hand over the vehicle and head off to relax and sleep, prior to picking up a return shuttle. With each vehicle averaging 8,090 km per week, there’s a wealth of statistical data available in terms of running costs. The driver’s wages account for 32 percent of expenses, with fuel averaging 16.3 percent, vehicle fixed costs at 9.4 percent, ferry travel charges at 13.8 percent, loading and unloading infrastructure at 12.6 percent, and admin taking a further slice of 4.6 percent. “The lifecycle cost is 55 percent on fuel in total,” said Anders Gustavsson. “We are very specific in how we attempt to maximise our fuel economy. The weather can make a difference in fuel economy by a factor of 11 percent, and there is also a variation when comparing fuel economy of different drivers by a further 11 percent. “Driver training has reduced fuel consumption considerably, and before we started a specific training system, there was a variation of up to 30 percent between the best and
The beaver tail wind deflector is achieving real fuel savings and reducing operating costs
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LAUNCH a sure fire solution to reduce your exposure to the variations of resale pricing. If you can futureproof your purchases through to 2020, to ensure that at the time of resale you’ll be selling current and not redundant technology, your products will be much more appealing and your resale return will be higher.
Here's
It’s a simple observation, but, many fleet operators buying today’s technology, may find that when replacement time comes around, the level of technology they contain may be distinctly on the nose. Not only will the resale value drop for trucks not matching Euro 5 technology for emissions, it may plummet, thanks to stiffer legislation and tougher penalties subsequently imposed on emissions requirements. That’s where the strategy of UD Trucks now sets itself on a different attraction level. Long overshadowed by the marketing strength of rival Japanese truck maker, Isuzu, and
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recently the flurry of activity from Fuso and Hino, this long established fourth Japanese truck maker now has the new product to make a major impact in this highly competitive segment. The past few years have seen raging debate about the future technology to ensure less environmental damage and improve fuel economy. We’ve seen EGR systems (Exhaust Gas Recycling) hailed as the Messiah, and then dismissed, as SCR technology (Selective Catalytic Reduction) was added to EGR to improve the final benefit from the tailpipe. In the most recent engine development, we now have engine makers, such as Iveco, openly claiming to meet the, as yet, unintroduced limits imposed by Euro 6, achieved by using an SCR-only system. In Australia, we have the legislation and the willpower to reduce emissions, with mainstream operators already working to satisfy the demands for a greener attitude to transport, as requested by their customers. But a natural reticence on the part of some truck importers, mainly with North American products, has seen this natural evolution stalled by some
FUTURE PROOF companies as their marketers baulk at the introduction of these technologies, citing added initial cost as their determining factor. If all the eggs in the basket were equal, then we’d accept that the added cost for the new technology could be offset by the gains of improved fuel economy. Despite the initial increase in purchase price, the higher equipment cost can be offset by lowering fuel consumption. The early adoption of new technology brings with it a future-proofing of a purchase decision. When the time comes to replace that vehicle, in four years, the next generation of buyer will want the technology, given that the intervening time will have proven its benefits. Those that stayed with the lowefficiency end of EGR will lose in the long term. That’s the beauty of the technology that’s formed the basis of the ongoing engine development at UD. It was first displayed in the UD heavy truck products, known as the Quon in Japan, and, from 2004 onwards, this heavy-duty engine
range has run with SCR treatment using Urea/DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid). Now, with the launch into Australia of the new Condor, the technology adopted is identical, throughout the range, in the MK and PK derivatives that are powered by a newly developed 7.0-litre UD diesel. In a nutshell, everything now sold through UD Trucks is using SCR technology with urea. It conforms to Euro 5, and without any expensive additions of new componentry, it will also conform to Euro 6 limits when they apply. It’s no coincidence that UD’s newfound ability comes after the integration of UD trucks into the Volvo corporate conglomerate that includes Mack trucks in the US. As global associations continue to abound, it’s not unrealistic to expect to see what we now recognise as a UD or Volvo, being sourced through Thailand, China or India – such is the speed of progress in the creation of joint ventures. It’s also highly likely that we’ll also be seeing its engines manufactured in additional countries to that of its home base in Japan.
FUtUrE PrOOF
UD Trucks’ takes a giant step forwards in appeal and environmental benefits PowerTorque ISSUE 43
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PICTORIAL
Flame
KEEPER OF THE The Western Sydney Historic Truck Club of NSW relives the old days on the Hume Highway
Every
industry needs to remember its heritage and for the trucking industry we’re fortunate in having associations such as the Historic Commercial Vehicle Club (HCVC) of Victoria and the Western Sydney Historic Truck Club in NSW (WSHTC) to keep the vehicles and the interest alive. As a way of commemorating the older days of trucking on the Hume Highway between Sydney and Melbourne the WSHTC organised a rally for members and non members interested in recreating the days of a few years ago. The brief was for drivers to bring along their own trucks, travelling the
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KEEPER OF THE FLAME Old Hume Highway well clear of the present day freeway and running from Leo’s Cafe and fuel stop at Crossroads down to an evening stop at Yass. The WSHTC is a relatively young club, formed just two years ago, but already boasts around 35 full members. Originally the idea of running a recreation drive along the Hume was discussed by three or four members with Bruce Gunter and Brad Dwyer teaming with Ron Ross. Bruce Gunter is a staunch Commer supporter and it obviously is something he inherited in through his family as both his father and uncle drove Commer trucks on the Sydney to Melbourne route. Interestingly, it was the intervention of the modern day worldwide web that caused the event to grow rapidly as after some publicity on the Forum blog of the HCVC website the requests from interested participants just continued to flood in. The final tally showed 143 vintage trucks, 18 Clipper coaches and a further 15-20 additional vehicles all keen to take part. In fact, with more entries coming every day, the organisers had to call a halt to accepting any additional entrants as the function centre at Yass, booked for a social event on the Saturday night after the drive, could only handle a maximum of 300 diners. “It was an amazing day for the drive,” said WSHTC member and co-organiser Ron Ross. “During the drive down there were people lining the old roads and taking pictures everywhere. We stopped at Berrima for morning coffee and many of the local vintage car and truck owners brought their own vehicles out on display alongside the route. “We had one small vehicle breakdown just out of gunning where a local landowner kindly opened up an 18 km section of the original Hume Highway that now forms part of his grazing land. The vehicles competing were allowed to drive that section exclusively which was another memorable event in a very rewarding day,” said Ron. “We were very pleased to welcome around 37 entries from members of the HCVC in Victoria that drove up for the day and I believe we also had one entry from Tasmania, one from Western Australia and a Clipper bus that had driven down from Queensland. “We are now under pressure to organise a second event in two years time and we are considering the idea of choosing a centre midway between Sydney and Melbourne, perhaps at
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FEATURE
No
longer can you presume that all things Japanese are equal and that all trucks that come from the four major Japanese manufacturers are similar in appearance, technology and performance. With the influence of global parenthood and an increasing commonality of the engine and driveline componentry within each of those individual truck makers, about the only thing you can be sure of is that they all come painted in white. Japanese diesel engine technology has, in the past, relied on large cubic capacity and relatively low-key engine technology. Turbocharging changed the game plan, and in recent years the alliances forged to bring European truck makers into closer cooperation with those of Japan has totally changed the engine characteristics of the typical Japanese truck product. Just as Volvo now links ever closer with Japanese truck maker UD, Mitsubishi Fuso is benefiting from a range of engines available from two sources on different continents. The options ahead for Fuso include small capacity diesels with origins from Mercedes-Benz in Germany, and large capacity diesels from Detroit Diesel in North America.
Japanese truck makers have traditionally missed opportunities in high horsepower applications, simply because of a lack of suitable engine availability. Now, with the globalisation of the Heavy-Duty Engine Programme (HDEP) by Detroit Diesel, we are starting to see the adoption of the HDEP engine range, with local manufacturing facilities for Fuso established at Kawasaki, for Mercedes-Benz at Wurth, and for the North American market through Detroit Diesel at Redford, Michigan. Amongst all this technology upgrade, Mitsubishi Fuso is also refining its existing and future product range, and during the second half of 2011 will roll out its most comprehensive and formidable truck range ever. As well as having been given a styling makeover, there are now new model names to identify the latest ADR80/03 models. Based around GVM and HP, the new names will see the Canter 2.0t (4500 kg /150 hp) renamed as the Canter 515, and the Fighter 6.0 (10,400 kg /240 hp) known in future as the Fighter 1024.
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The Canter range will grow from 17 models to 38 models, and this should help to increase Fuso’s penetration into segments of the market previously not covered by their ADR80/02 model range. Also, for the first time, customers will have the choice of a five-speed manual, or Fuso’s new and exclusive DUONIC AMT, in most models across the range. Car licence holders are still targeted by the availability of Canter models rated at under 4,500 kg GVM, or versions with higher ratings that are available downrated to this level. As a first for Fuso, the Canter range will actually start with a GVM of 3,500 kg. This is a unique GVM weight range offering amongst the Japanese light truck makers, and seeks to attract traditional ute buyers that might like to option up to something more substantial. There are seven narrow cab models in the 2011 range, and the 4,500 kg GVM sector offers the availability of cab-chassis and factory tipper form, as well as a new narrow crew cab – itself another unique option only available from Fuso. Those concerned with reducing fuel consumption should be pretty happy with the new Fuso 3.0-litre diesel that starts off in the Canter range and already meets the 2015 Japanese fuel economy standard.
Despite being a smaller capacity engine than its predecessor, the new engine delivers the same power and provides maximum torque from 1450 rpm to 2800 rpm. Featuring a flat torque curve, this new Enhanced Environmentally Friendly engine (EEV) exceeds the Euro 5 emission requirements – reducing smoke output by 70 percent, lowering hydrocarbon emissions by 46 percent in steady state cycles (highway / constant speed), lowering Particulate Matter (PM) by 33 percent, and reducing carbon monoxide (CO) in transient cycles (metro stop/start) by 25 percent. Backing up the new EEV 3.0-litre diesel is the Duonic AMT (Automated Manual Transmission), claimed by Fuso to be superior to any other AMT. This is a dual-clutch transmission, offering faster ratio changes than a conventional AMT, and now increasing in popularity in the passenger car sector. With this new Canter range you can see the influence being exerted by European safety standards in areas such as braking efficiency, with the incorporation of dual-calliper
CULTURE SHIFT
CULTURE SHIFT Fuso takes its strength from Daimler Group to refine its presence and increase sales
front and single-calliper rear disc brakes with ABS and EBD (Electronic Braking Distribution), a big improvement over the older style drum brakes. There’s also an exhaust brake for good measure. All-wheel-drive remains an option on both the 4.5 tonnes and 6.5 tonnes GVM Canter model ranges.
The wet clutch technology of the Duonic AMT follows similar transmission designs that are now available in the passenger car segment of companies such as Volkswagen. The dualclutch system pre-selects the next gear with virtually no torque interruption when shifting from one gear to the next. This means no power lag and a seamless transition between gears. There’s also a “park” function, which mechanically locks the transmission for improved safety when the vehicle is stationary.
Cabovers used to come with a bouncy ride, as part of the standard specification, but the new Canter, with its independent front suspension design on GVMs ranging from 3500 – 6000 kg, should make this poor ride-comfort just a memory.
Service and maintenance requirements have also come under scrutiny, and both the new Canter range and the Fighter models in the next weight range have their service intervals now increased to 30,000 km periods.
Drivers who reckon the bouncy bits keep them awake can still relive the dream by driving the tipper version, which still maintains leaf springs on the front axle, probably to counter the common practice of overloading that’s a feature of local landscapers and nurserymen. Even then, there are improvements these days, thanks to a standard fitment of a driver’s suspension seat.
With its higher GVM than the Canter, the Fighter has also scored a number of improvements for 2011. These are recognisable by a new exterior look gained by repositioning the headlights to the bumper bar and a revision to the shape and pattern of the front grille. The width of the new FM/FN model cab has been increased by 200 mm, which further adds to the visual presence and interior spaciousness of the cab.
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FEATURE
Cool Cruising
JW Marine is the Australian distributor for Ferretti Yachts, Pershing cruisers, Mochi Craft, Custom Line, Riva and Beneteau, and, with the Sydney Boat Show now a memory, Jo Howard, the resident marine expert at JW Marine, was only too happy to show just what you get when you look at the latest Pershing 64. Bearing in mind that many major truck fleet owners have an interest in power boats and cruising, we justify our interest in the Pershing 64 more as the result of engine technology.
Fancy a little self indulgence? A Pershing 64 might just fit the bill
The
stellar performance of the Australian dollar against world currencies is actually working in your favour, especially if you are in the market for North American sourced trucks. But there are further bargains to be had from other countries, as PowerTorque found when visiting Sydney-based JW Marine. At PowerTorque we’ve always been impressed by Italian design, and although there’s never been a Ferrari or Maserati in the garage, in fact, we’ve never even driven one, it doesn’t stop our appreciation of the level of engineering and style these companies build into the motor vehicles. What we have done, though, is to broaden our horizons somewhat, and look at the latest Pershing motor cruiser to come to Australia. And, if you’ve got a spare $3,000,000 in the bank account, here’s an ideal way to offset your next tax bill.
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The Pershing 64 is typical of what can be achieved in cruising performance without being impractical through high running costs. In global terms, Pershing is one of the world leaders in the production of performance cruising boats over 24 metres. It’s a market that’s growing, and, thanks to the high performance of the Australian dollar, buyers in this segment can now save up to 25 percent on cost, compared to the pricing levels of just a few years ago. When we speak of performance cruising boats, we are discussing large and well-equipped cruisers that are capable of running at a typical cruise speed of 37 knots, and with a potential maximum speed of 47 knots. At that rate, it’s feasible to run between Sydney and the Gold Coast in just one day of cruising. The new breed of Pershing performance cruisers offers far higher cruise speeds than were possible with a typical shaft-drive boat. The Pershing 64 is able to maintain these
COOL CRUISING
high cruise speeds, of 37 knots, while offering a fuel economy that would have been matched by a shaft-drive boat running at a much reduced speed of around 28 knots. The improved fuel economy and higher performance levels of the Pershing 64 come from using the latest technology in drive systems that results from Pershing incorporating the Arneson Surface Drive together with the latest lowweight, high-efficiency MTU 10V Series 2000 M94S diesel engines. With two MTU 10V Series 2000 engines nestling in the engine room under the rear deck, it’s a combination that will attract any truck operator who appreciates power and performance. With the benefit of the entire ocean to keep these engines cool, when operating at maximum rpm, each of these MTU engines produces 1623 hp. Tractability and versatility are the keys to the attraction of these latest MTU Series 2000 diesels. They are capable of pottering around within a harbour confines at speeds of
8-10 knots, during which they will each consume a meagre 15-16 litres per hour of marine diesel. Then, when duty calls, they can take the Pershing 64 up onto a plane in the open sea and cruise at 35-37 knots using a combined fuel consumption of 400 litre/hour. These new MTU engines are aimed at the high end of the market, and are now replacing traditional engine options such as Cat and MAN in this category. When discussing the Australian market, and in particular the type of buyer attracted to these boats, Jo Howard explained that, in our market, they attract a much more hands-on type of owner. “In European markets, many luxury performance boats over the 60 feet mark will have their own crew employed. But, for the Australian market, we find that many purchasers like to operate the boat themselves.
A little self indulgence can bring suitable rewards for those that have concentrated on their career path by way of Pershing 64 on the company fleet.
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AUSTRALIA’S GUIDE TO ECO FRIENDLY, FUEL EFFICIENT CARS
AUSTRALIA’S GUIDE TO UTES, VANS, LIGHT TRUCKS & PEOPLE MOVERS
AUSTRALIA’S LEADING TRUCK & ENGINE MAGAZINE
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