PowerTorque Issue 74 DEC/JAN 2017

AUSTRALIA'S LEADING TRUCK AND TRAILER MAGAZINE

ISSUE 74 DECEMBER / JANUARY 2017

www.powertorque.com.au ISSUE 74 DEC/JAN 2017 RRP: $8.95 (NZ $9.95)

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THE ALL NEW T610.

OUR BEST TRUCK YET.

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With the most spacious, most practical and most exactingly manufactured cab ever to grace an Australian made Kenworth, THE NEW T610 delivers the ultimate driver’s experience.

Add our optimised driveline for enhanced efficiency and Kenworth’s renowned versatility, productivity and durability, and there is no doubt THIS IS OUR BEST TRUCK YET.

KENWORTH.COM.AU/T610

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WIDE APPEAL Kenworth T610 brings in the long awaited appeal of a wide cab

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THE RIGHT STUFF Scania’s bi-annual search for Australia’s best driver

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FEELING LIKE A NEW MAN The D38 shoots for the B-double market

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ALL FOR THE FAMILY The John Lewis Partnership expands its horizons

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ACTROS ARRIVAL The next generation arrives on the Australian market

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UNDENIABLY EFFICIENT Dave Whyte takes his first drive of the latest UD PW

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THE PENSKE POTENTIAL The Western Star 2800 in its urban application

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CLEAN TIPPING Vibration can be a major advantage when tipping turns to sticking

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DAF ON DEMAND The flagship XF105 gives the best of the Euros a run for their money

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BRAKE BIAS Saving lives means adopting higher standards rather than mediocrity

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INTERNATIONALLY YOURS The launch of the LT by International sets a high standard of appeal

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FRUITY ELIXIR Hino and Harris Brothers celebrate a 30-year relationship

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H2O TO GO When water is a precious commodity call The Watercart Specialists

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THE X-FACTOR The launch of the new Kenworth T610 coincides with a new evolution in engines from Cummins

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ACTROS DRIVE How the new-generation Actros performs on Australian roads

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TANKER TECHNOLOGY Australian manufacturing produces a winning global solution.

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SHEDDING INHIBITIONS Volvo provides the best solution for Narellan based Best Sheds

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AQUA DYNAMICS The aerodynamics of trailer construction is all part of fleet operation

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BACK TO THE FUTURE The paper trail that could lead to the demise of an icon

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FISHING FOR TROUT Two new Trout River trailers for B.D. Richardson Transport.

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REAL TIME Operating its own transport fleet gives Scania valuable insight

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KEEPING YOUR COOL Getting a good night’s sleep depends on being able to control your environment

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THE POWER OF PENSKE The Penske marketing machine brings a new emphasis to the Aussie truck market

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POWERSTAR HEADS TRACKSIDE Dave Whyte joins the Motologic Team Honda for a day at the races

COLD COMFORT Carrier Transcold shows how one engine can do the work of two – A PowerTorque report from the IAA Hanover.

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REACH FOR THE SKY There’s more to the crane truck market than just being able to self load or unload

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CROWNING GLORY For materials handling, Crown Equipment has the ultimate pick up line.

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THE MAN CAVE Every man needs a shed and Sloanebuilt makes delivery a much easier affair

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For all editorial information and subscriptions please contact: Managing Editor Road Test Editor Contributing Writer -

Chris Mullett David Whyte Stuart Martin, Warren Caves, Oliver Dixon, Rob Randazzo Specialist photography - Torque It Up Designers Shannon Dyson Justin Hinton Chloe Johnstone Steven Foster Account Manager Maree Mullett Editorial Division, PO Box 307, Mittagong, NSW 2575 Telephone: 0248-785373 Email: edit@powertorque.com.au Fax: 0248-785228 Website: www.powertorque.com.au

For advertising rates and information please contact: Motoring Matters Magazine Group National business development manager: Email: edit@motoringmatters.com.au Telephone: 0248-785373 Fax: 0248-785228 website:www.motoringmatters.com.au Newsagency disitrbution by: Integrated Publications Solutions, A division of Fairfax Newspapers.

Disclaimer: Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information the publisher will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequence arising from the reliance on information published. The opinions expressed in PowerTorque are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher.

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Chris Mullett

Hi,

FORWARD TORQUE

and welcome to the December issue of PowerTorque.

sually the approach to Christmas signifies a busy time for operators and a slowing down of activity for the manufacturers, but this year is vastly different from the norm The European truck makers are busy launching new products. Last month the manufacturer making all the news was Scania, and in this issue we include previews and reviews of MAN’s new D38 and the Mercedes-Benz Actros.

There’s also more to come, with DAF having new Euro 6 products in the European market yet to make the trek south.

What makes these launches really significant is that all of these new products feature engine emissions technology that conforms to Euro 6, and it comes in to the Australian market before there s even a firm date for legislation to be confirmed of a start date for a greener ustralia Every Australian should be concerned about global warming, as the continuing change to our climate can be modified by reducing carbon emissions ut, even if you have little interest in reducing your carbon footprint, you may be more interested in finding reductions to the total operating cost of your vehicle fleet that come from adopting Euro 6 technology.

The latest technology makes for a reduction in fuel consumption by up to 7.0 percent, but it can almost halve the use of AdBlue. Now perhaps we have your attention.

Also up for discussion is perhaps not what incentives might be announced to support early adoption of Euro 6, but more a case of government announcing disincentives for operators that don’t.

In a recent meeting between representatives from government and PowerTorque, the discussion centred on the attraction of removing fuel excise rebate for trucks older than uro 5, rather than providing additional financial incentives for early adopters of Euro 6. As this means reducing government subsidies rather than increasing financial incentives, you might imagine the attraction this thinking could have for the government of the day.

The average age of trucks in use in Australia is far older than those of Western Europe and North America. New technologies bring with them greater e ciencies and lower emissions. Whether you like it or not, investment in new equipment can be good for the environment and for your total cost of operation.

The decision by Navistar in the US to reintroduce the International brand to Australia is a “Back to the Future” type scenario, but based on the better business case of a long future for the International brand.

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When balanced against the sustainability and sales performance of the CAT Trucks franchise, it is International as a brand that certainly looks to be the long-term option.

It comes with the Cummins ISXe5 engine under the bonnet and the potential to see the benefits of closer ties between Navistar and MAN and Scania, members of the VW heavy truck group, which recently invested in the Navistar operation.

Into this current mix of manufacturers comes yet another brand, the South Korean powerhouse that is Hyundai. eturning to this market after an initial attempt around five years ago, the Hyundai brand is back with its light truck range in uro 5 emissions confirmation ut of course, there s more Hyundai will be bringing in its heavy-duty prime mover range in 2017. PowerTorque has already driven the Xcient on a visit to Hyundai’s test centre in Seoul back in 2014, and it’s going to be ideal for the single trailer, container shifter and waste contract segment, rivalling the current Japanese makes.

You might have thought the Australian market could not be much more competitive but there remain more companies waiting in the sidelines.

TATA is known to be viewing our domestic market as a precursor to introducing its own products through the light, medium and heavy-duty truck segment and then there are the emerging brands that Chinese manufacturers are developing. But before you race out and buy these remember that so far the Chinese brands have failed miserably in their attempts to match the durability and reliability of the main global players. Brands such as JAC came and went; leaving more than a bad aroma behind them through lack of product support, low resale value and poor quality. lobal a liations are making larger corporations that in turn continue to develop the vertical integration of drivelines, components and products at the expense of independent suppliers.

With Freightliner, Western Star and Mercedes-Benz moving towards common drivelines, mirroring the integration already undertaken by Volvo, Mack and UD, the decision of which truck to buy may in the future depend on which engine and transmission you prefer.

From all of us in the PowerTorque team, we wish you a safe and happy Christmas break and hope you can spend as much time as possible with your families and friends.

As always, stay safe and enjoy the drive.

Kind regards,

Chris Mullett – managing editor and publisher.

YOU

SCANIA

REDUCE YOUR MAINTENANCE COSTS.

MATT WINTERFIELD WINTERFIELDS FLOAT HIRE, MT GAMBIER SA “Our trucks were impeccable, but to keep them in that condition meant a constant inflow of bills every month. With our Scanias’ we’ve gone the full maintenance and repair package. Now all we’ve got to do is put fuel, tyres and some grease on the truck.”

So contact your local branch to find out how a Scania Total Transport Solution can work for your business.

VICTORIA

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Scania Campbellfield Tel: (03) 9217 3300

Scania Wingfield Tel: (08) 8406 0200

Scania Dandenong Tel: (03) 9217 3600

NEW SOUTH WALES

Scania Laverton Tel: (03) 9369 8666

Scania Prestons Tel: (02) 9825 7900 Scania Newcastle Tel: (02) 9825 7940

SCA0474 Winterfield_PowerTorque Dec16.indd 1

K&J Trucks, Coffs Harbour Tel: (02) 6652 7218 NJ’s of Wagga Tel: (02) 6971 7214 QUEENSLAND Scania Richlands Tel: (07) 3712 8500

Scania Pinkenba Tel: (07) 3712 7900 Wideland AG & Construction, Toowoomba Tel: (07) 4633 1150

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Scania Kewdale Tel: (08) 9360 8500 Scania Bunbury Tel: (08) 9724 6200

RSC Diesels, Cairns Tel: (07) 4054 5440

22/11/16 9:02 pm

Whyte At the

G’Day folks, There’s been a lot of talk lately about the dangers within our industry, with a huge number of accidents across the country to fuel the fires of those who don t see the value in road transport The constant barrage of negative media continues, with very little respect given to those who have been in ured, or worse The advent of social media means that we don t have to wait for the si o clock news to see all the bad stuff that goes on in the world these days, and our industry is not e empt from the scrutiny and rhetoric of the general public when things go wrong.

We are all guilty of looking at the pictures, reading half the story and assuming we know what happened. What disturbs me most is the fact that we would rather speculate and comment on the cause, than consider those involved There have been many cases lately where a driver s family has learned of his or her demise through social media, and read dubious accounts from passers-by as to the situation, without a chance to know what really happened. any of the industry related sites have now stopped posting pictures or details of company names when reporting accidents, but, sadly, there are those who don’t share that discretion.

On a similar note, have noticed some industry bodies using these tragic events to promote themselves, which disgusts me even more Only this week, the TW used images of an accident to promote how dangerous the job is ure, it is, but you don t need to put more negativity out there by showing the world more pictures of an accident that claimed two lives, and ripped apart two families The role of the union is to support those in the industry, not add to the pain nd to use the death of two drivers to support your cause is just plain disrespectful. I wonder if they obtained the permission of those families to use those pictures in their campaign, or if indeed those drivers were union members? This needs to stop. nstead of putting out negative images and numbers, perhaps the industry bodies, including the TW , should actually promote the good work the industry does. ow about giving those in our industry some positive promotion from time to time, outside of your own monthly newsletter? Those who work in the transport industry know how dangerous it can be, and don’t need these constant reminders in their, or their family’s, faces.

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WHEEL It is interesting to see the results if you take a look on the positive side every now and then One good e ample is T nsurance, who has all the negative figures easily at hand, but instead chooses to promote the people in the industry through its Faces Of Transport initiative While they could go on about the dangers of the job (and let’s face it, that s what keeps them in business , they have opted to tell the stories of those behind the scenes and promote the passion they have for the industry This is not limited to those on the road, but also the thousands of people who work behind the scenes to keep our industry going, and makes them one of the very few big players in the industry to provide a positive outlook on our industry Social media is also a great place to see the pride that people have in their ob and e uipment ot a day goes by that don t see drivers and operators showing their commitment to the job, with pics of spotless trucks, big loads, and the mateship in the industry This is e actly the type of publicity the transport industry needs, but, sadly, most of it doesn’t get to those outside of the industry.

There is a great deal of pride and passion within the world of transport, we just need to get that out to the big wide world somehow.

With the sunny weather approaching, we all have a chance to play our part, by getting involved in the many truck shows that are about to happen. These are a great way to showcase our pride and professionalism in what we do, and to spread the good word outside of the transport circle.

Most of these shows are organised as some sort of fundraiser for the local community, and contribute a great amount of money to many causes around the country.

These are the times when the transport industry literally shines, and the generosity within the industry comes to the fore. While we are doing good for the community and boosting our egos, we are also promoting the industry for what it is a passionate bunch of everyday people who take great pride in what they do. The real beauty is that these are public events, and offer an opportunity to spread that message to all those who are interested enough to come along and have a look Our local truck show in Castlemaine, Victoria, does a great job in promoting the image of the humble truckie. While the show itself draws a big crowd, the convoy through town on the unday morning also serves a purpose

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With the main street closed off for an hour or so, the attention of the entire town is turned to the convoy of trucks that rolls through town ocals and visitors alike line the street, with all ages stopping to admire the spectacle of almost 100 trucks rolling by This is positive industry promotion at its best, and it costs nothing but time t s also a good opportunity to get the kids involved, and maybe entice the ne t generation into the industry We do a lot of good for the population, unfortunately most of it is never acknowledged The best way to gain the trust and respect of the public, believe, is to let them see the people behind the machines and give them some insight into what we really do

Thank you for oining us through another year, and for making it possible to do what we do wish you all a safe and happy Christmas, and here s hoping you get to en oy it in the company of family and friends While the demand on our services will be at a high, remember to take the time to ensure you get where you need to be, and get there safely s always, and especially throughout the silly season, take care, have fun and stay safe

Dave Whyte

Whether it be through social media, getting involved in local events or ust letting the kids from up the street have a sit in the truck and honk the horn when you re home, there are plenty of opportunities to put a positive spin on what we do f we all made some effort to turn the negative image around, perhaps we could overcome the misconceptions that surround the transport industry nd, when say all, mean all of those who stand to benefit from it, including those who currently use negativity to push their causes

Efficient, reliable, comfortable.

The new Actros.

MER3040 PT QP 304095X262.indd 1

14/11/16 2:18 pm

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hile some members of the electorate would question that much has been accomplished since the Coalition has been in o ce, there have been some uite significant changes proposed in the area of company taxation. Although some of these have not yet been implemented, it certainly pays to consider their relevance to transport operators if the government succeeds in getting these changes through the senate. n the early part of 01 , the Treasurer s budget speech announced it would consider a reduction in the smallbusiness ta rate to 5 percent, and the turnover threshold for small businesses able to access it would be increased from $2 million to $10 million. If this change is implemented it would mean that businesses with a turnover of less than $10 million would also be able to access other ta incentives, including the small business depreciation pooling provisions, simplified trading stock rules, and pay as you go instalments payments option.

typical e ample is that of Company , which runs a fleet of mobile cranes, has a turnover of 5 million per annum, a profit of 1 million per annum and a resultant ta bill of 00,000 per annum The written down value of the mobile cranes is million, and the company has been historically depreciating its e uipment at 5 D 00,000 per annum, which was e pensed prior to the 1 million profit f this change is implemented, Company which would be reclassified as a mall usiness would be able to place all of its units into the new accelerated depreciation pool prior to year end and claim 0 D depreciation on the million fleet The depreciation in the following year would climb from 00,000 5 D to 1 million 0 D , with the e tra 00,000 reducing its ta able profit from 1 million to 100,000 resulting in the ta bill reducing from 00,000 to 0,000

understanding

depreciation Mark O’Donoghue, founder and managing director of Finlease, talks to PowerTorque about how to budget for accelerated depreciation

The reclassification of a small business to that of a company with a turnover of up to $10 million would enable it to claim 100% depreciation on assets purchased of less than 0,000 owever, there would be much greater benefits available under the accelerated depreciation allowances that could become available to them under The mall usiness Depreciation ooling rovisions “Owners of businesses in such capital intensive industries as transport, civil and related fields should take heed of this depreciation bonanza in advance of its possible introduction, said ark nder the mall usiness Depreciation ooling rovisions, company owners could actively elect to place all of their assets in a pool for depreciation purposes and claim an overall depreciation rate of 0 diminishing value D This was previously a benefit only afforded to companies with a turnover of less than million, but this benefit could now open its application to much larger organisations, he added 10

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It is important to remember the diminishing value methodology of this accelerated depreciation, which on the above figures would show the following profile for future years.

Although the example has been used for a mobile crane operator, this could easily be applied to companies that require large amounts of expensive equipment such as transport, civil or concrete pumping companies “If your company is involved in such capital intensive industries, which historically incur significant ta liabilities or e pect to do so, it is advisable to speak with a specialist in this area or your accountants as a matter of absolute priority to investigate this significant opportunity, said ark n any capital intensive industry, whether in earthmoving, cranes, trucks, civil construction or transport, the monthly cost of term debt and the ability to maximise tax deductions are the most significant factors that need to be addressed, added ark Finlease finances over 00 million per annum in capital e uipment through 1 o ces around ustralia covering all capital cities as well as regional o ces in W and D

The New Mercedes-Benz Actros.

Prime movers never moved so efficiently.

Visit mercedes-benz.com.au/actros for more information, or contact your local authorised Mercedes-Benz Trucks Dealership.

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14/11/16 2:19 pm

PROFILE t’s not exactly been the best kept secret in Australian trucking, but when production kicks off finally in February and the wide cab versions start entering fleets there are going to be a lot of extremely satisfied drivers out on the road.

Eagle-eyed readers of PowerTorque have spotted the five trucks seeded into major fleets as they ve been racking up the kilometres under the most extensive product testing enworth has completed in our market to date. ne such example used on linehaul with driver changes is currently covering 000 km each week. But there s much more to the development of the T 0 than just producing five prime movers and running them up and down the highway.

Brad ay, director of sales and marketing for PACCAR Australia, gave PowerTorque an exclusive insight into the T 0 development programme that started back in 20 2, at the same time that PACCAR in the nited States showcased the enworth T 80 and Peterbilt 9 at the id-America Truck Show.

The T 0 is the result of a 00 million investment programme that has been built around the decision to increase the width of the cab from the previous .8 metres measured between the B-pillars to 2. metres, said Brad. t may sound a simple idea, but the development programme to substantiate the increase in width also resulted in a new design of floor plan and a totally new method of assembling the cab structure during manufacturing. The work also included a wide range of changes to the interior design and dashboard layout that has produced a more modern visual appearance and improved ergonomics, he added.

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The initial development work was a combined programme between the two PACCAR brands of enworth and Peterbilt in the nited States, in conjunction with the R D team at Bayswater in ictoria. The enworth development team concentrated on the bonnet and cab changes, while Peterbilt developed the interior dashboard layout and trim requirements.

WIDE APPEAL Building a larger cab meant changing the construction method from a reliance on uck bolts to using enrob selfpiercing rivets for the alloy framed and sheeted cab.

The roof for the sleeper versions is manufactured in composite material.

The larger width of 2. m

has provided an increase in interior space in many areas of up to 0 percent, but has been achieved with virtually no additional weight penalty, with the new cab tipping the scales at just a 20 kg difference.

The bumper to back-of-cab BBC measurement of the T 0 has moved from the 6-inch dimension of the T 09 it replaces, to 2 inches, and, with noise intrusion significantly reduced, there s also additional strength in the firewall that is now 0 percent thicker at .0 mm compared to the T 09 at 2. mm.

Drivers will appreciate the additional space between the seats when moving around the cab interior and also how the forward vision has been improved. The traditional West Coast style of mirrors has been replaced by aerodynamic power adjustable mirror heads mounted on extended arms from the A-pillar. This new location enables forward vision over the top of the mirror housing, and between the mirror housing and the A-pillar, removing previous blind spots.

The injection moulded dashboard is now much more car-like in appearance and features digital display screens showing driver information and engine data such as fuel economy and performance. With a completely new floor design there s now much more room in the footwell around the pedals, with extra space for the driver s left footrest. A lot of development work has also taken place in the redesign of the AC heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system, which is now a full climate-control unit.

Dave Whyte and Chris Mullett find the Kenworth T610 brings in the long-awaited appeal of a wide cab for conventional operators PowerTorque ISSUE 74

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PROFILE n past designs, where a right-hand-drive version has been the result of modifications to an original left-handdrive design, there have always been issues occurring through routing the steering column past components such as turbochargers. ften the solution has been to incorporate a series of universal joints.

Because of the close collaboration of the three design teams between America and Australia, it was possible to create a straight path for the steering column, right through from the wheel to the steering box. This results in probably the best steering precision yet achieved for an on-highway truck of this category.

The electrical system retains the normal S choice of 2 volts, but is now based on a multiplex system, with the new cab frame constructed in the S and shipped direct to the Bayswater factory in ictoria.

The cooling system has also come in for close attention, with the radiator on the T 0 now based on aluminium cores, replacing the previous copper and brass construction. The durability of the new designs has been verified by extensive finite element analysis and then further confirmed by physical shakedown testing on continuous activity rigs that reproduced highly destructive road conditions. The shakedown testing programmes were repeated three times more than any previous test programme in order to validate the durability by simulating over 0 million kilometres of real-time experience.

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As well as the single cab version, the T 0 is available with the aero bonnet or SAR bonnet in both the day cab and sleeper cab versions with the SAR featuring a set forward front axle. This features the traditional aerodyne style sleeper but without the roof mounted windows that featured in previous versions. The bed si e has been maintained at 8 0 mm, the same spec as used in the previous -inch sleeper design to maintain compatibility for 9 m and 2 m B-double application.

We looked at how to improve headroom and spaciousness inside the cab and the input we had into the final designs enabled us to move the high roof slope forwards in the roof line, said Brad. ike Do ier, enworth Australia s chief executive at the time of the T 0 development programme, came from a product background with Peterbilt. Being tall himself, he was a strong supporter of ensuring sufficient headroom to promote the feeling of interior spaciousness with excellent walk-around access.

WIDE APPEAL

This attention to visibility for tall drivers also resulted in the window line of the doors being styled to provide clear vision, without having to stoop to improve line of sight.

The doors themselves have triple seals to prevent noise and dust intrusion, and no longer have to carry the mirror mounts, which, as mentioned previously, are

The T 0 is the culmination of many years of extensive product development and cooperation between Paccar in Australia and the nited States. Although currently confined to two models in two configurations, there s little doubt that over the next couple of years we will be seeing the innovation of the T 0 influencing other models throughout the enworth Australia product range.

now fixed to the A-pillar framing. Conventional hinges now replace the older-style piano hinges, providing a more positive and refined door closure, added Brad.

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PROFILE

Dave Whyte takes the wheel Despite denials over recent years that development was being undertaken by enworth at its Bayswater, elbourne, headquarters to introduce a wide-cab version of the T-Series, enworth s top secret project has finally become a reality.

The vast majority of highway trucks built by PACCAR in America are slick, aerodynamic units with all the mod cons. While the current T 09 and T 09 models offer a more aerodynamic option than say the T909, the American cab offers more interior space, a more modern dash layout, and many other benefits that m sure Aussie operators will come to appreciate.

PowerTorque was invited to an exclusive opportunity to get behind the wheel and experience the new model before the official model launch. ot only did this allow me to get some time driving the different models, but it also gave me some insight into the opinions of enworth salesmen. As it turns out, some of them were a little concerned that the new cab might deter traditional enworth customers, but their overall response having seen the finished product was that they couldn t wait to get them into the dealerships and show their customers just how good the new model is.

The first thing you notice on entering the cab is the gap between the seats. This makes for easy access to the bunk, and, while the sleeper cab variant has a slide out fridge fitted under the bunk, the extra space allows plenty of room for a big fridge in the day-cab version.

Another bonus that comes with the extra width is extra foot room for the driver. With close to a foot in extra width, the driving controls are further outboard of the engine tunnel, meaning even taller drivers will have room to stretch their legs. The footrest for the driver s left foot is positioned to mirror the accelerator pedal, with a wide base and plenty of distance from the clutch pedal to accommodate big boots.

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ision from the driver s seat is a big leap ahead of the current T 09 this model will replace. The pillar-mounted aero mirrors are positioned a little lower, making it easier to see over the top of them and significantly reducing the associated blind spots. The driver s and passenger s side mirrors are angled differently to allow better vision down the left-hand side, and the larger mirror glass and spotter mirrors are a huge improvement over the traditional westcoast style mirrors. Being mounted on the pillar also means fewer adjustments, as they don t cop a jolt every time the door is closed. And don t worry about the strength of the mirror mounts, as a couple of the dealers 90 kg men were doing chin ups on the mirror support arm with no evident flexing of the support arm or movement of the mirror.

The glass around the cab is also well thought out, with the huge one-piece windscreen and large side windows giving a full 80-degree view from the driver s seat. The side windows extend further back from the A-pillar and further up towards the roof, meaning you don t need to lean forward or stoop down to see out either side. ision out the front is also excellent, with the bonnet dropping away to reveal all but about two metres of the road in front of the truck. This is the same with either the aero bonnet or the SAR bonnet. ne aspect that will please many traditional enworth buyers is that the SAR still retains the external air cleaners, but even these don t block the driver s vision until you put high-rise intakes on them, which m certain will be common fitment .

The driving position is very comfortable, with plenty of elbowroom, and, as mentioned earlier, foot room. The new cab also brings an increase in headroom, even in the day cab, with a higher roof profile opening up the extra space. ther benefits of the more modern cab include an easily adjustable tilt slide steering column, and a new steering wheel design. While the enworth SmartWheel is a good set-up, the new wheel is much more refined and integrated, and frames the instrument cluster very well.

WIDE APPEAL

The instrument cluster itself is probably the biggest talking point of the new cab, with fewer gauges, and, for the first time in an Aussie enworth, an integrated vehicle information display in the centre of the cluster.

While options such as the Road Relay have been available for some time, this is a fully integrated system that covers vehicle warnings, trip information and information on various aspects of the trucks performance, and does away with the need for the numerous extra gauges commonly found in enworth trucks. or those who would still like to have those gauges, there is plenty of room to fit them. While the dash itself is much more modern than that found on earlier enworth trucks, it still has that enworth feel about it which is ironic, as it s a Peterbilt design .

The sleeper-cab variant brings with it its own sense of space, with the higher roof and integrated design of the bunk freeing up more space to move around. The bed itself is the same si e as the current bunk, but the high roof makes the floor space more usable in terms of standing up to get dressed and so on.

The standard Aerodyne windows in the roof are gone, and the fit and finish is much tidier from the front to the back.

Due to the positioning of the cab, which is higher and further forward, enworth has gone away from the

recessed rear wall, and so the entire length of the cab is utilised inside. or those running fridge vans, don t fear, as the top section of the rear wall is angled to allow plenty of space for fridge motors without impeding on the width of the bed.

The trucks drove, including the T 0 sleeper and two day-cabs, were all very early production models, and ready to head out to their new owners in the coming weeks. The driving experience was a pleasant one, with noise levels being at normal enworth levels. With these trucks being built so early in the program, there is still some work being done to possibly reduce noise levels further, but actually enjoyed the noise as they were. Even the engine brake sounds like it should, and this for me is one of the true characteristics of an American truck you can hear them coming.

The overall feeling of the new cab is that enworth has caught up with the times while still retaining that enworth feel. This new model is a quantum leap, but the look and feel, including the vinyl trim, should still satisfy the traditional enworth buyer. The work that has happened behind the scenes, the stuff you can t see, to strengthen the cab and components should mean that these trucks stand up to Aussie conditions, and maintain the enworth history of durability. ost importantly, the T 0 maintains that undefinable feeling of a enworth, and, in time, should prove itself a worthy bearer of the W badge.

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PROFILE he B-double prime mover market is a hard fought category in Australia. n terms of sales, it makes up a large proportion of the heavy-duty segment, and, as such, a lot of manufacturers have one or more models on offer to suit the needs of B-double operators. bviously, horsepower plays an important role in selling trucks for the B-double task, with the desired number always going up and up. n the early days of Aussie B-doubles, 00

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hp was the magic figure, but for those running at big weights this has risen towards the 00 hp mark. mprovements in engine technology have brought big changes in engine outputs though, and, while the horsepower number is still relevant to some, torque output is now the more important figure. aving said that, some manufacturers have suffered in the sales race due to a lack of high-horsepower engine availability, and the misconception that horsepower is what s needed to keep these trucks motivated.

FEELING LIKE A NEW MAN ne of those manufacturers to suffer has been A . With no -litre engine option available to Australian customers, the brand has struggled to gain traction in the heavyweight B-double segment. While the rest of the A package the cab, driveline and fuel packaging has been well suited to the B-double task, there was a perception from some operators that a -litre engine wouldn t be up to the task. Those who have put it to the test might beg to differ, with good fuel results and trip times proving the A power plant to be very capable. Alas, the perception of a lack of power has hindered the battle for market share.

After two years of waiting since the D 8 was first revealed in the European market at the AA show in anover in 20 , A , through Penske Commercial ehicles, has finally delivered the -litre engine for which both the dealers and customers have been waiting.

The past two years have seen the -litre A D 8 engine getting the runs on the board in terms of establishing a reputation, with power ratings up to 0 hp and 000 m, and the new truck has built a strong following in that part of the world.

The initial power rating on offer to Australian operators is significantly less than the maximum available on offer in Europe, and is limited to 0 hp 2 00 m. There is a good prospect of increased ratings, but only after significant testing

to ensure the long-term viability of the engine at higher outputs in Aussie conditions. We drove the D 8 powered T just after its release at the AA truck show in anover two years ago, and have been waiting to get one in front of a B-double ever since. inally, the wait is over.

The D 8 engine isn t just about extra cubic inches, and it brings with it some new design features that A claims will improve fuel efficiency and extend the life of the engine.

The .2-litre, in-line six-cylinder incorporates a number of features designed to provide lower total cost of ownership TC over the life of the engine. Among these is a unique top-down cooling system, designed to protect the top of the engine, including the cylinder head, injectors and valves, while providing more effective cooling to the cylinders themselves.

The top-down system also puts less pressure on the coolant pump, meaning the same pump as is fitted to the D2 engine can be used. ot only does this reduce fuel consumption, but it also brings down the cost of a replacement coolant pump should the need arise.

Common-rail fuel injection, at pressures of up to 2 00bar, increases combustion efficiency and reduces fuel consumption and emissions. This has a roll on effect, meaning less work for the exhaust treatment systems. The D 8 uses a combination of E R, SCR and DP to achieve Euro emissions standards, with the high-pressure common-rail injection attributing to both a reduction in AdBlue use and an

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PROFILE extension of DP service intervals. The low level of straight out emissions means the same si ed muffler setup can be used on the D 8 as is used on the D2 , maintaining precious chassis rail space for fuel and AdBlue capacity.

Dual turbochargers are used to help generate full torque from 9 0 rpm through to 0 rpm, meaning the D 8 works best at low engine speed. A 2-speed Tra on A T replaces the previous AS Tronic that was labelled as the A Tip atic, in its first application for the Australian market. This is the next generation that in time will replace all versions of the AS Tronic, which is currently found in EC and DA products. The driveline is completed through to A hypoid rear axles with cross locks and diff locks as standard. This gives A the ability to service the whole driveline in the one workshop, as with any other manufacturer offering a proprietary driveline.

The cab is unchanged from the previous model, and nor should it be changed. The T cab is a well-finished workplace, with all the driver comfort features you would expect from a erman manufacturer. The L high-roof cab offers plenty of room to move around, ample storage and an Aussie-made innerspring mattress on the lower bunk. An SR seat provides a comfortable position for any driver, and the big steering wheel is very comfortable, and easy to get used to.

An added bonus is the six-speaker sound system with in-built subwoofer, to help while away the hours.

The standard fuel package is 0 0 litres, with an 80-litre AdBlue tank, ample amount for the standard inter-city routes.

All electrical wiring is now shrouded in foam, to reduce wear caused through vibration and rubbing. This should go some way to rectifying the issues caused by frayed wires, and save many hours of fault finding should something go astray.

With all the wiring that runs around a truck these days, it s surprising that it took so long for a manufacturer to come up with such a simple solution.

Mark Me o enera Mana er o MA A s ra ia

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To demonstrate the abilities of the D 8, Penske Commercial ehicles invited PowerTorque along to its official media launch at ount Cotton, on the outskirts of Brisbane.

With four trucks available to drive, two single-trailer semis and two B-doubles, it provided just a small insight into the ability and characteristics of the engine. y first choice of drive was the T 2 . 0 with a loaded B-double on behind. While the ount Cotton test track is relatively short, it does have a few good grades to test an engine, especially given the lack of room for a run up. ot only did the D 8 move the weight easily, but the engine braking and retardation provided by the intarder also proved to be effective on the downward slopes.

The low rpm, and associated lack of noise in the cab, gave the impression that the truck wasn t really doing its thing, but a look down at the gauges told a different story. The combination of the D 8 and Tra on transmission meant that all that torque was used to its full potential, with sharp gear changes meaning little break in driveline torque. The new Tra on transmission uses hydraulic actuators to make the gear changes, as opposed to the previous AS-Tronic or Tip atic model s air actuators, and provides a smoother, quicker shift, and improved low-speed gear changes.

The addition of the D 8 really does bring the A T right up to the market, and adds the much wanted power to the otherwise well rounded product.

As ark ello, general manager of A Australia, explained, We bought some vehicles in for evaluation about 8 months ago, and we ve been busily working behind the scenes on these things to make sure that we tailored a solution that really met the requirements for the Australian market.

A has been a major player in the European market for a lot of years, but we certainly haven t achieved the results that believe we can achieve here in Australia. This is the start of a new era, as far as we re concerned.

FEELING LIKE A NEW MAN

We re very confident the new T D 8, as the flagship of our vehicle line-up, will really put us in a strong position here in Australia. ur focus for this vehicle has been the whole of life costs and the operation of the vehicle. We re really focused on trying to make sure that we re providing a solution to our customers that s really going to give them some benefits . r. ello also took the opportunity to explain that the A range for Australia has been dramatically reduced, in order to target certain areas of the market.

The reduced number of models has been specifically chosen to meet the needs of Australian operators, and specified for our operating conditions, r. ello explained. n terms of the T D 8, we ve tailored this vehicle, from a specification point of view, to perform the duties that it needs to perform. We re certainly targeting it at the B-double market that s exactly what it s here to do. We ve also tried to make sure that it s the most efficient vehicle that you could use in that operation. The horsepower, torque, diff ratios and the transmission package we ve got now, have now put us in a position where we can say we can tick all the boxes. The results of our testing here in Australia have really given us a product that we can be proud of, ark added. n time, we will be getting our hands on one these trucks for an open road review, including fuel figures and trip times, but, in the meantime, we can only go by the experience at ount Cotton. The impressions from the short drives around the test track were all good, with plenty of power and all the technology to back it up. Perhaps the T D 8 will be the truck that will change the image of A in Australia, and convert the doubters into customers.

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PROFILE

The next-generation Mercedes-Benz is now on the Australian market, as Dave Whyte reports

fter a long lead up, and plenty of testing and tweaking to suit the local market, the new ercedes en Actros range is finally available to local operators, with three ma or attributes in mind efficiency, reliability and comfort. ercedes has been working progressively with selected Aussie operators over the last 8 months to find the best specification to suit the needs of local companies and conditions. With 20 vehicles involved in the long-term testing and tweaking, and over one million kilometres covered in various applications, ercedes has invested a lot of time and effort into making sure it brings the right specifications to suit the specific demands of our market.

With over 200,000 Actros sales in Europe, and 2 billion kilometres under their belts notched up over the five years it s been available in Europe, it s fair to assume that most of the bugs would have been ironed out even before the local testing began, so the starting point for the Australian introduction should have everything right on the mark. The fact that ercedes has spent a further 8 months refining its Australian specifications gives some insight into how serious it is about building market share in our corner of the world.

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The recent launch gave customers the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a variety of Actros models, and see for themselves what all the hype was about. The feedback have received directly from some of those customers has all been good, with one operator to whom didn t talk personally being so impressed that they bought one on the spot during the launch programme. ollowing on from the main customer launch, we were also invited to see, touch and drive the new range in sunny orth ueensland. iven the weather down south at the time, it was too good an offer to refuse or the current model releases, ercedes is concentrating on the regional and long-distance prime mover markets in order to build market share in those segments. While there was a rigid unit on show at the launch, the word from ercedes is that the focus is squarely on the prime movers at this stage, with the aim to establish these trucks in the market before introducing the rigid range at a later date. This also allows for more field-testing of rigid units, and more time to refine the specifications to suit the market. t also allows for a more targeted marketing campaign on account of the prime mover models, before broadening the range.

ACTROS ARRIVAL

Andrew Assimo, ercedes-Ben Truck sales manager for Australia, was obviously very happy to finally bring these vehicles to the market, saying, We are incredibly excited to have this truck here, finally. t s been a long time coming for us, but we ve been really committed to making sure we were right to go in this market, and we are there .

hp 2 00 m or 0 hp 2 00 m, which will fit nicely into the single-trailer or lightweight B-double market. The big banger, the -litre , is available in either 80 hp 2800 m or 2 hp 000 m ratings to suit the heavyduty end of the market, including road train applications.

e went on to discuss the importance of the local testing and development, saying that, All the testing and everything we ve done throughout our evaluation program has led us to this point. By working with our dealer groups and operators, we have tried to define a mainstream-focused portfolio that targets onhighway applications in a stronger, more customerfocused way than we ever have before .

The Actros prime mover brings with it four new engine options, starting with the 8.0-litre 9 at hp 00 m for the lighter duties. The next step up is the -litre 0, which is available in ratings of 9 hp 900 m, 28 hp 2 00 m or hp 2200 m, and is aimed at the metropolitan and regional distribution segments. The -litre offering comes in the form of the , available in ratings of 0 PowerTorque ISSUE 74

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PROFILE the range, with the exception of the road train heavy-duty model, which is fitted with hub reduction rear axles.

To experience the new Actros range, we were invited to drive the various models on a trip from Cairns to Townsville, a journey of around 00 km. ver that distance, we had the chance to experience a few different models, and, while not conducting a full road test, it was a good teaser as to what these trucks have to offer. The answer is plenty.

All of these engines use a combination of SCR, E R and a DP to conform to Euro emissions standards. While the legislation to mandate the implementation of Euro throughout the market may be a while off in Australia, ercedes claims that these engines should provide some benefits in running cost over the previous Euro engines offered, including dramatically reduced AdBlue usage B claims up to 0 , and a fuel saving of up to when combined with other driveline improvements.

Transmission options include a range of 8-speed, 2-speed and -speed automated manuals, with the 2-speed being fitted to the bulk of the range. The -speed A T is standard behind the -litre engine, offering a little more flexibility to those operating at higher weights. ypoid differentials are standard across

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Across the board, the Actros range offered excellent comfort levels, vision and power for the job at hand. The real surprise package, though, came in the form of the -litre engine towing a single trailer.

While the section of the Bruce ighway that we covered on that leg was relatively flat, the amount of roadworks meant frequent stopping and starting to give a good indication to the abilities of the engine. The power on tap might not look like much on paper, but it was definitely sufficient for the 0-tonne gross weight of the combination.

Considering all the stops and starts, the fuel economy was excellent, with the Actros achieving 2.89 km l over the 00 km section that was at the wheel. nterestingly, with the trucks all travelling in a loose convoy, none of the others really made up any ground on their little brother, proving the performance of the -litre engine. n the mid-range, the -litre engine also performed very well. With only a single trailer on behind, it seemed

ACTROS ARRIVAL

to perform effortlessly over the relatively flat ground.

Again, the roadworks did provide plenty of opportunities to experience the pulling power from a standstill, and demonstrate the shift quality of the 2-speed PowerShift A T. With smooth, quick gear changes, top speed was achieved with comfort and ease, and in good time. aving already driven an engineering prototype of the big banger 2 at 0 hp it was no surprise to see it cope with the B-double task so easily.

But there is more to this truck than just sheer grunt, with comfort levels to rival any truck on the market and a dash layout that leaves nothing to be desired. Everything is within reach of the driver, with easy to operate controls and easy to read gauges. Engine braking on the -litre engine is also very good, which is a must for B-double or road train duties. The fact that this truck did the job so easily is a little disconcerting, with 00 km h sneaking up very quickly, quietly and smoothly. The time spent aboard this truck went by very fast, and it ate up the distance with very little fuss. aving seen, touched and driven the new Actros range, it would seem that the work put in by ercedes and its trial partners has paid off. Even over the short distances covered on this drive, the drivetrains proved to be well suited to the individual tasks of each model. The work

Andrew Assimo Mike May

environment for a driver is remarkably relaxed, even in the base model, with comfort and convenience obviously being high on the priority list.

Wrapped up with all of the performance and comfort features are a host of safety features, including adaptive cruise control, automatic wipers and headlights, and a driver s air bag all as standard across the range. t remains to be seen, over a longer test drive, whether the economy will match up with ercedes predicted numbers, but over this trip the results on this front looked pretty good too. All that s left to determine is whether Aussie operators are willing to try something different, and get behind the wheel themselves.

Stand by for a full road test, whereby PowerTorque can validate the claims for what could be a game changer for ercedes-Ben in the Australian market.

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PROFILE

he release last year at the risbane ruck show of the estern tar model heralded a push into the medium si ed truck market for the orth American based manufacturer, where it will fall into the . tonnes segment of the market.

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Distributed in Australia by the Penske Commercial ehicle group, the 2800SS is Western Star s first foray into this end of the market, having more historically being associated with a heavy-duty truck presence in Australia. owever, there are ,000 of these models on the road in the States, and Western Star is keen to grab its share of the market here in our country.

Warren Caves was presented a set of keys, courtesy of Penske Truck Rentals in Chipping orton, for a chance to evaluate the 2800SS in its targeted environment, being Sydney s

THE PENSKE POTENTIAL

metropolitan area with a mix of major arterial multi-lane roads, freeways and industrial estate streets. Penske has a number of these models in -pallet, x2 configuration for both long and short-term hire options, so prospective buyers would do well to trial the 2800SS benefits within their operations. pon arrival, Christopher Cepak, Penske Truck Rentals assistant manager ran through rental procedures, a vehicle inspection and carried out a thorough familiarisation with the vehicles controls and features. With its conventional bonnet styling and those steel white American style wheels, there s no suggestion that this version of the Western Star at the lighter end of its product range is in any way trying to hide its orth American heritage.

The 2800SS for our test was a x2 -pallet variant, loaded with pallets of AdBlue in 000-litre BC s weighing a little short of seven tonnes. Without an exact tare weight available, calculations would put this at around 0 percent of the .

Power comes from the Cummins . -litre SB, which Western Star boasts to be the cleanest diesel engine in Australia, complying with current and future emission standards, rated at 2 hp 2 00 rpm and 0 lb-ft of torque 00 rpm driving through an Allison 000 RDS automatic transmission. A eritor E 20rear axle completes the driveline.

Approaching the truck, straightaway noticed the low level of the cabin and the ease of which entry is gained through the wide door opening and ample step tread. etting into this vehicle was not a chore. This is definitely a bonus for those required to carry out multi-drop work, exiting entering the cabin over and over throughout the day, not to mention the workplace safety benefits. pon taking a seat, what was not expecting from an American bred truck was the large one-piece windscreen offering a commanding view over the short downward sloping bonnet. would put visibility to the front extremity of the truck as better than most medium-si ed passenger cars.

The driver s seat is an air-suspended ational i-Back unit and it offers good comfort and multiple adjustments to cater for the myriad of shapes and si es of drivers, with tilt, lumbar, slide and firmness adjustments available. t took a few moments to locate the controls as theses are situated on the left side of the seat, in between the seat base and the centre console storage bin. inding the right adjustment is easy enough, however, to the unfamiliar driver on a dark early morning start it could be a slight annoyance. That said, it s an easy fix as part of a running product change and the component supplier should have addressed it. The passenger seat is a fixed, unsuspended version of the driver s seat, adequately comfortable for short trips.

Steering wheel adjustment was via a foot pedal, which at first glance looked like it would be a little in the way during the driving day. owever this was not the case and the tilt telescopic adjustments were made effortless by having both hands available to manipulate the wheel into the desired position. With the combination of the seat and wheel adjustments seemingly infinite, even at 82 cm tall could completely extend my left leg straight out ahead of me for a stretch.

The dash layout was simple yet functional, with switches and gauges easily read. rom an ergonomic perspective, the relatively flat fascia panel requires the driver to lean forwards to reach the Bluetooth radio and a few of the central switches, although shorter-statured drivers with the seat further forward may not experience this.

A noticeable omission from our test truck was electric adjustment for the mirrors, which these days should be standard fare, at least for the passenger side. A subsequent conversation with Western Star s marketing department revealed that, excepting a couple of early imports, all current versions do have power adjustable and heated mirrors fitted as standard.

A central console bin located between the seats was perfect for storing ancillary daily items, and a bag could be placed on the floor in front of this where a gearstick might normally be located , but lack of any storage behind the seats may be inhibitive to twoperson operations such as removalist companies.

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PROFILE

nce moving at road speed, the lack of noise intrusion into the cabin was really noticeable and the quiet interior enabled easy conversation between driver and co-driver, uninhibited by road or wind noise. Western Star has obviously invested a good deal of effort in cabin insulation and door sealing, the only exception to this was when the Cummins got working a bit harder and engine temperature rose, the orton fan clutch leaving you with no doubt that it was on, though not deafening by any means.

Start-off performance from lights out of the Cummins SB common-rail diesel was quite good, thanks to, in part, the short final drive ratio of . and the crisp changes of the Allison transmission.

What did you do that for The gear changes were crisp, yet smooth, noticeable enough to know a change has occurred without looking at the control panel display, yet not harsh, and maintaining road speed and therefore momentum as the result. would put the Allison 000 RDS in this application on par with the latest A T s automated manual transmissions on offer.

t s been some years since have driven a vehicle fitted with an Allison auto, and these transmissions have moved forward light years in their operation. recall, sloppy slipping gear changes, slow uptake from standstill and harsh unnecessary downshifting. m pleased to say the new generation of Allison automatics do not suffer any of these shortcomings, which was a real surprise to me perhaps embarking on this road test with preconceived ideas on what to expect.

The relationship between the engine and transmission proved to be one of mutual understanding, and was never left questioning the choice of a gear change decision.

That certainly wasn t how some automatic transmission shift programmes used to be, and can well remember having private conversations in the past with the driveline such as,

n x2 configuration the 2800 lists its turning circle as best in its class, thanks to a -degree wheel cut. The x2 version with its extra length of wheelbase and the addition of another axle obviously doesn t rank for that accolade, but, having turned down a street that thought went somewhere but consequently discovered that it didn t, the need for a complete turnaround at a quiet intersection was completed without too much fuss or effort thanks to the set-back front axle At highway speeds the tacho registered 900 rpm, which meant that keeping pace with traffic flow was effortless.

A taller final drive ratio could pull this back a bit if chasing better fuel economy, but in this application it works well. egotiating narrow two-lane roundabouts the 2800

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THE PENSKE POTENTIAL

maintained its lane well with no real need for lane staggering, and tight 90-degree corners saw minimal track in. The Wabco ABS braking system with traction control provided ample stopping power in a simulated emergency stop, while maintaining steering and lane position.

The short bonnet was effortless to tilt, exposing the Cummins engine and associated components. All daily checks such as oil and coolant levels, steering and transmission fluids are in the one convenient location, just behind the near-side front tyre. The down-swept exhaust, made possible by the low emissions, allows body length maximisation by having the cab right against the body.

a cabover alternative. This is particularly relevant to weight distribution in sections of the industry such as tilt-tray operation and low-height-chassis requirements such as supermarket and bottle shop deliveries.

Western Star in Australia believes that, with an impressive range of standard features and American build durability, the overall difference in total cost of operation may well be in its favour. With a large nationwide dealer network backing up its products, it is certainly a valuable exercise to use your time to sit down and crunch the numbers.

Although our road test was limited to daylight hours, the inclusion of LED headlights is another plus when it comes to reducing driver fatigue and eye strain.

Potential buyers rather than renters of the Western Star 2800SS might find a slight price premium when compared to some of its competitors. But, in the leasing and rental application offered

by Penske Truck Rental, the customer has the opportunity to evaluate the configuration of a lighter weight conventional and compare it directly with

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PROFILE

DAF’s flagship XF105 gives the best of the Euros a run for their money –Report by Dave Whyte. he DA 0 is a well-rounded piece of kit. With plenty on offer in terms of driver comfort and a good driveline, it ticks a lot of boxes for the budget conscious operator. ollowing its release to the Australian market in 20 2, the 0 model range has earned a strong reputation among those using the brand, and with good reason. Comfortable and versatile, its -litre PACCAR engine has proven to be both capable and efficient. The earlier models those that were sold in the period shortly after its release had some issues with chassis layout, which have been rectified with the latest incarnation. Also new to the 0 is a host of safety equipment, which brings the DA back into line with most of its direct competitors.

The updated 0 isn t a new truck. The cab is the same as we have seen on the 9 and 0 models for many years, which is not necessarily a bad thing. While it does show a little age, it still provides a comfortable and driver friendly workplace with many well thought out conveniences. The interior is modern, well laid out and easy to use, with plenty of storage and space for drivers to make themselves at home. oise levels are very low, ride quality is excellent and the driver interface is easy to operate and understand, as you would expect from a European manufacturer.

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The driveline also remains largely unchanged, with the PACCAR engine and -AS Tronic -speed A T working together to provide an efficient and reliable combination. The delivers 0 hp and 2 00 m 8 lb-ft of torque, no mean feat for a -litre engine, and provides a big weight benefit over -litre engines with similar output.

The platform is now available in all PACCAR owned brands, including enworth and Peterbilt in America, demonstrating the confidence that PACCAR has in the technology and reliability of the engine. There are no plans to increase the power output of the , or to implant another brand of engine into the , and so it will continue to fall short of the 0 hp mark many think is needed to tow B-doubles. The -AS Tronic is, as always, a very slick shifting A T, though the Aussie doesn t yet receive the fuel-saving Eco-Roll function.

The chassis layout, as mentioned, has come for a big improvement in terms of fuel and AdBlue packaging, and placement of the main air tanks. Early versions were fitted with a -litre AdBlue tank and around 900 litres of fuel capacity. The current spec brings increases in both, with a new one-piece 0-litre AdBlue tank and two 00-litre fuel tanks to allow for better range between fuel

DAF ON DEMAND stops. The main air tanks have also been moved from their previous position above the chassis rails behind the cab and now fit neatly inside the rails behind the fuel tanks.

While they don t have a huge effect on the performance of the truck, these improvements do answer some of the criticism of earlier models, and show that customer feedback is taken seriously.

The update also includes the addition of a number of tech features designed to improve safety and efficiency. These come in the form of adaptive cruise control ACC , lane departure warning and emergency brake assist, along with a side-view camera to improve vision down the left-hand-side of the truck. This camera is activated when the left indicator is in use, and for a few seconds after it s turned off, to give a clear view of the area directly beside the prime mover. t can also be turned on manually at any time, for use when manoeuvring in tight spaces for example. t doesn t, by any means, replace the side mirror, but adds another viewing angle to eliminate the blind spot down that side of the cab.

To see if all of these changes had in fact improved the driving of the , took one out for a couple of days cruising up and down the ume. Alright, so it wasn t quite that relaxed. The elbourne-Sydney return trip was done with a refrigerated B-double combination on behind, and loaded both ways.

As you may know, m no stranger to being behind the wheel of an 0 , but there was one other aspect that was interested to experience this truck was fitted with a lower . 8 final drive ratio.

This was of particular interest to me because when we bought our own 0 , five years ago, the standard diff ratio was .9 . After having run that ratio for a while, we opted to change to a . in search of better performance and fuel economy. We achieved both of these, with a 0.2 km l improvement in fuel economy and better performance in the hills. ollowing on from this ratio change, often wondered if we would have been better off going to the next ratio down, . 8 , and if it would have provided the same results or better, or would too much of a good thing not work so well. inally, was about to find out.

The truck was driving for this test was brand-new, and had only 90 km on the clock when picked it up. While driving a brand-new truck is indeed a privilege, actually prefer a truck with some work under its belt for these tests, for a few reasons. irstly, it gives a better indication of overall fuel economy if the engine is run in . Secondly, all of the teething problems associated with a new truck are usually ironed out.

And, thirdly, it s always nice if someone else has put a few scratches on a truck before get my hands on it. While didn t scratch it, the other two factors did come into play with the new 0 .

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PROFILE aving connected the trailers, it was discovered that there were a few air leaks around the prime mover. With the help of a mechanic, these were sorted in good time and it was time to hit the road. At a gross weight of 8 tones, the load was not exactly heavy, but the DA was still rolling 2 trailer tyres and working fairly hard. or the run to Sydney, the 0 averaged 2 l 00 km .92 km l , including battling the 0 p.m. freeway traffic out of elbourne. The return trip, in atrocious weather conditions and with very similar weight on behind, returned an average of .9 l 00 km .92 km l .

Both trips provided good opportunities to utilise the adaptive cruise control, including on many of the descents.

By setting the gap between the and the vehicle in front, the engine brake and transmission would take control of the speed to maintain the gap. did find that it could work against you on the uphill sections, if you are catching the vehicle ahead. n a couple of occasions, the cruise control backed off the power so smoothly, that didn t realise the DA had slowed down when in fact it could have overtaken the vehicle in front. t didn t take long to get the hang of pressing the accelerator to override the adaptive cruise when coming up behind other vehicles. By simply lifting off once was around them, the adaptive cruise control would return to normal operation. rom the driver s seat, my opinion was that the . 8 final drive ratio made life hard on the engine. While the truck still selected third gear to move off from a standstill, it took longer for the clutch to lock up and then seemed to be working hard to gather speed. nce it was up to speed, it seemed to enjoy cruising at 0 rpm on the flats, but not so much in the hilly sections. find this interesting as it felt like the was struggling in the hills, but the average speeds seem to

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tell a different story. The average speed over both trips varied very little, at 8 . km h and 8 .8 km h respectively which, when paired with the fuel figures, shows great consistency in performance. quite often write in these pages about how the Americans are going down the path of downspeeding taller gearing, lower rpm to achieve better fuel economy, and how perhaps we should adopt the same approach. y experience in our own DA with . diffs is that we were using the correct ratio for the heavier tasks, while providing better fuel economy and performance characteristics. With this ratio change, think DA may have found the perfect spec for single trailer work, but not for B-doubles. ver the period of the drive, also spent two nights sleeping in the truck. The layout of the cab makes for easy movement around the cab, and the full wraparound curtains do a great job of providing privacy from the outside world. nterior lighting is more than ample, and the location of the table makes for easy reach while sitting on the bed. The mattress provides a very comfortable night s sleep, and noise intrusion from outside is minimal. Although the didn t have a cab air conditioner, found that by opening the sunroof the warm air could escape without the rain getting in, and the temperature inside stayed right for sleeping.

The 0 might not feature diamond studded vinyl trim or a dashboard full of gauges, but it does provide safety, efficiency and a very liveable workplace. And, what s more, it provides it all for a much lesser price than some of its competitors. With all of these updates for very little extra coin, the value for money in these trucks is probably better than ever.

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF LEGENDARY TOUGHNESS

Based on a Western Star 4900, this rare breed of Serious trucks have been built to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Western Star brand. With the driver under the limelight, Western Star have packed these limited edition trucks with never seen before features, which are unique to the Australian market. Retaining the ‘old school’ aura combined with a real-looking truck, Western Star brings you the exclusive Road Star. WESTERNSTAR.COM.AU

FEATURE

INTERNATIONALLY YOURS

With the launch of the LT, International is setting a high standard of appeal prior to re-entering the Australian market

D

espite predictions over the past five years that International Trucks was destined to become a doomed species, the Navistar operation in the USA that develops, engineers and builds International Trucks for the American market, continues to defy the gossips. Not just content to match the competition, the International brand continues to develop and advance on truck designs such as the ProStar that beats the competition when it comes to styling, appearance, features and benefits.

The timing for the relaunch of the International brand back into the Australian market has been hovering in the background for over twelve months. But it has now been confirmed that the IVECO dealership group that underpinned the International brand in past years will once again take the major role in supporting the brand on Aussie soil.

Until now, the expectation was that the Australian product range would be centred on the ProStar. But on September 30th in Las Vegas, Navistar launched the International LT – a new flagship for long haul, highway application in the Class 8 segment. This new addition to the heavy-duty truck range effectively provides the opportunity to raise the stakes of its competition from day one, a particularly timely move when rival Freightliner is readying itself to launch its Cascadia prime mover into the Australian market, joined by a new prime mover from Western Star.

If International decides to relaunch with the LT as its brand-new flagship, it will certainly cause a major ripple in the market segment that sees Australians buying North American conventionals.

So, with this re-entry scenario still playing out as these final negotiations are taking place, let’s dig deeper into the features and benefits of the International LT. As Bill Kozek, president of trucks and parts division at Navistar, explained to PowerTorque: 34 PowerTorque ISSUE 74

“The new International LT Series reflects our vision for the future of the trucking industry, with a host of advancements that support improved driver safety and productivity, as well as fuel efficiency and uptime.

“This new vehicle reflects our strong belief that integrating the best technology will provide customers with a significant operating advantage,” added Bill.

In keeping with the company’s “DriverFirst” product design focus, International undertook extensive research with truck drivers, including driver clinics that gathered input from hundreds of drivers. International used this research to design an all-new interior, and identified multiple new and improved features that enhance driver appeal.

“To ensure the new LT Series is the most driver-centric Class 8 vehicle we’ve ever built, we gave drivers a voice in its design,” said Jeff Sass, senior vice-president of sales and marketing at Navistar.

“Many of our customers tell us that their number-one challenge is attracting and retaining drivers, which is why we put so much effort into understanding and responding to drivers’ needs. These improvements also contribute to increased driver ease of use that will boost the vehicle’s productivity,” added Jeff.

Based on a careful review of more than 500 points where the driver and truck interact, the highly ergonomic interior of the LT Series includes better elbow room, hip room and leg room.

The redesigned interior features a new premium gauge cluster with a digital driver display that places everything within comfortable reach, while offering drivers realtime monitoring of fuel economy and other important alerts in clear sight. The new display also offers up to 15 customisable digital gauges. In addition, the air horn was relocated back to its traditional, intuitive position over the driver door in response to overwhelming driver feedback.

INTERNATIONALLY YOURS

,,

The new International LT Series reflects our vision for the future of the trucking industry, with a host of advancements that support improved driver safety and productivity, as well as fuel efficiency and uptime

,,

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35

The same aerodynamic improvements that boosted

improved reliability, serviceability and productivity,”

the LT Series’ fuel efficiency also yielded a four-sone

he added.

(40 percent) decrease in wind noise, which eliminates noise harshness for improved driver comfort.

Many of the truck’s new features were designed to improve reliability and serviceability, as well as

Multiple improvements are designed for improved safety,

functionality. For example, the new single-canister

including standard LED headlamps to improve night

aftertreatment system is not just 60 percent smaller

vision, a column-mounted gearshift that allows drivers to

and 40 percent lighter, but is also simplified for

keep their eyes on the road, and a redesigned one-piece

quicker servicing.

side window that affords the driver a clearer line of sight.

In addition, the Bendix Wingman Advanced Collision Mitigation system comes standard in the LT Series.

The LT Series was designed with the goal of best-in-class uptime, meaning keeping the truck on the road and facilitating quick service when the need arises. International carefully reviewed reliability data and other data collected from OnCommand Connection, the company’s leading-edge remote diagnostics system, and made multiple enhancements to support increased reliability and serviceability.

“We pored over reliability data to evaluate nearly every single system on our on-highway platform, in order to look for ways to get better,” said Denny Mooney, senior vice president of global product development for Navistar.

The new LED headlamps and fog lamps not only deliver brighter light and intensity, but also have tough new polycarbonate headlight lenses that protect them against breakage.

The cab wiring includes all-new harnessing and an in-cab power distribution module that is inside the truck, away from the elements. All key service points under the hood, inside the cab and around the vehicle are ergonomically designed for easy access and servicing, and many components have been engineered with longer intervals between required maintenance.

The LT Series features dramatically improved aerodynamics with a 7.0 percent gain in fuel economy when compared to the company’s most recent fuel economy leader, a 2017 ProStar with the Cummins ISX15

“In some cases, we completely redesigned the entire

engine. Aerodynamic improvements alone contributed

system to reach our goals. We are proud of the

to 3.0 percent of the fuel economy gain, thanks to an

integrated, data-driven approach we used to assure

aero-contoured hood, wheel opening, and chassis skirts

36 PowerTorque ISSUE 74

INTERNATIONALLY YOURS

,,

In some cases, we completely redesigned the entire system to reach our goals. We are proud of the integrated, data-driven approach we used to assure improved reliability, serviceability and productivity

,,

and an aero-enhanced three-piece front bumper, while

The LT Series will be offered in multiple configurations

longer side extenders shorten the trailer gap.

for the North American market, including day cab,

Aerodynamics in the LT Series were fine-tuned using multiple advanced testing methods, including computational fluid dynamics, one-eighth scale and full-size wind tunnel and coast-down testing, to assure that the vehicle would perform well facing winds not just head-on, but also at an angle. In fact, the higher the yaw angle of the wind, the better the LT Series performs against the competition.

For the North American market, the Bendix Wingman Advanced Collision Mitigation system comes standard with every model in the series. This feature is also available with the optional Bendix Wingman Fusion and Meritor WABCO OnGuardACTIVE systems, and it poses the question as to why this suite of safety advances has not yet been released into the Australian market by other North American manufacturers?

International’s own predictive cruise control looks ahead of the vehicle and recognises the terrain and continuously calculates the most efficient speed and gear for optimal fuel economy in real time. Unlike conventional predictive cruise technology, International predictive cruise control uses preinstalled GPS maps and the latest commercial route data to make adjustments to

56” low-roof sleeper, 56” hi-rise sleeper, 73” hi-rise sleeper and 73” sky-rise sleeper.

The LT Series is being launched into the North American market with the new 2017 Cummins X15 engine, rated at 500 hp in the efficiency series and up to 565 hp in the performance series. It is also being launched with the new 2017 Navistar N13 engine, which will be available in the spring and has an advanced fuel-efficient 1 -litre design that produces up to

5 hp

and 1750 lb-ft of torque from a design that is 250-275 kg lighter than traditional big-bore engines.

Whichever model International chooses to launch into the Australian market, whether it be ProStar or LT, it will not be with either the Cummins X15 or Navistar N13 in their North American format, as the emissions levels and engine management programmes are way different from those suited to Australian gross weights, operating speeds and ambient temperatures.

For the Australian market, expect the Cummins ISXe5 as the major driveline option, with Cummins having already signed off on the engineering installation for our market.

cruising speed without the need to pre-drive the route.

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PROFILE

he need for water supplies at locations without a reliable source forms the basis for The Watercart Specialists operations in this niche market. ounded upon simple principles of good customer service and reliable equipment, general manager, Bill Bastian, is growing his business established by his father ary in 990, with the help of good business practices, optimal equipment choices and a network of reliable contractors to keep the 2 flowing. y father, ary, was operating a Bobcat and excavator operation as an owner operator and ended up needing a couple of water carts for a contract they had won. These were built up from bits and pieces and fabricated here at our property in Berkshire Park, said Bill. pon completion of those contracts, ary was then operating the excavating operation as well as the water carts he now had available. e continued operating in this way adding extra water trucks of no particular brand or standard for a few years until ary s wife fell ill. This meant that operating the excavation business as well as the expanding water cart side of things became a bit too much, so they just focused on the water carts.

38 PowerTorque ISSUE 74

n 2008, ary purchased three new trucks from Daimler Trucks, untingwood.

After comparing different models he settled upon itsubishi for the price and for having the basic and rugged design and reliability, which suited the business needs perfectly. Little did they know at the time, but these purchases were to form the template for the more standardised design of their fleet in the future. nfortunately, in 2009, ary was diagnosed with leukaemia and the family was faced with a critical decision to make ption A try to sell the business as a going concern, or sell all the equipment and the property. ption B Bill could take over the business with little to no experience.

So at the ripe old age of 9 years, Bill, who had been working as an electrician at the time, took over the running of the business that was operating six trucks the three new itsubishis and another three of varying pedigree and make-up.

At this time The Watercart Specialists were operating as an all wet hire business, hiring out trucks with operators to clients. Bill and ary who still plays an active role in the business set about moving the business in a new direction

H20 TO GO

to dry hire operations. Also during this time, the industry was changing and the civil construction industry was requiring a more standard type of equipment onsite, and uniform minimum site safety standards were being adopted. one were the days of ex-tippers fitted out with makeshift tanks and pumping arrangements rolling around the workplace.

We have, over time, built up our fleet to encompass all the latest safety and risk compliance to meet the demands of our clients, Bill explained. We strive to meet all the necessary standards likely to be encountered onsite, and should we lack a particular need for a customer we re happy to implement that to meet their needs. We have trucks with capacities from 000 to 000 litres up to 0,000 litres, and a couple of car licence units as well.

All our equipment is delivered to site with wheel nut indicators, fire extinguishers, radio, emergency stops, service history, safety tape and risk assessment. ur regular customers know that when they request a water truck onsite it will turn up ready to work, without any issues. ur work comes from a surprisingly diverse range of fields.

Whilst civil construction is a major contributor for dust

suppression and the like, we also do work for rail networks, landscaping projects, graffiti removalists, concrete cutters, road building and maintenance works. n occasions we even work with movie productions to simulate rain or wet roads. We even had a unit working on the set of The reat atsby, which was kinda cool, said Bill.

All the tanks are classed for potable water and the vehiclemounted pumps are purely for discharge of the truck s tank.

We have a particular unit suitable for self-filling from dams etc., so our main tanks are not contaminated in any way.

All of our ancillary equipment is fitted and maintained at our yard. To keep our trucks in tip-top condition any damages, such as bumpers, mirrors, hoses and fittings etc., are replaced when required without exception, he added.

The Watercart Specialists transport the majority of its equipment to site on its own tilt tray, which is their preferred arrangement as they can give operational instructions to operators onsite and advise on how to get the most out of the equipment or even assist in finding a hydrant. t s quite rare these days for a customer to have to come to us to pick up a truck, explained Bill.

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PROFILE

To facilitate this a ercedes-Ben Atego 2 tilt tray again from Daimler, untingwood was purchased about three years ago, to replace their tired, uncomfortable and slow previous unit.

The Atego really streamlined our delivery process, and does so in a good deal of comfort. We don t use any outside contractors to move our equipment, said Bill. Recent purchases of vehicles with the exception of the Atego have been exclusively itsubishi uso trucks from Daimler Trucks, untingwood.

We are really happy with the product and the back-up support we get. As a now 00 percent dry hire company we have learnt from experience, to spec our new purchases with automatic transmissions, as previously we have had issues with premature clutch burnout, which was not in any way due to faults with the vehicles. Even with the extra 000- 000 premium for an automatic model, this can be recouped by the saving of one clutch job. This is the way we are going now, and, with the exception of the three 2008 itsubishi trucks, which are still actively operating in our fleet, all our trucks are automatic.

All of the scheduled maintenance and repairs to The Watercart Specialists fleet except for minor damage repairs are carried out by Daimler Trucks at untingwood. t s easier for us to handle it this way instead of having our own mechanic onsite here. The support we get from Daimler is incredible, and they understand

40 PowerTorque ISSUE 74

that sometimes we can have an urgent situation with a customer who cannot risk air-blown dust blowing around onsite. Also their 0 a.m. to 0 0 p.m. operating hours really helps us get the most out of our day.

Bill is the first to admit that in those early days of taking over at 9 years old he made quite a few mistakes, and guess it s testament to the relationship that Bill s father ary built with his clients that they, for the most part, stood by Bill and The Watercart Specialists, even with his steep learning curve. Bill even admitted to undercharging a customer for a job by nearly 000, only to be made aware of the error when the customer rang up and brought it to his attention.

That company is still a regular customer to this day. Rest assured, we are completely on top of things now, said Bill. ary still gets involved in the business to a degree and is often out fixing something. e is still super capable and a real asset here, and will often ring me a couple of times a day to discuss new ideas on ways to move forward. e is very passionate about the business, concluded Bill.

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FEATURE

THE

The launch of the new Kenworth T610 coincides with a new evolution in engines from Cummins

X15 ratings span 450 to 600 hp and 1650 to 2050 lb-ft of torque

FA C T O R

Just when you might have thought the industry would go a little quiet prior to Christmas, some of the major truck and engine manufacturers have gone into warp mode launching new models and new drivetrains.

In the past month we’ve seen MAN with is new D38, Mercedes-Benz with its new Actros, ZF with its TraXon automated manual transmission and now it’s the turn of Kenworth with its new T610, forming the start of a move to a wide cab that will be progressively introduced across the model range over the next three to four years.

42 PowerTorque ISSUE 74

Cummins devotees warmly embraced the introduction of the ISXe5 when it replaced the EGR version of the ISX. With the ISXe5 having established its position as the biggest-selling engine in the Australia heavy-duty truck segment, Cummins is once again on the move, introducing the next evolution of the 15-litre ISXe5, which will be known as the X15 Euro 5.

The X15 will be offered by the orth merican manufacturers that currently install the ISXe5 as an evolutionary product for the Argosy and Coronado from Freightliner and as the alternative engine to Detroit in Western Star products.

THE X FACTOR

“The X15 uses the same hardware and emissions reduction technology – SCR – as the existing ISXe5, and incorporates all the product improvements since the ISXe5 release in 2012, including power cylinder, cylinder head and turbocharger upgrades,” says Andrew Penca, managing director of Cummins outh acific

Cummins Connected Diagnostics will also be available with the release of the X15 in 01 This telematics system automatically processes fault code data, sending instant notifications from Cummins to the vehicle fleet manager detailing the probable root cause and providing recommended actions

“The X15 features ADEPT technology – a suite of advanced electronic features capable of delivering fuel economy gains through improved powertrain integration

The expert advice – delivered by email, app or web portal enables the fleet manager to make an informed decision about continuing truck operation and when to schedule a service visit for the most convenient time, thus minimising downtime

“Another feature to be released with the X15 is Connected Diagnostics, a telematics solution that delivers instant and e pert diagnosis of engine faults to the customer D T dvanced Dynamic cient owertrain Technology – is for use with Eaton’s 18-speed automated ltra hift lus transmission and has been under field test in ustralia since early 01 It utilises load, speed and grade-sensing technology to initiate adjustments to engine power, torque and transmission gear selection to take advantage of vehicle momentum for better fuel economy lso included is the Cummins Intebrake, which provides engine braking of 600 hp at 100 rpm The first D T package includes two features: SmartCoast and martTor ue

“The X15 builds on the success of the ISXe5 of which more than 6000 have gone into service in Australia and New Zealand since 2013”.

SmartCoast operates when the vehicle is on a moderate downhill grade by disengaging the front box of the transmission and returning the engine to idle to reduce drag, maintain momentum, and ultimately improve fuel economy Once the engine commands the transmission to be put back in gear, the appropriate gear is engaged

SmartTorque uses torque management intelligence to help eliminate unnecessary downshifts and keep the engine operating in the most fuel e cient sweet spot Tor ue is varied across all gears depending on tor ue re uirement For Australian operating conditions, the torque varies up to 1850 lb-ft or 2050 lb-ft depending on the horsepower and peak tor ue rating of the engine Further features such as predictive cruise control will be added to D T in the future

Additional connected solutions to be added in the near future include Over the ir OT engine programming and customisation This will allow an engine to be reprogrammed or updated with the latest calibration without having to take the truck to a service bay “The X15 builds on the success of the ISXe5 of which more than 6000 have gone into service in Australia and New Zealand since 2013,” says Mike Fowler, director of on-highway business for Cummins outh acific “During this time, our 15-litre Euro 5 product has established class-leading reliability, fuel economy and performance Our product development is no longer driven by emissions, but is instead inspired by customer needs and application re uirements The X15 is a sign of what is to come from Cummins in terms of significant e ciency gains for our customers

“The X15 is a sign of what is to come from Cummins in terms of significant efficiency gains for our customers”.

The X15 will be offered with the same ratings as the ISXe5, from 450 to 600 hp with peak torque spanning 1650 to 050 lb ft

Mike Fowler, director of on-highway business, Cummins South Pacific.

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DRIVEN

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FOLLOWING THE THREE_POINTED STAR

FOLLOW THE THREE–POINTED STAR The debut of the new-generation Actros has resulted in highly favourable comments from operators. Dave Whyte continues to expand on our knowledge of how the latest models perform on Australian roads

Following on from our coverage of the evaluation, specification and release of the new ercedes en ctros models, it seems only right that we should get our hands on one and take it for a drive to see if all s hard work had paid off With most of the release vehicles being out with dealers for customer demonstration, or out working with various customers already, there was a chance we might have to wait until early 01 before we managed to make it happen s it turned out, there was a truck, an ctros 5 , that needed to travel from elbourne to the Daimler Trucks dealership in delaide, and so we took the chance to get behind the wheel for the trip s we have reported previously, the new ctros range comes to ustralia with uite a lot of miles on the clock aving been released in urope a few years ago, and with over one million kilometres of local testing under its belt, the ustralian release of the new ctros comes with the benefit of having all the early glitches sorted out and uite a bit of local input into the spec sheet ll of this bodes well for the ne t generation ercedes, and the response from local operators, so far, has been very positive s e pected, the launch of the new ctros came with plenty of big claims from around fuel economy and driver comfort, and the drive from elbourne to delaide seemed like a good chance to test out both The condition of the road between these two cities is fairly average to say the least, and has been for some time Throw in a few good hills like the climb up the entland ills and the ofty anges around ahndorf to provide a good test of pulling power, and you have a good route to test most of these claims dding two trailers and bringing the C up to 5 tonnes ust increases the degree of di culty, and keeps things honest The truck for this trip was an ctros 5 , which was powered by the 1 litre O 1 engine, delivering 5 0 hp 0 kW and 1 1 lb ft 00 m of tor ue This was matched to a 1 speed ower hift T with co oll, a smart function that neutralises the transmission when there is no engine load, dropping the engine to idle speed This lets the vehicle coast further, reducing fuel consumption and engine wear The standard diff ratio of 1 has the engine working at below 1 00 rpm at cruising speed, making the most of the low rpm tor ue band aving departed the Daimler Trucks dealership in omerton, north of elbourne, around 0 a m , it was straight into the tail end of the peak hour tra c on the Western ing oad While don t particularly en oy sitting in heavy tra c, the trip out to the allarat turnoff was uiet an eye opener, as engaged the adaptive cruise control and let the truck do all the hard work imply by setting the desired distance between the ctros and the vehicle in front, could sit back and pay attention to the tra c around me while the ctros took care of the acceleration and braking aving used this system before, had some idea what to e pect, but the surprise was ust how smooth the speed control was There was no sudden harsh braking or acceleration, and the progression through the gridlock was no slower than the other trucks around me The first big challenge in the way of hills came as we reached the bottom of the entland ills This is a long, continuous grade that dragged the ctros back into the real world, and had it working hard to maintain 0 km h in th gear y the top of the hills, the fuel figure on the trip computer had climbed to almost 0 l 100 km, but, with a bit of undulating ground and no big hills between there and hill, the figure had dropped to l 100 km by the half way mark of the ourney PowerTorque ISSUE 74

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DRIVEN The road between Nhill and the Victoria/South Australia border is anything but good, and this is where the ride and handling of the Actros really shone. While the driver’s seat is fitted with an ad ustable shock absorber, even over this rough bit of road I left it set to the hardest (least bounce) setting The cab suspension did a great ob of ironing out the bumps, with no harsh “thumping” or bottoming out. There was no escaping the fact that I was sitting above the steer a le, but the suspension did a great ob of compensating for the sub-standard road surface. The truck remained settled over this surface, with no wandering or drifting, and good feel through the steering wheel as to what was going on below.

Aside from the various towns to slow progress, the trip was fairly uneventful through to Murray Bridge, where the climb up and over the hills into Adelaide begins. There are some pretty good climbs in this section of the drive, and this is where felt the 5 suffered the most t its worst, the ctros dropped to 5 km h in th gear, and felt like the weight was too much for the 1 litres to handle But it soon pulled away, and showed its strength in the low torque band.

46 PowerTorque ISSUE 74

Eaton_P

FOLLOWING THE THREE_POINTED STAR The only thing left to test was the claim by MB that they had dramatically improved the engine braking with the new range of engines. What better place to do this than the drop down Mount Lofty into the suburbs of Adelaide? The 13-litre engine held the weight back easily in 6th gear, by using the top two stages of the engine brake to maintain between 1700 rpm and 1900 rpm and 30 to 35 km/h. The result was a trouble-free descent, with fresh brakes for the tra c lights at the bottom The trip down ortrush Road was mainly spent in EcoRoll, with the truck coasting along very quietly and using minimal fuel. On arrival at the egency ark Daimler Trucks dealership, my work diary had 9 h 30 min marked as drive time, which worked out at an average speed of 80 km/h over the 754 km trip. Over the same time, the Actros used 368 litres of fuel, returning an average of 2.05 km/l (48.8 l/100 km), not too bad for a 13-litre engine pulling 58 tonnes.

It would seem that all the work Mercedes Benz has done in determining the right specifications for the local market may have paid off While there were times when it felt like the 2653 wasn’t doing its thing, a look at the gauges and the figures at the end of the trip told a different story. I’m no stranger to towing B-doubles with a 13-litre engine, and, while most of that was at much lighter weights, the results were very similar with the Actros at 58-tonnes. While I might have preferred the bigger 16-litre, 630 hp engine under the cab for this trip, the 13-litre proved it is well and truly capable of the job. It also seems to have backed up a lot of the hype we have been hearing from Mercedes-Benz.

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SUPPORT

22/11/2016 12:40 pm

FEATURE

Shedding Warren Caves finds that Volvo provides the best solution for Narellan based Best Sheds All Australian boys need a shed, a place where he can go to keep busy or somewhere to clear his mind. Country singer John Williamson knew it, and it seems Best Sheds does too.

Dennis McFadden has been working in the shed game all his life, formerly as the owner of Fair Dinkum Sheds, which he subsequently sold. In 2000, Dennis founded the Best Sheds business at Narellan in NSW, and this is today managed by his two sons, Michael and Graham.

Sales and orders are handled at the Narellan site and all the manufacturing is carried out at the company’s Picton factory, which is where PowerTorque met up with Michael to see how Volvo Trucks and Sloanebuilt trailers are driving his success.

Best Sheds manufactures, supplies and distributes all manner of sheds in kit form direct to its customers from its Picton site, which was opened appro imately four years ago This facility employs around 0 staff in manufacturing and administration.

From coil rolls, the shed components are fabricated from a mix of BlueScope Steel and imported materials then loaded directly onto trucks for distribution to its customers’ sites.

Michael explained, “We have just taken delivery of our second FH 16 Volvo prime mover to cater for our e panding distribution re uirements The first is also a Volvo FH 16 and has been in service for a year or so.

“We are extremely pleased with the Volvo’s performance at this task.

They are comfortable, driver friendly and nimble enough as a cabover to access our sometimes di cult sites We can deliver to anywhere from a residential street to a 100-acre farm down the end of a narrow dirt road.

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SHEDDING INHIBITIONS

Inhibitions

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FEATURE “The Volvos handle the job well. We have had subcontractors in the past with bonneted trucks that just can’t match accessibility we get out from a cabover, paired up with mezzanine-deck Sloanebuilt trailers and rear-mounted forklifts (profiled in TrailerTorque PT 74).

Our years of experience have led us to what we believe is the perfect solution to our distribution needs.

“The mezzanine-deck trailers allow us to maximise loads and productivity by getting the most out of every load we do. This is an absolute necessity for us, as we are not a transport company as such. Our trucks need to cover their own costs including drivers’ wages to make it a viable option to transport our own products to customers.

“Both of the Volvo’s were purchased from South Central Trucks in Adelaide. After much shopping around we found them to have the best price for the heavier spec truck for which we were looking. Apart from an AdBlue issue that resulted in pump problems, and was possibly caused by a bad batch of product, the trucks have performed faultlessly.

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Efficiency

Cummins.com.au

facebook.com/cumminssouthpacific

FEATURE

BACK TO THE As the International brand prepares to return to the Australian market, PowerTorque looks at the paper trail that could lead to the demise of an icon in the form of CAT Trucks. ack in March 2010, PowerTorque reported on the return of Caterpillar to the highways of Australia.

The next coming, as it was being referred to by its devotees, related to a joint venture established between Cat and truck maker Navistar that was planned to assail the truck market on the world stage, gathering global market share and decimating its opposition.

We might pause for a moment to just evaluate the principle of launching a new brand of truck at a time when all global manufacturing was being reduced, world markets had contracted, factories had been closed or mothballed and engine manufacturers were predicting a continuing reduction in sales of up to 40 percent. The timing did not appear to be perfect.

That bullish marketing premise was fine and dandy if you liked good old Yankee marketing spin. But in the highly-competitive global truck market of that era, the remaining manufacturers that were actually producing trucks with engines that worked were not surprisingly quite vocal in their scepticism.

“We have empowered each of our employees to rethink the way trucks are designed, engineered, assembled, marketed and supported. The result? A people-centric company with a collaborative mindset, one that rewards resourcefulness and creativity. This inspirational approach allows us to be nimble and flexible in serving the needs of local markets worldwide. And it’s what will allow us to change an industry – to reinvent the world of trucking.”

Caterpillar had been very clear that when it withdrew from supplying its engines to the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of trucks it would no longer compete in the on-highway market against Detroit Diesel, Cummins, Volvo, Mack, Mercedes-Benz and Paccar. Whatever spin the company placed on the decision at the time, it all hinged on the inability of Caterpillar to manufacture an engine that would in future conform to all known exhaust emissions requirements.

For reasons that still remain rather fuzzy, in September 2009 Caterpillar had headed back into on-highway supply of its ACERT engine, forming a joint venture with Navistar and founded by a new marketing company called NC2 Global LLC, headed by Al Saltiel as president and based in Warrenville, Illinois.

Since 2004 Saltiel had held the position of vice president of marketing at Navistar, with a responsibility for all brand, product and pricing strategy. Prior to joining Navistar, he had held key senior marketing positions at Sony Electronics, Jaguar, and Ford’s Premier Automotive Group.

“NC2 Global is a unique enterprise that combines truck manufacturing and transportation expertise with worldwide distribution and stellar support.

Created by Navistar and Caterpillar, it’s an unprecedented merging of talent and capabilities that spans the globe, with the aim of creating and supporting International and Cat trucks for new applications and economies wherever in the world they might be,” said a spokesperson.

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The PR spin on the formation of the company continued with this superb piece of rhetoric:

Obviously this path to truck sales domination was predicated on the fact that all other truck makers might have left the market suffering from fright or the same hallucinogenic substances that appear to be plentiful in Illinois.

While Caterpillar and Navistar under the auspices of NC2 continued their chosen path to “reinvent the world of trucking”, perhaps we should define what they appeared to be describing.

By signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Caterpillar and Navistar passed the responsibility for global marketing of a new Caterpillar/Navistar on-highway truck, plus other Navistar and International products, to a NC2 Global centralised operation. All North American marketing activities would continue to be handled by Caterpillar and Navistar.

“We are pleased to be matching the formidable talents and technology leadership of two industry leaders to serve an expanding base of engine, truck and equipment customers worldwide,” said Jim Owens, Caterpillar chairman and chief executive officer.

“As the world leader in construction equipment and diesel engines, Caterpillar is now positioning itself for growth in the on-highway truck market. This is an important step for Caterpillar and we look forward to working with Navistar for the continued benefit of our customers.

BACK TO THE FUTURE

FUTURE “This relationship is a perfect example of Navistar’s strategy of growth through leveraging our own assets and those that others have built,” said Daniel C. Ustian, who at the time was Navistar chairman, president and CEO. “In partnership with Caterpillar we intend to extend our leading-edge product focus that we have in North America into the rest of the world.”

At the time of this announcement the intention was to develop an Australian distribution network using the existing chain of Caterpillar off highway dealerships supported by further independent dealerships where necessary. These outlets would handle sales, marketing and servicing of Caterpillar and International branded products under the control of the yet to be established ustralian head office of NC2 Global.

The plans were certainly bold, but they relied on the continuing devotion and support of previous customers that had been burnt quite severely when Cat walked away from on-highway engine supply, without as much as a thank you for their patronage.

By the time the CAT brand was launched into the Australian market at a customer and media shindig at Alice Springs, there were already cracks appearing in the corporate foundations. Rumours even circulated at the launch event that Cat had considered pulling out of the programme completely, leaving the dealership

group that had invested in gearing up to support the brand without any trucks to market.

Meanwhile, back home in the US, Daniel Ustian, chairman, president and CEO of Navistar, and Dee Kapur, who at the time was the president Navistar Truck Group, were themselves getting into hot water through their intent to prevent the ongoing engine development by Navistar of a range of low emissions engines using AdBlue/DEF that relied on selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology.

Not only did the Ustian and Kapur management team prevent development of SCR solutions for the engine range, it actively promoted contradiction and confusion over the use of AdBlue, at a time when this technology was being adopted by all of its competitors.

With the NC2 Global joint venture originally set at 50/50 between Navistar and CAT Inc., yet another surprise was in store, as in 2012 CAT Inc. reduced its financial stake, leaving Navistar holding the full investment.

By 2012 the whole engine scenario had changed, with the big Mid-America Truck Show highlighting how Cummins lost out when Navistar decided to concentrate on its MaxxForce engine range of 13 litres and 15 litres for the US market, but nonetheless

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FEATURE still supplied 40 percent of Navistar engine demand on a global supply base.

While the CAT Truck brand had to establish its own presence, its parent Navistar in the US was experiencing its own battles, not least being the non-compliance of its MaxxForce engines to the then current exhaust emissions legislation in the US. By 2013, in what had been a very rapid turnaround, Navistar had replaced its senior management team and completed an internal company audit designed to highlight and remove non profitable areas within the company. The previous CEO, Dan Ustian, retired, together with right-hand-man, Dee Kapur, president of the truck division, and industry legend Jim Hebe had moved from high profile rhetoric to a position of total insignificance, also leaving the company.

By necessity, the company had made the tough decisions to downsize by closing manufacturing plants to reduce surplus capacity requirements. The plant at Garland, Texas, originally the birthplace of the Marmon truck brand, was the home of CAT Truck manufacturing as well as providing a highly diversified range of products that included Navistar’s ProStar and the MRAP (Mine Resistance Ambush Protected) military vehicles.

Production of these products was to be relocated to other existing Navistar facilities including Escobedo in exico and pringfield in Ohio, the latter being the new home for CAT Trucks.

The new head of Navistar, Troy Clarke, as president and chief operating officer of Navistar, together with his new executive team, had to move quickly to restore confidence in the brand, changing its engine development strategy to include SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) technology and immediately reconnecting its link with Cummins Engines.

Within months of Clarke’s appointment, Cummins was back on the engine options list to supply Navistar with 15-litre engines as an alternative to the EGR technology of the MaxxForce 15-litre. International ProStar trucks fitted with Cummins engines with C based Cummins Emissions Solutions aftertreatment systems were already leaving the Navistar production line in Escobedo, Mexico.

Behind the scenes there were still many areas that needed improvement, not least the allegedly poor warranty support of its products out in the field. ut, as with treating a ma or wound, it’s best to block the leak from the main arteries before dealing with a blister, and creating a durable fix was going to take time.

According to Jack Allen, Navistar’s president of North American Truck and Parts, the release of the ProStar with axx orce and C offered fleets and drivers the efficient power of a big bore engine with lighter weight components to maximise payload.

PowerTorque caught up with Navistar’s Phil Christman, president of NC2, who confirmed that the company intended to have the full range of SCR engine technology available on all MaxxForce engines and out into the market before the end of 2013.

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Also up for discussion at this time was the future of C T Trucks in the ustralian market. On this sub ect Christman clearly reaffirmed that the C T brand would remain business as usual, as Navistar intended to ship the CT13 EGR engine and the C15 ACERT engine in its unchanged form until the change in Australian emissions legislation, which at that time was pending for 2017, although it now appears to be extended out to 2019/2020.

Amidst suggestions that it might be easier to rationalise global product and rebrand the CAT Truck as an nternational product, Christman was e ually firm.

The C T Truck brand will remain with that identification and distributed through the CAT dealer group.”

As the International brand prepares to re-enter Australia, it will in all probability sound the death knell of the Navistar-produced CAT Truck range.

The business case for the C T Truck brand was flawed almost from day one firstly, with Caterpillar having withdrawn from on-highway engine development, leaving the brand without a future proprietary driveline

BACK TO THE FUTURE

after ACERT, and, secondly, through the subsequent decision by Caterpillar to cease the financial involvement with Navistar that also damaged the brand s future.

The future certainly poses lots of potential for the revitalised Navistar operation headed by ex executive Troy Clarke.

On the 6th eptember this year, Navistar nternational Corporation announced that it had formed a wide ranging strategic alliance with olkswagen Truck us, which includes an e uity investment in Navistar by olkswagen Truck us and framework agreements for strategic technology and supply collaboration and a procurement oint venture.

The agreements expected to be entered into in connection with the alliance will enable Navistar to offer customers expanded access to leading edge products and services through collaboration on technology and the licensing and supply of olkswagen Truck us s products and components, while better optimising its product development spend.

The alliance will also strengthen Navistar s li uidity position. n addition, the procurement oint venture is expected to leverage the purchasing power of olkswagen Truck us s three ma or truck brands, cania, N and , in addition to Navistar s own nternational and C us brands, providing Navistar with enhanced global scale. ith ndreas enschler, chief executive officer of olkswagen Truck us, in agreement with Navistar s Troy Clarke, the erman company takes a . percent stake in Navistar for an investment of million, and in turn appoints two directors to the Navistar board.

This move also provides the erman company with an immediate presence in the North merican market, with the opportunity to spread its N and cania engine efficiencies into truck, marine and power generation applications. week may be a long time in politics, but the past seven years in truck manufacturing has also not been without its challenges.

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REAL TIME OPERATING ITS OWN TRANSPORT FLEET GIVES SCANIA VALUABLE INSIGHT OF REAL-TIME OPERATIONAL VALUES

order to satisfy supply chain requirements for its manufacturing facilities, Scania operates its own transport division to transfer components such as engines, axles and gearboxes between Sodertalje near Stockholm and Copenhagen, Denmark, a total distance of 630 km.

This transport operation of 37 trucks and 120 trailers enables the company to monitor the performance of its own different models, while at the same time there are always a couple of competitor trucks from different manufacturers purchased by Scania in the mix to form real-time comparisons.

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PowerTorque spoke with company driver, Andrea Pedersen, about the regular runs between Sweden and Denmark, which operate on a 24/7 basis with each rig covering 100,00 km per year. rivers hours are somewhat different to those of ustralia, with the freeway speed limited to 80 km/h and driving time being restricted to 4.5 hours before a 45-minute statutory meal break, followed by a further 4.5 hours driving time each day. One day a week the driving time can be increased by a further hour, but there is a re uirement for a full day off each week. rivers are staged at various points or do a changeover enabling them to return to their home base each night if they wish.

REAL TIME

The fleet originally used standard x prime movers and single semitrailers, but in the past year this configuration has changed to add a second tri axle trailer linked to the rear of the first semitrailer by a two axled dolly. The overall length for this application is . metres and the maximum weight is tonnes. nterestingly, the drivers are encouraged to drive in a form of platooning, using metre distances between up to five trucks on the freeway at km h and relying on adaptive cruise control to maintain exact vehicle separation.

The upshot of running in this extended form of platoon is a benefit on fuel economy. ependent on the position

of each vehicle in the group, the fuel savings at metre intervals vary from to percent. ven the lead vehicle benefits because of a reduction in rear drag off the trailer tail.

The rears of some of the trailers are fitted with a boat tail type of air deflector, and this is reportedly providing a fuel economy improvement of percent over the current five year trial. n this type of application, the fuel economy has improved from a target figure of . km litre in , down to almost . km litre today in these controlled operations. t should be noted that on the run in uestion the terrain is specifically flat.

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European manufacturers recently completed on-highway testing of autonomous trucks running in a platoon-style convoy. In that experiment, the proposed intervals for groups of three trucks and six trailers operating under WiFi and radar-controlled autonomous platooning is 0.5 seconds and 11 metres separation, with an automatic brake reaction time of 0.04 seconds on V-LAN links.

Despite all the recent publicity, the general belief is that autonomous trucks and WiFi-controlled platooning is probably at least 20 years away. As far as Australia is concerned, we also have to factor in that we already have multiple-trailer combinations hauled by one prime mover, making the idea of platooning more of a European-only solution.

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One point that does become apparent is that 80 km/h ma imum speed limits have an immense influence of fuel economy. The logarithmic definition that as you double the speed you quadruple the wind resistance tends to explain how it all comes together.

Statistical research completed on the real-time operation of the fleet shows that by running at 0 km h 10 km h over the official speed limit , the journey time would only be decreased by 1.0 percent, but the trade off in increased fuel consumption would be running at 10 percent. Higher repair and maintenance costs are also estimated to result from a 10 km/h speed increase, and the risk of accidents increases by as much as 40 percent.

FEATURE

the

introduction of the D38 engine in the latest MAN to land on our shores not only delivers the extra power that operators have been asking for in MAN trucks, it also brings with it a big commitment from Penske Commercial Vehicles on the service and support side.

At the recent Australian launch of the D38, Roger Penske himself was adamant that the MAN brand will get the support it deserves, emphasising his company’s dedication to the brand here in Australia.

“Three years ago, we made the decision to invest in Australia with Penske Commercial Vehicles, taking on the business that Trans acific ndustries had owned for a number of years. We had some very good people, and we had a customer base, but obviously the opportunities were many times greater than what we started with,” Mr. Penske said.

“I think the design of this vehicle, obviously, is important.

We’ve talked about the engine and we’ve talk about automated manuals. We don’t buy a truck in the US now without an automated manual transmission, for two reasons: one, from a driver perspective, and, two, for residual value. These are the things that we have to talk about, as we look at what we invest our money in.

It’s not just the day of the sale; it’s the operating costs, total cost of ownership, and it’s also, as you would expect, residual value at the end”.

While the feedback from the local trials of the D38 engine has been positive, Mr. Penske was open about the fact that it takes more than just a good engine to sell trucks.

“I think we have to be a better company here in Australia, from a service perspective in our service locations,” Mr. Penske said. “Certainly, as we look around the country, we see (the service network) being able to grow over the next 12 to 18 months, as we commit further.

Even though the market is down, we need more market share, and we’re continuing to invest”.

Mr. Penske went on to explain the importance of the relationship between MAN and Penske Commercial Vehicles, saying, “We expect it to be quite powerful”.

“With Volkswagen, the parent company of MAN, recently buying a large share of Navistar, the MAN brand could stand to benefit from the sharing of various technologies across the extended family. There’s no question that the move that the Volkswagen group has made into the US with Navistar is quite strategic when you think about the benefits. m sure the other O s are looking at the purchasing power and the engine technology”.

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THE POWER OF PENSKE Despite the highest concentration of different brands from all around the globe competing in the Australian market, the power and ability of the Penske marketing machine brings a new emphasis to the Aussie truck market – Dave Whyte reports With all the buzz around autonomous vehicles, Mr. Penske made the comment: “If that’s going to come into play, they have that benefit from an engineering perspective. rom ust the capital aspect, they (Volkswagen) made a 20 percent investment, and I think the stock went from four dollars to twenty in about three days, so someone in the market place said it’s a pretty good idea from an investment standpoint”.

Commenting on the competition in the market place, Mr. Penske said, “All the manufacturers are very, very competitive”. ith plenty of similarities between the products on offer from the various manufacturers, Mr. Penske said the sales race came down to two main factors fuel efficiency and product support. e were at io Tinto yesterday, and the first words out of their mouths were fuel economy”. He also pointed out that during the conversation service continued to rise to the top.

“From a standpoint of how we perform – not just on the day you sell the truck, but how you perform two years, three years, four years after you’ve had the vehicle – we have to get a lot better with our organisation,” Mr. Penske said.

Given the complexity of today’s trucks, there is a lot more training required to get up to speed with all the systems on a vehicle. Mr. Penske touched on this, saying, “You think of the days you opened the hood, there was a carburettor there, you adjusted the idle and whatnot, but today it s a totally different process.

We need to be sure that we’re capable of that, not just in one location in Brisbane, we’ve got to be that way across the country”.

This is where the conversation got even more interesting, with Mr. Penske turning his attention to the current dealer and service networks, most of which are franchises and not owned by Penske Commercial Vehicles.

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FEATURE e re going to ask more from our dealers,” he stated. e re going to ask a lot more from our dealers, to be able to perform, and where we don’t have the capability from those dealers, we’re going to invest ourselves. That’s going to make a big difference, because we need to have a network around the country that we can be sure of when we make a commitment to a customer,” he said.

“They (customers) really want to know hat s your service network? And what do I do when m on the side of the road ith some of the R and M (repair and maintenance) contracts and things that people have, there’s a lot of expectation, so we have to be sure that we can meet those with our organisation”. r. enske then went on to promote the benefits of another area of the business, Penske Truck Rentals, and the opportunity it provides to promote the MAN product.

“I think MAN has done a great job with this vehicle, and we need to demonstrate that. One thing you’ve noticed, well I hope you have, is the white vehicles with Penske ental on them around the country. e re starting to get some real traction with that business, and we see that as a tremendous way to not only demonstrate vehicles, but also as a commercial benefit to the company. e ve opened up our fifth location now, and we re leasing over 100 vehicles, and that’s from a dead stop here twelve months ago. So we think that’s going to continue to grow, and my goal would be to have a couple of hundred running by the end of . hat does that do for us It gives us real operating data, and we can support customers who might not need a vehicle today. It’s interesting, even last night, talking to some of our customers who didn’t realise that we had this rental capability. So we see ourselves as a full service location, and hopefully the leasing will become a bigger part of our business as we go forward,” he said.

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Roger Penske with Dick Johnson and members of the Penske racing team.

“Today, the cost of the vehicles, the technical expertise it takes to maintain these vehicles, continues to grow.

I think what we have to do is be the leader there, and be able to provide some cost per kilometre, on a daily basis or yearly basis – low cost, and that’s what we’re going to attempt to do.

“I think that the truck business (Penske Commercial Vehicles), the engine business (Detroit Diesel Australia Limited) and the leasing business (Penske Truck Rentals and easing fit right in our sweet spot. e re an international transportation company. e ve got over 50,000 employees, we’ll do 430,000 new and used cars this year, we represent commercial vehicles in the US and also here, so we’re in the area we want to be and we’re going to focus on that. So I think the Australian market – and certainly New Zealand has been nice to us also – will be a real challenge, but we can’t do it without good product.

“There’s no question, from my perspective, that this MAN product, from what I’ve seen, is good. And the back up and commitment is important, because there’s plenty of competition here. As you know, it takes both hands to count how many competitors we have. t s different to in the US, so it makes our guys get up in the morning a little earlier and try to get some business,” he concluded. ith this sort of support behind the product, coming from the man at the top, it would seem that MAN has a great partner in Penske Commercial Vehicles.

Hearing Roger Penske talk about the future of MAN in Australia, and the work that is happening to support the product, it is hard to see the brand doing anything but increasing its market share.

In the big scheme of things, this is a tiny part of the Penske empire, but, the fact that he was at the launch, and was so enthusiastic about the product, shows that he sees value in Penske Commercial Vehicles Australian operations. It seems almost ridiculous that a man with his name on 240,000 vehicles in rental and leasing operations in America would even bother with a market that sells less than one percent of that number in a whole year, with so many competitors fighting for their share. aving said that, with the knowledge and experience gained in achieving his success to date, if anyone can change the market it would be Roger Penske.

WINNERS ARE GRINNERS Subscribe to PowerTorque and you could win a Garmin Truck Navigator with built-in dash cam

If you’ve been using an outdated sat/nav system that hasn’t kept up with the latest changes in roads and street mapping, it’s highly likely you’ve experienced the unit getting totally confused, even to the point where it has your vehicle theoretically travelling through a paddock, when you know that you are still firmly planted on the bitumen.

PowerTorque recently bought a couple of the latest sat/nav units that are combined with a permanently recording dash cam. The screen that points into the cab shows the mapping system, while part of the back of the unit facing the road contains the dash cam.

We can fully appreciate the benefits of including a dash cam to safeguard yourself or your drivers from an insurance claim resulting from an accident where there’s a lack of independent witnesses. We know that the number of false claims is increasing across the world, as unscrupulous drivers attempt to create an accident in order to claim a large payout from an innocent driver that can’t refute the claim.

From our perspective, it is annoying to have both a sat/nav unit and dash cam cluttering up the available space on a windscreen, but, by combining both units within a single case, it’s obviously a better solution.

When it comes to durability and reliability the Garmin brand in our opinion is the market leader. We’ve trialled other units, many of which were built to a low cost and mainly manufactured in China, and they all failed to last the distance.

In discussing the performance of the latest combined Garmin units with the manufacturer (after we paid for ours), the company came up with the idea of providing a top-of-the-line, all-in-one, 6.0-inch Trucking Navigator with premium navigation features and a built-in dash cam to the reader selected at random for having subscribed to PowerTorque during December.

The Trucking Navigator unit has detailed maps of Australia and New Zealand, plus free lifetime map updates, customised truck routing for the size and weight of your truck, road warnings for bridge heights, weight limits, sharp curves, steep grades and more. You can easily swap trailer sizes with the touch of a button, and the onboard Trip Planner lets you create multiplestop routes and plan and save future trips.

With its built-in dash cam it will automatically record, capture and save footage in HD video of any collision, which can make all the difference when fault is being determined. Whether mounted on your windshield or dashboard, the adjustable swivel lens gives you the optimal view of the road. It also features a large, 6.0-inch glass screen with pinch to zoom.

Optional GPS overlay provides location, speed, date and time to precisely record when and where an incident occurred that can be downloaded onto your own computer to provide a complete record of the event.

Easy Route Shaping lets you add one or more points to the route you see onscreen and reconfigures the drive for you.

The unit also helps you find locations such as truck stops, weigh stations, parking and hotels and motels.

Another really handy benefit is that it provides a Bluetooth® compatible link hands-free to your smartphone, by linking your phone to its integral microphone and speaker. It also offers voice-activated navigation so you can keep your hands on the wheel.

With Garmin Traffic, your driving map remains onscreen at all times. Traffic alerts appear to the side of your map and messages are provided verbally to give details about the situation, how many minutes of delay to expect and if there are any possible detours. It can even confirm whether or not you are on the fastest route. The screen can also be linked to a reverse or blind spot camera.

All you have to do to be in the draw to win the Garmin Truck Navigator valued at $699 is subscribe to PowerTorque during December. Fill in the subscription form on page 67 and send in to PowerTorque Magazine PO Box 307 Mittagong NSW 2575 PowerTorque ISSUE 74

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POWE RSTAR H EADS TRAC KSI DE DAVE WHYTE JOINS THE MOTOLOGIC TEAM HONDA FOR A DAY AT THE RACES 64 PowerTorque ISSUE 74

POWERSTAR HEADS TRACKSIDE

IT’S

been a while since we’ve featured an Iveco Powerstar on these pages, and, having driven so many different trucks in the meantime, the offer to drive the Motologic Team onda acing transporter seemed like a good opportunity to get reac uainted with the only uro style bonneted truck on the ussie market.

Since the withdrawal of the bonneted Volvo and Scania models, the Powerstar stands alone in the on-highway market by offering both a uropean cab and a bonnet.

The irony is that the Powerstar is actually an Australian design, engineered and developed locally to replace the popular ine. The fact that veco will soon be one of only two manufacturers to offer both cabover and conventional trucks in the heavy duty market proves that the Powerstar is a viable product, and worth the investment, even if it s only produced for the local market.

In recent times, the number of Powerstars on the road has increased dramatically, most notably since the introduction of the metre double regulations. ith the cab set back from the steer axle, the owerstar benefits from improved ride and, with the engine out in front instead of underneath the cab, reduced engine noise in the cab. There is plenty of legroom for the driver, something not found on all 26-metre-compliant prime movers, and easy access using the steps mounted on the fuel tanks. The cab is also full width, offering a feeling of spaciousness and more room to move around inside. owered by the . Cursor engine, the owerstar is available in two power ratings, 450 hp/2200 Nm or 500

hp/2300 Nm, and with a choice of 12-speed or 16-speed uroTronic T, or speed aton manual transmissions.

The Motologic Team Honda Powerstar is powered by the hp Nm Cursor matched with the speed uroTronic T transmission. Team owner, aul ree, is full of praise for the Powerstar, saying, “We’ve had a few different trucks over the years, including reightliners and estern tars, but this is the best truck we ve had yet.

The engine and transmission combination is ust brilliant”. nd aul should know, as he spends a lot of time behind the wheel of the Powerstar driving to and from Australian uperbike Championship rounds and sponsorship events.

Presentation is also important, as the unit acts as a mobile billboard for the team and its sponsors, and Paul says, like things to look right, and this truck and trailer combination certainly looks good”.

The custom trailer, built in , is a very neat unit. Not only does it carry the team s motorbikes, but it also acts as a mobile workshop, bathroom and loungeroom.

The bikes and associated e uipment are all carried down low, meaning easy access for loading and unloading, while the top deck features a living area with kitchen, a change room with shower and a workshop area at the rear.

The workshop is used for working on components, such as changing suspension setups, and is spotlessly clean.

The trailer is fitted with two water tanks and a hot water service, allowing the riders to have a hot shower after each race and providing the kitchen area with hot and cold running water. lso mounted in the trailer is a litre fuel tank, used to carry fuel for the bikes. oof mounted solar panels and an inbuilt battery system keep the whole unit

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powered, making it self sufficient for days at a time. volt connection also allows it to run on mains power, or can be used to recharge the batteries after a weekend at the track. ll up, including the bikes and gear, the combination weighs in at around tonnes. This makes life pretty easy on the owerstar, with ample power and ust enough weight to iron out the bumps. s mentioned, team owner aul is the usual driver, but on this occasion he handed me the keys for the drive from inton, in northern ictoria, back to their base in Campbellfield. t was a pretty miserable morning that greeted us at the track, but even still, the transporter was shining. There was no chance it would look so good at the other end, with heavy rain forecast for the morning of the drive promising to apply a coat of anti shine en route. hen you drive a race transporter, as have learned in the past, the experience is very different to normal trucking. irstly, you are piloting a mobile billboard, and representing not only the team but also all of their sponsors. This adds a little pressure on the driver, but it also has it positives.

The reactions from passers by and the courtesy shown by other drivers are uite extraordinary, and make it even more pleasurable to be behind the wheel. The waving and tooting from passing traffic is coming for all the right reasons, not something often experienced out on the highway.

The vision from the driver s seat of the veco is fantastic, as was evident while negotiating my way out of the circuit.

Those first ten minutes behind the wheel, usually spent

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getting accustomed to the truck, showed ust how easy the owerstar is to drive. verything was within easy reach, and easy to find, making life a lot less stressful at a time when you really don t want to do anything embarrassing. aving waved to the enthusiastic few left at the track, it was time to hit the highway. ith plenty of power on tap for the amount of weight behind, the owerstar found top gear in no time, and from there it only dropped out of th once before hitting the suburbs of elbourne. n the traffic, it moved off in rd gear, skip shifting every second gear to th before using each of the three top gears. This made for smooth acceleration from the traffic lights all sets of them or so it seemed . t really did the ob so easily, with no fuss and very little noise inside the cab. aul says he ll probably keep this truck for a long time, and it s easy to see why. t might seem that a truck of this si e is overkill for the task, but in many ways it s the perfect candidate for the ob. ithout being ridiculously overpowered, it has enough power to please aul, someone who is e ually as comfortable on a km h motorbike. hile it only travels around , km a year, it does it efficiently averaging . km l on this drive and comfortably, meaning he gets to the other end feeling fresh. mportantly, it also looks the part, and does a great ob representing the team and its sponsors, not only to those at the track but to all who see it on the road heading to or from race meets. ake no mistake, when you re carrying the reigning ustralian uperbike Champion, Troy erfoss , ride around the country, plenty of people take notice as you roll by

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The Trucking Navigator unit has detailed maps of Australia and New Zealand, plus free lifetime map updates, customised truck routing for the size and weight of your truck, road warnings for bridge heights, weight limits, sharp curves, steep grades and more. You can easily swap trailer sizes with the touch of a button and the onboard Trip Planner lets you create multiple-stop routes and plan and save future trips.

With its built-in dash cam it will automatically record, capture and save footage in HD video of any collision or incident, which can make all the difference when fault is being determined. Whether mounted on your windshield or dashboard, the adjustable swivel lens gives you the optimal view of the road.

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PROFILE

REACH FORy There’s much more to the crane truck market than just being able to self load or unload – words by Dave Whyte

IN

a world where convenience is the flavour of the day, it s no surprise that the crane truck industry has gone through a boom recently. hile a mobile forklift can get things up the driveway or onto the nature strip, truck mounted cranes have the ability to get to those hard to reach places, like the roof or the back yard. ith the boom in the building trade, the demand for crane trucks has also increased, with roof trusses, reinforcing steel and mesh, and even swimming pools on the list of items needing to be delivered into hard to access sites. One company that specialises in this type of work is risbane based ll bout Crane Trucks CCT .

The construction industry has a massive bearing on what we do,” says avid idd, transport manager for ll bout Crane Trucks. e cart the steel for the concrete, we cart the pipes for the drains and sewerage, we cart the house frames and trusses, and we cart the pools”.

k S e th

t also makes him a good relief driver, as was the case when caught up with arryl and avid in risbane. arryl plans to remain involved with the business, but will wind back a bit” and focus his attention on the fleet maintenance side of things. arryl s wife ayle also works in the business, and takes care of operations and office administration. avid sang her praises, saying, he s ama ing doing the operations, co ordinating and facilitating where the trucks are and what they do”.

arryl ark started the company in , and has only recently handed the reins over the younger generation, with long time employee, eil Chadwick, taking on the manager director s role. eil started with the company as an off sider, and has worked his way to the top ob over many years, giving him an excellent insight into how the business operates.

ith a fleet of prime movers and two rigids including one that is purpose built to carry swimming pools this would be no easy task

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The CT fleet is a mixed bunch, with apanese, merican and uropean brands represented, each brought into the fleet based on their suitability for the intended ob. Not all of the trucks in the fleet are e uipped with cranes, with many doing contract delivery work around risbane and surrounds, to sites where a crane is not re uired.

REACH FOR THE SKY

The IVECO Stralis at 460hp makes an ideal base for a chassis mounted crane.

All regular servicing is carried out at the AACT depot according to the manufacturers guidelines, and using genuine parts and lubricants.

Aside from a couple of “teething problems”, Darryl says the Ivecos have been “good little trucks”.

“The European trucks are very comfortable, and more car like,” he said. “They are a lot better than what they were, especially around town, and that’s why we’re buying a few now. think for the line haul work, if you re not off the beaten track, they’re also good. The only real demerit on the uropean stuff is the price of the parts”.

AACT also has a couple of road trains servicing customers further afield in Western Queensland. ust over a year ago, CT purchased five new vecos – four single-drive prime movers and one bogie-drive rigid – through Brisbane Iveco. The Ivecos were selected and specified for crane truck roles, and, as avid said, “They were purpose built for the size of crane they have, and the type of work they do”.

Darryl says he is happy with the performance of the Ivecos so far, saying, “They’ve been pretty reliable so far. Service intervals were a really big seller for us.

Because we do a lot of crane work (stationary time running PTO hydraulics), they’ve cut them back from 100,000 km to 75,000 km service intervals, so we keep to that”.

hile the trucks are a mixed bunch, it s a different story when it comes to trailers. When asked about the choice of trailers, Darryl was quick to reply, “Krueger has always looked after us, and we ve ust bought another five”.

David pointed out that the company now has 13 Krueger trailers, which all run K-Hitch axles and airbag suspension.

“We’re very happy with them, they’re a good product,” he said.

“They haven’t been that price competitive in the past, but the last deal we did with them was quite competitive, even against the Chinese import trailers. It was good that we could stay with Krueger, and they could come to the party”.

Crane selection is also a one brand affair, with iab being the crane of choice, based on the service and back up they provide for the product. “All the ones we are buying now are Hiabs. We’re very happy with them, and they look after us,” Darryl said. “They’re only too helpful. If we have a problem, we get them on the phone and it’s ‘What can we do to help?’”.

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PROFILE

AACT recently purchased five new Ivecos – four single-drive prime movers and one bogiedrive rigid – through Brisbane Iveco. The Ivecos were selected and specified for crane truck roles, being purpose built for the size of crane they have, and the type of work they do.

In the transport industry, and even more so in the construction industry, compliance and safety is becoming the key to getting, and retaining, good work. Given that AACT operate in both industries, it’s doubly important to the future of their business.

Along with the new equipment purchases over the last twelve months, the company is also going through the process of updating and improving on its Health Safety and Environment commitment, to keep itself ahead of the competition.

“We’re spending a huge amount of money on compliance at the moment, so that we can work for these big companies directly. That’s really where we have to be,” David said.

“While we can’t see a real return on our investment, it’s more for the fact that we need it to keep our drivers safe, we need it to protect our business, and we need it to gain more work”.

Darryl continued, saying, “That’s the way of the world these days, you keep up with or you get left behind”.

Having spent many years building up a business, it’s refreshing to see an operator who is not stuck in his ways, and is instead looking to new equipment, new procedures and new people to continue the growth of the company.

With the right equipment, a customer-focused attitude and the next generation ready to take the wheel, AACT is proof that a family-based company can remain competitive in the world of transport. And with Queensland in the midst of a construction boom, they stand well placed to prove themselves, and capitalise on the relationships and experience gained over the last 34 years.

While it would be easy to rest on their laurels, and continue doing the same old thing, AACT are making the effort to not only be competitive but to keep ahead of the pack.

As Darryl said, “We like to provide a level of service over and above the expectations of the customer”.

Service over and above, now there’s a good slogan for a crane truck company!

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FEATURE

Scania’s biannual search for Australia’s best driver reinforces the value of the skills required by today’s truck operators – Report by Dave Whyte Driving trucks can be a thankless job at times, with long hours, time away from home and the constant time pressures applied to drivers being repaid with very little positive feedback or gratitude.

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This, I believe, is part of the reason that Aussie truckies are a breed of their own, and that most do the job not only for the money, but because they love the job. Why else would someone work so hard just to bear the brunt of enforcement and negative media? There are a few occasions though that give back to the drivers, and reward them for their ability and attitude behind the wheel. The Scania Driver Competition is one of those events that aim to demonstrate and reward the skills of truck drivers, and show these drivers the respect they deserve.

THE RIGHT STUFF

The Scania Driver Competition has been running in ustralia, on and off, since 00 , and is intended to not only find the best operator in the country, but also to highlight the challenges of life behind the wheel. By way of hosting a competition, Scania aims to increase the positive perception of the industry, and promote those who keep this country moving by showing off the high calibre of people who work within the road transport industry. These competitions are held in various countries around the world, and are open to drivers of any make of truck doing any truck-related transport task.

In the past, the local competition has been known as the Young Australian Truck Driver Competition, but this time around that was changed slightly, to better reflect the demographic of the Australian truckie. The age limit was removed this year, allowing older operators the chance to show off their skills and knowledge of the industry n saying that, many of the finalists in this year s competition were on the younger side of the demographic, and showed that they had what it takes to be a good operator.

With all the finalists gathered in elbourne the day before the event, the pre-competition dinner was a good chance for the competitors, udges and o cials to gather and meet face to face. There were plenty of stories shared over the course of dinner, with competitors from all over the country sharing tales and experiences within the industry ale and female, young and older, local and interstate, and operating rigids through to road trains, the finalists represented a great cross section of our industry The conversation and laughs flowed freely but, as you would expect, it was an early night as the competitors were keen to be on their game the following day.

“This competition is run world-wide, in some 40 countries, every two years,” he said. “We opened the competition in April, and over the course of the last six months we’ve had hundreds of entrants who participated in an online questionnaire. We shortlisted those to 25 who were contacted by phone and again asked a series of questions to test their knowledge of the industry and also some more theory questions. As a result of that, the best 1 have been selected to compete in the final today The national final consisted of four main elements These included a theory questionnaire, which included 30 multiple-choice questions relating to road laws, working hours and vehicle operation The finalists were also subjected to a 25-minute on-road drive, where they were udged on e ciency, use of mirrors and controls, safe driving skills, vehicle placement and attitude towards other road users.

The component that created the most conversation was the manoeuvring exercise, which included nine tasks, all related to handling the vehicle in tight and di cult situations. Also included in this component was a B-double reversing manoeuvre, the first double related test in any Scania Driver Competition anywhere around the world.

The final component of the programme was a media interview, where competitors were asked a series of questions about the industry as a whole, including their opinions on industry issues and ways to solve them. With the camera rolling during the interview, the finalists would be judged not only on their answers, but also on the way they were delivered.

On the morning of the final, Scania brand and communications manager for Australia, Ron Szulc, congratulated the finalists, and outlined the events of the day.

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Following a brief run-through of the challenges of the day, the finalists were taken on a walk around the course, with each obstacle explained in depth to eliminate any confusion With all the safety aspects covered off, it was time for the finalists to get down to work, and pit their skills against the various challenges, and their competitors.

For many of the competitors, this would be their first time behind the wheel of a Scania, while for others the challenge came in having a trailer on the back aving watched many of the finalists go through the manoeuvring e ercise, it was hard to pick the ones who had little experience with either of these, as the results were very good across the board aving a group of spectators and judges watch your every move certainly adds that extra element of di culty, though the ma ority of competitors took it in their stride

“The switch to the Scania was one of the biggest things to come to grips with, lenn said felt got one of the first tests wrong, so had to stop and take stock, then focus on every element of the manoeuvring had to give everything 110%”.

Glenn plans to use his title to help boost the image of the industry, saying that, “The general public’s perception of the industry is they see big lumps of metal going down the road. They don’t see that the ‘someone’ behind that lump of metal is a real live person who deals with real life situations and has a life outside of trucks “We need more education, and a massive revamp in the transport industry, to bring a better level of understanding, and then be able to attract a better level of driver to the industry,” he added.

The level of competition was very high, with each finalist having their sights firmly on the title n the end, though, there could only be one winner, and this year’s winner would be no stranger to many of you.

ased on the twelve drivers present at the final, the industry has already gone some way to changing the singlet and thongs image, and is already attracting good quality operators.

lenn endall, from endall Trucking Co, has featured on the pages of T in the past, and is well known for his work on the popular T series, Outback Truckers e can now add the Scania Driver of the Year 2016 to his list of achievements lenn, also known as ogi, is an owner operator based in WA, and is usually behind the wheel of Kenworth T900 carrying general and oversized freight anywhere around the country While this was his first time behind the wheel of a Scania, his years of experience behind the wheel, and in front of the camera, paid off

Congratulations, lenn, on a well deserved win our passion for this industry is unquestionable, and the more we have like you to represent the grass roots of road transport, the better for us all Oh, and welcome to the club

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(Dave Whyte was the winner of the inaugural Scania Young Truck Driver of the Year event in 2007 and is now road test editor of PowerTorque Magazine – Ed.)

road, with some alsowater. offering themay useAuto of showers andthat spare were still justof treading (You also remember we Australian distributor Command Group, says Australian with every issue. examples simple, decent humanity at work – the fallout from The Trade Payments Analysis, which examines the millions and piping characteristics.

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Sadly, the longtwo powerful Pentium computers Europe. & idea Bradstreet’s latest National Business Expectations Survey minions, new wives, theoff, sexy car and yacht, fewindustry held thattrophy hard work pays doesn’t apply to our shows a gloomy outlook for jobs growth this year. succeed if they possess a modicum of integrity. any more.

Dave Whyte Dave Whyte

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FEATURE

I

n the world of corporate takeovers and stocks and shares, company policy is often dictated by senior executives looking to maintain high salaries and bonuses for themselves, plus increasing dividends to shareholders. All too often, as the business over extends itself to satisfy these demands, it’s the employees who suffer as the business spirals out of profitability.

A recent visit to the UK provided the opportunity to join with the management team of the John Lewis Partnership, where none of the above is the normal way of operation. The John Lewis Partnership is an employee-owned UK company that operates John Lewis department stores, Waitrose Supermarkets, its own banking and financial services, and other related activities.

The two major brands of John Lewis and Waitrose are best described as household names amongst the British, but it’s the structure of these businesses that makes them particularly interesting, as each employee is effectively a partner

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All for ohn ewis opened the doors of its first store in O ford treet in 1864. Waitrose was founded in 1908 and was bought out by John Lewis in 1937. Today, under the banner of the John Lewis Partnership, it is the third largest privately owned company in the UK and turns over annually some $17.5 billion (AUD).

Every employee is a partner in the business operated as a trust, and all 88,900 employees are accountable. They also all receive a share of the profits and benefits of working for the partnership, including annual bonuses on the returns from the 47 John Lewis shops and 350 Waitrose Supermarkets.

PowerTorque caught up with Justin Laney, the general manager of central transport, and Simon Gray, the vehicle-engineering manager of the ohn ewis artnership transport fleet, to discuss the attitude of the company towards operating a greener fleet by reducing the CO content of the e haust emissions The company fleet totals pieces of e uipment and includes 1000 semitrailers, 530 prime movers, 70 18-tonne rigids, an additional 45 customer delivery vehicles, and 830 home delivery vehicles.

The section of the fleet covering home deliveries is currently under e pansion due to increased demand for the personal service and is e pected to peak this year at 1000 vehicles, mainly in the under 3.5-tonne category.

The main transport hub for John Lewis and Waitrose stores is at Milton Keynes, 75 km northwest of London, which provides an ideal logistical centre for distribution re uirements on a daily basis The intention of the dispatch department is that vehicles return back to base wherever possible each night.

ALL FOR THE FAMILY

the family “We keep our vehicles for an average of seven years and amortise our whole of life costs over that period down to zero,” said Justin Laney.

“Average annual distance per prime mover is 170,000 km, and we run our trucks to the end of what we consider to be their useful life. It’s all down to being a big producer of CO2, and companies are now attempting to reduce the CO2 emissions levels through transport.

“Our company culture is to always do the right thing.

Our customers, and our partners, expect us to do that and they hold us to account for it. Conversely, we operate in a very competitive environment, so we can’t simply layer cost on top of our business.

“Reducing our transport carbon emissions is a good case in point. Ultimately, reducing emissions is all about being more e cient y reducing the amount of fuel we burn, we not only reduce emissions but we also save cost. We just go for those savings in a more hungry and innovative manner because of the double benefit in both carbon and money. That means we have to be very smart in what we do.

“Once you’ve adopted all the best practice out there, you need to invent new best practice. That means engaging with the best academics and directing research into key areas, such as aerodynamics and alternative fuels.

Often, it also means lobbying politicians and other policy makers to create the right framework for new technology.

That can be anything from funding for seed projects to help kick-start new technology, or fuel duty regimes for low carbon fuels, or increased city access for very clean and quiet vehicles,” said Justin.

With the average truck burning 50,000 litres of diesel per year, the quest for a greener emissions target has resulted in the John Lewis Partnership looking at the potential advantages of shifting its fuel preference from diesel to gas, either with CNG or LNG. “Next year we plan to extend our trail down to include the 1 tonne rigids When you look at our fleet, 15 percent of the fleet burns 0 percent of the diesel We are therefore concentrating on the vehicles travelling the furthest and using the most fuel,” said Justin.

“The UK has probably pushed the change to gas engines more seriously since the late 80s, because of the higher price of diesel fuel in the UK. If you look at it long term, methane produces less carbon emissions than diesel and it is becoming more easily available,” said Simon Gray.

“We buy trucks with our own money and can specify the trucks that we want for our whole of life costs. We are less concerned with residual values on our trucks, it’s all about whole of life costs.

“Although the UK is requiring Euro 6 emissions levels on new vehicles, CNG is in its infancy with a pricing disparity that ranges from $0.96 c/kg to $1.60 c/kg (AUD).

There are no specific government incentives to use low carbon fuels, though excise duty is lower on CNG than it is for diesel. That is balanced by the much higher capital cost of the truck, and the current high-cost/low-volume nature of gas filling stations in an emerging market, which drives up the cost of the gas.

“We have probably some of the most expensive diesel in the world with 75c/litre (AUD) paid in fuel excise duty out of a typical average price at the bowser of $1.86 per litre (AUD). There are imperatives for companies such as ours to have green credentials, but it also has to be addressed in the business case,” said Justin Laney.

The inner city of London operates a ban on the entry of vehicles that do not comply with minimum emissions standard of Euro 5, and by 2020 that restriction will shift to the higher standards of Euro 6.

This exercise within the company has now determined that CNG is the preferable path, partly because of its sustainability of it being domestically produced rather than drilled, and partly because refuelling with CNG does not require protective gloves etc. for the driver to protect against the colder temperatures of a frozen fuel such as LNG.

Such decisions by government are driving companies to consider alternative fuels such as CNG or LNG, and this has resulted in operators such as the John Lewis Partnership to lobby government for access of these vehicles due to their lower emissions. Electrically powered vehicles do not pay the annual road tax, and the focus of the lobbying activity is to create awareness of the different benefits of gas engines versus those of diesel

“LNG will still have a place, for example where there is a space constraint on the chassis such as in a 6x2 tractor, but where there is a choice then CNG is preferable,” said Justin.

“The fuel duty payable for CNG or LNG per kW/hr is currently half that of diesel and is fi ed at that level until 2014,” said Justin Laney.

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FEATURE “We would expect it to increase relative to diesel after that, but for that increase to be balanced by the capital cost of gas trucks being closer to the cost of diesel trucks, and the economics of gas filling stations improving “Currently, around 30 percent of the cost of the gas is the amortised cost of building the filling station and running it n a market where filling station utilisation is much higher, you would e pect that proportion to fall “Overall then, you would hope government would be monitoring both those factors and moderate the rate of increase We have modelled various scenarios so we understand the risk and have factored it into our plans,” said ustin The infrastructure for CNG refuelling is currently limited to 20 outlets in the UK, with a further 20 CNG refuelling stations in the process of being built or planned imilarly, the only manufacturer currently offering a C compatible truck in the market is cania f gas starts to take off, no doubt the government will start to rack up gas duty ore filling stations and more competition will drive the cost down f you are generating bio methane then you are not importing oil There are a lot of economic arguments to promote it, said ustin aney We currently have two C canias operating on C in our fleet, with ten more on order this year and a further 0C fuelled trucks ne t year “The Alpha trial concerns monitoring one or two vehicles, then follows a Beta trial with ten vehicles before moving on further Currently 0 percent of our vehicle fleet is uro 5, with 0 percent already at uro “We have trialled dual-fuelled drivelines in the past but we believe dedicated gas is the way forward “Dual-fuelled trucks always burn some diesel, but as the load increases, so does the gas percentage They have the advantage that if you can t fill up on gas, you ust run in 100 per cent diesel mode so there is no operational impact The dual fuelled trucks were mainly retrofitted and although we have a system that works well, the savings with dedicated trucks are significantly greater They also have the advantage, that, unlike dual-fuelled vehicles, you don t have to ensure that the driver is always filling up with gas as well as diesel, but you do have to be absolutely certain that in all circumstances you ll have C available The move to cania trucks in our fleet brought in the advantages of cania s telematics systems, and that meant we are now able to determine very accurately our fuel consumption and economy t is interesting that out of all the various manufacturers selling trucks in the , only cania is currently offering a C approved option, although veco will be launching one next year and there are rumours of other manufacturers about to oin the party

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“The truck market is naturally very conservative, but it’s also very cost savvy, so now we have a good technical solution with good range and e ciency would e pect the gas vehicle market to grow and more choices to be available The last piece in the igsaw was achieving a 800 km range with CNG, that means, for our operation, the gas prime mover can do any duty cycle completed by a diesel powered unit “Our scheduling is designed to enable all our vehicles to return to base within the day, with a little wriggle room in case of a tra c delay The fuel consumption benefit compared to diesel with the CNG truck is still improving,” said ustin cania currently produces two gas powered variants of its 0 litre engine, offering 0 hp or 0 hp at 1 00 rpm with 1 50 m or 1 00 m of tor ue, both rated at 1100 1 00 rpm Developed as part of cania s modular build programme, these engines share the vast ma ority of their componentry with their diesel counterparts, which means commonality of servicing and parts re uirements The thermal e ciency of cania uro gas engines is 0 percent, compared to percent for its diesel engines From the driver’s perspective there is no noticeable difference from a diesel engine e cept that gas fuelled engines are up to 50 percent uieter The C powered vehicles feature an llison five speed automatic transmission complete with five speed retarder ecause of the low compression of the gas there s no retardation as in engine braking There is a cost disadvantage of an Allison, but that is expected to reduce through the availability of an T such as the cania Opticruise, due for release in the near future The financial break even advantage of the C versus diesel comparison takes effect after the vehicle has completed 50,000 km The 0 litre cania C fuelled engines are rated at 280 and 340 hp, whereas the diesel engine ratings we generally use are from 10 0 hp There is a weight penalty that relates to the addition of the CNG tanks, and that e uates a higher tare weight of tonnes, compared to a standard diesel powered vehicle of tonne on a typical 0 hp , said ustin We operate dual fuel trucks, and that was our step into gas We purchased two C gas canias last year and an independent body has indicated a 1 percent emission reduction verses a uro diesel, concluded ustin

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DRIVEN

Dave Whyte takes his first drive of the latest UD PW The battle between the Japanese brands for the lighter end of the heavy duty market is a hard fought affair While the European manufacturers have had a good go at breaking the Japanese stronghold on this segment, so far they are yet to make a huge impact on the sales figures of the apanese brands

While manufacturers such as su u go down the path of offering a huge number of different models, each with its own niche market, there are those who opt to offer a smaller number of models with a broader appeal D Trucks Australia is one of those that goes down the fewer models path, but still manages to have something to suit most roles The recent release of the W 0 adds another model to the line up, which, as you would e pect, brings with it the versatility to fit into many roles

UnDeniably 80 PowerTorque ISSUE 74

UNDENIABLY EFFICIENT

The W 0 fills the void in the D heavy rigid range, and is available in two standard variants offering either 0 air bag or si rod leaf spring rear suspension oth are powered by the 0 litre si cylinder T engine, which produces 0 hp 0 kW and 51 lb ft m of tor ue, and uses C d lue to comply with uro 5 regulations The C only design of the engine not only frees up valuable chassis space through not needing a D F filter, but also has benefits in high TO use applications

nterestingly, the only transmission available on either variant is a si speed llison 500 automatic, with no manual or T option available This is not a bad thing though, as the llison is a very good performer in both on and off road conditions, as was demonstrated at the launch event eritor rear a les with diff locks and cross locks complete the driveline, with a 1 1 final drive ratio on both models This has the engine ticking over at around 100 rpm at 100 km h, but still allows for good driveability at low speeds The cab is carried over from the current D range, and is very much what you would e pect from a modern apanese truck, with easy entry and e it, good vision and all the standard accessories, including a 5 touchscreen audio system

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DRIVEN chose to tackle the rougher off road track first, and did a lap aboard each of the spring-mounted trucks. With a combination of corrugated gravel, dirt roads and a few steep hills, the PW proved very capable at a gross weight of 17-tonnes. The rear six-rod suspension was working pretty hard over the rough ground, but offered plenty of articulation and did a great job of putting the power to the ground. This was also evident under engine braking, with no loss of traction on the loose surface.

An air-suspended driver’s seat with adjustable shock absorber and tilt/height adjustable steering wheel make it easy to get comfortable, and all the controls and instruments are easy to identify and read The fit and finish inside the cab is very good, with a modern feel and easy to clean surfaces.

An ADR-compliant sleeper complete with full wraparound curtains is also fitted, though d imagine these might be used more for killing time than getting a good night’s rest.

One interesting deviation from the Japanese truck norm is that customers can now have the cab painted in their own colours from the factory, which should provide both a cost and delivery time benefit to those who normally send their trucks off to the body shop for painting after delivery There are some subtle differences between the air and leaf spring suspended models, including a shorter wheelbase on the six-rod model (5300 mm vs. 6710 mm on the airbag model) and shorter rear overhang (2460 mm vs 1 0 mm This e uates to a difference of almost 1 metres in overall length before body fitment There are also some differences in the chassis rails, with the air suspended version getting a full-length reinforcing insert in the chassis rails, as with the PD 6x2 model, while the spring-mounted version uses a gusset along the bottom of each rail to provide extra strength without adding too much weight.

The product launch event was held at Mount Cotton, on the outskirts of risbane, with five trucks, fitted with various bodies, available to drive on the day. To demonstrate the virtues of the six-rod suspension, there were two trucks (a hook-lift bin and a rear-lift bin setup) set aside to operate on an off road circuit, while three airbag suspension models (a tilt tray loaded with an excavator, a crane truck with a shipping container on board, and a refrigerated van) were available to drive on the Mount Cotton road circuit.

The auto transmission offers plenty of control under tricky situations, allowing for manual gear selection and for holding that gear until drive mode is reselected. This allowed for good speed control at low speeds, and for the correct gear to be used for engine braking on the last very steep drop on the course. The ride in the cab was a little rough, but, given the road conditions, was as good as could be expected. Even having been around this course numerous times over the previous days, there were no rattles or squeaks in either cab, or serious external clunks to cause concern.

Having done the hard yards, it was time to put the road course vehicles through their paces. What surprised me most was just how good the driveline was in both situations. Quite often, a driveline that works in the rough off road environment is not so well suited the open road, but this combination worked a treat in both environments.

The low ratios in first and second gear made for good progress off the line, while the higher gears kept the engine working in an economical rev range at higher speeds.

The quality of the gear shifts was seamless, with smooth acceleration and good response from the transmission under engine braking, dropping down gears to keep the engine in the peak rpm range for retardation.

What UD has done with the PW 24 280 with HAS airbag suspension, is to take the popular PD 6x2 platform and adapt it to meet the market demand for a 6x4. The six-rod spring-suspended version uses the same driveline, but with a chassis and suspension more suited to the demands of the waste and tipper segments where more arduous conditions are common. The fact that both variants are at home on the tarmac only goes to prove the fle ibility of the driveline While there may be a few operators who are concerned about the standard fitment of an automatic transmission, would say those concerns would dissipate after a short drive. For the around-town and regional duties, the UD PW 24 280 seems like it would be a nice place to spend the working day.

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CLEAN TIPPING

CLEAN TIPPING Vibration can be a major advantage when tipping turns to sticking

The tipper industry has been quick to accept the safety benefits of alarms that predict unstable surfaces or adverse gradients prior to attempting to tip off loads in locations that might not be ideal Despite the availability of alarm systems designed to prevent or minimise the risk of mishap, there remain some situations that simply do not respond to incident alarms, leaving the operator with the risk of e periencing a stationary vehicle rollover

The safe alternative to preventing une pected rollover is to fit a suitable truck body vibrator unit that induces vibration into the tub to encourage the material being carried to slip easily to the rear of the tub for a complete and clean discharge The weight of the overall truck or trailer including the load remains correctly balanced on the vehicle suspension, and the tipping e ercise can be completed safely without the risk of instability

aving initiated the highest levels of precautions when discharging material, there s always the risk that some of the load will decide to stick to the truck or trailer body as the hoist elevates The additional weight of material adhering onto the side of the body is su cient to enable the combination to overbalance unless precautions are taken

eing able to tip cleanly every time can also provide significant benefits to productivity, as there is no longer any need to manually clean out the interior of the unit or repeatedly raise and lower the unit to encourage kept material to discharge The operator can remain safely in the truck cabin while operating the controls, and this again can contribute to shorter tipping cycles and faster turnaround times t was not uncommon in the past for a driver to attempt to shake loose material that has adhered to the side of the tub by inducing sudden braking or acceleration This type of activity can have serious effects on the wear rates of the vehicle components such as clutches, brakes and transmissions, and even create the opportunity for damage to tail gates and truck beds The full range of nmin 1 volt and volt truck vibrators is built with shielded, oversi ed, permanently lubricated ball bearings to deliver e ceptional service life nits such as the nmin DC 00 are well suited to dump trucks and live bottom tandem dump trucks and can be easily fitted by any competent auto electrician

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FEATURE

Saving lives means adopting higher standards rather than dumbing down to mediocrity

A

ccident statistics reveal some interesting comparisons, with the United Kingdom recognised as being one of the safest countries in the world for road users.

This year’s annual report issued by the British Department for Transport on reported road casualties showed that, while the United Kingdom recorded 27 fatalities per million people, Australia by comparison has 51, France has 52, Germany has 55 and the USA has 119.

Road statistics, in broad terms, follow economic activity –– the stronger the economy, the more people drive. However, as the UK economy has grown in recent years, alongside the small population increase, the casualty rates have remained fairly constant. In fact, overall incident 84 PowerTorque ISSUE 74

rates for light and heavy commercial vehicles have showed significant declines over the same period.

Over the past decade, annual deaths on Australian roads have decreased by 24 percent, reflecting an estimated downward trend of . percent per year. In many cases we mirror the experience of the United Kingdom where there has been a reduction of . percent in from the figures of .

here we differ, though, is in population levels. Over the last years the s population has grown by percent (8.1 million people) to 65 million, yet, despite this growth, road fatalities have fallen by a massive 68 percent.

Australia’s population today is hitting 24 million, whereas years ago it was . million. o, with only percent of the UK population today, why does Australia have a fatality rate that is percent higher?

The Australian Trucking Association’s senior adviser of engineering, Chris Loose, gave PowerTorque details of research completed by the Monash University Accident Research Centre showing that mandated use of electronic stability control (ESC) in heavy vehicles could reduce fatal heavy vehicle crashes by . percent, and serious in ury crashes involving heavy vehicles by . percent.

TT BRAKING “ESC is the foundation technology required before we can progress to automated emergency braking systems (AEBS) – so this is a fundamental step Australia must take. AEBS uses additional sensors to monitor the proximity of other vehicles, and automatically apply emergency braking if a collision is imminent,” Mr. Loose said.

The Monash University Accident Research Centre estimates AEBS could prevent up to 25 percent of fatal heavy vehicle crashes, and up to 17 percent of serious injury crashes. The net result in real terms is that AEBS would save the lives of 67 Australian road users annually if fitted across the whole fleet.

The safety of drivers, passengers and road users has always been a top priority for our industry. Manufacturers spend billions of dollars every year developing, testing and enhancing safety technologies, which, as the UK report shows, appears to be money well spent.

For Australia, the statistics should serve as a wake-up call. Our country can do better, and by adopting higher standards of vehicle safety as mandatory, and by improving our driver training standards, we can make a significant difference to our national road toll. ut, to be successful, we need to have the will to make change, and that’s where we appear to be falling short.

ESC systems include both roll control and yaw control systems, and can correct potential oversteer, understeer and rollover situations. Roll control systems sense the lateral (sideways) acceleration of a vehicle, and reduce the risk of rollover through reducing engine tor ue and briefly applying selected brakes. Yaw control allows the driver to point the vehicle in the desired direction, with the brakes operating to assist the driver.

“ESC is an extremely capable stability control system, but can only be fitted to powered units such as prime movers.

Instead of relying on driver response, technology enables the system to be predictive instead of reactive – activating preventive action to an impending incident. Often, the driver may not be aware that the system has activated,” Mr. Loose explained. oll stability control C can be fitted to trailers and also provides significant safety benefits.

C provides roll control in a similar manner to ESC, but does not include yaw control. While stability control systems will not prevent all rollover crashes, both ESC and RSC allow a driver to maintain control of their vehicle with the aim of avoiding or reducing the impact and likelihood of a rollover.

“Research-backed data and proof-of-evidence case studies have demonstrated ESC will save lives, and is a real, practical measure to enhance safety of the trucking industry and all Australians. While the industry’s safety record has increased substantially, even one accident is too many, and mandating ESC is a vital factor if we are to save even more lives in the future,” concluded Mr. Loose.

In 2014, VicForests required operators of B-doubles in specific logging co ops to have their trailers fitted with rollover stability systems within 12 months, and update their vehicles to include electronic braking systems within five years.

In the years 2006 to 2009 (averaged), there were 40 rollovers reported per year. Following stability system technology fitted to doubles, the rollover incidences were reported as nil. What more is there to say?

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FEATURE

Fruity Elixir Hino and Harris Brothers celebrate a 30-year relationship, as Stuart Martin discovered Truck brand Hino seems to fall into the category of being a victim of its own success.

SELLING reliable equipment does earn a brand an enviable reputation, but it’s a double-edged sword. Repeat business is not as regular and the aftersales earnings – beyond maintenance schedules – are not rivers of gold.

Apple orchardist and managing director, Craig Harris, knows only too well how reliable the brand is, having had Hino trucks on the Adelaide Hills apple and cherry property for more than three decades.

The property’s history stretches back to his great grandfather Alf, who leased a small parcel of land in Lenswood in midand planted the first apple trees in that remained in use producing fruit for the next years.

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Cherries, strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries and a wide variety of different vegetables have been grown on the property since, with more land being added to the business, which now comprises around acres of apples and acres of cherries.

The fourth generation of his family to grow produce in the hills, Mr. Harris knows how important it is to have dependable transport for the award-winning apples and cherries the smallest ino in the arris garage is a ong, along with an and an rofia. e ve had inos since the early s. e ve had a few different models over the years and have three now a 4-tonner, a 6-tonner and twin-steer bogie drive 16-tonner.

We’ve found them to be pretty reliable and just value for money,” he said.

HARRIS BROS HINO

Mr. Harris said the Hino trucks had proven to be good value for money for his fruit growing operation, which involves transporting packed produce around the demanding Adelaide Hills road network, as well as journeys to and from the Adelaide plains.

“One truck is used purely for packed fruit transport from coolroom to the Pooraka markets twice a week, where we have a stall in the grower’s shed to supply the leading retailers in Adelaide. The little one and the big truck are used mainly locally up here in the hills to transport fruit to and from the local co-op and from the orchards as well,” he said.

Steep, twisting and pockmarked roads that are regular routes for his trucks can be demanding on machinery, so much so that previous brands suffered continuous brake issues until the switch was made to Hino.

“We’ve got some of the worst roads in SA where we live – we’re used to it, with plenty of corners and hills, so a bit of extra power comes in handy at times,” he said.

“If you’re in the wrong sort of truck, you could end up with 100 cars behind you, generally all-round we’ve found the Hino to be a good package,” he added.

Experience with other brands had included additional brake work beyond scheduled maintenance as a result of the Adelaide Hills region’s steep nature, but the wider application of exhaust brakes and a neighbour’s word-of-mouth endorsement of the Hino brand resulted in the switch to the Japanese truck brand.

Now a part of Toyota Motor Corporation, Hino started as Tokyo as and lectric ndustry and produced its first motor PowerTorque ISSUE 74

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vehicle, the Model TGE A-Type Truck, in 1917; it changed its name to Hino in 1942 and joined forces with Toyota in 1966.

“One of our neighbours had an early Hino, it was when exhaust brakes were starting to come in to this segment of the truck market – he said they were fantastic in the hills and that’s what made us try one,” said Craig.

The business was so intent on keeping with the Hino breed that it tracked down an imported second hand medium si ed twin steer rofia model that was better suited to its needs but is not sold in Australia.

The company’s long-term relationship with CMI Hino in Adelaide, Australia’s longest-serving Hino dealer, resulted in the dealership using the brand’s logo on its Hino KL300 museum piece.

It’s a truck similar to one once owned by the fruit grower’s neighbour as well as the first of the breed bought by the Harris family – an FF that is still going strong for its current owner elsewhere in the Adelaide hills today.

As the oldest Hino dealer in the country, CMI Hino is the current incarnation of a relationship that stretches back to 1971, when the CMV Group was a distributor of Hino trucks assembled in Adelaide’s north from CKD kits. The CMI Hino dealership at Regency Park in Adelaide is part of the familyrun CMV Group, itself involved in agriculture as well as truck and car retailing since 1934.

The group was started by Sidney Crawford in the Adelaide CBD and is still run by his family today.

CMV Group joint managing director, Paul Crawford, is one of three brothers who in the early 1960s became involved with Toyota Motor Corporation through Thiess Toyota, and that led to an involvement in the late 1960s with new brand Hino.

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General manager, Chris Morrison, said the Harris fruit business was typical of its bread-and-butter customers in Adelaide, using the Hino trucks as a business tool and not as a core part of a transport business.

“Our relationship with Harris hasn’t been based on sales, we’ve not sold a heap of trucks, it’s a small family business and they run a few Hino trucks.

“It’s typical of that business, they only replace them when they break them or wear them out,” he said.

“Its people who need a truck for their business to cart wares or get to their customers, they are the people we rely on and they only replace them when they wear them out, it doesn’t help us in the service department either,” he said.

CMI Hino celebrated 45 years late last year, and, as part of the event, displayed its 1970 Hino KL 300, running an EC 100 88 kW/298 Nm engine and dressed in “Harris Bros of Lenswood” livery. The KL 300, part of CMI's extensive historic vehicle collection, has covered more than 1.6 million kilometres in its lifetime while remaining in good condition.

“When we found the old KL, it was one Paul Crawford wanted to have for the collection as we didn’t have one,” said Chris Morrison.

“We’d sold a number to market gardeners so we put a body on it in keeping with that duty, we’d had it on display but we needed to get some sign writing on it. We’d recently sold Craig a couple of trucks and he sent us a picture of one of his old trucks with the company livery, it went to a truck show in the Riverland and it won best old truck,” he said.

Mr. Morrison said the group had been a Hino dealer since 1971 and operating out of its current site since 1984. CMI Hino has been continually recognised for its ability, winning Dealer of the Year in 2013 and 2014.

THE LATEST INNOVATIONS IN

TRAILER TECHNOLOGY

TRAILERTORQUE

s

loanebuilt Trailers has been associated with the manufacture of uality aluminium tipping bodies and tipping trailers to the transport industry for many years. owever, many might not expect to see a steel flatbed semitrailer wearing the loanebuilt name badge and mudflaps. f you re one of those people you may wish to read on. en eckworth, business development manager for loanebuilt Trailers explains further oving forward with our design development, we strive to give N based operators a locally sourced and supported product, which is why we have complemented our traditional tipper body range with flatbed trailers such as our latest delivery to est heds, plus the manufacture and supply of smaller plant trailers. uture designs will see us utilise our extensive aluminium manufacturing experience to create aluminium versions of this trailer to try to overcome increasing truck tare weights.

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Our focus is to construct lighter flatbed trailers whilst still maintaining a robust, fit for purpose product in either custom designed or standard units. Our manufacturing team also likes the variety of design to work on and the new challenges that this presents�. orking closely with ichael c adden of est heds, this customised flatbed exposed me anine trailer was designed to maximise payloads for long distance shed distribution. reviously, these trips were being undertaken at uite low gross weights due to the inability to top load components because of the risk of load damage. ears of experience loading sheds onto trailers of varying and somewhat inefficient design empowered ichael to create a solution that would see maximum weight loads easily and safely transported. The design was only the beginning, as loanebuilt had to bring it to life and overcome any challenges along the way.

THE MAN CAVE

What followed was the construction of this 12.8-metre flatbed, e eck eries trailer, with rear mounted offat ounty forklift. The forklift overhang created the need for special consideration of axle placement to maintain dimensional conformity and legal axle loading.

This resulted in a very tight axle spread of ust mm. lthough the closeness of the axle positioning means there s definitely no s uee ing between tyres for a brake ad ustment here, this new design results in being able to distribute the load so that the trailer axle spread is close to maintaining the maximum tonnes weight limits permitted by ass anagement on a regular basis.

The e eck is a three sectioned platform, with a three tonne load rating, which can be individually raised or lowered by forklift as needs determine. ladder is also located on the front of the trailer to allow access to the top deck. ue to the support posts being centrally located on the trailer, straps are utilised on either side once loaded, to remove any side to side rocking during transport, and all loads are then restrained to the main tie down rail on the lower deck.

The Mezz Deck Flat Bed Series is a further illustration of the ability of Sloanebuilt to cater for specific application requirements.

Every man needs a shed, and Best Sheds is finding that Sloanebuilt makes delivery a much easier affair – Words and images by Warren Caves TRAILER TORQUE

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Extra gussets have been welded in along the tie-down rail for strength as well as the whole lower deck being “drive on� capable and reinforced throughout its length.

Provision for spare tyre stowage has been provided for both the trailer and forklift. Toolboxes are located on both sides, along with a water tank and dunnage box.

NT axles are fitted to keep tare weight as low as possible, and an airlift is utilised on the front axle to minimise tyre wear on multi-drop runs, once weight reduces.

A manual raise/lower control valve is also useful for maintaining a more level plane on uneven ground, ensuring the forklift tines do not cause damage during unloading.

This is located adjacent to the Right Weigh load scale box.

These units display on-the-ground weight in kilograms to increase productivity and efficiency by removing the guesswork out of the loading process. Some units are even Bluetooth enabled to display weights via your smartphone.

EBS (electronic brake stability), with ABS (anti-lock braking) has been used to ensure maximum safety at peak loading and to compensate for the higher centre of gravity incurred by addition of the mezz deck.

Coming in with a tare weight for the combination of approximately 21 tonnes, and maximum gross weight of 44 tonnes (under mass management), payloads of 23 tonnes are now achievable, where as previously this would have been a much lower figure.

LED load lighting has been added to the front and rear to facilitate nighttime unloading, and LED reverse lights keep things lit up to the rear.

Polished Alcoa Dura-Bright rims add a touch of style to the finish, along with the combing rail scrolls by igns, ines and crolls. The final excellent paint finish was achieved by grit blasting prior to the application of PPG two pack paint in ce hite for an enduring finish.

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This design is the second of its type Sloanebuilt has manufactured, with the first one now being in service for around 100,000 km, without showing any signs of structural stress.

THE MAN CAVE

any years of experience in this field gave the customer a great deal of knowledge of what works, and, more importantly, what doesn t work. istening to that knowledge and input, the loanebuilt team has set about creating a truly customised piece of e uipment to make the most of available weight and dimensional regulations, therefore increasing their client s bottom line. loanebuilt Trailers continues to push its boundaries of design and creativity with innovative concepts and materials to cater for the ever changing transport task. ith the high level of attention to detail and the needs of its customers, almost anything is possible. o, if like me, when you hear the name loanebuilt� you immediately think of only aluminium tippers, maybe it s time to think again.

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W

hen an innovative Australian manufacturer produces a winning global solution for carrying corrosive liquids, it’s reasonable to expect some outstanding results. Words by Chris Mullett

Tanker T

The current decade has proven beyond doubt to be one of the most exciting times to be involved in manufacturing, provided you are prepared to push the boundaries of design and development to incorporate the newly developing technologies.

The company was founded in 2007 on the mid-north coast of NSW, when it was known as Evolution Tankers, before moving to Sydney in 2008, and outgrowing facilities in Minto and Ingleburn, before moving to its new modern manufacturing base in Smeaton Grange in 2015.

Australian tanker and trailer manufacturers can proudly claim to produce world-class designs, in many cases well ahead of what is accepted as the highest standard available in both Europe and the United States. The recent move into mandated EBS and rollover stability systems, plus the acceptance of disc brakes and higher safety standards, is testimony to this level of design sophistication.

In creating its new tank design, Omni Tanker has set a new benchmark for lightweight bulk liquid transport, for both non-hazardous and hazardous or dangerous goods rating. The result is a lightweight tanker that delivers greater payloads with very high resistance to aggressive corrosive liquids.

There is a huge base of knowledge that’s developed through the years as manufacturers have overcome the practical di culties of our high temperatures, long distances, and, of course, arduous terrain.

Australian manufacturer, Omni Tanker, is this year celebrating its tenth anniversary and is a pioneer in the development of a range of pressure tanks using carbon fibre composite materials with an integrated thermoplastic lining.

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“We have invested in significant new manufacturing equipment, which enables us to produce tanks with volume up to 70,000 litres. Typical tankers for the Australian Dangerous Goods transport market require small compartments of 8600 litres or less, but tankers for nondangerous goods, and the European market for Dangerous Goods, use larger volume single-compartment tanks with ba es Our new manufacturing e uipment gives us the capacity to produce these, as well as storage tanks of significant volume, said obert tubbs, chief operating o cer of Omni Tanker

TRAILER TECHNOLOGY

r Technology “The tank has a smooth and seamless thermoplastic interior, which is surrounded by a carbon fibre reinforced polymer overwrap. Because there are no welds in the liner, this eliminates product hang up, and, combined with very low absorption, this means highly effective washout is possible with low water usage. This is extremely valuable for transporters when swapping products The interior is also approved for food contact applications, which makes for highly versatile tankers

“The Omni Tanker also has excellent insulation properties as a result of the double walled construction, which ensures thermal stability of a load, whether cold or hot, meaning that the load temperature remains virtually constant without the need for additional heating or cooling coils inside the tank,” said Mr. Stubbs.

Compare the temperature constraints of carrying some fats or wa es, which need to be transported at an elevated temperature to prevent solidifying and di culties in discharging the load, and then on the other hand cargoes such as milk, which requires a consistently lower temperature to ensure freshness, he added McColl’s Transport is Australia’s largest independent carrier of milk and bulk chemicals, and operates one of the country s most modern and specialised food grade tanker fleets With more than 0 employees, 1 0 prime movers and 500 tankers spread over 15 depots and si workshops, the company is recognised for its service, reliability, world class compliance and safety standards

The transport task that brought together Omni and McColl’s related to the need to transport chemicals such as sodium hypochlorite, hydrochloric acid and sulphuric acid, each of which are in regular use by the mining industry n other applications Omni Tanks are capable of carrying ferric chloride, ferrous chloride, caustic soda, and many others, without degradation of the tank liner The patented Omni Tanker thermoplastic liner within its composite construction outer tank is specifically designed to provide high chemical resistance to corrosive liquids and provides a dramatic improvement over standard lining techniques. The lining technology overcomes problems associated with bonding thermoplastics to thermoset composites, with bond strengths similar to epo y to steel adhesion.

The range of Omni Tanker products includes dedicated road tankers, as well as demountable and portable O and W tanks These tanks feature twistlock corner casting frames, with tank volumes from 000 litres through to 0,000 litres. The portable tank frames have C C approval for road and rail applications.

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TRAILERTORQUE Tanks built for export to Europe are designed for 4.0Bar pressure operation and feature a specially developed fire protection system that conform to nited ations D and D fire re uirements The development of the new tank and trailer combinations for cColl s resulted in the collaboration between Omni Tanker and arker Trailers, to create double trailer sets with the tanks mounted to the skeletal trailers ed effery of arker Trailers told TrailerTorque that as the third largest trailer manufacturer in the country the development of the new trailers was an e cellent e ample of how the best safety systems could be incorporated together to improve road safety and load integrity These new designs feature electronic braking systems anti lock braking systems and roll stability enhancement developed by W CO The W a les are fitted with disc brakes, ensuring faster brake application and promoting shorter stopping distances Turntables and landing legs are provided by ost ustralia, and F oodrich premium trailer tyres are mounted on lcoa aluminium rims, said r effery The choice of trailer manufacturer is made by the customer and the close liaison between our companies ensured the trailer was built to accept the loading points for the tanks, as well as accommodating the pipework and other systems, r effery added Commenting on the collaboration between arker Trailers and Omni Tanks, obert tubbs said, The trailer design is based on a skeletal trailer base frame, with customisation for the tank mounting points to ensure durability in demanding applications The new double Omni Tanker combination completed with arker Trailers for cColl s has a total volume on the lead trailer of 15,000 litres in two compartments, and 5, 00 litres on the trailer in four compartments The uni ue features of Omni Tanks are enabling our company to develop a strong local market as well as a growing e port program, guaranteeing the future of ustralian manufacturing, added r tubbs

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THINK LESS, NOT LITRES. X4 7500 trailer refrigeration system from Carrier consumes up to 22% less fuel. Saving you up to 22% more fuel dollars.

X4 7500. Simply smarter efficiency.

Carrier Transicold Australia Nationwide Ph: 1800 448 166

Performance data compared to the Carrier Transicold model it replaces and dependent on a range of operational settings, environmental conditions, and model type. Š 2013 Carrier Corporation.

Carrier_Think_Less_POWERTORQUE_2014-03-04.indd 1

4/03/2014 10:43:21 AM

TRAILERTORQUE

AQUA DYNAMICS

PROFILING THE AERODYNAMICS OF TRAILER CONSTRUCTION IS ALL PART OF FLEET OPERATION FOR THE JOHN LEWIS PARTNERSHIP.

It’s an interesting business ethic for the John Lewis Partnership in the UK, which operates 47 John Lewis shops and 350 Waitrose Supermarkets. Each of the 88,900 employees is a partner in the business operated as a trust, and all are accountable.

entitlements is something known perhaps only to John Lewis.

But as PowerTorque discussed how the company functioned, it became very clear that the management teams certainly go beyond the norm when it comes to evaluating ways to improve efficiency and reduce operating costs.

As PowerTorque reported in this issue (P76), this individual responsibility and personal interest in ensuring the profitability of the company results in equal percentage annual bonuses and benefits for all employees. The more profit the company makes, the larger the bonus to each employee. No profit, no bonus.

Rather than just buying equipment built to a standard specification and available on the open market in the , the management teams of the John Lewis Partnership become deeply involved in the design and subsequent efficiency of the vehicles and trailing e uipment in use by its transport fleet.

It’s a work ethic that obviously permeates right through all work categories, even down to a sign by the office corridor light switch that reminds the last person leaving to turn off the light to safeguard profit and prevent waste.

“We started looking very closely at how we could improve the aerodynamic efficiency of our trailer fleet,” said imon Gray, the company’s vehicle engineering manager.

hether this work ethic promotes greater effort amongst the company employees when compared to standard hourly paid 98

TRAILER TORQUE

“By including large radius cappings on the sides of our trailers we gained . percent in improved fuel efficiency.

Overall, we ran different pro ects to find improvements

AQUA DYNAMICS

and 3 were successful. We did learn a lot, and in the process we gained a further fuel efficiency improvement of . percent in gains made by the prime mover.

To make these gains we lowered the overall height of the trailers, by using low profile inch tyres, and changed the side skirts and cappings to make the aerodynamic profile more slippery and to improve the matching between the prime mover and semitrailer. lthough we might be aware of additional gains, such as reducing the gap between the lower edges of the trailer and the road surface, there are practical limitations due to gradient changes that might inhibit entry or exit from a delivery site. e turned our attention to every component under the trailer to ensure the airflow was completely clean. lthough the ma ority of trailers in the run with drum brakes, we found less drag with disc brakes. e also profiled the airflow around axles and landing legs, plus we repositioned the air tanks out to the sides of the trailer to make sure that everything was aligned to prevent drag and ensure a clean airflow.

The results of our testing were verified by , otor ndustry esearch ssociation and Cambridge niversity, which confirmed an overall . percent reduction in fuel consumption.

That design has now become our standard trailer for the past two years. Others have copied our trailer and we don t mind that because the benefit is to the environment. hat we found is that percent of the wind drag of a truck and trailer combination comes from the low pressure area at the rear. This seeks to push air into the rear space so the air flows out of the back with the trailer. The rear under run bumper structure across the back of the trailer also impacts highly on the airflow and has to be profiled to improve its aerodynamic efficiency. eing able to lower the trailer floor height has enabled us to subse uently lower the roofline and incorporate a downward sloping roof section at the rear. n making these changes we did not lose any cargo volume. e also slightly taper in the rear sections of the sidewalls and have achieved the tapering without losing internal volume by reducing the insulation of the sidewalls for the last mm of the trailer.

hen examining the airflow under the trailer, we moved from the traditional methods of measuring airflow in a wind tunnel with a smoke lance, to a water tank to measure the coefficient of friction through water dynamics. scale model of the trailer was towed through the water tank at four metres per second. The water contains particles of silver, and by shining a laser through the water we can capture images of the flow patterns by using a special camera that takes thousands of images per minute. These images are then analysed by super computer to determine the fluid dynamics as it flows past the various component parts of the trailer. load cell attached to the top of the trailer model measures the drag on the truck and trailer, and the particle image velocimetry indicates the findings of the laser beams, illustrating the flow patterns over the top, sides and underneath of the model. The same data also illustrates the drag and flow patterns associated with the landing legs, air tanks, battery boxes, rear wheels and rear under run bumper. t s never been done before and the ob ective is to get clarity through pro ecting the laser beam to where it needs to be to reflect the particles. The rear under run bumper has such a large effect on the airflow, which is why we keep it as narrow and as smooth as possible,� said imon ray.

The subse uent analysis by the super computer enables us to get the wake as small as possible. ithout side skirts the air flows in behind the prime mover, but with side skirts the flow down the side of the trailer is much smoother, enabling us to reduce the coefficient of drag by . percent. “The drag is proportional to frontal area and therefore is affected by the height of the truck and trailer. The standard height in the is . metres. e used to build our trailers at . metres and have now reduced it to . metres. f you can reduce the height by percent you reduce the drag by percent,� said imon. ith its high number of refrigerated trailers in the fleet, trials were made using fridge units underslung beneath the trailer, but these were not successful because of the side skirts preventing airflow and access. e had reached the stage where we had clean emissions engines in the prime mover, improved airflow around the TRAILER TORQUE

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TRAILERTORQUE combination, and yet we were using non turbocharged fridge engines that ran on diesel and were only conforming to Tier emissions levels. uel use by the fridge motors e uated to percent of our overall diesel use. e now have seven trial vehicles that power the fridge from the truck. An additional alternator is driven by a swash plate hydraulic pump at a constant speed drive off the gearbox power take off. Our aim is to eliminate the fridge engine completely, and the next version has an engine mounted alternator connected to an inverter that converts to volts. n the , operators can run a fridge motor on what we call red diesel , which contains a coloured dye and is sub ect to a lower fuel excise tax. e have to be more efficient, and if we can power it with a gas engine it will produce a CO benefit as well as a fuel cost benefit. The effect on the overall fuel consumption of the truck is, we believe, uite small.

The trailer is connected to three phase mains power when parked through dual sockets mounted on the front and rear.

This means that mains power is chilling down the trailer ready for its departure. hen the truck is powering the fridge it is ust maintaining the re uired temperature, and, conse uently, the fridge is working under a reduced load.

The electrical connection is protected by a steel cable that retracts if the trailer is driven off unintentionally, and the park brakes are applied automatically.

Telematics were introduced in all our trucks over . tonnes from and gave us an immediate reduction in fuel use of five percent as drivers responded to the information provided by the units on efficiency and driver attitude. e have an extensive driver training programme that e uates to employee days per year across all our drivers, i.e. all truck drivers get one day per year . The emphasis is to look at the driving style, light braking and acceleration, from which we then see the benefits in terms of lower fuel consumption.

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“We’ve worked with trailer manufacturer Gray & Adams of Aberdeen for many years and the collaboration between our two companies works well. e ve fine tuned the specification along the way, but the basic concept has been a success since day one,” confirmed imon ray. everal years ago we sought an academic partner to take our truck aero dynamics to the next level, using scientific research to optimise the vehicle. e started working with Cambridge niversity ngineering epartment C , via rofessor avid Cebon, an ustralian ngineer settled in the who specialises in commercial vehicle efficiency.

“The project later became absorbed into the newly formed Centre for ustainable oad reight . This body brings together academics from C , and eriot att niversity ogistic epartment, with operators such as ourselves, and manufacturers, to conduct research in transport efficiency.

There are a wide range of pro ects, and the aerodynamics pro ect is ust one of them. t s a very vibrant group, and it s strength is in conducting research that can be applied in practical ways. The benefit for us is that we get great research carried out on our behalf, and we have confidence that the predicted gains will be seen in practice.

The trailers are delivering the . percent improvement in fuel efficiency that we d anticipated, and this is over our standard trailers which are themselves of a low drag design.

The . percent improvement translates into an annual per vehicle saving of around litres of fuel, and a reduction in the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere each year of more than tonnes. t also means that we will recoup the increased capital cost of each trailer within two years. iven that we envisage a year life for our trailers, these are highly cost effective as well as environmentally beneficial,” concluded imon.

TRAILERTORQUE

FISHING FOR TROUT DAVE WHYTE HEADS TO THE SUNSHINE COAST AND TWO NEW TROUT RIVER TRAILERS FOR BD RICHARDSON TRANSPORT 102

TRAILER TORQUE

FISHING FOR TROUT

ne of the key aspects to choosing the right equipment, and getting the best return from that equipment, is versatility. In the current climate of OH&S, safety is also a major concern in the operation of new equipment. There is often a penalty involved in operating the safest equipment, whether it be the upfront cost, efficiency, operating time, or all of the above. But there are some examples of good design that provide all the safety benefits along with benefits in productivity. One such example is the Trout River belt-discharge trailer.

Brad Richardson, of BD Richardson Transport, is one operator who is seeing the many benefits of Trout iver s trailer design, in terms of both safety and productivity.

Brad entered the transport game in 1999, after many years of working in the asphalt industry, and has worked hard to build his business through good service and customer relationships. is fleet of eight units includes two Trout iver trailers, which he says are performing brilliantly in their role of carting hot mix asphalt, aggregate and sand around the Sunshine Coast region. I caught up with Brad to get the lowdown on what makes the Trout River design so attractive, and to see one of his trailers in action. m the only one in the region with these trailers,” rad said.

“There was a lot of scepticism about these, but I believed in the product, and when I got in there and showed everyone what they can do, they were blown away by them. We do a bit of work for other companies, if things are a bit quiet, and, once they see them working, the demand just keeps going up and up.

“We do every aspect of this asphalt, from the aggregate side of it to the cartage side of it, in and out. hat we ve found in the past in trying to utilise our combinations, trucks and dogs is that unhooking and that kind of thing can be a bit of a pain. hat we ve found is that we can utilise these things so much better. The asphalt can be inconsistent at times. e ve found that we can use belt discharge trailers in uarry work, and all different aspects of our industry.

They re remarkable. e can use them for running out road base, on fill work, anywhere as long as it s not big rocks.

Avoiding big rocks protects the belt and Bisalloy walls from any undue damage during loading,” rad explained. rad s Trout iver trailers have been built with higher sides and stretched out to to allow a decent payload.

“With the unique design of them, how they belly out like that, we can get the volume in them. With Mass Management we go to 44-tonne GCM, so we can get 29-tonne payload on a semi,” said rad.

The prime mover also has a bearing on this, with Brad commenting on the reightliner saying, That s why we go with the reightliner as well. They re light, they re fantastic for vision, and these DD13 engines are fantastic.

They are remarkable motors, and with five years one million kilometre warranty, you can t go wrong”.

But getting back to the trailers, Brad pointed out that there were a few differences in the two Trout iver trailers in his fleet, with some minor alterations on the newer unit.

“We worked together with the guys from Trout River at modifying these trailers,” rad said.

“Because we do change products a lot of the time, what we were finding with the first one is that we were getting TRAILER TORQUE

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TRAILERTORQUE a little bit of material hanging up, so the operators had to get in and clean it out. e ve fitted a vibrator to the headboard of the newest one, so the drivers don’t have to get in there any more. You just hit the button, it slides down onto the belt, and out it goes. We also moved the tarp forward of the headboard,” he said.

This keeps it safely out of the way when loading at quarries, while still allowing access to the full length of the trailer from above.

The belt in the floor is hydraulically driven, and is remotely operated, either from within the cab or by using a second remote located on the trailer. A manual override is fitted to allow operation should the remote system fail.

A driver can monitor the unloading process from the cab via two cameras mounted on the trailer – one showing the inside of the trailer and the other showing the view out the back – which relays pictures to a dash-mounted display screen.

All of this allows the operator to stay clear of the rear of trailer while unloading, while monitoring the loading process from a safe distance.

“When we’re doing our road base or plant work, we can see when they’re empty,” Brad said.

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The automatic roller tarp is also operated from within the cab, further reducing OH&S risks.

“None of my trucks have manual tarps,” Brad pointed out.

“They all have automatic tarps. This saves drivers from having to get in and out, leaving doors open and filling trucks up with dust. It’s safer than getting out and winding handles”.

The fact that they don t tip brings many benefits, including the ability to unload on uneven ground.

“We can use these where we can’t use conventional tippers. We can only use the conventional tippers in the plants, where they’re level. But these belt-discharge trailers we can send anywhere,” said Brad.

With the belt speed being adjustable through engine rpm, the load can be pushed as fast, or as slow, as the job requires. As I witnessed, unloading into the asphalt transfer machine requires a constant flow of product, at a rate that doesn’t overload the machine or allow it to run dry, in order to achieve maximum productivity.

With the transfer machine pushing the truck and trailer along, the engine rpm, and so the belt speed, can be adjusted to suit without affecting the ground speed. hile this took some time to unload, maybe seven or eight minutes, Brad says these trailers can be emptied in just under two minutes if the conditions allow.

FISHING FOR TROUT

n terms of running gear, rad likes to fit Intraax suspension and axles.

endrickson

“We put Intraax on everything now,” Brad said. “I keep it all standard. t s all merican, and everything crosses over.

The brakes on the Intraax are the same as the brakes on the drive of the Freightliners”. rad does all his own servicing and maintenance, including that on the trailers, and emphasised just how easy they are to maintain, saying, “We haven’t even had to adjust the belt on the first one. e ve had that for six months, it s showing sixty odd thousand on the hub meter, and it’s been working day and night. e check the chain every couple of weeks, and it hasn t moved a millimetre. The maintenance side of things is zero. There are three grease points on the belt, a couple of grease points on the tailgate, and that s it. e haven t even put a tyre on it. ith a truck and dog we d have replaced a couple of tyres by now,” he added.

The safety aspect of these trailers is important to rad, but, from listening to him talk about them, it s clear that he sees plenty of other benefits in the design.

These will stay”, rad said. can t even see myself buying another truck and dog. These Trout iver belt discharge trailers blow them out of the water, because they re working day and night,” he added.

Brad is so happy with the results he has another eight-wheeler rigid unit on its way. It would seem that the Trout iver trailers are somewhat of a silver bullet, providing benefits for the driver, the customer and the bottom line, while delivering on safety.

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FEATURE

Keeping your Cool Getting a good night’s sleep can depend on being able to control your environment – Words and images by Dave Whyte

T

here have been many advancements in driver comfort since I started in this industry 16 years ago. Adjustable steering columns, multi-adjustable air-ride seats with in-built seat belts, and even the humble cup holders have added to the comfort and convenience of being in the driver’s seat for hours on end.

While air conditioning has been built into trucks for a long time, we, here in Australia, were a little slow off the mark when it came to adopting independent air conditioners, to keep the cab cool during extended rest breaks without the need to have the engine running. The days of sleeping with the bunk doors open, or a towel draped over the open window are disappearing fast, with the availability of stationary-use air con units.

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With various systems available, the most basic choice is between a diesel and battery-powered unit. In the past, battery-powered units have been the subject of many complaints due to limited operating time and less than perfect performance.

Battery-powered evaporative units led the charge for a while, but their limited effectiveness in humid conditions has seen them fall off the list of favourites, in favour of diesel-powered units.

While diesel-powered units offer effective cooling, they do create a lot of noise and vibration, which not only affects the driver in the cab, but also those who may be parked up in the near vicinity. Certainly, many roadhouse parking areas now have signs requesting that diesel-powered air

KEEPING YOUR COOL conditioners, as with fridge motors, not be used for fear of waking up the neighbours.

That’s where the latest generation of battery-powered units come to the fore. With new technology in both sides of the system, the air con unit and the batteries, many of the shortcomings of earlier models are overcome, and a few new tricks introduced. One such setup is fitted to and T Welding Services Kenworth K104, and, according to company owner ax ister, it is performing brilliantly.

The and T elding ervices erodyne is not a regular interstate runner, and this is what makes the air con so valuable. In the role of delivering the company’s projects and equipment to work sites, the truck often sits for hours in the Queensland sun and heat while waiting to be unloaded.

Without good air conditioning, this would make for a very long and tiring day for the driver, or a significant amount of engine idle time. With many delivery sites being close to homes and businesses, noise could be an issue, not to mention the extra fuel burn in the name of driver comfort. ortunately, for ax, new ometic T roof mounted unit eliminates both of these issues, while still keeping the cab at a comfortable temperature. s ax put it, “I can park anywhere, and not create any dramas, in a sense of the noise.

It’s very quiet, you can hardly hear it running”.

The ometic T is a fully self-contained roof-mounted unit that runs on 24-volt power to provide uiet, efficient and effective cooling of the cab while the vehicle is stationery.

Being a one-piece unit means there is no plumbing or ducting to run through the truck, with only the power wires needing to be connected.

The T range is available with custom mounts to fit in place of the roof hatch (or sun roof) on most European trucks, making installation on these trucks a very simple ob. t can be fitted to any truck though, with a template included to mark out the hole to be cut in the roof.

seat or the bed, without the need to reach the unit itself. s far as performance goes, ax says, t s a big cab. don t have any curtains in there because it s too confined in the back, so it cools the whole cab. I’m really surprised at how much it can cool the thing down”.

Fitment of a variable speed inverter compressor means increased running time over older models, with the manufacturer claiming up to hours from the T , and six hours from the more powerful T . hile six hours may not seem like a long time, if the cab is cool before turning the unit on (by using the engine-based air con while driving that time could be extended. lso, if the cab is cool when the low voltage shut off is activated, it should take some time for the cab to warm up again, meaning a driver can have seven or eight hours of good uality rest before being woken by excessive heat within the cab. For those operators looking for longer running times, the unit can be hooked up to solar panels, which will trickle charge the battery, extending operating time. ith that being said, ax pointed out that with the lithium battery, his T unit will run for ten hours, non stop. owering the ometic T on and T s truck is a volt 200-amp-hour lithium battery. This is supplied by evolution ower ustralia, which sells the battery and wiring as a complete kit, including edarc C C chargers designed specifically for the lithium battery. The battery and all the electronics fit neatly in the passenger side toolbox of the K104, with room to spare for other gear. s avid Nielsen of evolution ower explained, These batteries provide the same power as four N truck batteries, but only weigh kg. Our batteries are also i o batteries, so they don t get hot during charging or discharging, which makes them safer”.

The charging system is very interesting, and allows the 24 V lithium battery to be used as a backup to support the main truck batteries, by maintaining their charge when the truck is not running.

ou get a pattern, and you cut a hole in the roof,” ax said. “The whole unit is there. There are no lines running down the back of the cab, no fitting vents or anything like that, ‘cause it’s all in the unit. Just put it on the roof, two wires, and that’s it”.

“The system automatically keeps the truck batteries topped up when the truck is turned off, so you can run all your accessories without the main batteries going flat.

You can run your fridge all weekend and still know the truck will start when you want it to,” said avid.

s you can see, the fitment in and T s erodyne is very neat, with the added bonus that the roof-mounted air kit doesn t need to be altered for the ometic unit to fit. Not only does this add to the aesthetic look of the truck, but the air kit offers a little extra protection for the air con against bird strikes and so on.

That also extends the life of those batteries by eliminating cycling, where the battery is discharged and then recharged. The lithium battery can also be used to keep the truck running in the event of an alternator or drive belt failing.

The ometic T is a smart bit of gear, and offers either manual control through setting the temperature and fan speed, or automatic control, where the temperature is set and the unit controls the fan speed to maintain that temperature. s you would expect, there are controls fitted to the unit, or it can be operated by remote control. This allows the operator to turn the unit on or off, and makes for easy temperature adjustment whether they are in the

“It will power the truck, and allow you to get home and get it fixed cost effectively, without having to sit at the side of the road or pay a call out charge to have it repaired,” added avid.

When you consider the installation and operating costs of the various air conditioning units on the market (including servicing and maintenance), along with the limitations on where they can be used, a battery-powered unit becomes an attractive option.

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y charging while the engine is running, or through the use of solar power, the lithium battery effectively stores free power that can be used in a number of ways, and possibly save an operator money over the long term. hile some operators still resist the temptation to have a stationary use air conditioner fitted, the benefits in sleep uality, whether it is day or night, are welcomed by those who have them. y fitting a system like the ometic T that can be used anywhere at any time, a driver can be more comfortable, and confident of getting sleep when and where they need it. n the words of ax arraps, hy do it tough ou don t have to be a man and do it tough. tuff that ”

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HAMMAR remains as always the innovator in Sideloader development since 1974. World firsts include 45’ capacity, 48’ capacity, 33t lifting capacity and electric power pack to name a few.

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TRAILERTORQUE

Cold Comfort

Carrier Transicold shows how one engine can do the work of two – A PowerTorque report from the IAA Hanover.

Carrier Transicold, the global provider of refrigeration solutions for transport, showcased a new generation of engineless transport refrigeration technology at the IAA show.

Across Europe, Carrier Transicold is now marketing fleet refrigeration units running entirely on hydroelectric power generated by a truck’s ultra-clean Euro 6 engine – cutting emissions and maintenance costs and improving fuel e ciency The new hydroelectric technology is also e ceptionally uiet, and fully certified meaning it can operate below 60 decibels, which makes it ideal for nighttime deliveries in urban areas.

The new technology is built around the Carrier ECODRIVE GenSet unit, and as Kelly Geddes, marketing manager of Carrier Transicold Australia, told PowerTorque PowerTorque:

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COLD COMFORT “These units add a new dimension to our range of products, and directly support our goal of helping fleet operators meet their e ciency and sustainability goals, and achieve a sustainable cold chain “The ECO-DRIVE GenSet is a power module fitted to the side of a truck chassis and driven by a hydraulic pump connected to the truck s power take off TO The hydraulic system drives a generator that delivers electrical power rated at 400 V/3/50 that communicates with the C bus of the truck “A control unit is integrated within the hydraulic system, called X-Flow, and this ensures the generator maintains constant power, even when the truck is idling in heavy tra c eliminating any need for the driver to rev the truck s engine to provide su cient cooling power and removing the need for the refrigeration unit to use its own diesel engine,” added r eddes enefits of using the CO D unit include quiet operation even at 100 percent capacity With a low weight of 1 5 kg, the CO D provides significant fuel savings of between 0 and 0 litres hour and re uires only limited maintenance

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FEATURE

crowning gglory When it comes to materials handling, Crown Equipment has the ultimate pick-up line.

It’s a rarity that a slogan can live almost as long as a product, and yet the TV and radio jingle that runs on the line of, “There is nothing like a Crown, for picking it up or putting it down,” ranks with the very best of brand advertising.

Crown Equipment in Australia celebrates over 50 years of manufacturing equipment that literally does pick things up and put them down again, albeit in a different location PowerTorque magazine spent a day learning just how clever and innovative the company’s products have become in today’s logistics and materialshandling industry.

To its credit, Crown Equipment is very much a one-stop provider of product movement solutions, and in recent years has added a racking and shelving division that enables the company to take a holistic approach to a client looking for answers.

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From a global perspective Crown Equipment is a privately-owned family company, manufacturing in 18 locations in 11 countries worldwide and employing 13,200 staff With five regional head uarters, of which ydney is the centre for the sia acific region, Crown uipment is the fifth largest manufacturer globally in this segment, with an annual turnover of D illion As Australian industry transitions from a manufacturing base to that of importing completed products from overseas, there has undoubtedly been a change in the way that warehousing and distribution co-exist.

The diesel and natural gas powered forklifts that once formed the backbone of all materials-handling operations are gradually being replaced by faster, emissions-free electric units. This is just one of many areas where Crown Equipment has developed its products ahead of those of its competitors, whether the customer is looking at buying, renting, leasing or financing its lift and stack e uipment

CROWNING GLORY

“There is a change in the way our customers manage their requirements in materials-handling equipment, with many clients now looking at leasing and rental options rather than outright purchase. This move enables the client to have a fully-maintained unit for as long or as short as a particular contract re uires, all for a fi ed cost, said Craig Kenchington, general manager of marketing for Crown Equipment. “We have 12,000 units in rental application and the duration can vary from one day to five years We also have a fleet management team working in the Crown nsite and Technology Development Division that is responsible for a further 10,000 units in private ownership as in third-party logistics with companies such as info , D , Coles, Toll, Woolworths and their subsidiaries like Dan Murphy and Thomas Du

“The 10,000 units in private ownership are monitored by nsite through nfo ink, which connects with the lift trucks to provide real-time data on their mechanical performance, fre uency of impacts in the field and operator behaviour nsite ensures operators and lift trucks work together to improve their material-handling processes, general business practices and, most importantly, productivity.

Five years ago the market mi was 50 50 with internal combustion and LPG gas versus diesel, but today we are seeing the preference for electric units now running at 0 0 in their favour The improvement in battery technology in units up to 5 tonnes has driven that growth, whereas the over 5 tonnes sector is all diesel powered.

Technology is certainly changing the e ciency levels, and our Quick Pick Remote system enables an operator to move the pallet truck forwards remotely to the ne t pick location by pressing a button on a special control glove.

This saves the operator having to walk back to the unit after picking the package or part, added r enchington A quick run through some of the latest products starts with the Wave elevated work platform. The original Wave unit enabled operators to reach to heights of up to five metres t could turn on its own radius, fit through a standard doorway and travel twice as fast as walking speed to do a range of jobs safer, faster and easier than ever before.

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FEATURE The latest Wave 60 continues to perform all of these functions but with greater ease thanks to its improved user interface, while the new AC-drive motors developed by Crown enable it to travel with increased manoeuvrability at speeds of up to 8.0 km/h.

The Wave load tray supports up to 90 kg, while the load deck holds up to 115 kg. An optional, powered-load tray features infinitely variable positions that allow operators to easily make height ad ustments for fle ibility with any load It also integrates with InfoLink, Crown’s wireless operator and forklift fleet management solution Customers looking for the most e cient heavy duty counterbalance forklift for warehouse and manufacturing with loads ranging from 1800 to 3000 kg are well served by the Crown FC 5200 Series.

The FC 5200 helps operators get more done in less time, using faster acceleration, travel and lift speeds to move up to 10 percent more per shift. Its dual-drive motors and steering a le geometry allow for a smaller turning radius so operators can handle heavy loads in tight spaces without causing e tra tyre wear The tighter turning radius enables the truck to be used in the same space as a conventional four-wheel forklift, while also allowing room for a larger battery that provides 15 percent more runtime per battery charge.

Crown’s e-GEN™ braking benefits runtimes while reducing the need for maintenance compared to traditional friction brakes, further improving the cost of ownership. Ondemand power steering means that power is only used when the steering wheel is turned, avoiding energy loss. Fingertip-control hydraulics operate on a similar basis while providing streamlined ergonomics.

Crown’s Intrinsic Stability System uses integrated sensors and controllers to constantly monitor and control key forklift functions and movements to enhance stability and safety.

The new Crown MPC 3000 Series combines a highlift, clear-view mast with an outrigger-free counterbalance design. Powered by Crown’s AC traction motor, it is capable of travelling up to 12.5 km/h and lifting 1200 kg to a height of 4.3 metres. It can lift full-capacity loads (at a 600 mm load centre) to the full height of the mast, and automatically adjusts cornering speed and acceleration depending on steer wheel angle, fork height and load weight, for stability.

Crown has added to its sit-down counterbalance electric lift truck range with two new models: the SC 6000 Series in three-wheel and four-wheel models and the heavy-duty FC 5200 Series.

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The new Crown MPC 3000 Series combines the benefits of an order picker with the advantages of a counterbalance forklift.

It features a high-lift, clear-view mast with an outriggerfree, counterbalance design and an ergonomic ride-on platform – a combination that creates a versatile, multipurpose lift truck capable of performing tasks usually requiring more than one piece of equipment.

The unique new Crown RT 4000 Series rider pallet truck line, which is available in stand-up or sit-down models with load capacities of up to 000 kg, offers uni ue fle ible control arrangements.

These new products pave the way for a number of new Crown semi-customisation technologies that are currently in development and nearing completion.

While the technology may be cutting edge, its rollout will continue the company s longstanding effort to help customers manage supply chain costs by increasing performance and productivity while providing unprecedented levels of operator and pedestrian safety.

“Becoming a one-stop shop was all about build productivity and adding value for our customers and our adaptation of more advanced technologies is another important part of delivering the best we can for them,” Mr. Kenchington said.

“Additional services we provide include on-the-job operator training at our head o ce on a purpose built training area, as well as providing training options at our client’s location.

“Crown is also able to supply complete warehouse infrastructure set-ups through Crown Warehouse Solutions (CWS). This division is Australia’s only specialist racking and shelving company with e perience beyond the physical storage fit out Through CW we add value for customers purchasing material-handling equipment through the provision of pallet racking, shelving, consumables and warehouse accessories, and consumables such as tools and pallet wrappers.

We understand the specific business requirements when it comes to operational e ciencies We understand the environment in which your employees have to work, the equipment they work with, and how your whole operation has to work cohesively,” Mr. Kenchington added.

• • •

• • •

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