POWERTORQUE MAGAZINE ISSUE #84 AUG/SEPT 2018

A U S T R A L I A’ S L E A D I N G T R U C K A N D T R A I L E R M A G A Z I N E

Incorporating

ISSUE 84 AUG/SEPT 2018 RRP: $8.95

www.powertorque.com.au

ISSUE 84 AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2018

H T I W L U A H G N O L E TH T R O P S N A R T N I W R A SHAW’S D

ISUZU READY-TO-WORK RANGE.

GET A TRUCK SPENDING ST

When your business is growing bigger you need a truck to handle the bigger payloads. But you’re worried about getting hit with a big price. Fear not, though. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the cost of an Isuzu Ready-to-Work truck.

Gaining space won’t mean giving up any creature comforts, either.

The Ready-to-Work range is quick off the mark with an astonishingly car-like ride. And you only need a passenger car licence to drive one.* #Available most models. *Models up to 4,500kgs GVM. †Satellite navigation standard on Tradepack. FSA/ISZ11956

Other touches include a telematics and sat-nav† ready Digital Audio Visual Equipment (DAVE) unit. And to keep you safe, there are side intrusion bars, driver and passenger airbags and Isuzu Electronic Stability Control (IESC).

Best of all, each truck in the Ready-to-Work range comes fitted with a body and is ready and waiting to drive away.

So if it’s time to get serious, head to isuzu.com.au or visit your nearest Isuzu Truck Dealer now.

WITHOUT ACKS.

TRAYPACK

VANPACK

Tipper

Tradepack

Servicepack

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AT THE WHEEL Warren Caves looks at the road ahead OLIVER ABROAD Oliver Dixon comments on the upcoming IAA Show LEGAL COMMENT Gillian Bristow and Emily Ng of leading law firm, Cooper Grace Ward THE LONG HAUL Shaw’s Darwin Transport blazes the blue and red trail to the Far North READY TO ROLL Freightliner Australia opens the door to Cascadia FAMILY TIES Cromack Transport of Grafton bases its future on a strong family tradition BLOCK AND TACKLE GRS Towing expands its footprint in Sydney QUON BY NAME – UD BY NATURE UD builds on its heritage

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STEERING AND SHIFTING Volvo’s dynamic steering and dualclutch transmission technology

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SUPER-B-MAN A MAN-to-MAN discussion

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FORKTORQUE Hyster’s hydrogen-powered forklift

TRACKSIDE Steve Richards Motorsport and the team DAF XF105

RAM RAID The RAM 1500 4x4 with V8 power and 4.5 tonnes of towing muscle

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SMART THINKING The thought processes of tomorrow’s trailers with Knorr-Bremse LIFTABILITY Maxilift Australia covers a broad spectrum of lifting requirements

DRESSED FOR SUCCESS The new-generation Scania not only looks good, it delivers the goods

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TIME MANAGEMENT Maximum fleet utilisation is a major factor in the growth of BTL Bulk Haulage

EURO TRAILERTORQUE Kässbohrer celebrates its 125th anniversary

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BRAND BUILDING Can International rebuild its brand in the face of stiff competition

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EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION Warren Caves reports on Multiquip

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CLASSICAL GAS Will stepping back into gas be the way forwards to reduce emissions?

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TOWING THE LINE North America’s tow and recovery truck museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee

OFF-ROAD ACTION Mercedes-Benz trucks with allterrain ability PULLING THE PLUG Isuzu gets a plug for adding electricity to its portfolio OLD TIMERS Sydney’s historic vehicles park up at Penrith

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IN FOR THE BULK HAUL Kenworths are part of the family DNA for Scholz Bulk Haulage

For all editorial information and subscriptions please contact: Managing Editor - Chris Mullett Road Test Editors - Brenton O’Connor

Ed Higginson Contributing Writers - Stuart Martin Warren Caves David Meredith Rob Randazzo Photography - Jonathan Wood

Geoff Parrington

Mark Bean

Cristian Brunelli

Warren Caves Designer - Steven Foster Account Manager - Maree Mullett Editorial Division, PO Box 271AB, Airlie Beach, Qld 4802 Telephone: +61 (0) 7 4946 4658 Email: edit@powertorque.com.au 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: +61 (0) 7 4946 4658 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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‘18

Chris Mullett

FORWARD

T

TORQUE

he reputation of CAT Trucks is still very much on the nose with some operators, largely through the arrogance of the CAT executives who thought the longstanding reputation of CAT products with Australian on-highway operators could withstand the “here today, gone tomorrow and then back again” activities of a couple of years ago.

The International nameplate has returned to Australia, and, while sharing a common parentage, the brand operates under a totally different scenario. The International history still forms a backdrop for registering highly favourable memories through the way the name is blended into the history of Australian highways. International’s parent company, Navistar, has restructured its entire operation under the guidance of ex-GM executive Troy Clarke. Its new alliance with the emerging force of VW Truck & Bus provides every reason to believe the brand will form a major platform for the VW Group to push into North America, and from there expand into Southern America and other markets.

Heading the VW Truck & Bus Group expansion is Andreas Renschler, the previous head of Daimler Trucks. The Group also comprises German truck maker MAN, and Swedish truck maker Scania, and, in recent months, has seen Goran Nyberg depart his position as president of Volvo Trucks North America to join the MAN brand as the executive board member for sales and marketing of MAN Truck & BUS AG. It is a fair assumption that Nyberg jumped ship to take on a larger challenge, and it’s PowerTorque’s belief that, behind the scenes, the new VW Group operation, which is changing its name to the Traton Group, is being groomed to tackle the North American dominance of Daimler Trucks North America.

If the reputation of CAT Trucks is on the nose, then the reputation of Volkswagen’s car group, which includes Audi, is even more toxic in North American markets. Hence the name change to the Traton Group as an indication of how far Mr. Renschler wants to distance his operation from the VW Dieselgate debacle.

Back in April of this year, the rumour mill was suggesting that Navistar International Corp was in the midst of an ambitious turnaround with the intent of pursuing a takeover by VW AG. Volkswagen is one of Navistar’s largest shareholders, with company executives suggesting that a takeover would theoretically be possible (Source: Bloomberg). Matthias Gruendler, chief financial officer of the Traton Group, outlined a price tag of 3 billion to 4 billion (USD or Euro). While he declined to comment on a possible timeframe, Mr. Gruendler said cooperation between the two manufacturers is developing “very well”.

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All this activity would suggest that International is going to move forward with far greater force than it’s managed in the past decade. With good-looking styling and a more rapid ability to incorporate change, such as the potential for MAN or Scania drivetrains behind the familiar American badge, International Trucks may be a brand to watch rather more closely in the future, with an increasing foray into China and other Asian markets leading a preemptive strike back into the North American market to challenge both Daimler and Volvo in North American.

Back home in Australia, and improved driver safety may be a surprise outcome of the tightening of the Chain of Responsibility legislation as senior executives of a transport provider could be brought to task for not placing their employee in the safest possible workplace.

Statistics released by ANCAP confirm that older vehicles are overrepresented in fatal vehicle crashes, while the average age of vehicles involved in fatal accidents is increasing. Over the past three years, the average age of vehicles in Australia remained at 9.8 years, yet, in 2015, the average age of a vehicle involved in a fatal crash was 12.5 years. This rose to 12.9 years in 2016, and to 13.1 years in 2017.

Buyers of passenger cars are totally familiar with the inclusion of a plethora of SRS airbags in their latest purchase. These are not optional, being part of a standard vehicle specification.

At the preview of the Freightliner Cascadia, reported upon in this issue, company executives commented that SRS airbags would be expected as part of the standard package. This follows the availability of SRS airbags on the latest Scania Next Generation of Trucks and the Mercedes-Benz New Generation.

The only obstacle to standard fitment is an objection to the cost. But with truck driving listed as one of the most dangerous occupations in this country, should cost even be part of the purchase equation when lives can be saved and serious injuries minimised?

The Australian truck driver has embraced the mandatory wearing of seat belts after initially suggesting they were impractical. Today it’s well accepted that the wearing of a three-point seat belt reduces injury and saves lives.

Adding SRS airbags to the new truck specification should simply follow this lead.

As always, stay safe and enjoy the drive.

Kind regards, Chris Mullett Managing Editor and Publisher.

The New Mercedes-Benz Actros.

Prime movers never moved so efficiently.

Best Heavy Duty Truck – 2017 Brisbane Truck Show Awards Visit mercedes-benz.com.au/actros for more information, or contact your local authorised Mercedes-Benz Trucks Dealership.

WHEEL

AT THE W A R R E N

C A V E S

L O O K S

A

ttracting new young drivers to this industry is a difficult task, and with almost all interviews I conduct with transport owners or managers the story is the same, “We struggle to find and retain good quality operators”.

You might think that this only applies to small, shoestring operations with clapped-out gear, but it doesn’t, the majority of these companies are running with late model well maintained equipment, offering above award wages.

So why is it so difficult to recruit good operators? I have a few theories.

One: There’s the grass is always greener syndrome.

The overwhelming desire to improve your situation both financially and personally. This is fair enough, although sometimes offers look good on paper, ultimately not looking so rosy once working the job.

Two: Poor public opinion of truck drivers. This is brought on by road users ill-informed on what’s involved in driving heavy vehicles and what their actual obligations are when driving around them.

Compounding this is sensationalist television content often taken out of context or focusing on a minority element. Let’s face it, the vast majority of the general public, not affiliated with our industry, regard truck drivers as drug-taking cowboys who are a law unto themselves.

Hello, it’s not the 1970s anymore.

A T

T H E

Every market is driven by supply and demand. Currently, there are more driving jobs than available drivers, which results in higher wages. If companies are not offering above award rates, conditions or incentives, they are automatically drawing from the bottom of the driver pool.

This is where I believe that the visa driver import scheme flourishes. Companies advertise jobs at award rates that are not competitive in the marketplace, they then end up with no applicants, effectively opening up the gates to import drivers.

Four: Over zealous infringement enforcement. This one always stirs up the emotions; however, it’s a real issue. In no other career that I’m aware of can an employee go to work and effectively be fined their whole week’s pay for sometimes minor errors. Now, for the record, I’m all for 8

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A H E A D

regulations that keep everyone on the road safe, including myself. Without rules and regulations total anarchy would ensue, creating an environment that you only see on overseas YouTube clips. No one wants that.

Penalties are, at times, disproportionate to the level of income this job provides. Sure, you can make some big dollars in this game, but that’s only because of the long hours and antisocial shifts required to get the work done while everyone else is sleeping.

We hear the term thrown around, “You’re a professional driver, you should know better” – then when are we going to be paid a professional rate for normal hours?

How many “professionals” in other careers do you know of that are paid $25-$27 per hour? A professional driver on $27 per hour for 40 hours per week would be paid just $1080 gross per week. A professional wage? Hardly. More like minimum wage.

“So why is it so difficult to recruit good operators? I have a few theories.”

Three: Employer indifference. Some employers don’t identify and recognise talent and commitment, choosing to adopt a “next please” attitude towards drivers.

R O A D

Five: Non-recognition of skills. Other careers recognise excellence and performance by way of enhanced renumeration or benefits like a company car or superannuation benefits etc.

The transport industry does no such thing. A 30-year veteran driver with an unblemished record, who has worked in numerous fields loading anything from tooth picks to ammonium nitrate, will still get paid the same hourly rate as little Tommy Smith who just graduated from driving school. No offence to Tommy, he has to start somewhere, but he is not even close to the 30-year veteran’s skill base.

If we are to get serious in this industry about recruiting new young talent, it needs to be made more attractive.

A traineeship scheme or apprenticeship should be considered to properly train young drivers, and the government should get behind this initiative. After all, I’m sure the parliamentary canteen food and the fuel for the taxpayer-funded commonwealth cars are transported by the very trucks that are driven by the drivers who are largely being ignored (except for fine time) and are leaving the industry in droves.

Perhaps when the job is made more appealing to school leavers, some might actually take up a career in an industry that is crying out for talent, instead of going to university and acquiring a HECS debt only to obtain a degree in a career with minimal job prospects.

Safe trucking, Warren Caves

ANYTHING BUT GENERAL CARGO You carry the essentials that make our world go round. Essentials that we often take for granted. Most people have no idea about the long hours spent on the highway.

To arrive on time you need a vehicle that is anything but general. This is why we don’t do one-size-fits-all trucks. No. At Scania, we tailor solutions for the only business that matters. Yours.

For more information about our new generation trucks and services simply contact your regional Scania Account Executive or visit www.scania.com.au

OLIVER

ABROAD

OLIV ER DIXON REPORTS ON THE GLOBA L TRUCKING A RENA held every two years in Hanover, is, for the , trucking industry, probably the most important industry clan gathering on the calendar.

IAA

solution – and so it does seem a peculiar move to focus resolutely on non-diesel products, which are applicable to just 5.0 percent of Iveco’s current base.

Uniquely, it draws together a global audience to look at global participants, and, leaving aside any other function that it may possess, it is the event that serves to set the industry agenda for both the next two years and beyond. It is, quite naturally, taken very seriously by the industry participants, and those same participants tend to trail what they intend to do – and say – at Hanover some way ahead of time.

There are a couple of obvious questions here. Not least, does this focus make Iveco any more or any less attractive to a potential purchaser? If Iveco made the engines, then we could assume that this would be showcasing some valuable IP. As it is, Iveco doesn’t make the engines and so that IP is vested elsewhere.

Iveco, the truck-manufacturing arm of CNH, will be at IAA, but it won’t be at IAA with any diesel-powered products on display. Its exhibit space will instead be “…a Low Emission Area – 100 percent Diesel Free – displaying a full offering of alternative electric, CNG and LNG traction vehicles available on the market today to cover every mission from passenger transport to long-distance haulage”. According to Iveco’s brand president, Pierre Lahutte, this is a clear pivot in market focus: “This will be a clear demonstration that we are the preferred partner for sustainable transport”.

Let’s pause for a moment to commend Iveco; there is much nebulous and ill-informed commentary doing the rounds at present regarding a post-diesel age. Iveco has forced the adoption of a debating framework, and this can only be welcome.

But the timing of this renders it an interesting, and, many would argue a brave or even a strange, decision. Iveco – at least in heavy-duty guise – is a perennial underperformer in its core European market. During a round of management presentations during the year, then CEO Rich Tobin confirmed that CNH would not be averse to spinning the truck business away from the core, and most profitable, agriculture division.

Furthermore, he also indicated – and second quarter earnings will either confirm or dismiss this assertion – that Iveco’s previous pursuit of market share has now been cooled and that the company has pivoted strategically to focus on margin.

So how does the non-diesel focus at IAA sit with Tobin’s assertions? Bearing in mind that he also pointed out during the investor meetings that there was a growing divergence between long haul and local delivery vehicles in terms of powertrain choice – the latter remaining dominated by diesel “for economic reasons” while the former is moving towards hybrid and EV propulsion. It’s a little bit difficult to bring these two events together. Moreover, Iveco CEO Pierre Lahutte is on record as admitting that 95 percent of the market was for diesel and Iveco is one of only two OEMs to have a differentiated diesel product – a non EGR Euro 6 10

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At another level, if for the foreseeable future, diesel will continue to dominate the heavy-duty space, does not the absence of a diesel product – even a differentiated diesel product – imply a wavering commitment to that same segment?

Tobin has argued for margin to take precedence over market share, but the optics here are strange. Iveco has at times occupied a swing supply role in the European HD market, something that is sure to make the pursuit of improved margins more, rather than less difficult – and in shifting focus away from the majority diesel audience, it may run the risk of appearing to be less than concerned about its business within that segment. It is a very strange message to send, not just to customers, but also to its dealer network.

No one doubts that we live in changing times and that alternative fuels are more important now than ever before.

But Iveco’s decision to effectively dismiss diesel is a strange one.

Lahutte opines that: “The pressure on diesel is mounting – public opinion has turned against it. EU institutions and national governments are introducing policies and subsidies to support the conversion of fleets to environmentally friendly technologies.

“At IAA, with its ‘Diesel Free’ stand illustrating a ‘Low Emission Area’, Iveco, in collaboration with Shell, will demonstrate that its electric, CNG and LNG full offering is available today as a viable alternative to diesel vehicles.

Visitors to the exhibition will discover a stand full of alternative traction vehicles, developed with customers and body builder partners, covering every mission – and not a single diesel engine in sight!”

That it is available does not mean that it is commercially viable. Iveco appears to be pursuing first-mover advantage in a market that does not move quickly, and, in doing so, it sends a message that is at best difficult to understand, and, at worst, rather damaging.

Oliver Dixon

LEGAL COMMENT GILLIAN BRISTOW AND EMILY NG OF LEADING LAW FIRM,

COOPER GRACE WARD, MAKE THEIR DETERMINATIONS ON THE RISKS AND REWARDS OF IN-VEHICLE MONITORING SYSTEMS.

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hen it comes to GPS tracking, inward and outward facing cameras and infrared technology, in-vehicle monitoring systems (IVMS) are revolutionising journey management for the transport industry.

IVMS can encourage safe driving behaviour, help drivers comply with complex fatigue management laws and provide an effective monitoring and evaluation tool for transport operators. However, IVMS also present privacy, surveillance and compliance challenges. Some of these issues came to a head in a recent dispute between Toll and the Transport Workers Union in the Fair Work Commission.

Toll and the TWU Toll sought to expand the use of its in-vehicle surveillance and infrared fatigue monitoring systems to its long distance and liquid tanker drivers. The proposed systems comprised inward and outward facing vehicle cameras that recorded footage of the driver and the road, as well as ‘Guardian’ technology, described as an ‘in cab, real time, fatigue alerting and distraction monitoring system’.

The Guardian system relies on infrared technology to track driver eye behaviour with audio and seat vibration alarms that sound to alert a driver of fatigue events.

The TWU argued that having in-vehicle cameras was ‘unreasonably intrusive’ and that the footage captured could ‘be used for a purpose other than to ensure safe driving’. Similarly, the TWU raised concerns that data captured by the infrared systems could be used for purposes unrelated to safety.

constituted ‘reasonable steps to ensure that all work… is performed in accordance with a safe system of work’.

Privacy and surveillance considerations The adoption of in-vehicle monitoring of any sort raises a number of potential privacy and surveillance issues.

Depending on the type of monitoring, and the personal information collected as a result, operators may need to comply with relevant workplace surveillance legislation and general surveillance legislation. For example, in New South Wales and the ACT workplace surveillance laws require employers to provide notice to their employees before implementing any camera, tracking or data/ computer surveillance.

Operators should also ensure that they have up-to-date privacy policies that deal with issues associated with data collected via IVMS. Compliance considerations To satisfy the duties imposed by the Chain of Responsibility reforms that commence on 1 October 2018, operators must monitor and review any data collected

by IVMS and make sure they take steps to deal with any detected contraventions of the Heavy Vehicle National Law or other road rules.

Toll asserted that the footage and data would be managed in accordance with Toll’s privacy policy, stored securely and only accessed by authorised employees. Toll’s relevant operating procedures stated that Toll would use the footage and data to monitor fatigue and distractions, investigate incidents and provide further training. The procedures also stated that Toll would use the footage as part of disciplinary action if unsafe behaviours or breaches of its policies or road transport laws were identified.

Tips for operators who have, or propose to install, IVMS: 1. Ensure your privacy policy deals with footage/data collected by IVMS. 2. Consider and comply with applicable privacy laws, workplace surveillance laws and general surveillance laws.

3. Provide training on the implementation and operation of IVMS to drivers, explain what information will be collected and how that information will be monitored and evaluated.

4. Document your procedures for monitoring of IVMS data and the steps you will take if the data demonstrates that your driver has not complied with your policies or with road transport laws.

The Fair Work Commission found that, pursuant to the enterprise agreement between Toll and its employees, Toll was entitled to expand the use of the IVMS. The IVMS

If you have any questions about the new CoR regime, you are welcome to contact Gillian Bristow (07 3231 2925) or Emily Ng (07 3231 2986).

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DO THE MATH. BUY A DAF. DO THE MATH. BUY A DAF.

daf.com.au

=THE CF85 510Hp

Here’s just some of the ways the DAF CF85 510Hp adds up: Low tare with high strength

Multiple systems to keep drivers safe

Featuring advanced chassis design, High Strength Low Alloy – Vanadium (HSLA – V) steel and low weight Meritor differentials.

Including optional; Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning System and side view camera.

A supreme level of driver comfort

Aerodynamics with added benefits

The seat, the ergonomics, the fully adjustable multi function steering wheel, the ride, the handling and the quiet all come together to deliver driver comfort.

The CF85’s aerodynamics help engine performance and improved fuel economy, as well as helping to keep the windscreens and windows clean.

2,500Nm of torque from 1,000rpm Combined with low tare and high ratio differentials delivering an effortless, stress free driving experience with fuel efficiency.

PROFILE

THE LONG HAUL

Shaw’s Darwin Transport blazes the blue and red trail from NSW to the Northern Territory – Words by Warren Caves, images by Torque it Up

P

urchasing his first cab-over Kenworth in 1981, William Shaw set the foundation stone for a successful Darwin road express freight service, firstly as a subcontractor to a major national carrier, then as his own company. Now, some 37 years later, Shaw’s Darwin Transport has grown to boast a fleet of 47 Kenworth prime movers, 126 trailers, 60 dollies and 22 Isuzu rigid trucks, employing around 150 staff.

William Shaw is still a shareholder in the business, choosing to reside in the UK these days with visits from time to time to view operations.

A decision was made in 2011 to pass the company’s control over to a board of five directors, made up of ten years+, long-standing key managers, to take over operations.

Shaw’s Darwin Transport head office and depot is in western Sydney, with additional depots in Darwin, Brisbane and Perth, with in-house workshop facilities in the Sydney, Darwin and Perth depots.

Weekly, express and general services to Darwin are operated out of Sydney, Brisbane and Perth return, with additional return services east to west between Sydney and Perth.

Shaw’s chooses not to run B-double or AB-triples, preferring to stick to their proven road train, double and triple combinations for their freight movements, utilising dog runners to get the multiple trailers to their respective

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assembly areas. With their Darwin depot situated on an 11-acre site comprising 7200 square metres of warehouse space, located at East Darwin, road train combinations can be run in as complete units.

Operating under mass and maintenance management schemes, Shaw’s Darwin Transport runs triple road trains up to 110 tonnes GCM, to a maximum length of 53 metres in triple form, on the 3500-4000-kilometre (one way) routes covered.

Express runs are completed by two drivers with freight arriving in Darwin in as little as 56 hours from despatch.

It’s this highly efficient and time-sensitive service to local clients and the oil and gas industries that underscores the difference in operating parameters, based around the benefits of utilising Darwin as their support base.

General freight makes up the bulk of loads carried by Shaw’s Darwin Transport, with refrigerated goods filling in the rest. However, according to Jim Backhouse, the company’s fleet maintenance manager and one of the five directors, new contracts with major supermarkets and produce returning from the north, have resulted in its temperature-sensitive freight work expanding, particularly in and out of their Brisbane depot.

Jim has been mates with William Shaw for 35 years and has been working within the company for the past 18, holding the position of a director since 2011.

SHAW’S DARWIN TRANSPORT With extensive Kenworth knowledge gained from years working at Kenworth dealers and other maintenance roles, Jim is well versed in the benefits that the company’s choice of equipment and specifications brings to the table.

“We have in our fleet, 47 Kenworth prime movers and 22 Isuzu local delivery rigids. The prime movers range from the line haul 900-series Kenworths down to our smaller local and regional 400-series models, some of these trucks have in excess of three million kilometres on them,” explained Jim. “Kenworths have always been utilised for our work; although, unlike our current Cummins powered units, the early days saw Shaw’s trucks powered by Detroit Diesels.

We have moved with the Cummins evolution from seriesone and two Signature engines through to EGR, ISXE5 and now with our most recent trucks, the X15 powerplant.

“We prefer the Kenworth six-rod suspension for its durability and ability to take all kinds of punishment that our drivers may encounter on the sealed, but somewhat sad, road surfaces on which they travel. Simplicity of design, with fewer moving parts, and the ability to affect a “bush repair” should a component fail in a remote location, drives our choice of suspension system,” explained Jim. Airbag suspension systems are starting to work their way into Shaw’s trailers, and, according to Jim, this has been mainly driven by customer requirements.

“Spider wheels are still a common sight on our trucks.

However, around five or six years ago, Kenworth became unable to supply spiders as the foundry in Toowoomba wound up, affecting supply. This resulted in us starting to run on alloy disc wheels for our trucks.

“The latest X15 generation of engine is proving itself well for us, and we adapt to the new technology as it evolves from the manufacturers”.

While adaptation of new technology is embraced by the company in some areas, other developments and options are a little slower to be implemented, with old-school functionality, reliability and durability still influencing design specifications for the company fleet. An example of this is the company’s remaining preference for not adopting airbag suspension systems, preferring the use of steel spider wheels.

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PROFILE “This is a slow and difficult transition for our fleet as we had our tyre and wheel replacement procedures all set around our existing stock of two-piece wheels, but, we are getting there, and as time goes by and more and more of our replacement vehicles enter the fleet with disc wheels, it should become easier to manage,” said Jim. “Our choice of specification for our trucks has been learned by many years of operation, and trial and error.

We have experimented with various power and torque ratings, final drive ratios and ancillary components, to come up with what we believe is the best and most reliable design for the work that we do.

“We use three different manufacturers for our trailing equipment, these being Haulmark, FTE and a few Barker trailers. Up until recently we used Dana axles, now preferring to use BPW,” said Jim. Wherever possible, all maintenance is carried out in-house

by Shaw’s workshops. The exception to this is in relation to warranty work or a specialised task not viable to carry out themselves, for which the vehicles go back to their original manufacturers.

Extended oil drain intervals are followed on the Kenworth trucks at 40,000 km oil drain periods.

The company’s fleet of Kenworth trucks, including all of those used for local, regional and line haul heavy-duty specifications, together with its range of Isuzu commercial vehicles, have been purchased through Gilbert & Roach Trucks Huntingwood, with whom Jim said they have built up a good relationship of trust.

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SUPPORT FOR YOUR JOURNEY. PACCAR’s constantly expanding dealer network delivers you unparalleled support and expert advice from pre-purchase through to 24/7 on-road assistance.

Our professional, dedicated network of dealers also offer finance, service, parts and advice to equip you with the support and knowledge for your needs and business decision-making.

Behind each dealership lies the combined expertise of PACCAR Australia’s engineering teams, as well as the global resources of PACCAR worldwide.

For more information on how PACCAR Australia can best support you on your journey, contact your local Kenworth or DAF dealer, or visit paccar.com.au

PROFILE

Gilbert & Roach has just completed delivery of a new T909 to Shaw’s Darwin Transport’s Sydney depot, and this truck will shortly be put to work out of their Brisbane depot on refrigerated work.

Bill Anderson, Gilbert & Roach’s sales manager, and Lloyd Moran jointly processed the purchase.

“Between the two makes of Kenworth and Isuzu, Shaw’s averages a couple of new truck purchases from us each year. We have a good relationship with them and we make sure everything is tailored to their exacting requirements for their unique freight operation,” explained Bill.

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Specifications for the company’s latest T909 include the Cummins X15 engine, rated at 600 hp and 1850 ft-lb torque and Eaton Road Ranger 18-speed manual transmission. Final drive ratios are 4.56:1 with the rear axle spread stretched out to 56 inches, over the commonly used 52-inch spread.

“We prefer the wider axle placement for a broader footprint and stability; also, in conjunction with the conveyor rubber guards, we find this results in greater cooling efficiency in that area,” said Jim Backhouse.

Fuel capacity is achieved through the fitment of four rectangular tanks, two 650-litre tanks on the near side,

SHAW’S DARWIN TRANSPORT

plus a 650-litre and a 420-litre on the off side, taking care of the long distances covered, and a 225-litre AdBlue tank sits between the two off-side tanks.

LED headlights and bullbar-mounted driving lights do their best to point out night hazards and minimise animal strikes.

On the subject of animal strikes, Jim explained that the choice of the T909 with the large bonnet yielded two main benefits, one being the thermal efficiency of the large frontal cooling area, and the other being increased safety and protection provided to their drivers from impacts with wildlife in general.

“Transporting freight to a destination some 4000 km away over a vast hot country in a timely manner for your clients, while maintaining profits for your business, takes a good deal of experience, with reliable people and the right equipment to help make that happen.

Shaw’s Darwin Transport has gained invaluable insight into the Darwin freight route over the last 37 years, and with reliable industry partners continues to service our northernmost capital.

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FEATURE

READY TO ROLL

Freightliner Australia opens the door to Cascadia

I

t’s often difficult to place the correct perspective on the introduction of a new truck range into Australia when production volumes in overseas countries make the annual sales figures in our country look somewhat insignificant. With over 17 brands competing in our market, the average of a truck fleet at 14.9 years suggests that fleet upgrade on a national scale is long overdue. This is especially significant when noting that 42 percent of the nation’s truck fleet was manufactured prior to 2003, with these vehicles missing many of the safety standards available today.

Although successive governments have failed to provide incentives to operators to upgrade their fleets to reduce pollution levels and raise safety standards, it’s into this scenario that Freightliner Australia intends to introduce the Cascadia truck range. Make no mistake, this is a critical step by parent company Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) to introduce its next generation of heavy trucks that have the capability to reduce running costs, improve fuel economy, lower accident rates and raise safety standards.

Product launches of a completely new truck range happen infrequently, and Cascadia is no exception. What started out as the Cascadia in North American markets in 2007 bears little relationship to the Freightliner trucks that will carry the Cascadia nameplate when these models are made available here in 2020.

The Cascadia for the Australian market has been developed from the New Cascadia that was released into the North American market last year. Not to be confused with a general upgrade from the days of Sterling or the Columbia nameplate, New Cascadia is the result of five years’ work by 800 research and development engineers and a budget approaching a $400 million (AUD) development cost and over 1 million hours of development time.

With close to 5 million kilometres of real-time, on-road testing by 50 pre-production models in conditions that varied from -40 degrees Celsius in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, to +40 degrees Celsius of Phoenix, Arizona, the background to the development programme illustrates the extent to which DTNA is prepared to go to ensure the future success of the product.

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“A once in a generation opportunity” – that’s the description applied to Freightliner’s new Cascadia by Daniel Whitehead, Daimler Truck and Bus Australia president and CEO. “The large investment in the Cascadia right-hand-drive programme demonstrates a strong commitment from DTNA and just how serious DTNA is about the Freightliner brand in Australia. DTNA also understands that an extensive local testing and development program is critical for the success of the new Cascadia and has given us its full support,” he added.

Speaking at the launch of the Australian development programme for Cascadia, which is now officially underway in this country, Daniel was joined by Richard Howard, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) globally, who outlined how history for the company was being made for its American brand of conventional trucks.

“Our customers are central to everything we do. The international business strategy for DTNA has moved from

FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA

“Introducing its next generation of heavy trucks that have the capability to reduce running costs, improve fuel economy, lower accident rates and raise safety standards”

doing business in 45 markets cross the world. In recent years we have shifted focus to four or five major markets where we can make the necessary investment to attain the number-one position. As an example, we’ve left the South African market to focus on the Asia-Pacific Rim market,” said Richard.

“Freightliner entered the Australian market in 1989 and collectively we have 20,000 trucks running today in the Australian and NZ markets. The new Cascadia entered the American market last year and is part of an R&D annual spend of $1 billion each year.

“The new Cascadia is a brand-new truck with a brandnew chassis. The new platform has revolutionised the market. This integration of Detroit DD13 and DD16 engines has been the choice for 95 percent of truck orders, with the further integration of the DT12 automated manual transmission accounting for an order take-up of 65 percent of buyers for the new Cascadia.

“We want to be the undisputed market leader in the Australian market, following our aim to achieve an American market share for Class 8 of 30-40 percent.

“Fuel economy is 8.0 percent better than previous Cascadia. Safety technology is the other dimension. So far, we have taken 41 percent of forward orders in a total market of 280,000 class 8 trucks in the North American market, making a current order bank of 85,000 units.

Production is through our plant at Portland, Oregon, with further manufacturing options at Cleveland, North Carolina, the largest Freightliner Trucks manufacturing plant in the US. “The biggest revolution with the new Cascadia in the market is with the systems we offer that are driving revolutionary change. The impact of those safety systems in safety have virtually eradicated rear-end collisions in North American fleets. A one in four accident collision rate between trucks in major fleets has now decreased to one in nineteen. This has reduced the cost of a collision since the introduction of our safety systems from $7000 to $300 (USD) per incident, driving massive changes in the reduction of the cost of fleet operation,” added Richard Howard.

Stephen Downes, director of Freightliner Australia, outlined some of the expected specification choices for the new Cascadia when it is released onto our market in 2020, at the conclusion of the current interim development programme.

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FEATURE “Access to the latest cutting-edge technologies available will prove to be a game changer for conventional trucks.

From a safety perspective we have the ability to step into this market with higher levels of active and passive systems, complete with two SRS airbags in the cab, disc brakes and ultra-low EPA 10 (Euro 6 equivalent) emissions standards. Airbags may not be a common thing in Australia, but the feedback we get from specific operators is that they now expect that level of safety.

“The Cascadia 116 will feature the 13-litre Detroit DD13 and DT12 transmission, and for the Cascadia 126 the higher power options we will be offering will be based on the 15.8-litre, big brother DD16, again matched to the DT12 automated manual transmission. We will also use the prelaunch development time in Australia to evaluate the requirement for manual transmissions such as the Eaton Roadranger and other engine options.

“Our preferred course is to offer proprietary engines and drivelines as they are engineered to go together. Also, under evaluation is the fitment of 24-volt systems or higher voltage options, especially in multiple trailer combination scenarios as a key question of the future,” added Stephen.

“We all know Australian trucks run harder, faster and in hotter conditions, so we are conducting a test and development programme that is far more comprehensive than anything Freightliner has previously done in this country. There is good reason the Cascadia is the bestselling truck in the United States, but we have to make sure we get it right for Australian conditions,” he added.

Stephen Downes, director of Freightliner Australia with Chris Mullett editor of PowerTorque

Key to the success of the new Cascadia is the inclusion of safety systems such as the Detroit Assurance 4.0 collision mitigation system and Meritor EX+ L air disc brakes that are standard on all new Freightliner Cascadia truck models.

The Detroit Assurance 4.0 suite of safety systems includes adaptive cruise control (ACC) and active brake assist (ABA) 4.0. ACC helps drivers maintain a safe, continuous following distance and can be adjusted to following distances between 2.4 and 3.6 seconds.

The Detroit Assurance 4.0 collision mitigation system is radar-based and always on. Its bumper-mounted radar tracks the distance from the front of the truck to other vehicles in its path. When a truck gets too close to another vehicle, the driver first receives an audible alarm with visual warning, followed by partial braking, and finally full active braking, where the system slows the truck using the transmission, engine brake and service brakes.

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In addition to the standard collision mitigation system, the new Cascadia can be specced with other optional safety features, such as lane departure warning and side object detection systems.

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PROFILE

FAMILY TIES

O

ne of the great privileges of interviewing different operators around the country is being able to learn of the history behind the company, especially those that retain the family name on the side of every truck in the fleet.

In an age when major multinationals base their employment strategies on university degrees, many long-standing family businesses base their strategy on knowing what works and what doesn’t, knowing what the customer likes and dislikes, all the while making sure that customer service is much more than a title underlined in the company prospectus.

Back in 1951, Fred Cromack and his cousin Kevin Tranter started their general haulage business in Grafton, NSW. Through the following years no less than 27 Diamond T prime movers formed the backbone of the Cromack and Tranter fleet, typically with Cummins 160 or turbocharged 180 engines under the bonnet as they hauled trailers that ranged in length on average from 27 to 30 feet.

Fred was known to be a bit of a character and used to compare today’s workload to that of the early days by saying that without the benefit of refrigerated trailers he would transport ice cream from Grafton to Brisbane on a flat-top trailer packed with dry ice and covered in a tarp.

From what today is a three to four-hour drive, with Fred at the wheel of his Diamond T the task of getting ice cream to Brisbane without it thawing involved a fourteen-hour trip, driving for six hours and coping with six ferry crossings.

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Cromack Transport of Grafton bases its future on a strong family tradition – Words by Chris Mullett, images

by Nathan Duff

CROMACK TRANSPORT Fred’s cousin, Kevin Tranter, retired from the business in 1977, but it says something of the friendship between these two mates that the Tranter name stayed on the side of each truck door until 2006, when the company name changed to Cromack Transport.

Graeme Cromack and his brother Jeff today run the business, assisted by their daughters Tahlia and Chiveau in the office, and Graeme’s son Brenton who drives the company’s Freightliner Coronado.

“The work today is constant,” said Graeme. “When we were kids back in the 60s it was all timber from the sawmills and plywood, and that hasn’t changed much to present day. We maintain our fleet size by providing a very specialised service to our local customers.

“The timber industry is still a very strong part of our local community, and relationships with customers go back in some cases as far as 1984,” said Graeme.

The fleet of 20 prime movers comprises a mix of different makes and models, with three Freightliners (a Century Class, a Columbia and a Coronado), plus Volvo (FH, FM and Globetrotters) and Kenworth (T350, T401, T403 and T409). Spread amongst three company depots, with associated warehousing at Grafton, Brisbane and Coffs Harbour, are additional small to medium 8-pallet to 14-pallet rigid trucks that operate in the PUD (Pick-up and Delivery) side of the business.

“We have moved from manual Eaton transmissions to automated manuals such as the UltraShift Plus and the I-Shift, and I don’t think that any of our drivers would go back to a manual. They might have been a bit hesitant to start with, but now they all love them,” said Graeme.

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PROFILE “I didn’t like the early versions of the automated manuals, but since driving Freightliners with the latest UltraShift Plus it is now as good as any of the competition.

“Our Freightliners have been particularly impressive, and, since taking delivery of them through Steve Pinkstone of Mavin’s Truck Centre at Kempsey, they’ve been returning fuel consumption figures ranging from 2.2 to 2.5 km/litre.

These are powered by a Detroit DD13 in the Century Class at 450 hp, an MBE 4000 at 450 hp in the Columbia and a DD15 at 560 hp in the Coronado.

“Good working relationships stay with you through the years, and, before selling trucks, Steve Pinkstone of Mavin’s drove his own truck as a subbie working for my father. He used to carry general freight out of Brisbane for us, back in the early days,” said Graeme.

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As testimony to the history of the company, Graeme’s father started a restoration project on a Diamond T and trailer, also buying a 1955 A-Series, which was to be the next challenge.

Unfortunately, Fred Cromack passed away before the conclusion of the Diamond T project, which took a full seven years to complete, but the family carted the completed prime mover and trailer to Alice Springs for the Hall of Fame celebrations in 2010.

I’M PROUD

TO HAVE SUPPORTED AN AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURER.

“If you can get high quality trucks that fit the application and that are made in Australia, why would you look anywhere else? We’re really pleased with the performance of the IVECO trucks on our fleet, they do the job well and by purchasing IVECO we’re supporting Australian jobs. It’s a decision we’re really proud of.”

– Lou Polidori, Big Chief Heavy Haulage Manager

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FEATURE “It shows you the difference in size from trucks we use today as the Diamond T and the trailer both fitted on a 45foot flat-top,” said Graeme.

“When we started this business, flat-tops were seen as the general freight trailer, with curtainsiders as the specialist trailers. Now our curtainsiders are seen as the general freight trailer, while our flat-tops are seen as the specialist equipment,” he added.

With a total of 29 trailers, 10 of which are flat-tops, Cromack Transport is able to handle all kinds of transport challenges, but has stayed with single semitrailer operation rather than moving to B-double applications.

“Loads in this area are very rarely oriented towards B-double application, plus they are also subject to access restrictions where you simply can’t accommodate B-doubles, leaving the only solution as being to stay with single semitrailers or rigid body trucks. With a B-double you carry the volume, but, with all the extras you have to

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pay for, it doesn’t result in any more revenue. It’s alright for capital city to capital city work, but when your average journey time is within three hours it’s not a practical proposition,” said Graeme.

“Servicing is done in our workshops, with our vehicles only going back to their respective dealerships for the completion of warranty work. Fleet operating information is also downloaded by the dealerships and very often it’s the data they receive that dictates the service and maintenance intervals.

“We use Castrol lubricants throughout all the vehicles in the fleet, enabling us to standardise on one brand that suits all the different vehicles. We didn’t want different oils for each different vehicle and different containers in the workshop.

CROMACK TRANSPORT “Fuel economy is not really different, with a single trailer fleet application they are all pretty much maxxed out. With fuel consumption being similar at 2.2-2.5 km/litre, it’s the Detroit DD15 that set the pace, with the rest running around the same point.

“The trailers are all compatible, and you could say we are a bit old school. We do our own trailer servicing and have just refurbished the complete undercarriages with new brake linings, accessories and fittings. We now run nearly everything as disc rims, apart from a few trailers that are still on spiders.

“PBS requirements are not something that affect our business as yet, with our fleet comprising trailers manufactured by Barker, Krueger, Haulmark and Vawdrey units, plus a couple of Freighters. We tend to stay with a

selection and used to standardise on Haulmark, but they are not really into curtainsiders these days. Much of that choice has been dictated by using a local salesman. If a salesman covers one brand we tend to stay with them. If they move to represent another brand often we move as well.

“Tyres are obviously an important safety factor and we use Michelin through all positions. Clarence Valley Tyres at South Grafton provides a full tyre maintenance programme that includes tyre rotation, replacement and pressure checking throughout each vehicle combination.

“Being successful in business today results from a relationship based on working together for each other’s benefits, getting to know the bloke on the dock as well as the store manager.

We work through providing support to our clients and really getting to know our customers,” said Graeme.

“Since driving Freightliners with the latest UltraShift Plus it is now as good as any of the competition”

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FEATURE

BLOCK AND TACKLE The GRS fleet expands its footprint in Sydney – Words by Warren Caves and images by Torque it Up

W

hen it comes to publicising the performance of individual companies, it’s not often that PowerTorque magazine provides a repeat round of additional exposure, after having previously showcased a company’s performance in an earlier edition. That idea certainly changed, though, when the subject of the editorial is Sydney heavy haulage recovery specialists, Greystanes Recovery Service (GRS).

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It was exactly two years ago, in the August 2016 issue of PowerTorque, that PowerTorque first profiled the GRS Towing fleet, which at that time totalled eleven vehicles.

Two of the heavy tow trucks featured detachable underlifts, ensuring great fleet diversity by enabling them to be used as prime movers. A further two were fitted with integrated underlifts, incorporating an extendable recovery boom

GRS TOWING within the overall vehicle to achieve maximum versatility.

Also present in the fleet were flattop, drop-deck extendable widening and drop-well trailers – all of which had a winching and tilt facility.

Greystanes Recovery Service (GRS) is again on the front foot with two new fleet inductees recently, keeping the company ahead of the game.

For Barry Hunt, the owner of GRS Towing, this philosophy is evident in the equipment choices he makes, aided by keeping a keen eye on equipment developments both here and overseas to ensure his operation is at the forefront of efficiency.

As our previous editorial quoted: “The strikingly bright, orange, yellow and blue livery of the GRS Towing fleet is hard to miss out on the road. It’s a bit like WH&S hi-vis for trucks, with the exception of the rotator recovery unit nick named ‘The Hulk’, which was always destined to be nothing but green”.

The two latest vehicles to join the fleet are an 8X4, fourwinch, heavy side-recovery unit based on a Kenworth K200 truck, and a Hino low-chassis 8X4 tilt-tray.

The Hino FW actually originated in 1997 in Japan and was a low volume import, which was first complied into Australia some ten years later in 2007. A pantech body was originally fitted to the truck and GRS has just completed a major refurbish, kitting the truck out as a tilt-tray.

“We were looking for a suitable truck to utilise as an extended-deck tilt-tray. We required a vehicle that fitted our budget, had a long low chassis, heavy payload capability and was a genuine 8X4. The low height 19.5 inch wheel Hino options common to Australia are 4x2 or 6x2 configurations. There are very few alternatives with higher GVMs and low chassis heights as seen on this Hino,” explained Barry.

“The Hino FW was exactly what we needed. It has a 20-litre, naturally aspirated, V8 Hino diesel engine, rated at 400 hp, and drives through a seven-speed synchromesh transmission.

“It’s a genuine 8X4 truck with twin differentials running 19.5-inch tyres on the drive and a second steer axle, that gives us the low chassis height we required for a deck height of 1050 mm and enabling a load of 3550 mm in height and at weights of up to 13.6 tonnes”.

Barry had every intention of utilising every inch of the Hino’s length for maximum benefit, and contacted Charlie Borg of Mulgoa Bodies to manufacture the tilt-tray body.

What eventuated was a tray length of 9.7 metres from the winch to the rear of the deck.

“In terms of industrial tilt-trays, that’s quite long. Most decks of industrial tilt trays are 8-9 metres in length, rearwards from the winch and 1250-1400 mm in height, so this 9.7 metre clear deck Hino is unique,” said Barry.

“We had the tilt-tray fitted up with all the equipment you’d expect to see on any new unit. It has full remote control via a hand-held control box, a retractable air hose to resupply and recharge air systems on stricken trucks or trailers, hideaway deck access ladders, a reverse camera, container pins and a container pusher cylinder,” said Barry.

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FEATURE

in Adelaide. Barry says he has become familiar with the work of Miller Industries through his trips to American tow truck shows.

The latest side-puller is fitted with two 35,000 lb winches fitted above the second steer axle, and two 50,000 lb winches mounted on the integrated tow truck body. All four winches can be operated off the tail of the truck for extra pulling power on salvage work.

“What this completed build design does for us now means that we can utilise the Hino in situations where we might have had to use a truck and step-deck trailer because of height restrictions and the weight of the machine, such as when operating in a restricted access city building site. It’s (the Hino) quite manoeuvrable, despite its length. With the 13.6-tonne payload capability, and the low deck height, we envisage that it will be more capable in accessing some of the tighter locations than a traditional truck and trailer combination can’t.

“The Hino’s long deck length obviously enables us to carry longer loads, and we can accommodate two mediumsized cars, such as Commodores etc., nose to tail within legal limits. We expect this uniquely designed truck to be a very busy member of our fleet,” added Barry.

Building up the “big gun” side of the fleet is GRS Towing’s new side-puller recovery unit. The Kenworth K200 base truck is a 2011 model that spent the first 800,000 km of its life on road train work.

After being purchased by GRS Towing as a factory built 8X4, it underwent a full refurbish, including a new interior, new suspension and air bags, brakes, wheel bearings and more.

To accommodate the tow body, it was necessary to extend the chassis by 1420 mm, subsequently increasing the wheelbase in the process. Steering geometry modifications were also carried out to pull back the turning circle after the length extension work, but the overall length remains 500 mm shorter than the 6X4 units.

The latest side-puller brings the total to six heavy tow trucks in the GRS Towing fleet. This truck has been fitted with a Vulcan recovery body manufactured by Miller Industries in the USA, and purchased through Truckworks 32

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The recovery boom on the rear has a 13-tonne extended lifting capacity and approximately a 5-metre reach. All these functions can be controlled through a wireless remote connection via the mobile control unit or from the traditional levers at the rear of the truck.

The long stinger arm at the rear allows for extended underlift hook-up to access solid componentry for lifting, such as on coaches.

“By setting up our equipment correctly from the start we are streamlining the hook and drop procedure and minimising the number of times our operators have to jump up and down into the cab of the truck,” explained Barry.

“Whilst all this pulling and lifting grunt is all very good, a stable anchor is also required. This is where the four hydraulic stabilisers come into play. With their spade attachments they firmly burrow into the ground like a frightened echidna to provide a rock-solid anchor point for salvage work.

“This truck has been on my wish list for a while, and it’s going to be a great complement to our existing rotator truck, giving our clients the availability of two side-pullers.

FEATURE

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GRS TOWING “What we can do with these trucks is to effectively recover vehicles from the side of a road or motorway when operating from only one lane. In the past, this type of recovery would have required (in the case of a motorway) the use of two lanes to position the truck at 90 degrees to the road.

“Using this latest technology and equipment reduces unnecessary congestion and inconvenience and enables us to act immediately, rather than being required by the relevant authorities to postpone the recovery operation until after the peak period. Being able to act swiftly combats the traffic flow restrictions suffering from the rubber-neck syndrome of people slowing to take a look, which often creates another minor accident through being distracted.

“There have, in the past, been occasions that required the use of two trucks for recovery, tying up resources.

Now, with the side-puller and its extreme winching ability, we can send out this “big dog” and recover the casualty vehicle quickly and efficiently.

“We aim to respond as quickly as we can to an incident or accident and have the best equipment available. With these latest additions to our fleet we believe these two new recruits will help us to serve our clients more efficiently,” concluded Barry.

“We can recover vehicles when operating from only one lane. In the past, this type of recovery would have required the use of two lanes to position the truck at 90 degrees to the road” PowerTorque ISSUE 84

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DRIVEN BY

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FEATURE

QUON BY NAME – UD BY NATURE UD builds on its heritage and blends design features from within the Volvo Group to redefine customer expectation when owning a Japanese truck – Words by Ed Higginson, images by Jonathon Wood.

With the recent release of the latest Quon, UD is claiming the company has redefined the UD brand image to become the best Japanese truck on the market. It’s a bold claim amongst class rivals from Isuzu, Hino, and Fuso, but, nonetheless, worth investigating in today’s highly competitive market.

UD has been selling the Quon in Australia since 2004, and the success of the product range undoubtedly suffered in its initial stages by a lack of marketing support to match its highly capable launch credentials. Now, with a renewed focus and a more serious intent from the Volvo Group umbrella, it’s starting to get noticed, and deservedly so.

In the first quarter of 2018, the UD sat in 11th spot in the Australian heavy-duty market, with Isuzu in 2nd place, Hino 8th and Fuso 12th. But during this quarter the latest Quon hadn’t yet hit the ground running, so expect its position to climb now the new model is fully available.

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UD QUON Mark Strambi, vice-president of UD Trucks Australia explains, “Being part of the Volvo Group allows us to draw on the technologies that the Group has developed, which therefore gives us the ability to bring to market new features in safety and innovation.

“It means we are able to incorporate into our product those features that are in greater demand from our clients.

For example, UD Trucks recently released its innovation roadmap, Vision 2030, which looks at future developments in electromobility and automation,” he added.

“Some of the purchases of the new Quon have been made by existing large Volvo and Mack fleets. They already have an awareness and appreciation of VGA products and the established dealership support, but need a smaller, lighter or slightly cheaper truck for short-distance work.

“Each of the three brands in the Volvo Group has their own identity and has strengths in different segments of the market. UD’s brand position has been clearly stated since the introduction of the PD range in 2015, and we have been very clear that our market focus is on the lighter end of the heavy-duty market,” Mark added.

For PowerTorque’s evaluation of the new Quon, I joined UD sales support manager, Patrick Ryan, at the CMV dealership in Derrimut on the outskirts of Melbourne to drive a Quon GW26.460 6x4. This top-of-the-range model offers a GCM of 60,000 kg for use in B-double work, but for the purposes of a more realistic evaluation of the

typical type of work it will undertake we were hooked up to a Freighter single curtainsider loaded to a GVM of 41,000 kg, ready for a 500 km trip around country Victoria.

On walking around the truck to cover off on the pre-start checks, first impressions are that the facelift has improved the appearance, bringing it up to date with the market.

The base cab dates back to 2004, so several features are still present that one might not expect, such as the step on the rear corner of the cab to allow drivers to swing from inside the cab onto the chassis. This form of movement is probably not advisable under modern day of health and safety regs, plus it puts you firmly on top of the DPF muffler that clearly says you cannot step on it! The older cab also misses out on external lockers that would benefit many drivers.

When compared with others in this segment, the Quon is impressive, with dash material, dials and movable switches all having a quality feel. The UD also now gets segment-leading safety features as standard, including traffic eye braking system, traffic eye cruise control, lane departure warning, driver alert and UD stability control.

This is where the Volvo DNA starts to shine through to make the UD an impressive truck.

The GW26.460 is the largest of the UD prime movers on offer, fitted with the GH11TD, 11-litre, inline, six-cylinder turbocharged and intercooled engine, producing 460 hp (338 kW) at 1800 rpm, and 2200 Nm of torque at 1200 rpm.

The GH11 engine uses both a unit injector and a commonrail system to exceed pPNLT emission standards from Japan, which are higher than Euro 6.

Coupled to UD’s own version of the market-leading Volvo I-Shift, named the ESCOT-VI 12-speed automated manual transmission, it makes for a relaxed drive at 41 tonnes, always picking the right gear.

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FEATURE

Heading out of Derrimut, we took the ring road towards the Hume Highway, so quickly got to experience the regular morning rush hour with typical stop/start traffic where five lanes merge into two. As many UDs will spend most of their lives in city traffic, it is good to see that the new Quon is quiet and effortless to drive, with the engine working well matched to the automated manual transmission.

As we joined the Hume and started to pick up speed, we quickly reached the 100 km limiter, with the Quon illustrating it would easily match other brands that run at similar torque-to-weight ratios. With a quick stop in the Broadford VicRoad’s checking station to self-weigh the truck, we rejoined the highway. Again, the UD impressed with its performance, quickly reaching 70 km/h along the long rise before cresting the hill at 80 km/h.

The route selected would then take us to Seymour, over to Murchison, then along narrow country roads to Bendigo,

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enabling me to compare the outcome with a Volvo FM450 that I had taken on the same run a few months ago.

I’ve always been a fan of the Volvo, particularly for the comfort and ride on the rough, but the UD is a close match. You can order the UD with springs, but the demo had the eight-airbag suspension with an electric control box, so it’s a comfy ride, especially on the cab’s fourairbag suspension. Coupled to a modern Freighter trailer with matching EBS and disc brakes all round, the truck gave a confident feel on the twisty and bumpy roads.

On the inside, the cab layout is typical Japanese style, with the dash wrapping around the driver over the engine bay. The shapes and colours have been modernised, but I would have liked lockers above the windscreen with a full width sunvisor, a common omission amongst the Japanese brands.

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FEATURE

The four-spoke steering wheel appeared to be from the Volvo stable, so worked well with integrated switches to control the cruise, adaptive cruise, which was called ‘Traffic Eye’, plus the controls to scroll through the truck’s easy to navigate computer menu.

A small frustration on the demo truck, was that the Traffic Eye alarm could only be switched off for a couple of minutes at a time, so in heavy traffic it kept beeping to warn of vehicles in front. However, I was told this could be changed using the workshop plug in laptop, similar to the lane departure warning.

There is a small bed for mini breaks but not really designed for a night away and hard to climb in and out.

The driver’s seat was a little hard and not as adjustable as we’ve come to expect, but a company spokesperson subsequently commented that an ISRI option might be coming soon, which would help.

After a quick logbook stop next to the old dragline mining excavator in Maldon, our route then headed to Ballarat to join the Western Freeway back in towards Melbourne.

Across the drive, the UD returned a consumption figure of 1.84 km/litre (54.3 litres per 100 km of diesel) and used 1.8

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litres of AdBlue. This may not sound great, but by using the UD telematics, also known as Dynafleet, it showed that our route was particularly harsh, and cruising around the ring road would see a much lower number.

Overall, the latest Quon has lots to offer and is a worthy product within the Volvo group. The UD has a light tare weight of just 7600 kg in 6x4 form, service intervals of 70,000 km, emissions better than Euro 6, and a long list of safety features to rival many European brands.

Whether buyers agree with UD’s claim of being the best Japanese truck on the market, the Quon is certainly worth considering for the right application.

GOOD: - Performance of GH11TD engine mated with ESCO transmission - Standard safety features - Light 7600 kg tare weight - 70,000 km service intervals BAD:

- Hard seat, needs the ISRI option - Exhaust and engine brake not up to typical Volvo performance - No external lockers - No lockers above windscreen

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Available with pencil or broad beam patterns, these premium lights have been engineered in Australia with a European style to enhance your vehicle’s appearance.

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FEATURE

CLASSICAL GAS

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Habitually the domain of the taxi industry, will stepping back into gas be the way forwards to reduce emissions? Words

by Chris Mullett.

W

LPG hen fuel prices are low nobody gives a hoot about the cost of filling a tank.

But, as prices rise, as they are doing so currently, the cost of fuelling a vehicle takes on a greater significance.

The carmakers used to add a gas conversion to their product portfolio, hence the Mitsubishi Magna and Ford Falcon that arrived completely converted for those that favoured LPG. Aftermarket suppliers also claimed to be able to convert any existing petrol-fuelled engine to run on LPG, resulting in some conversions that worked exceptionally well, but others that unfortunately didn’t, providing problems with starting on cold mornings and smooth running with the engine at idle.

In the first five months of last year, (VFacts MAY YTD 2017), only seven private buyers of new vehicles in the light commercial segment opted for LPG. In the nonprivate buyer segment for new vehicles the number reached just 22 sales. Fast forward to compare these statistics with the first five months of this year and the sales figures for both segments using LPG were zero. In every category of vehicle purchase, diesel-fuelled vehicles rule the day.

When taking a new look at the benefits of Australian natural gas fuels, they are not only cleaner, cheaper and healthier than diesel – they offer a feasible alternative for heavy transport. Natural gas vehicle technology is mature, proven in real-world applications, and is the only other technology that has a commercially available product for cars, heavy-duty trucks, buses, forklifts, trains, marine vessels and stationary energy.

Australia has 43 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves, or 200 years supply, and is the world’s second largest exporter of LNG. A recent report by the Bureau of Resource and Energy Economics noted that natural gas fuels are likely to have one of the lowest costs of production of any fuels in Australia to 2050.

Natural-gas-powered heavy trucks emit up to 23 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than dieselpowered trucks. In one study, converting one diesel truck to natural gas reduced emissions by almost 35 tonnes of CO2 per annum – equivalent to removing around 12 cars from the road.

In North America and Europe many more trucks run on natural gas, and numbers are growing. In Norway, the government approved the construction and operation of natural gas passenger vessels, in Canada three new natural gas ferries have been contracted, and, in the USA, BC and Staten Island Ferries are studying options to retrofit their diesel vessels to run on natural gas.

The lower cost of diesel when compared to that of petrol led to its increasing popularity in Western Europe. But with members of the European Union now focusing their sights on lowering exhaust emissions and improving air clarity in their cities, the diesel engine has fallen from grace.

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FEATURE Cities in Western Europe are now banning all but the latest Euro 6 emissions technology diesel vehicles from entering congested city centres. Those vehicles that conform to Euro 3 or Euro 4 levels are being sold off and transported to Eastern European cities where the tighter emissions regulations have yet to be enacted, adding their high levels of nitrogen oxide and particulate emissions to an already unhealthy inner-city environment.

In London alone, up to 500,000 motorists will be faced with the requirement to change their pre-2011 cars because of the additional cost of the 12 Euro per day Toxicity Charge spreading from the centre of London into the suburbs. Owners of relatively new Euro 4 petrol and Euro 5 diesel-engined vehicles, such as were at the centre of the VW Dieselgate furore, have until 2021 to remove them from inner-city streets.

While the spotlight for future development all seems to be aimed at suggesting battery-powered electric vehicles are the solution, the cost is currently prohibitive and the touring range inadequate.

As the tide of public interest ebbs and flows towards alternative fuels, Gas Energy Australia (GEA) has made the somewhat obvious suggestion that one of the simplest ways to dramatically reduce current vehicle emissions – as well as provide greater domestic fuel security – is to switch away from oil‐based fuels to gas.

Gas Energy Australia CEO, John Griffiths, said that Australia has well established and extensive gas vehicle refuelling infrastructure, has been a world leader in the development and deployment of gas vehicle technology, including the new LPG Autogas Centre of Excellence which opened in Melbourne last year, and has significant reserves of LPG and natural gas.

standards, and the same could easily be done here in Australia. Converting our cars and trucks to gas would significantly reduce carbon emissions by up to 25 percent, which is not only better for our environment but would also cut motorists’ running costs,” said Mr. Griffiths.

Australia has significant gas reserves that could provide gaseous fuels – like LNG, CNG and LPG – that can be used for transport with current technology and also for off‐ grid power generation and many industrial uses. A range of passenger, commuter and long‐haul road transport, trains and ships can already use these fuels – either alone or as part of hybrid technology.

Natural gas fuels – LNG and CNG – are clean, cheap and produced locally from Australian natural gas, which is abundantly available in Australia and is found underground in many different types of rock formations.

They can also be produced from biomethane recovered from renewable sources including wastewater, landfill, agricultural or forestry waste.

Natural gas and biomethane are both methane, which is colourless, odourless, non-corrosive and is one of the safest fuels available. The natural gas we use at home to heat water or cook meals can be liquefied to form LNG or compressed to form CNG. Depending on the application, natural gas fuels come in a number of different forms including, liquefied, compressed and high density, all with their own benefits and characteristics.

CNG is made by sending the natural gas through a gas dryer and compressor, where it compressed to less than 1.0 percent of the volume it occupies at standard atmospheric pressure.

“We have recently heard from the car industry that some of our most popular vehicles may be removed from the market or face increased charges as part of new vehicle emission standards being considered by the federal government. This doesn’t have to be the case.

High Density Compressed Natural Gas (HDCNG) is a new technology for storing natural gas, which means vehicles can drive longer and need to refuel less often than current CNG. LNG is created by cooling natural gas and reducing its volume by more than 600 times, making it easier to transport.

“Gas‐powered vehicles are already helping car manufacturers meet tough European CO2 emission

These processes increase the energy density of natural gas, which makes it manageable to store the gas in tanks, and used to fuel vehicles or transported without the need for pipelines. But, no matter what form it is stored, it is still natural gas.

“Switching just a proportion of Australia’s transport and other energy uses from oil to abundant Australian gases would significantly reduce the need to build expensive oil reserves, increase our domestic fuels security, and help insulate Australia from current events in the Middle East, while reducing our dependency on foreign oil imports.

“Producing gaseous fuels here and developing the niche manufacturing that comes with it provides Australian jobs – while importing oil from offshore refineries only produces offshore jobs,” said Mr. Griffiths.

Minister Matt Canavan (right) with gas truck

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If your business is growing and you’ve got no time to waste, our new Built Ready Tipper has you covered. From construction and excavation to building and landscaping, Fuso’s Built Ready Tipper is a medium duty truck with heavy duty features – so whatever the job, your answer’s always yes.

To view the entire Built Ready range, visit fuso.com.au or contact your local authorised Fuso dealer.

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FEATURE

DRESSED FOR SUCCESS T

he launch of a new truck range certainly doesn’t just happen overnight. In the case of Scania and its New Generation products, what we are seeing right now in the Australian market results from a seven-year research and development programme, with continuing consultation and discussion taking place right up to the first evaluations by operators to ensure the final spec is right for our unique scope of operations.

PowerTorque has been involved in the gestation period of the new Scania cabovers since 2016, and since that time our collective knowledge has benefited by being able to discuss the technologies and strategies involved with the research and development engineers responsible for the final specification.

Now, with evaluation vehicles travelling around the country visiting dealerships and offering existing and new customers the chance to drive, feel and understand the product, Scania is on a definite roll as it proves out its predictions with the aim of converting interest into orders.

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The new-generation Scania not only looks good, it delivers the goods – Report by Chris Mullett.

SCANIA PREVIEW Experiencing left-hand-drive models on Swedish roads certainly provided the opportunity to understand the product at close quarters, but nothing beats being able to put the finished article through its paces on our road network, running at our maximum weights and in our maximum ambient temperatures.

After a series of short experimental introductory drives, it’s now time to extend those driving experiences out over a longer session and to put our collective knowledge together in order to provide an objective comment to our readers.

To give the drive project our full attention, the October issue will contain an evaluation by all three of our road test editors as they join forces on the 2300 km trip from Port Lincoln in South Australia through to Perth in WA. On the basis that three heads (and therefore three potentially differing views) are better than one, Brenton O’Connor, Ed Higginson and Warren Caves will apply their professional ability collectively and cover off their likes and dislikes for the benefit of our readers.

I also make the comment that each of our three drivers has worked extensively as a driver in the industry before putting their writing skills to print, a distinct change from trying to teach a journalist how to drive trucks.

In the meantime, and to provide a preview of what our readers can expect in the October issue, I had the opportunity to join part of the early stages of the customer presentations covering the run from Mackay to Townsville, in North Queensland.

A pair of New Generation Scania’s, the R620 V8 and the G500 straight six, offered an insight into the new cab options between the S cab and the G cab, while comparing Euro 5 and Euro 6 technology. As we progress through this year all models will be available in Euro 6 emissions compliance for those customers ticking the clean and green box on the order form. But as the new models are progressively rolled out it’s still early days to convince every customer of the benefits of Euro 6 compliance, with its lower fuel consumption and reduced AdBlue usage, hence a combination of both technologies is currently on offer.

The G500 6x4 prime mover was coupled to a set of new Freighter B-double curtainsiders, running at a gross weight of 56,540 kg, and split weighed at 6460 kg for the front axle, 16,120 kg for the tandem-drive, 15,820 kg for the centre spread and 18,140 kg for the rear tri-axle.

The R620 6x4 prime mover was also coupled to a set of new Freighter B-double curtainsiders, running at a gross weight of 62,840 kg, and split weighed again with 6460 kg for the front axle, but with an increase to 16,500 kg for the tandem-drive, 21,000 kg for the centre spread and 18,880 kg for the rear tri-axle.

Prior to my drive of the G500, the onboard computer system was displaying an overall return of 1.8 km/litre, comprising performance data acquired from a number of different drivers at the wheel. Having zeroed the system

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49

FEATURE at the start of my drive, the end result of my experience of the truck gave me an overall figure of 2.1 km/litre at an average speed of 71 km/h. This compared to the fuel consumption figure of the R620 for this section, being driven at a heavier gross weight by Scania’s chief driver trainer, Alan McDonald, that showed 2.0 km/litre for the same journey distance at an average speed of 76 km/h.

Drivers familiar with Scania would know of the onboard driver evaluation diagnostics that provide a score based on performance, anticipation and sensitivity to the controls. As one might expect, Mr. McDonald’s stellar performance was recorded at 95 percent, 95 percent and 100 percent for each category, somewhat better than my performance of 95 percent, 59 percent and 100 percent for the different system parameters. I can but improve with time, but the figures show that fuel saving is a leading factor for Scania that might be the clincher when it comes to purchase.

Put simply, the New Generation is superb. Low interior sound levels, excellent ergonomics, easy control through steering wheel buttons, and with column stalks for retarder, indicators, wipers etc., door armrest controls for lights and power mirror head adjustment are all systems that just come to hand easily.

The seat adjustment and comfort are excellent, aided also for the driver by a multi-position steering column that moves for height, reach and tilt. All gauges are easy to view and the visibility through mirrors and of the road ahead is uninterrupted. Positioning the driver’s seat closer to the windscreen and slightly nearer the door reduces blind spots, especially noticeable when negotiating turns at T-junctions and looking for oncoming vehicles on the major road.

The 12-speed with two crawler geared Opticruise automated manual transmission is teamed with a rear axle ratio for the 500 of 3.42:1, and 3.07:1 for the V8. On the rear of the transmission is the R4100D retarder, which basically looks after the majority of the braking in conjunction with the engine brake. Disc brakes with ABS and EBS look after the conventional method of reducing speed.

The list of safety features available adds adaptive cruise control with active prediction topographical map interface, lane departure assist, forward looking camera, advanced emergency braking, electronic stability control

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and traction control. Also, in this equation is the hill-hold feature to prevent roll back, differential lock, eco-roll for maximum fuel economy when operating under cruise control, LED running lamps, LED position lamps, LED tail lamps and even LED fog lamps.

What many drivers have not benefited from prior in their vehicle spec is the fitment of an SRS driver airbag mounted in the steering wheel, plus a driver and passenger curtain airbag, and a driver and passenger seatbelt pre-tensioner. Nobody queries buying a modern car fitted with SRS airbags, and, if we are to cut serious injury or the fatal road toll of drivers, it is a feature all buyers must adopt where available.

In the G cab the bunk width for the interior sprung mattress is 800 mm, and this widens to 1000 mm for the Highline Sleeper R cab.

It’s exceptional to drive and all indications are that once a driver has experienced the advantages of a new truck design they’ll be quick to want to enjoy the experience behind the wheel on a daily basis.

The 500 hp (368 kW) at 1900 rpm with peak torque of 2550 Nm from 1000 to 1300 rpm puts the 13-litre right on target for 19 m B-doubles or 26 m applications slightly below maximum weight. Those wanting to cut journey times further by maintaining a higher average speed or haul peak weights can opt for the rumble of the V8, which brings 620 hp (456 kW) at 1900 rpm teamed with 3000 Nm of torque at 950-1400 rpm.

In Europe, the test results are already flowing in, with comparisons in the 500 hp arena bringing together the Scania S500 (higher cab with flat floor), against the DAF XF510, Mercedes-Benz Actros 1848 and the Volvo FH500.

The final score from European judges went in favour of Scania. Australian sales of Scania trucks and buses over the past decade have doubled to over 1000 vehicles. The test now is to see if the company can double its return again in the next decade, with all predictions suggesting this is a possibility.

For the full analysis of both models over a longer drive, don’t miss the October issue.

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FEATURE

TIME MANAGEMENT Maximum fleet utilisation is a major factor in the growth of BTL Bulk Haulage – words

by Chris Mullett, images by Nathan Duff

I

n just over ten years, Ben Henderson has grown his company, BTL Bulk Haulage, from a one-man, onetruck situation into a highly efficient 37-vehicle truck and quad-dog tipper operation.

“A friend of mine had bought a body truck and was looking for a driver. I had nothing better to do at that time, so I started driving for him and subsequently bought the truck off him,” said Ben. One thing led to another and Ben found that with sufficient work available it was a sound business idea to purchase good quality used vehicles and turn what was then a oneman operation into a growing fleet.

“I only run American-style trucks, and through the early years I have bought a selection of vehicles, adding Western Star 4800 Constellations, Mack Tridents and Kenworth T-Series to the original Freightliner.

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“I am a firm believer that you need some old trucks in good condition to help pay for new vehicles if you want to expand, as they form the basis on which you build your fleet. Admittedly, the service costs can be higher than when running new vehicles, but, correspondingly, the finance repayments are less, so you balance your investment accordingly”.

The purchasing policy of buying older vehicles changed last year when the company was successful in tendering for a contract with one of Australia’s leading suppliers of aggregates, concrete and concrete pipe and associated products.

“This major contract proved to be a pivotal point in our company growth and represented a major commitment that required an elevated business model that fits within the established business operations of this major supplier,” said Ben.

BTL BULK HAULAGE “We purchased seven new Freightliner Coronados powered by Detroit DD15 engines rated at 565 hp, specifically for this contract, and these were supplied in the customer livery by Daimler Trucks (Sunshine Coast).

The matching dog trailers are manufactured by Hamelex White and are also branded with the customer’s logo.

These are all very highly spec’d, PBS conforming, vehicle combinations with disc brakes, WABCO electronic braking systems and roll stability. The investment also includes Hendrickson INTRAAX axles and wheel ends that are supported by Hendrickson with a one-millionkilometre warranty.

“Because this is a very specific contract we formed a separate division of BTL Bulk Haulage called LTB Haulage to clearly identify the vehicles and the fleet operation, which is monitored jointly with our customer and reinforced through data downloads by associated companies such as Daimler, WABCO and Hamelex-White.

The initials of BTL and LTB are formed from the first names of my wife and family, being Ben, Tori and Lee.

All the PBS fleet with LTB Haulage is rated to carry 40 tonnes payloads with gross weights of 57.5 tonnes.

The trailers are fitted with Quicksilver interior lining to prevent material hanging up within the body when tipping.

The tipping angle is limited to 35 degrees to ensure maximum safety, and, although the Quicksilver lining adds 400 kg to each trailer tare weight, the cost is offset by the added safety levels and smoother discharge of material within shorter timeframes.

“I was attracted to the Freightliner Coronado because of the level of support available from our local Daimler dealership at Sunshine Coast, and also because of the four-year factory warranty. If we get something that needs to be done, they will keep their workshop staff back at the close of the day to fix minor problems and keep our fleet operating,” added Ben.

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FEATURE

combination (MC) as they wanted to learn truck and dog, and they show great potential.

“Working a five-and-a-half-day week, our truck and trailer combinations drop their trailers at night and run on a 8:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. night shift just as body trucks down to Brisbane. We don’t use all our trucks in this way as we also run our maintenance programmes at night, but this practice ensures that we maintain great vehicle utilisation, without significant downtime impacting on our efficiency or reliability.

“Nothing has been overlooked in terms of operator and vehicle safety, with all the Freightliner combinations fitted with bin alarms, park brake set alarms and door open alarms, together with dashcam recorders fitted in each truck. We are strong supporters of a corporate safety philosophy whereby a customer can overlay its own sat/ nav vehicle monitoring system over the system we operate internally for all our vehicles in both fleets,” said Ben. “The decision to go to disc brakes is part of our preference for safety and braking efficiency with reduced stopping distances, and everything we buy in future will be disc brake equipped. As well as the safety benefits, we gain from the expected pad life of 400,000 km between replacement, and with automatic adjustment we know they are always operating at peak efficiency.

“Fatigue minimisation is also a focus of these new Freightliner Coronados with each being fitted with Eaton UltraShift Plus automated manual transmissions (AMT). In our option there are slight improvements to fuel economy when the fleet operates with AMTs, and we have experienced no issues at all in terms of reliability.

“It’s always difficult to compare fuel consumption between different vehicles in a mixed fleet as loads and the type of jobs they do also differ on a daily basis. However, it is our view that the DD15 engines are slightly better on fuel, especially when compared to the Cummins alternative at similar ratings.

“Fuel consumption is usually around 2.0 km/litre as an average, which compensates for higher and lower payloads. Tyres are rotated during every B-service and we run Michelins throughout the steer, drive and trailer axles.

Beerwah Tyres run our tyre maintenance programme and covers every tyre on Saturdays and Sundays, providing a tremendous service. Our drivers don’t touch the trucks – they drive, we service and wash them.

“We monitor our fleet comparison on a daily profit and loss basis, with our own workshop handling B-services at 640 hours and an extended B-service at 920 hours. Our timing is based on operating hours because of the idle time being factored into the scheduling, but this equates to a typical service for on-highway vehicles, with oil drains being completed at 25,000 km intervals.

“Our driver base is pretty consistent with some of our drivers having worked with us for over nine years. We believe in training drivers for our future, and recently covered the cost of upgrading four drivers with local driver trainers from heavy rigid (HR) classification to multi54

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“In terms of CoR (Chain of Responsibility), it’s easily achievable with the systems that we have in place. With NHVR you can’t take shortcuts, you have to ensure everything is right and it gives me peace of mind.

“The Detroit DD15 side of maintenance is slightly more complex because of the fuel side of things. We are in the process of making a pump to prime that system, which will reduce the time involved when removing the bolt-on canister filter that depressurises the fuel system when detached for servicing.

“The idea for using Coronados came from me, and the warranty of four years/one-million kilometres won me over, I don’t regret buying them and they have impressed me. Added reliability comes from specifying INTRAAX suspension and Hendrickson’s wheel ends, and added safety standards result from using WABCO EBS systems on the Hamelex White trailers.

“We have a very open and transparent safety regime where Hamelex can log into the onboard WABCO trailer ECU system and give us a read out. The additional onboard computer system that reports direct to our customer is more complex again, and it monitors the vehicle combination braking and handling. It means that a specific customer can monitor our trucks at any stage, together with the vehicle location, available through its own GPS system, and can also access the information available through our datalink.

“Safeguards apply to the monitoring of gross vehicle weight compliance because of the ability to view weights through the WABCO SmartBoard system backed by the installation of weighbridges at every quarry, and that gives us additional peace of mind.

“With our new truck fleet at LTB, our fleet replacement programme will take place every five years. There is no advantage for us to move from quad-dog trailers to five or six-axle dog trailers because of restricted access, which means we lack the space to tip off longer trailers,” concluded Ben.

FEATURE

BRAND BUILDING

F

ollowing our earlier evaluation of the ProStar in day-cabin version, configured as a rigid tipper and dog trailer application, PowerTorque is back behind the wheel of a sleeper-cabin version, putting it through its paces on a B-double run from Sydney to Melbourne, via the Hume Highway.

The truck was loaded to near maximum legal weight (without any concessional mass management weights) at 62.04 tonnes, which provided an opportunity to test the vehicle on the rather demanding Hume Highway. The route provides plenty of steep climbs and downhill runs to fully test the fuel economy and to get an idea of the performance over a sustained journey.

The ProStar was coupled to a set of tautliner trailers at near full height, to replicate to as near as possible typical operating conditions this truck would encounter in the real world.

As mentioned, the ProStar tested was the sleeper-cabin version. International offers two sleeper-cabin alternatives – the extended-cabin option, ideal for tippers and the like, and the 40” integrated sleeper cabin with extended roof height. This truck and cabin configuration has been setup to allow the ProStar to tow most 34-pallet B-double trailer sets, and, as with other conventional trucks, a 36-pallet combination will require a cabover truck.

Can International rebuild its brand in the face of stiff European and American competition? – Words by Brenton O’Connor 56

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INTERNATIONAL PROSTAR Like the T610 Kenworth and the Western Star 5800, the ProStar features a set-back front axle of 1260 mm, bumper to centre of steer axle. This enables the benefit of increased driver comfort through longer front springs and better turning circle; although, more critically, it allows better weight distribution. By comparison, with other models such as the Freightliner Coronado 114 with its extreme set-forward front axle, it is difficult to get the weight forward to load to a legal maximum of 6.5 tonnes.

The ProStar 40” sleeper is very comfortable inside with full walk around ability, which extends to the driving compartment as well as the sleeper – similar to the FXB Western Star. This means you are able to stand up from the drivers seat to move into the sleeper cabin. There is plenty of headroom, and even my 6’4” height wasn’t a problem. The mattress is a thick inner sprung design, and, despite not sleeping on it, it did look comfortable.

The interior is very plain looking, and doesn’t feature woodgrain dash trim, as you would typically see on other American trucks such as Kenworth, Freightliner and Western Star. As such, it’s relatively bland from a visual perspective; however, it functions well, and much to my surprise the build quality seems high. For example, apart from the ashtray/cupholder, there were no rattles or squeaks from the cabin at all, even over rough roads. The doors have an excellent feel when opening and closing, and the door seals work well, so there is no outside air noise entering the cabin.

The seats are the American GRA-MAG brand and are leather wrapped as standard, which is a nice touch.

However, the seat cushion is very hard and noticeable on long stints behind the wheel. The backrest is very supportive, and, as such, no back pain was noticeable on the trip from Sydney to Melbourne.

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FEATURE

Amongst the standout features (fitted as standard to the ProStar) was the new touchscreen infotainment system.

This unit included truck-specific navigation, digital radio, AM/FM radio and Bluetooth audio streaming, which in this day and age should be included on all trucks. Also impressive were the LED headlamps, which provided excellent white light output, making nighttime driving not only easier, but also much safer.

The ProStar under evaluation was powered by the Cummins X15 AdBlue engine, which had been uprated to 600 hp/2050 lb-ft torque, and matched to the Eaton UltraShift PLUS transmission.

This engine and transmission option now comes under what Cummins calls “ADEPT” technology, which provides improved communications software between the engine and transmission.

The engine will de-rate its horsepower and torque level when running on flat ground, in order to save fuel when maximum power is not required. At highway speeds the UltraShift PLUS changes gears and operates as well as any European box, but I still find them frustrating when lifting off, as they are very slow to upshift and typically rev out to 1900 rpm before upshifting. As such, I typically have to manually intervene and hit the up button to force the transmission to upshift. That said, once past about eighth gear the transmission works really well.

Like many of the current European gearboxes, the Cummins/Eaton partnership includes an eco-roll function, which means the truck will go into neutral and coast when cruise control is selected and there is no demand for either power or braking on the engine, with the aim to save fuel. Another very handy aspect of the engine/ transmission setup is the auto engine brake function, which brings on the engine brake when a speed of 3.0 km/h over the preset cruise control speed is selected.

The cab interior is very quiet, both when the engine is pulling under full load and when on cruise control at highway speeds. It’s the quietest American conventional truck I’ve driven, which makes the job out on the highway

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driving less tiresome. The truck is noisy on the engine brake though; however, I believe that’s just in-cabin noise and not outside, as the Cummins-sourced exhaust emissions treatment unit is common to all trucks using this engine as it features the exhaust catalyst for the AdBlue injection.

The low interior noise levels were helped by the rear axle diff ratio which, at 4.11:1, helps bring down the rpm at 100 km/h, thus reducing engine noise, and, more importantly, lowering fuel consumption.

On the trip from Sydney to Melbourne an overall fuel figure of 57.8 litres per 100 km (or 1.73 km per litre) was impressive, especially as the truck was loaded for 100 percent of the trip and also had to cope with peak-hour traffic on Melbourne’s Monash Freeway.

Thanks to the set-back front axle and Hendrickson airbag rear suspension, the ride quality is very good, as is handling, and the truck felt both safe and secure when cornering through roundabouts and the like. The truck sits on the road well, and it’s certainly not a chore to keep it within the confines of the lane markings. The steering has an odd feeling when doing sharp turns, such as into a service station, which could be due to the complicated universal joint setup extending from the steering column to the steering box.

An overnight at the Caltex roadhouse at Holbrook was a reminder of the constant challenges facing B-double drivers – the lack of parking for 26-metre-long combinations.

The new service station, which was very impressive and featured a number of food outlets, was let down by the lack of parking for B-double combinations. Due to the peak rush of the Hume Highway in the evening, half an hour was wasted waiting for a park to become available prior to getting a meal and parking up for the night. More work is needed by both government and roadhouse operators to provide more parking spaces for long combinations.

The ProStar is a very impressive package and certainly exceeded my expectations. The truck is quiet, comfortable and rattle free, which, although it sounds basic, is not a claim that applies to all the American truck manufacturers.

In essence, those looking for a North American conventional truck would be wise to take a closer look at the ProStar, as, provided the pricing is right, it’s a well spec’d truck that’s suitable for a variety of applications.

RELIABILITY IS THE DIFFERENCE When the success of your business depends on your engine, Detroit is your answer. Product evolution and outstanding reliability coupled with a marketleading warranty for a full 1,000,000 kms* will give you the Detroit advantage. And with a low total cost of ownership, the DD15 delivers peace of mind ensuring you maximise your returns. With Detroit, you’ll drive the difference.

Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/detroitanz.

*See warranty parchment for further details

DD15.com.au *Conditions apply.

OFF-ROAD ACTION FEATURE

Brenton O’Connor heads off the bitumen in a selection of Mercedes-Benz trucks with all-terrain ability.

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or the third year running, Mercedes-Benz Trucks Australia has added a seemingly ongoing series of models to its portfolio, this time relating to the company’s all-new heavy-duty truck platform.

Initially launched in 2016, the first of the models was the on-highway prime mover range, and, then last year, a range of rigid vehicles in 4x2, 6x2, 6x4 and 8x4 configuration joined them in the marketplace.

The key indicators of the success of a new product comes down to the sales numbers being recorded, and, it’s here, with a related market share of 7.3 percent as at May 2018, that Mercedes-Benz has proved its appeal in the over 16 tonnes GVM segment.

Bear in mind that market share figure is primarily made up of prime movers, as rigid truck sales remain dominated by the Japanese brands, and the segment statistics include all trucks of a GVM of 16,000 kg and above.

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In June 2018, Mercedes-Benz Trucks Australia launched its all-wheel drive (AWD) models to a media contingent at the 4WD Off Road Centre just out of Werribee in Melbourne’s west.

On hand to present the new range to the transport media was director of Mercedes-Benz Trucks Australia Michael May, and national sales manager Andrew Assimo, both of whom are hugely enthusiastic about the new range of products, and the results and feedback being encountered from operators since launch. Also, on hand on the day was a range of key personnel from the MB Truck team including product managers, driver trainers, aftersales personnel and also Peter Nunn, national sales manager for Mercedes-Benz Financial Services commercial vehicle and fleet finance sales.

The AWD range launched includes two 4x4 models (a 16-tonne GVM and a 18-tonne GVM model), stepping up into 6x6 models, all with a 33-tonne GVM and available in three different horsepower ratings, then onto the 8x8 model which has a GVM of 41 tonnes.

MERCEDES-BENZ AWD TRUCKS Mercedes-Benz 4x4 AWD 1630 Engine: OM936 7.7-litre Euro 6 six-cylinder with 299 hp and 1200 Nm Transmission: Eight-speed Powershift AMT with 3.583:1 rear axle ratio. Transmission PTO. Transfer case VG 10003W/1.61-0.98 engageable.

Weights: 16,000 kg GVM with up to 24,000 GCM. Front axle and suspension: 6.0-tonne front axle.

6.1-tonne parabolic springs.

Rear axle and suspension: 11.0-tonne front axle with diff locks. 10.5-tonne steel suspension.

Braking: Drum brakes with ABS. Parking brakes on front axle. High performance engine brake.

Cab: S-Cab Classic Space.

This model, previously known as the Atego, comes back again with major changes when compared to the previous model.

An all-new OM936 Euro 6 engine takes power from 286 hp to 299 hp in this latest range, and brings in an extremely powerful integrated engine brake, far superior to the combination exhaust brake and active engine brake valve in the previous OM926 engine.

Importantly, this is the first time an AMT has been available with the high horsepower 16-tonne truck, with Benz making standard the eight-speed PowerShift

unit. Optionally available are the Allison automatic five-speed and Benz’s own nine-speed synchromesh manual gearboxes.

Traditionally, this truck has been very popular for elevated work platforms (EWPs) for power line maintenance crews, as well as off-road fire trucks for the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and also as a fertiliser spreader.

Due to its low cabin height, getting in and out of the cabin is easy, and the low overall height offers a reduced centre of gravity, making access around sites easier, particularly with low hanging trees. Another big plus of this model is its tare weight, which is particularly attractive to fertiliser spreader contractors as it allows a higher payload with less chance of getting bogged due to the lighter tare weight.

This is the only model in the Mercedes AWD range that doesn’t have hub reduction axles, but rather hypoid diffs and eight-stud wheels. However, full diff locks are included.

A very short drive of the vehicle was experienced, and, despite no weight on the tray, the vehicle handled the terrain well. The new engine brake made descending steep gradients a breeze, negating the need to use the service brake.

The model tested included the eight-speed PowerShift, which operated well; however, for those working in extreme conditions, the Allison auto or manual will have benefits, particularly as the Allison with its torque converter can downshift gears when climbing steep gradients without an interruption to the power delivery.

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FEATURE Mercedes-Benz 4x4 Heavy AWD 1835 Engine: OM936 7.7-litre Euro 6 six-cylinder with 354 hp and 1400 Nm. Transmission: Eight-speed Powershift AMT with 4.833:1 rear axle ratio. Transmission PTO. Transfer case VG 30003W, 1.04, engageable. Optional nine-speed with twospeed transfer case with 3.174 for off-road.

Weights: 18,000 kg GVM and 22,400 GCM. Front axle and suspension: 7.5-tonne offset front axle with 7.5-tonne three-leaf springs.

Rear axle and suspension: 13.4-tonne planetary rear axle with diff locks, 11.5 rear springs.

Cab: S-Cab Classic Space.

The next model tested was the larger framed 1835, which replaces the 1833 Axor in the previous truck range. This is a heavier spec’d truck all-round with a 2.0 tonnes greater GVM than the 1630 mentioned above. Key differences include hub reduction axles front and rear with much higher load ratings and 10 stud wheels. Furthermore, the all-new cabin is not carried over from the previous range and offers increased space and driver comfort.

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The same 7.7-litre engine in the 1630 is used, albeit with a higher rating of 350 hp. When it comes to transmissions, it’s the same eight-speed PowerShift or the nine-speed manual available. Disappointingly, there is no Allison automatic option available.

In previous applications this model was used in areas such as off-road expedition buses, for fertiliser spreaders and also for EWPs. This new model should increase appeal to these operators through the availability of an AMT for the first time.

On the launch day, this vehicle was the only one to be fitted with a manual, so it was a good chance to test Benz’s manual transmission. As per the previous range, it’s an air-over-hydraulic shift, which means no physical connection between the gearbox and the gearstick as the shifts are made by compressed air and hydraulic shifting cylinders. Importantly, this provides for much lighter gearshifts and also makes it easier for the cabin to tilt for service work. However, the gates are very close together and it’s easy to pick up the wrong gear.

The old Axor was known for its ride comfort off-road thanks to parabolic springs, and this truck is no exception.

This was a major advantage to operators when compared to other brands that offered only multi-leaf springs.

MERCEDES-BENZ AWD TRUCKS

Mercedes-Benz 6x6 AWD 3340, 3343 and 3346 Engine: OM470 10.7-litre Euro 6 six-cylinder with 394 hp and 1900 Nm (4140), 428 hp and 2100 Nm (4143) and 455 hp and 2200 Nm (4146)

Front axle and suspension: 7.5-tonne planetary front axles with diff locks. 7.5-tonne three-leaf springs Rear axle and suspension: 13.4-tonne planetary rear axle with diff locks. Two 15.0-tonne rear springs.

Transmission: 16-speed PowerShift AMT with 4.833:1 rear axle ratio. Transmission PTO. Transfer case VG 28003W/1.45-1.04 permanent.

Braking: Drum brakes with electronic braking system with ABS, independent trailer brake and high performance engine brake.

Weights: 33,000 kg GVM with up to 70,000 kg GCM

Cab: S-Cab Classic Space.

there’s a tat r a t o s u i t all your requirements

w: www.offroadtrucks.com.au e: sales@offroadtrucks.com.au

FEATURE

“Providing a live update of the gear engaged and indicating which locks were engaged, an important factor when tackling steep hills and muddy areas”

Mercedes-Benz 8x8 AWD 4140, 4143 and 4146 Engine: OM470 10.7-litre Euro 6 six-cylinder with 394 hp and 1900 Nm (4140), 428 hp and 2100 Nm (4143) and 455 hp and 2200 Nm (4146) Transmission: 16-speed Powershift AMT with 4.833:1 rear axle ratio. Transmission PTO. Transfer case VG 28003W/1.45-1.04 permanent.

Weights: 41,000 kg GVM and up to 70,000 kg GCM. Front axle and suspension: 7.5-tonne planetary front axles with diff locks. Two 7.5-tonne three-leaf springs Rear axle and suspension: 13.4-tonne planetary rear axle with diff locks. Two 15.0-tonne rear springs.

particular vehicle is used for off-road drill rigs, mine service/support vehicles. An increasing number are seeing their way into fertiliser spreading.

The biggest change here is that the PowerShift transmission is now the standard choice. This differs from the previous model that offered a fully synchromesh G240-16 transmission as either a three-pedal ‘Telligent’ shift or as a two-pedal operation. Shifts with these systems were slower, a result of the lower technology level when compared to PowerShift, which includes creeper mode.

Mercedes quotes that the 16-speed PowerShift fitted in the new 6x6 (and 8x8) range features 50 percent faster ratio swaps, which is outstanding, particularly when off-road, as slow gear changes mean large momentum losses that can lead to getting bogged or getting stuck on a steep gradient.

Cab: S-Cab Classic Space

The engine changes in front of the PowerShift mean a move for the 6x6 and 8x8 to inline six-cylinders, replacing the previous V engines. The standard engine is the 11-litre OM470 engine, with power ratings from 394 hp to 455 hp available. A larger capacity 13-litre engine known as the OM471 is optional for those needing extra power.

These 6x6 and the 8x8 models share much of the driveline and technology that is common to both. A very imposing truck indeed, with its grille design from the Arocs range that resembles a toothed monster staring at you! This

The downside of the inline six engines, rather than the V engines, is the way they mount in the chassis. Rather than wedging down between the rails, the inline sixes stand taller on the frame, resulting in the cabins being

Braking: Drum brakes with electronic braking system with ABS, independent trailer brake and high performance engine brake.

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MERCEDES-BENZ AWD TRUCKS raised substantially to allow the engine fitment. The upshot of this can easily be seen with the cabin floor being approximately two metres off the ground, making access and egress of the cabin more difficult. As a plus though, Mercedes has fitted wide non-slip steps and good grab handles to assist as much as possible.

Driving these trucks on the day was not only enjoyable, but provided substantial proof of their ruggedness and no-nonsense approach when tackling arduous terrain. The 24-inch wheels fitted provided for good traction, and the extra width allows for better flotation than standard 295/80 R22.5 truck tyres.

All diff locks are controlled by electric switches on the dash with the in-screen colour display providing a live update of the gear engaged and indicating which locks were engaged, an important factor when tackling steep hills and muddy areas. The high torque of the new engine family is a definite benefit to off-road work, enabling the

vehicles to move off from stationary without large rpm requirements, maintaining traction without wheel spin.

As with the 8.0-litre engine, the new 11.0-litre engines have a much-improved engine brake. This proved its advantages off-road as it allowed the truck to descend the steep drops without needing application of the service brake, through adjusting the degree of retardation via the stalk mounted on the right-hand-side of the steering column.

The new AWD range from Mercedes-Benz not only looks impressive, it performs impressively. They’re rugged and tough, particularly those models fitted with Mercedes’ most famous hub reduction axles. Given the success of the on-highway models since launch, it stands to reason the off-road range will gain the same degree of success, given the lengths Mercedes-Benz Australia has gone to ensure the trucks meet the unique needs of Australian operators.

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PULLING THE PLUG Isuzu gets a plug for adding electricity to its portfolio – report by Ed Higginson

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suzu Australia Limited (IAL) has taken the lead for Japanese importers to the Australian market by launching two EV concept vehicles. With manufacturers across the world quickly rolling out all-electric cars, vans and trucks, its exciting to see Australia’s leading truck brand has locally developed two models specifically for our market, the N-series and F-series.

Phil Taylor, IAL director and chief operating officer, started the launch of Isuzu all-electric trucks by proudly claiming, “Isuzu Australia is now in the EV space. This is a major milestone for IAL”. He goes on to say, “Isuzu Australia is well placed to show the same market-leading reliability it has shown in its diesel products that has driven our success for over a generation. We believe we have the technology and know-how to make the best electric truck for Australia”.

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ISUZU ELECTRIC Interestingly, IAL has used Australian resources to develop the electric NQR and FSR concept trucks, taking local ideas and coupling them to the best hardware sourced from leading electric suppliers across the world.

With Isuzu trucks enjoying the number-one positioning in the Australian market for 29 consecutive years, it’s important for it to stay ahead of its customers and lead the market. It has also been a result that has given IAL much respect in Japan with head office. Phil explains, “We have always been innovative in the Australian market, so there have been a lot of things we have done in Australia that find their way into Japan. They are very supportive of what we do here”.

Simon Humphries, IAL chief engineer of product strategy, explains, “The challenge with EV vehicles is the integration of key components, not just the hardware, but also managing the various components.

“With diesel trucks, manufacturers have been able to source components such as Allison transmissions, Hendrickson axles, etc. It’s the same with EV. We need to add electric batteries, motors, then replace the powered steering pump, air-conditioning unit, heating unit, air compressor and so on, for electric drive units.

The integration is where the smart technology is”.

For the Isuzu concept trucks, Isuzu has chosen permanent magnet type motors, which will be sourced from Canada. The Li-ion (NMC type) battery packs will come from China, and, unlike some other trucks in development, Isuzu has decided to place the battery packs within the chassis rails.

Similar to the design layout seen on the SEA Electric trucks and reported on by PowerTorque, the placement of the batteries into the space where normally one would expect to see the diesel engine and transmission helps in numerous ways. Firstly, this layout protects the batteries, particularly in a crash, it also helps with weight distribution and makes the vehicle feel familiar, plus it

ALL NEW!

BEST DRIVABILITY From the user-friendly transmission lever with a straight-shift pattern, to the award-winning* cabin design, the New Quon is comfortably the best Japanese truck on the road. *Based on the 2017 Japanese Good Design Awards.

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FEATURE also helps keep the outside of the chassis rails free for all of the other components that trucks will still need.

Isuzu is clearly targeting city deliveries with a GVM of 8000 kg to 14000 kg and a range of around 200-250 km.

Simon explains, ‘‘Lots of Australian fleets want EV, but a 200 km range is a minimum, as we found with CNG”.

Through the experience gained when running fleets of Isuzu FSR 700 CNG trucks, many with Toll IPEC, IAL found that trucks wouldn’t usually go above 150 km in a shift, but drivers like to have a range in reserve, which is understandable, as nothing increases your stress during a drive more than seeing the fuel gauge running towards empty.

permanent magnet motor producing 130 kW at peak power with a continuous rating of 100 kW. The battery parameters are 132 kW/h Li-NMC. The FSR concept truck specifications are for a GVM of 12,000 kg to 14,000 kg with a 250 kW maximum and a continuous power rating of 150 kW using the same battery pack.

The battery packs will be lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (LiNMC), which are cheaper than other options, yet optimise density and specific energy, so are preferred for EV use due to their very low self-heating rate, making them safer.

Simon adds, “We learnt a lot from having CNG trucks. We proved they were reliable, powerful and could do the job.

In fact, nearly all the CNG trucks we sold in the past 10 to 14 years are still on the road. But with only a handful of refuelling stations, the lack of infrastructure in Australia was a big barrier to mainstream volumes, unlike what has been seen in other markets around the world. But, with most commercial buildings having three-phase power, or access to have it installed to charge EV trucks, it’s a major difference to their potential”.

They will store 132 kW/h to provide power to the permanent magnet type electric motors, producing between 130 kW and 250 kW of power.

So, with the EV, Isuzu is currently focusing on the NQR and the FSR cab/chassis.

The electric trucks will be fitted with a 22 kW on-board charging system and cable, so drivers can plug them into standard three-phase sockets, expecting to take around six hours to fully charge the vehicle if empty. The trucks can also use the

The NQR concept truck specifications are for a GVM of 8000 kg to 9000 kg. Power comes from a direct-drive

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Simon went on to say, “The NQR is slightly down on power but has more torque than the diesel equivalent, whilst the FSR has more power and torque than the diesel with up to 2500 Nm on offer”.

EV super chargers that we are starting to see at some service stations, usually branded for Tesla cars, in which case the charging time will be substantially reduced.

IAL believes that the batteries fitted to its concept trucks should have an 8 to 10-year life with standard use. But, considering the pace with which battery technology is changing, many may choose to change them earlier for units that provide a longer range, faster charge times, are lighter and potentially cheaper.

Simon believes the EV trucks will have a cost parity with diesel using current technology, in three to five years, based on operating lease costs. And with just a 5.0 percent weight increase over diesel, EV is becoming a serious option.

expected to drop below $100 per kW/h by 2030. Coupled to improvements in motors and super-fast charging times, diesel won’t be able to compete, just as we saw with the transition from steam-powered trucks to diesel around the start of the 1900s.

Maybe the change will come sooner depending on technology and cost comparisons, but also government incentives as seen in Norway. In 2017, EV sales were between 1 and 2 percent of total vehicle sales in most developed countries, but 36 percent in Norway due to their high incentives.

With other well-known brands currently having working concepts on the road, from the likes of Mercedes, Volvo, DAF, MAN, Fuso and Hino, plus new entrants to the market such as Tesla, Arrival, EMOSS, and SEA Electric, you will need to get used to plugging in the trucks of tomorrow.

Once the concept trucks have been approved, hopefully within 6-18 months, IAL is looking for initial sales of 100 units a year. Predicting many will go to existing customers for parcel work, refrigerated, tow trucks and night deliveries, where quiet EV trucks are preferable to the noise of a diesel engine.

IAL also predicts that by 2030, around 30 percent of light trucks will be electric. However, this is based on existing technology and costings, so, considering the current pace of change, this estimate may be conservative.

Battery technology is already looking to the next big step from our current lithium-based options, moving towards high voltage or solidstate batteries in 3-10 years, then possibly Li-magnesium beyond that.

Back in 2010, lithium batteries cost, on average, $1000 per kW/h. Today, this sits around $200 per kW/h, but is

ALL NEW!

BEST SAFETY From disc brakes, to auto emergency braking and lane departure warning, the New Quon safety package is simply the best in a Japanese truck in Australia.

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OLD TIMERS

Sydney’s historic vehicles park up at Penrith – Words by Warren Caves, with images by Torque it Up

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ur transport history is a hugely important part of our very existence. From the late 1800s to the 1960s, Australia was said to ride on a sheep’s back, a saying that referenced the role Australia’s wool industry had in the prosperity of our nation.

While Australia no longer rides on a sheep’s back, it could well be said that, since the decline of the prosperous wool years, Australia may well now ride on a truck’s back, as no other industry has contributed so much to the Australian way of life, to which we have all become accustomed.

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The opening up our vast country to mining and pastoral pursuits requires equipment and people. Equipment needs to transported, and the people need supplies. Everything we have, or need, is at some point riding in or on a truck, from our groceries to the fuel in our cars, or the oxygen to keep patients alive in our hospitals. Without trucks, and the men and women who drive them, our lives would be unrecognisably different.

This is why we need to preserve this transport history, for future generations to appreciate how tough the job was before sleeper cabs, ice packs, air conditioning and airbag suspensions came along to tame the corrugations.

SCAAT SHOW This is what is so great about shows such as the Sydney Classic and Antique Truck Show (SCAATS) and the clubs and individuals that support them.

three competitors putting their hamstrings on the line to see who could pull the 21700 kg GRS Towing side-puller the furthest.

Truck and industry museums do exist, but the bulk of the financial burden of caring for, and/or restoring these classic workhorses, falls upon the individuals who have a passion for the trucks of years gone by. Trucks they may well have driven before they retired, when they had a little more time on their hands, or even members of the younger generation who appreciate a well-built piece of equipment, where barely an ounce of plastic can be found.

As a former apprentice mechanic for what was then called International Harvester, old Inters always catch my eye.

This year was no exception, with a showroom-condition 3070 Eagle owned by Charlie Grima being hard to miss.

It looked every bit as though it had recently rolled off the Dandenong production line back in 1978. Charlie has a penchant for 3070s as was demonstrated by his Eagle, plus a second unrestored Eagle he had sitting next to it.

The Museum of Fire at Penrith hosted the 8th annual 2018 SCAAT Show to sunny skies for a family-orientated event featuring rides and miniature remotely controlled trucks for the kids. Also up for the visitors was an abundance of food outlets, and, for the first time, a strong-man display with

While the ground-up restoration on the first truck is fantastic in its dedication to the original product, Charlie says that he is still undecided as to whether he will restore the second unit (which only has 260,000 km on the clock) or keep it original.

ALL NEW!

BEST UPTIME With increased service intervals due to disc brakes and a greaseless driveline, improved connectivity and extended warranties, the New Quon is the best at keeping you on the road.

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While on the International nostalgia express, I spotted an International Transtar 4200 that I had not before seen at any shows. Sitting proudly by its side was Tony Kuchel, who was more than happy to tell its story.

Tony owned this truck some time ago when it was configured as a 6x4 semi-tipper, and sold it in 1984.

Having subsequently tracked it down, he repurchased the 4200 in 2016 and carried out a major restoration.

Tony stripped it right back and found the chassis heavily

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SCAAT SHOW

corroded from spending the last 30 years carting rock and salt. New single chassis rails were installed and it was cut back to a 4X2. Today the 4200 is kitted out for comfortable travel around the truck show circuit. It’s fitted with an 8V71T Detroit diesel and painted red, not green, as was the norm for early Detroit’s fitted into Internationals.

The SCAATS is a very informal event, with prizes well received. A notable mention goes to Brad Skeers, who picked up the Bill Maddy Memorial Trophy in the category of most authentic, with his entry of a 1953 Morris Commercial.

ALL NEW!

BEST NETWORK As part of Australia and New Zealand’s largest dealer network which is open for longer, and supported by customer-focused professionals, the New Quon is the Japanese truck with the best support.

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Going the Extra Mile

To find out more, contact your UD Trucks dealer on 1300 BUY A UD or visit udtrucks.com.au

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Brad came upon the old Morris on a property near, Kendall, NSW. There, it had been sitting in a shed for the last 30 years or so after retiring from carting fuel in 44-gallon drums in the local area.

Spectators were also treated to vintage fire equipment displays, and the fire hoses blasting fountains of water great distances were a treat for all the kids.

PowerTorque hopes that shows such as this never fall out of interest, as these truck enthusiasts do a marvellous job maintaining the heritage of transport in Australia.

These events provide enthusiasts with the chance to meet others with similar interests, creating an unique bond and keeping hubbies out in the shed for many a weekend, perhaps to the delight of their spouses.

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FEATURE

IN FOR THE BULK HAUL M

any truckies in Australia hold a strong passion for the Kenworth badge, and, after arriving at Scholz Bulk Haulage in West Wodonga on the NSW-Victorian border, you can see that holds true for everyone working in this family business.

Craig Scholz’s passion for Kenworths started at an early age through his uncle, Geoff, who was a truckie himself, which led Craig to buy his first Kenworth at just 18, a K123 for work on the family farm in Pleasant Hills.

Then, in 1998, Craig and his brother Wayne joined forces to buy a 1994 T600 with a Detroit for them to drive while buying and selling grain, as well as covering some subbie work.

Craig would deliver the grain mainly to Gippsland, and then bring fertiliser back to Pleasant Hills, NSW. The Kenworth worked well, and in 2003 they purchased a K104 Aerodyne to run B-double tippers carrying grain to Gippsland,then loading with potatoes to take to Sydney, then back-loading lime to the local area around Pleasant Hills .

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Kenworths are part of the family DNA for Scholz Bulk Haulage – report by Ed Higginson

Along with moving grain, Craig, with the help of his wife Sharee, started to expand into industrial products, so the fleet began to grow. In 2009 they added a new T908, then, soon after, three secondhand Kenworths – a T604 and two K104Bs powered by the Caterpillar C15 before the advent of EGR.

“The Caterpillars were great motors. I used to like my Detroits too. Now you can only spec’ a Cummins in the Kenworth,” said Craig.

“We haven’t really had the ISX issues that others have experienced, and any small issue was always covered under warranty, so they haven’t been a problem,” he added.

With the arrival of ADR80/03, the last five additions to the fleet have all been with the Cummins e5 motors using AdBlue, firstly with two T909s, followed by two SARs and, finally, the K200.

Craig Scholz and his son Jayden

SCHOLZ BULK HAULAGE “In terms of transmissions we usually go with Roadranger manual transmissions, but we are trying the automated boxes in our SAR truck and dog, plus the latest K200,” added Craig.

The latest addition to the well turned-out fleet is a K200 purchased at the end of 2017 from Twin City Truck Centre in West Wodonga through Justin Brooks. The PACCAR dealership is within walking distance of the Scholz base and offered great support to the family.

As you can see from the support photography, Craig takes great pride in running a fleet of well turned-out Kenworths, and the K200 is no exception. Fitted with the 2.3-metre Aerodyne COE sleeper cab, it stands out, especially with the dark red tanks to match the fleet colours. Additional trim work such as the extra stainless-steel trim and LED lights were all done through RC Metalcraft in Albury.

Inside, Craig likes to spec’ the trucks for the drivers, as they look after their assigned trucks as if they were their own, with the cab trim getting the classic Kenworth feel with sandstone trim in the HD Diamond pleat vinyl style. For the driver’s comfort, the truck has the ISRI Pro air seat, and, as many drivers will spend nights away in their trucks, an inner sprung mattress and an Icepack 3000 diesel air conditioner.

Craig and his team of drivers take a lot of care with their trucks, both new and old. Although the T908 is nearing 10 years old with 1.6 million kilometres on the clock, it still looks to be in showroom condition with distinctive graphics down the hood that were applied by Complete Body Craft in Rutherglen, when it was new.

Driven by Josh who has been with the business five years, I caught up with him as he popped in on the Saturday morning to clean up the truck ready for the week ahead.

The K200 gets the ADR80/03 Cummins X15 Euro 5 six-cylinder in-line turbocharged engine, rated at 550578 hp @ 1800 rpm, and 1850 lb-ft torque @ 1200 rpm.

Transmission is through the Eaton Fuller 18-speed overdrive, with the Eaton UltraShift and Ezy Pedal Advantage clutch package with VCT and pre-damper.

The K200 gets the Meritor axles with a 4.1 diff ratio and drum brakes all-round.

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In relation to his ride, Josh went on to say, “I’ve only had the T908 for just over a month now, running containers from country Victoria into Melbourne. I’ve customised it with my own gearstick extension, matching steering wheel and a few extras. It’s now done 1.6 million kilometres, but has no issues. We run at 68.5-tonne on HML, so, with the Cummins ISX rated at 600 hp and the 18-speed Roadranger, it pulls well”.

Another driver who is just as passionate about his own ride is Brad, who, at just 21, is proud to be running the fully-restored T600.

“Its awesome to be given the T600 as my first truck. It’s just 6000 kilometres off hitting four million. I did a couple of runs in it straight after it came back from the panel shop, and now ride in it full-time. I finished off my diesel mechanic apprenticeship with Craig, and now that I have my licence it’s great driving for the family. I mainly run concrete to Melbourne or tippers within Victoria, so only have the odd overnight, plus I have had a couple of runs into Queensland,” said Brad.

The T600 looks like new after a recent full restoration, again with Complete Body Craft in Rutherglen. The truck was involved in an accident, but Craig and Sharee decided to bring it back to life.

“It’s a bit like renovating a house. You don’t know how much it will cost until you start pulling it apart. There was a lot of work needed, but it’s now like new,” Craig says.

In an age where many of the larger transport companies look for years of experience before giving drivers a

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chance, it’s great to see SBH bringing younger talent into the business. This obviously pays off with their passion for the job and the gear being clearly evident.

Sharee explains, “We usually find local drivers through word of mouth and recommendations from our current guys. If they trust them we are happy to bring them onboard. We’ve got a great bunch at the moment who really look after the equipment”.

In terms of maintenance, nearly all of the work gets covered in-house. Craig comments, “We do about 95 percent of the maintenance work, including all A, B, C and D services. Only engine rebuilds get sent to Cummins or Twin City Truck Centre so we can get the warranty. We have an ex-Kenworth workshop foreman with us in our workshop, plus another guy who helps out on weekends.

“With a fleet of around 19 combinations, there are a few flat tops and skels mixed in, but all the tippers come through Sloanebuilt tippers in NSW, which have been great over the years,” Sharee adds.

“All of the trucks are covered by Navman GPS systems running under IAP. It provides us with each individual truck’s distances so we can manage the maintenance schedules closely and we use Birchwood Logbook checker for our compliance,” said Craig.

“The secret to running a good family business is the team.

We have a great team around us – drivers, mechanics and office staff. Without them we wouldn’t have a good business, we’ve been lucky to get them,” said Craig.

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FEATURE

STEERING & SHIFTING

Volvo Trucks introduces dynamic steering and dual-clutch transmission technology to the Australian market

I

mprovement to the dynamics of steering heavy vehicles is something that all heavy vehicle drivers will welcome, with Volvo Group Australia taking a progressive step forwards that is currently unique for our market by adding its Dynamic Steering system to its portfolio of driver support systems.

“What makes the Volvo Dynamic Steering system different from some of its competitors is the option to adjust steering-wheel resistance individually. This is a very practical feature, not least for trucks that often have different drivers,” said Carl Johan Almqvist, traffic and product safety director at Volvo Trucks.

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“Each driver has a different perception of how light or heavy the steering system should be. Now, every driver can adjust the steering-wheel resistance exactly as he or she wants, with better directional stability, easier manoeuvring and higher comfort that reduces the risk of road accidents and strain-related injuries,” he added.

Volvo Dynamic Steering has been developed to automatically compensate for unevenness in the road surface and to eliminate vibration and kicks in the steering wheel.

VOLVO TECHNOLOGY

When driving at low speed, steering-wheel resistance is reduced by about 75 percent – a major benefit when reversing and in close-quarter manoeuvring. The steering wheel automatically self-centres as soon as the driver’s grip on the wheel lightens. At higher speeds, the truck confidently maintains its direction even on poor surfaces and in strong side-winds. This technology is based on the truck’s hydraulic power steering being assisted by an electronically regulated electric motor that continuously adjusts steering and provides added turning force when needed.

Changes have also been introduced in the drivetrain, with Volvo Trucks now introducing the I-Shift Dual Clutch into the Australian and New Zealand markets. This is the first transmission on the market with a dual-clutch system for heavy vehicles.

“By integrating Volvo Dynamic Steering with other comfort and safety-enhancing systems, Volvo Trucks has developed two accident prevention driver support systems: Volvo Dynamic Steering with Stability Assist and Volvo Dynamic Steering with Lane Keeping Assist.

Thanks to power-shift gear changes without any interruption in power delivery, torque is maintained and the truck does not lose any speed during gear changes.

For the driver, the result is more comfortable and efficient progress on the road.

“Imagine you’re driving on a wet, slippery road and you suddenly notice that the rear of the truck is starting to lose its grip on the asphalt. Before this develops into a skid, you steer gently in the opposite direction until the danger is over. That’s exactly the way Volvo Dynamic Steering with Stability Assist works. The big difference is that the system can discover the risk and help stabilise the vehicle before you’ve even noticed that something is about to happen,” explained Mr. Almqvist.

The I-Shift Dual Clutch transmission consists of two input shafts and a dual-clutch, which means that two gears can be selected at the same time. It is the clutch that determines which of the gears is currently active. I-Shift Dual Clutch is based on I-Shift, but the front half of the gearbox has been redesigned with entirely new components.

A further safety innovation available with Volvo Dynamic Steering is Lane Keeping Assist, which works together with the truck’s Lane Keeping Support system at speeds above 55 km/h. The system monitors the vehicle’s position using cameras, and when it detects that the truck is edging towards the lane marking it initiates a slight turn of the steering wheel in the appropriate direction. As this occurs it communicates with the driver through a gentle vibration in the steering wheel, helping to steer the vehicle back into the lane.

Volvo Dynamic Steering with Stability Assist works together with the truck’s Electronic Stability Control system. Sensors in the frame continuously monitor the

truck’s rotational speed (yaw), and, when the slightest skidding tendency is detected, the system is activated and provides light steering-wheel assistance to help the driver steer in the opposite direction, stabilising the vehicle.

I-Shift Dual Clutch especially suits the transport of moving or liquid cargoes, such as animal transports and tanker operations, since the seamless gear changes prompt less movement in the cargo itself. With I-Shift Dual Clutch power-shifting there is less risk of losing traction on slippery or uneven roads, such as those encountered in the timber industry. The reduction of stress on the drivetrain ultimately reduces wear on powertrain, tyres and the rest of the truck, while also saving on fuel as the engine disengages when going downhill.

I-Shift Dual Clutch is available for order on the Volvo FH with Euro 5 D13 engines and with 500 and 540 horsepower.

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FEATURE

The I-Shift Dual Clutch explained in detail Although becoming more commonplace with the passenger car segment, Volvo’s I-Shift Dual Cutch transmission is the first of this type of transmission to be offered in the heavy truck sector.

The I-Shift Dual Clutch gearbox is based on the standard I-Shift transmission. Despite its many new components, the new dual-clutch version is just 12 cm longer than a regular I-Shift unit.

The I-Shift Dual Clutch is best described as two gearboxes linked together. When one gearbox is active, the next gear is preselected in the other gearbox. During gear changing, the first gearbox is disconnected at the same instant as the second gearbox is connected, so gear changes take place without any interruption in power delivery.

The I-Shift Dual Clutch changes gear without any disruption to power delivery, with the exception of the range-change, which takes place when shifting from sixth to seventh gear. When driving in conditions where it is more optimal for the transmission to skip a few gears, the transmission changes gear just like a regular I-Shift unit.

Smooth, gentle gear changes cut wear on the driveline and the rest of the vehicle, and fuel consumption with the I-Shift Dual Clutch is quoted by the manufacturer as being the same as with the standard I-Shift. It is available on Volvo FH models as an alternative to the I-Shift and manual transmission options.

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FEATURE

M

onty Khaira, of Simba Trans in Melbourne’s western suburb of Altona, operates three prime movers under exclusive contract to Owens Container Transport, a fully owned subsidiary of Mainfreight. As a confirmed MAN supporter, Monty recently purchased his second MAN prime mover with the aim of hauling a Super B-double combination of up to 77.5 tonnes from Melbourne’s ports to the Owens depot in Altona.

Some 15 years ago, Monty started driving ‘from the ground up’ in the transport industry, initially with driving medium rigids loaded with palletised freight around Melbourne. From there Monty purchased his first prime mover, a used 2006 Volvo FH460, which, after 1.2 million km, was sold to purchase his first MAN. The first MAN was purchased in 2012, as a brand-new unit supplied through Westar in Dandenong, Melbourne.

This truck was the largest MAN model available at that time, the 26.540 with its 540 hp 13-litre engine. This truck is still used in Monty’s fleet today, and while its 630,000 km showing on the odometer may not sound excessive, the engine has completed a substantial 20,000 engine hours of operation, testimony to the type of work this truck handles with containerised freight.

Long wait times at the wharf mean very high idle times, and, according to Monty, the truck needs to be kept idling as the queue is constantly moving up. Also, in the warmer weather, the engine needs to be running to power the cab air conditioning. Monty trialled the Fresco auxiliary AC unit but found it doesn’t have sufficient cooling to chill down the large cabin of the MAN in Melbourne’s hot summer weather.

Prior to purchasing the latest MAN, Monty sourced quotations from other truck manufacturers for units suitable for his type of work. Having undertaken the price comparison of various European B-double rated prime movers, Monty found them all to be within a similar ballpark figure, with no particular standout truck at either end of the pricing spectrum.

As a result of this product evaluation, Monty’s purchase decision was based upon aftersales experience, with his satisfaction with the service levels provided by Westar in Derrimut proving sufficient reason to stay with the MAN brand and the local dealership.

The new MAN 26.540 TGX is powered by the MAN 12.5-litre, six-cylinder turbocharged and intercooled engine that provides maximum power of 397 kW at 1900 rpm and with peak torque of 2500 Nm rated at 1050-1350 rpm.

With a parabolic front suspension and with an eight-bag air suspended rear that is electronically controlled for ride height, the MAN features disc brakes front and rear, with EBS and ABS as standard fitment. Also available is the safety pack, which adds adaptive cruise control, lane guard system, emergency brake assist and emergency stop signal system.

Operators looking for higher power and torque output can now choose the MAN TGX-D38.

Powered by a 15.2-litre, six-cylinder, common-rail fuel-injected diesel, this Euro 6 compliant engine produces 560 hp and peak torque of 2700 Nm.

This success of his first MAN was the impetus behind Monty’s decision this year to purchase a second 26.540 MAN from Westar in Dandenong, through MAN salesman Tony Lamana.

SUPER B-MAN

Brenton O’Connor and Monty Khaira have a MAN-to-MAN discussion 84

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SIMBA TRANS In addition to the two MAN prime movers, Monty also runs a Mercedes-Benz Actros, which, due to its 50 tonnes GCM, is limited primarily to single trailer, side-loader work.

The new MAN 26.540, with its impressive red paintwork, alloy wheels and bullbar certainly looks the goods, and stands out in a sea of white trucks fitted with steel wheels lined up at the wharf waiting on containers. One of its major features is the 90 tonnes GCM rating that enables Monty to undertake Super B-double work. What also impressed Monty was MAN’s willingness to support the truck through maintaining the standard warranty terms and conditions, without alteration, despite running at such high weights.

Super B-doubles in Melbourne, running under PBS standards, are allowed up to 77.5 tonnes on selected routes. Unfortunately, Melbourne’s famous Westgate Bridge has an imposed GCM limit of 68.5 tonnes, meaning it’s off limits to Super B-double combinations. This

restriction results in these longer and higher payload trucks travelling through the dense urban streets of Footscray and Yarraville, in Melbourne’s inner west.

There is an end in sight to these restrictions, with the completion of the construction of the Westgate Tunnel due in 2022, at which time these trucks will be able to move off suburban streets and avoid truck curfew hours currently imposed on some of these routes.

The MAN 26.540 spends most of its time running as a Super B-double carrying two 40’ containers, generally loaded both ways, with exports of grain, wine, fertiliser and recyclables being carried to the wharf, and then back loaded with consumer goods being imported into the country. The truck carries these goods on its PBSapproved route back to Owens’ impressive fully-concrete hardstand facility in Altona. From this point, the containers are either stored in the yard, or loaded onto regular B-doubles or single trailers for delivery to the end user, typically within a 150 km radius of Melbourne.

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FEATURE Monty singles out Kevin Rampage at Westar Derrimut for his exceptional knowledge and service levels provided to MAN customers. Kevin was trained in the United Kingdom on MANs and has since moved to Australia bringing with him countless years of expertise of the MAN product.

Monty is particularly pleased with Westar’s ability to fix simple issues on the spot, rather than having to book the truck in, drop it off, leave it, and then return to collect at a later date.

Any larger jobs are booked in for completion at a mutually convenient time on a later date.

One particular example supporting Monty’s comments of support for Westar customer services results from when a new clutch was installed in his older MAN. This was completed within a total time of eight hours, which in anyone’s book is an outstanding effort.

“MAN’s ‘Comfort Plus’ service plan, which fully covers the truck from back to front, gives him peace of mind”

Monty’s new MAN is covered under MAN’s ‘Comfort Plus’ service plan, which fully covers the truck from back to front, including simple things such as globes and fuses, giving him peace of mind and also the ability to budget correctly for the length of time he will own the truck prior to changing it over.

When it comes to fuel economy, Monty finds the MAN to be very economical with fuel figures varying due to the different weights carried and also due to the highly volatile

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nature of Melbourne’s traffic; however, he mentioned that over 2.0 km per litre is not uncommon for the truck working as a B-double loaded in both directions to and from the wharf.

Monty, who still does some of the driving himself, finds the MAN very comfortable. At his request, Westar has reprogrammed the ZF 12-speed AMT to default to a first gear lift off, rather than third gear, to save on clutch wear and minimise the effect of the high gross weights he encounters pulling the Super B-double.

Monty is very focused on growing his business and has worked hard to build his business from the ground up. His recall of numbers and prices is second to none, and, whatever question was thrown at him on the day we caught up to discuss his truck, he was able to answer with the exact cost and kilometres of when certain issues occurred.

His relationship with Westar and MAN is strong, thanks particularly to his satisfaction with the service department, and its ability to keep his trucks on the road working. In a low profit margin game like container freight, reliability is highly critical, as unplanned and lengthy downtimes eat into the small profits that are available to those who operate successfully in this environment.

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FEATURE

TRACKSIDE Ed Higginson joins Steve Richards Motorsport and the team DAF XF105

I

’ve driven between Melbourne and Sydney many times in lots of different trucks, but driving two up with Steve Richards will definitely be my most memorable. The ride in his brand-new DAF XF105.510 with the Super Space cab, hooked up to his B-double transporter, made it even more special.

Many of you will undoubtedly know of Steve Richards and his success over 21 years in motorsport. In 1996, Steve started his career in the V8 Supercars Championship, driving for both the factory Holden and Ford supported teams.

Now Steve competes in the Australian GT Championship series as a full-time driver with his own team, BMW Team

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SRM, racing the factory-supported BMW M6 GT3 and M4 GT4. He also partners with Craig Lowndes in the V8 Supercars Endurance events for Triple 8 Race Engineering.

Richards, the son of seven-time Bathurst 1000 winner Jim Richards, is himself a four-time Bathurst 1000 winner.

What many fans may not know of Steve is that he is also an owner/driver, taking the wheel of his team’s B-double race transporter between events all over Australia.

I joined him on a recent trip to Sydney from his base in the Yarra Valley, in his new DAF with just 5000 km on the clock, for a BMW drive day experience that he hosts for his sponsors throughout the year.

DAF XF105

Steve started driving trucks after forming the race team with his wife of 20 years, Ange. Steve explains, “After driving in the Supercar Championship, an opportunity came up with some of my previous sponsors. And we met Laser Plumbing and Electrical. So we started SRM Steve Richards Motorsport and went Porsche Carrera Cup racing for the eight-round championship plus the extra three rounds in the Supercars. That was the small beginning, which has grown over the past seven years into a big business today with some stable partners.

We always try to partner with quality brands as we see ourselves as a quality brand too”.

The business started with just the single race transporter, built by Titan Trailers in 2012, which is now the B-double’s rear trailer. As the business grew, Steve purchased a new lead trailer in 2017 from Grove. This has enabled Steve to also transport some of the other team’s equipment around events, adding to the business’s workload.

Moving race cars and their equipment is a very specialised job, so Steve likes to pilot the truck himself, or with a couple of his trusted contract drivers on the longer runs.

Both Steve and his wife Ange comment that spending time in the truck is a great way to relax together without the interruptions of emails or phones. With a fully-sprung passenger seat and loads of storage, the DAF Super Space cab is a great two-up truck. It’s also extremely quiet to ride in, so chatting between each other is easy on the highway.

“I’m often driving with my wife or one of my kids onboard during school holidays. We are a family business so we all get involved. From our perspective, we need the truck to be comfortable with loads of safety features, so it’s been a great partnership with DAF,” Steve added.

Prior to the DAF, Steve also had a CAT CT630, a Volvo FH540 and a Freightliner Argosy. “The DAF is great to drive, is comfortable and quiet, and unsurpassed compared with anything else I’ve driven,” he said.

Sponsorship has always been an integral part of motorsport, but like many aspects of the modern era, things have changed substantially over the last 15 to 20 years.

“Starting out as a small business, we had a tight budget, so I had to drive the truck myself. But I enjoy the time away from the office, driving up the highway and keeping my eye on the equipment. We could only buy our own trailers by transporting other teams’ cars, so I also took on the responsibility of driving myself to ensure everything was looked after and tied down well,” Steve adds.

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FEATURE “Back when you had tobacco sponsorship, they just wanted a sign on the car. Now it’s much more than that. We build a program around our assets and brand.

Customers want to use the sponsorship to engage with their client and staff, plus use you as an ambassador for a product to get the full experience and value for their investment,” said Steve.

Laser Plumbing and Electrical has been Steve’s foundation sponsor since forming the business. Today, the team also partners with BMW Australia, BP Ultimate, DAF, Snap-On and Mosley Mining.

Driving Steve’s team truck had an added bonus when I got the opportunity to take the BMW M6 GT3 ride experience for myself. As Steve only offers hot laps to their sponsors or through charity events, it’s not an experience you can buy. This is where I got to experience Steve’s true driving skills, taking the incredible BMW around Eastern Creek at near race speeds. It was a truly once in a lifetime ride, and, from the look on the faces of the other 50 corporate guests jumping out of the car, I’m sure they would all agree.

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Some may think driving the racing team’s transporters around is a glamorous driving job, and it certainly gets you behind the wheel of some great looking rigs, but there is much more to it than simply taking the cars to the race weekends.

If you hate having to pack and unpack your truck for a shift away, then consider that race crews spend around two to four hours at each event unpacking the trucks, setting up the pit garages, then packing it all away again, again and again, week in week out, for race meetings plus all the events in between.

In terms of the DAF XF105.510, it is certainly a nice drive, but it really shines due to its size and more storage than you can dream to fill. With two decent bunk beds with ample space above each, both with driver restraints for sleeping on the go, and with a passenger seat as comfy as the driver’s, it’s the perfect space for two-up driving.

Steve’s truck has the PACCAR MX13, six-cylinder 12.9-litre engine with turbo intercooler, giving maximum power of 510 hp (375 kW) at 1500-1900 rpm and peak torque of 1850 lb-ft (2500 Nm) at 1000-1410 rpm. Matched with the ZF-AS Tronic, 16-speed, overdrive, automated gearbox, it performs well.

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FEATURE

In the modern era where 540-650 hp is the norm on B-double and road train work, 510 hp sounds a little short, but it never felt so on the highway. We were running around 55 tonnes, which undoubtedly helped, but if it wore a 540 badge you probably wouldn’t notice.

The DAF also gets the tick for its superb ride along the rough country roads. Storage options, underbunk slideout fridge, comfortable beds and electric sunroof are all excellent, so, with the PACCAR support network, the DAF is a great option for many.

On the climb over the hill at Glenrowan in Victoria, which is one of my comparison spots, the DAF crested the top at 73 km/h, which is more than respectable north bound.

On the way down the hill towards the BP, the engine and exhaust brake, with 320 kW of retardation power at 2100 rpm, was able to hold its speed as we then slowed to enter the service area for our first stop.

There are just a couple of areas were the DAF falls short, though. The XF cab has been around since 1997, so it doesn’t have the sharp lines of the competitors, and climbing into the cab isn’t the easiest, but the old radio and computer set up really lets it down. After driving DAFs most common rivals, it’s like going from your iPhone X to an old Nokia 3310.

After a quick fill-up of fuel, with BP Ultimate Diesel of course, and a decent coffee to help with the early morning Sunday start, we set off again onwards to Sydney.

Europe has welcomed the new DAF XF106.510 to the market, with updated cab, modernised dash, decent touchscreen radio and entertainment system, plus the Euro 6 engine with Eco mode.

Over the drive from the Yarra Valley in Victoria to Eastern Creek raceway in NSW, and return, there were many features in the DAF that impressed. In terms of safety, the DAF gets EBS, MX Engine Brake and exhaust brake, hill start aid (with AS-Tronic only), vehicle stability control (VSC), lane departure warning system, SRS airbag, antislip control (ASR), drag torque control, and adaptive cruise control (ACC) with forward collision warning (FCW).

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Fingers crossed Australia will see the new truck soon, so DAF can go head to head with others in the market.

A 600 hp engine would be nice too.

HEADING

“The DAF also gets the tick for its superb ride along the rough country roads”

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FEATURE

HIGH ON HYDROGEN

Brenton O’Connor reviews Hyster’s hydrogenpowered forklift

W

ith global pressures of climate change, the quest continues for cleaner air and reductions in pollution, particularly in large cities. The motivator of course is the limited supply time left for fossil fuels, and, although we know they will eventually run out, the date this will occur remains a matter of conjecture.

To counter that prediction, manufacturers of vehicles of all descriptions are investing heavily in technologies for alternate power sources to run the vehicles on which we depend within a modern pollution-free economy.

The predominant alternate energy source has been from batteries, particularly pushed by America’s Tesla Corporation through Elon Musk, which has driven forward the boundaries on electric cars. Having made the concept attractive to many, their high purchase price has made them prohibitive for ordinary citizens when compared to their internal combustion fossil-fuelled rivals. Tesla has even released a fully electric prime mover that has sparked some interest with large fleets in the USA. In addition to price, electric vehicles with battery storage technologies face other significant challenges in their quest to become the preferred vehicle energy source. The particular challenge is battery-charging times.

On a typical 240 V home socket, it can take eight hours to charge the batteries. The second issue is that of battery range. The batteries currently available don’t typically have the range motorists expect and are familiar with that result from a petrol-powered vehicle.

The third issue is battery life. How long will the batteries last in the vehicle, how many times can they be recharged and how do we dispose of them or recycle them once they have reached the end of their service life?

The final key issue is the infrastructure and charging stations that are not yet commercially available in strategic locations to enable motorists to venture out of our capital into regional areas and be able to charge their vehicle. For instance, if a petrol-powered vehicle runs out of fuel on the freeway, a five-litre Jerry can of fuel can fix the problem.

All these issues require further thought and investment for the technology to flourish and become mainstream.

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Another alternate fuel to lead-acid battery electric vehicles is that of fuel cell technology using hydrogen gas. Don’t be misled into thinking that hydrogen is used as an alternate

“The hydrogen fuel cell creates electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen gas and oxygen, and this electricity powers the vehicle”

fuel to power a traditional internal combustion engine, in a similar fashion to that of LPG use. That is not the case.

Hydrogen gas is used in conjunction with a fuel cell to create electricity to power the vehicle, with the hydrogen gas storage tank on the vehicle being the ‘battery’ for the vehicle. The major advantages are the quick refill time of the hydrogen tank, with tank life not limited to a certain number of recharges nor contributing to the associated costs (both financial and environmental) of disposing of the battery once the service life has ended.

A hydrogen fuel cell works as follows: The vehicle is refuelled via a hose from a dispenser in the same way as that of a petrol or diesel fuelled vehicle.

HYSTER FORKLIFT

Using the Hyster hydrogen forklift as an example, as the dispenser pumps hydrogen into the tank, it also pumps out the water tank, which is the ‘emission’ (output) created from the hydrogen fuel cell process – water.

The hydrogen fuel cell creates electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen gas and oxygen, and this electricity powers the vehicle. The process of the fuel cell is very clean, as the hydrogen is not burnt, but rather fused chemically with oxygen that in turn produces electricity and water, as a by-product.

Hyster recently used its Lane Cove base in Sydney for its Hyster Yale Asia Pacific CEO, Tony Fagg, to demonstrate its new hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered forklift to the media, and potential key customers.

“These new hard-working forklifts comprise a production tested Hyster range that complements our existing globally respected ranges and is backed by the distribution and technical expertise of the Hyster-Yale group,” said Tony.

He went onto explain: “The new hydrogen-powered forklift trucks are aimed particularly at companies seeking the ultimate combination of environmentally harmonious indoor and outdoor performance, without production interruptions or lengthy battery charging processes associated with lead-acid battery forklifts,” said Tony.

Hyster has had its hydrogen-powered forklifts in operation in North America in large operations such as Amazon and PowerTorque ISSUE 84

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FEATURE FORKTORQUE Wal-Mart, and these have proven very successful in large fleet operations. Hyster believes the hydrogen fuel-cell forklift is best suited to operations of 15 or more forklifts, to help amortise the costs of the refuelling infrastructure required on site.

According to Mr. Fagg, Hyster believes its hydrogen fuel-cell forklifts are the first of such types in Australia and New Zealand; however, a decision has not yet been made on their introduction. In the meantime, the company is gauging market interest from prospective operators of forklifts on a large scale, where the operational and environmental benefits of the fuel-cell technology would really stack up.

contrast to its electric lead-acid battery sibling that would require several hours of downtime for charging or for a second set of batteries to be installed so the unit could continue work.

Another key advantage of the hydrogen fuel-cell unit compared to lead-acid battery units is the fuel cell provides continuous, fade free power for the full shift of operation – unlike batteries, which typically begin to fade in performance in the second half of the battery charge cycle.

According to Steve Mercer from Hyster-Yale, who was instrumental in the development of the hydrogen-powered forklift, operational costs of the unit are lower than alternate energy powered units. The disadvantage here being that the initial capital purchase price is higher, together with additional costs of setting up the necessary refuelling infrastructure.

When looking at the overall lifecycle costs of the hydrogenfuelled units, Mercer believes these will be lower.

A practical demonstration of Hyster’s hydrogen fuel-cell forklift was impressive due to its near silent operation and the benefit that its zero emissions would contribute to any indoor operation where noise and air pollution are top concerns. Also impressive was the refuelling procedure, which was completed within three minutes, preparing the unit for another shift of eight hours. This is a considerable

There are currently two ways to source hydrogen as a fuel supply. The first option is to purchase the gas externally and have it delivered to the worksite and put into storage tanks at the dispensing station. The second and most attractive option to those who want a true emissions-free operation is to generate the hydrogen on site, using solar power.

In this system, roof-mounted solar panels power a substation that creates hydrogen gas through a chemical reaction from water, with the gas then stored in tanks and dispensed as required.

Hyster’s hydrogen fuel-cell technology is testimony to the continuing search for cleaner, cheaper and more reliable sources of energy to power our economies of tomorrow. The technology makes sense, and, aside from the initial capital cost of purchasing the refuelling infrastructure, it makes a lot more sense than rechargeable batterypowered forklifts.

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FEATURE

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RAM RAID The ute market is about to be rocked when the RAM 1500 4x4 arrives in Australia with 5.7 litres of V8 power and 4.5 tonnes of towing muscle.

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ustralia created the ute, but since the demise of Ford’s Falcon and Holden’s Commodore the choice of which model or brand to purchase comes down to lots of competing Japanesestyle products, plus a couple from South Korea and India. Engine sizes have generally shrunk to the mid-2.0-litre level to suit the European, and now global, desire for lower emissions, and towing limits have stalled at 3.0-3.5 tonnes.

The average punter doesn’t strictly adhere to maximum towing restrictions, often operating on the “she’ll-be-right” premise that there’s a bit of reserve built in to the product by the manufacturer that should prevent the chassis from stretching or snapping completely. Prices have steadily climbed, while specifications have basically stayed very similar, to the extent that a simple load carrier that used to cost under $20,000 is now on the market with all its bells and whistles at a price approaching, or in some cases exceeding, $80,000.

That’s how this year started off, but it’s not going to be how this year finishes.

RAM Trucks Australia is heading to a town near you, with the V8 5.7-litre you’d like under the bonnet and 4.5 tonnes towing limit that will cover you for pretty much anything you need to tow in safety, rather than operating in the hope of good fortune. And it’s offering what the market wants for a comparable price, but at a much higher standard.

The RAM 1500 is now in full production in Australia, with the RAM 1500 joining the existing 2500 and 3500 models on a brand-new, purpose-built production line to undergo a full remanufacturing process in Clayton, Victoria, that is recognised and fully approved by RAM Trucks itself.

The 1500 five-seater is noticeably different by being lower to the ground, appearing more compact and not quite so daunting perhaps as the 2500 and 3500 models.

RAM 1500 4X4 The wheelbase is 220 mm shorter, with a reduction in overall length of 214 mm. It’s also close to 1160 kg lighter, a benefit of the shift to V8 petrol power from the massive diesel of the 2500 and 3500 models. Towards the end of the year, the VM Motori 3.0-litre diesel that powers the Chrysler 300C will join the options list, albeit reprogrammed to different operating parameters.

Built to full production quality, the remanufacturing process changes the front firewall, steering system, HVAC system and interior to full right-hand-drive quality assembly standards. As an indication of how seriously RAM Trucks is taking its involvement in the Australian market, production levels by November this year will be running at 10 vehicles per day, covering the three 1500, 2500 and 3500 products. The plan is for this manufacturing level to further increase rapidly to over 4500 vehicles per year within three years.

Regular readers of PowerTorque will be well familiar with our views of the RAM 2500, with reports through the year of our continuing long-term evaluation that’s clocked up over 30,000 km without any concerns, testimony to the quality of the remanufacturing process.

With its 5.7-litre, straight-six, turbocharged Cummins Diesel and six-speed automatic transmission, the 2500 defies the presumption that at 3.6 tonnes its fuel economy would be less than satisfactory. Having recorded a best figure of 9.0 l/100 km, the general average cruise economy has stayed constant at 10.5 l/100 km, and, with 276 kW at 2800 rpm and peak torque of 1084 Nm rated at 1600 rpm, it’s the dream vehicle for long runs and heavyweight towing jobs of up to 4.5 tonnes on a 70 mm ball or 6.9 tonnes on a pintle hook, running up to goose-neck fifth-wheelers.

It’s off the back of the success of the RAM 2500 and heavier-duty 3500 models that RAM Trucks had the guts to introduce the RAM 1500, aiming straight at the mass market that is dissatisfied with the products currently on offer.

Tradies that bought the 6.2-litre supercharged HSV GTSR V8, or the Boss V8-engined 5.4-litre FPV Falcon ute will head straight to their nearest RAM Trucks dealer for a slice of the RAM 1500 action. So too will those that haul twin-axled caravans with slide-out side body extensions, or large boat trailers.

The RAM 1500 quite simply redraws key benchmarks for the fastest growing market sector in the Australia vehicle market, setting new standards for towing capacity, tub size, interior space and comfort. The legendary 5.7-litre HEMI V8, with 291 kW at 5600 rpm and peak torque of 556 Nm rated at 3950 rpm resets the performance yardstick as well as marking the return to the market of the much loved V8 ute that is an Australian icon.

The final crunch for the competition comes with an opening driveaway price for the RAM 1500 Express Quad Cab of $79,950, ranging up to $104,450 (plus on road costs) for the 1500 Laramie with RamBoxes, positioning the RAM 1500 as the key top-spec ute in the Australian market.

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FEATURE “The RAM 1500 is built and equipped to meet the changing demands of the Australian ute buyer demanding more towing capacity, more space inside and out, and better performance,” says Alex Stewart, general manager of RAM Trucks Australia.

“With a maximum towing capacity of up to 4.5 tonnes, it is a clear full tonne ahead of its rivals, with both the power and a chassis designed by the world-leading experts to safely tow that extra weight,” said Alex.

The RAM 1500 offers the choice of two tub sizes, with the largest nearly two metres long and more than 1.2 metres wide between the wheel arches. Additional features include a choice of axle ratios (to suit towing applications) and the unique RamBoxes – two 240-litre lockers on either side of the tub that may be used as secure storage or as a pair of ice-filled cool boxes.

At 5.8 metres long and a little over 2.0 metres wide, the extra size of the RAM 1500 translates into more space inside and outside. The 1500 Express Quad Cab comes with an interior volume of 3.3 cubic metres, offering more room than the majority of conventional utes, with impressive levels of shoulder and hip room. The 1500 Laramie comes with the Crew Cab that’s also fitted to the 2500 and 3500 models, which differs from the Quad Cab by having additional length between the B and C pillars.

With 3.5 cubic metres of interior space and a rear seat legroom length of more than a metre, it’s as spacious in the back as the front.

The 1500 Express with its colour-matched grille, bumpers and trim, is clearly the sporty member of the family. For those looking for something even more edgy, RAM will be offering a Black Pack towards the end of the year, which, as the name suggests, turns everything to black, complete with leather lined dashboard.

The RAM 1500 Laramie features the traditional RAM chrome grille and tasteful use of chrome highlights from the 2500 and 3500, but offers a more upmarket interior spec that includes heated and cooled ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, leather trim, deep pile carpeting and an equipment list that ranks with prestige cars.

The latest Hemi V8 design includes a coil-on-plug distributorfree ignition system, Variable Valve Timing (VVT) and two spark plugs per cylinder to shorten flame travel for more consistent combustion and reduced emissions. Its smart engine management system with the Multi-Displacement System (MDS) can shut off two cylinders on each bank under light load to improve fuel economy. When power and torque requirements increase, the full eight cylinders come back into play, boosting performance accompanied by the traditional V8 exhaust note. The driveline is completed by the TorqueFlite eight-speed transmission.

The Ram 1500 features electric power steering (EPS), which alone improves fuel efficiency by up to 1.8 percent and frees up an additional five horsepower.

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FEATURE With EPS, each Ram 1500 can be specifically calibrated to optimise steering effort and precision regardless of body or powertrain configuration. Additionally, EPS senses constant input from the driver, for example a crown in the road, and compensates to improve comfort.

High-strength steel is now used for the front chassis rails, increasing strength by 20 percent, while portions of the frame are hydroformed for dimensional accuracy (hydroforming reduces the amount of welding that leads to distortion). Side rails are fully boxed for both strength and durability with new larger body mounts located on the front frame rails and at the C-pillar.

The Ram 1500 uses an exclusive multi-link, coil-spring rear suspension design that is 20 kg lighter than a comparable leaf spring and provides improved ride and handling characteristics with no loss of capability. The front independent suspension combines upper control arms, aluminium lower control arms and retuned geometry with coil springs for improved responsiveness and handling. Robust ball joints on the front suspension yield greater durability and are engineered with improved sealing methods.

Four-wheel disc brakes are standard on all RAM 1500 Truck models. The front rotors measure 336 mm in diameter and are clamped with dual-piston callipers, while rear rotors are 352 mm and utilise single-piston callipers.

ABS brakes lead a whole phalanx of electric chassis assistance packages to improve on road safety.

“So far as the customer is concerned, buying and owning a RAM, be it the new 1500 or its heavy-duty brothers, the 2500 and 3500, should be absolutely no different from buying any other mainstream vehicle,” says Alex Stewart.

“This means everything from production-line quality and consistency of product, to a national dealer network, a factory-supported warranty of 100,000 km or three-years, breakdown assist 24/7 that includes trailer recovery, through to back-up of full parts and accessory warehouses in Sydney and Auckland that can deliver parts to anywhere in the country within 24 hours,” concluded Alex.

The ute world as we know it has just become much more interesting. The RAM is not designed to be the ultimate go-anywhere off-road vehicle, as indicated by the extralong wheelbase and amount of available axle articulation.

It is, however, the ultimate tow vehicle, and, with a full factory-approved manufacturing operation to produce right-hand-drive RAMs in Australia, there’s every reason for the competition at the top end of this market segment to feel extremely nervous.

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THE LATEST INNOVATIONS IN

TRAILER TECHNOLOGY

TRAILERTORQUE

EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION

Warren Caves reports on Multiquip – Images by Torque it Up Photography

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three-way alliance between Gilbert & Roach Kenworth, Muscat Trailers and Multiquip aggregates is driving growth, and fleet expansion for Multiquip, from its 1200-acre Bungonia quarry site.

Bungonia is located roughly 20 km south of Marulan, NSW, in an area that has seen a remarkable surge in quarry product extraction in recent years. Sydney’s infrastructure projects and housing growth have seen the demand for quarry products multiply exponentially, with concrete batching plants making up a large volume of this growth.

The Marulan area in particular has become somewhat of a hub for quarry products. Within the area, companies such as Boral, Holcim and Gunlake, to name a few, have also set up production plants. Millions of tonnes of raw product at hand, reasonably close proximity to Sydney, plus easy access to the Hume Highway, all make for a practical base from which to operate.

Steve Mikosic, Multiquip group of companies’ managing director, recalls humble beginnings in 1982 with his first truck, a Leyland Mastiff.

Fast forward 36 years and Steve is giving me a guided tour around the Bungonia quarry in his leather seated LandCruiser, which I feel may be a little more pleasant than a ride in the Leyland. Steve points out that they have different areas of the property yielding products such as river sand, blue metal and high-grade soil, in great demand as a base for cricket pitches.

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“We have extraction approval for 30 years; however, our geological surveys and sampling document a 90-year lifespan for the quarry,” explained Steve.

The property was purchased in 2002, and, although this project was not the company’s only focus at the time, the initial approvals took a lengthy seven years. In more recent times, the Bungonia quarry has become a primary focus, with production already under way and infrastructure still being put into place.

Current approvals are in place for the quarry to process and output 400,000 tonnes of total product per year, with a pending application in review for that to increase to 580,000 tonnes.

The quarry is located just south of the small village of Bungonia, with access, historically, through the village.

In the past, this has resulted in some backlash from local residents with concerns about the number of truck movements and time of day they travel through the village.

In order for Multiquip to gain operational approvals, conditions put in place have meant that they had to widen local roads by one metre and create their own private village by-pass road for access to their quarry. This seems to have smoothed over local residents for the most part, through the improvements to road surfaces and resultant employment opportunities offering a definite bonus to local economy, infrastructure and employment, with Multiquip employing a good number of local residents in its Bungonia operation.

MULTIQUIP

Approvals for output increases are basically governed by the use of higher productivity combinations, under PBS (performance-based standards) and mass management.

This has seen tonnage rates increase, with no increase in truck movements.

To facilitate this, Multiquip has recently commissioned eight new Kenworth T610 SAR truck and quad dog PBS combinations to carry sand from its Bungonia quarry to concrete batching plants located throughout Sydney.

The trucks were purchased through Gilbert & Roach Trucks, Huntingwood, with the deal being handled by sales manager, Bill Anderson.

General manager of Multiquip, Jason Mikosic (Steve’s son), explains, “The first of the new Kenworth T610 models were placed into service in December last year, with the last units coming on board in May of this year.

All combinations are fitted with Muscat Trailers, PBSapproved truck bodies and dog trailers, and we are very happy with the final design and relationship between the Kenworths and Muscat bodies.

“Gilbert & Roach, has been our chosen supplier for Kenworth trucks in the past. Bill understands our business and works in well with our chosen body supplier of Muscat trailers to achieve a unified end goal.

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TRAILERTORQUE

“The purchase of the latest eight new T610 SAR trucks has been a positive experience all round,” explained Jason.

“We run the eight trucks with the Eaton UltraShift PLUS AMT, behind the X15 Cummins engine, rated at 600 hp and with 2050 kW of torque. This choice of drivetrain, in conjunction with the Eaton’s dual-mode transmission programme is yielding an average of 2.0 km/l, which is better than one of our other dominant brands featured within our fleet. I’m quite happy with these figures.

“The drivers seem to be quite happy with the trucks as well.

The extra 300 mm width inside the cab over the dimension of the outgoing T409 makes the driver’s rolling office a little more spacious, and the slight curve on the centre dash panel means ergonomics have improved, with less

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lean forward action required to operate switching and dials. We are loading the combinations to 57.5 tonnes gross weight for the two 350 to 370-kilometre round trips to Sydney they complete each day”.

Multiquip has had all the trucks fitted with satellite tracking, incorporating the geofence capability, which identifies actual truck location and the speed zones in place to confirm the adherence to speed limits.

Additionally, the trucks have forward and rear-facing dash cameras and a fatigue detection unit mounted on the dash-top and driver-side A-pillar. These monitor the driver’s face, and sound an alarm and vibrate the seat if attention drifts away from the forward view for more than a pre-set time frame. Each event is notified to a compliance manager and reviewed to see if any action is required.

WEIGHS LESS, WAY LESS. The Vector 1550 unit from Carrier is one of the lightest trailer refrigeration units on the market (712 kg) and operates with low noise emissions (71 dB). And while Vector 1550 units weigh less, they also offer way more.

Designed using the patented combination of a hermetic compressor with an economizer, it delivers a 40 percent increase in refrigeration capacity during pull down. As a result, Vector 1550 units deliver faster temperature pull down, reaching the desired set point up to 25 percent faster compared to conventional technology and with extremely precise temperature control (+/- 0.8°C).

As if that’s not enough, the Vector 1550 unit’s low fuel consumption reduces its overall carbon impact by up to 19 percent compared to conventional systems, the equivalent of removing 2.8 tons of CO2 per unit per year.

Carrier Transicold Australia Nationwide Ph: 1800 448 166 www.transicold.carrier.com.au

Performance data dependent on a range of operational settings, environmental conditions, and model type. Data is based on the Vector 1550-T Low Noise model. © 2017 Carrier Corporation.

TRAILERTORQUE

In-cab weight gauges are also incorporated to assist loading within legal limits. Recently installed at the quarry is a quad-deck weighbridge set up for these combinations, which allows individual axle group weight evaluation in a one-stop movement.

Muscat Trailers at Narellan, in Sydney’s sprawling southwest, have been producing trailing equipment for over 40 years, and manufactured the truck bodies and quad-axle dog trailers to PBS regulations. These combinations feature roll-top auto tarps, the Wabco smartboard system, Hendrickson axles, data hubs, and lift-up axles on the dog trailers.

“Personally, I can’t see demand for this type of raw product diminishing…

In fact, some might say this is just the beginning”

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Multiquip has capitalised on permissible weight allowances under the PBS and mass management schemes through not requiring heavy rock lining reinforcement. As the trucks will be transporting sand and crushed rock, Muscat Trailers has been able to achieve an average tare weight of just under 18 tonnes, enabling the combinations to realise payloads just short of 40 tonnes on some of the units.

“These units ultimately measure in at just a little under the 19-metre mark, and our weight distribution is spot on, which is fantastic,” said Jason.

Being maintenance management accredited under the NHVR, Multiquip prefers to handle all its own servicing and maintenance requirements.

MULTIQUIP

“With a lot of our work throughout our businesses being 24/7 in its nature, we need technicians available at all times. You can only get that type of flexibility with your own staff,” said Jason.

“We like to keep on top of any maintenance issues regularly and are currently running these trucks on an A-service at 10,000 km, and a B-service at 20,000 km intervals. We could probably run these out a bit longer if we decided to, but for now we prefer this type of regular maintenance.

“Personally, I can’t see demand for this type of raw product diminishing to any great degree in the near future. In fact, some might say this is just the beginning. Badgery’s Creek Airport has not even begun construction yet, and the

various Connex projects and motorway tunnel extensions for Sydney are still plodding away, resulting in huge demand for quarried materials,” he added.

Alliances forged on mutual understanding of the industry and its complex legislations allow Australian manufacturing companies like Kenworth and Muscat trailers to collaborate on design to create rocksolid, profitable products and solutions for Australian companies such as Multiquip, at the same time shoring up employment prospects for Aussie workers.

At a time when Australian manufacturing is going overseas at an alarming rate, this surely can only be described as a win-win situation.

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SMART THINKING

Ed Higginson looks at the thought processes of tomorrow’s trailers with Knorr-Bremse

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hen focusing on the future technology we can expect heading our way, the discussion often starts and ends with the truck manufacturers. But key component suppliers play a critical role in developing new technology, often leading in innovation. One such supplier who has been at the forefront of making trucks and trailers safer has been Knorr-Bremse.

Knorr-Bremse has more than 110 years of experience in braking technologies. The business was founded in 1905 in Berlin by Georg Knorr, and after developing air-brakes for freight trains, the business soon became the largest brake manufacturer for rail across Europe.

Knorr then went on to patent air-brakes for trucks, setting up its head office in Munich after World War II. In 1985, the business was taken over by Heinz Hermann Thiele, and, after consolidating its markets, Knorr-Bremse developed into the leading braking technology company with two divisions – rail and commercial vehicles.

This has since led the company to go on to produce disc brakes, steering systems and additional parts supply, with various business acquisitions such as Westinghouse, Bendix, and Zelisko. Today, the business has over 100 production facilities in 30 countries and employs over 25,000 people.

Trailers have become much more complex over the years, so it was a good opportunity to hear firsthand from Stefan Pahl, Knorr-Bremse’s director for product management of trailer systems, on what we can expect next.

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Stefan started with the business in 1999 in Berlin as the technical sales representative for trailer manufacturers, covering Germany and Poland. Stefan explained: “Initially I was working with the smaller trailer manufacturers, then I moved into the Munich head office in 2008. In 2013, I joined the aftermarket sales group as their director of technical support”.

At the beginning of this year, Stefan became the director of product management for trailer systems globally. Stefan went on to say, “I’m back in my favourite specialty of trailers. I’ve always loved the trailer business because it’s such a dynamic world. The people are very open and honest, very interesting businesses”.

Over breakfast in Melbourne, I got to spend a couple of hours with Stefan and Kevin Gibson, the national sales and engineering manager for Australia, to ask a few questions, starting with explaining the main differences seen around the world in truck and trailer braking.

KNORR-BREMSE

“Of course, our product portfolio differs greatly around the world. European products are EBS based with consistent architecture, working on multivolt 9-34 volts. We wanted to cover every global demand, including Australia, so we needed to harmonise the requirements under ECR R13 years ago. North America is an ABS-based market on 12-volt systems. There are some EBS options, but the majority are ABS so their roll-stability is ABS based too,” said Stefan.

“The challenge we have with Australia and New Zealand is that the markets are a melting pot of requirements, influenced by both American and European trucks, which is why we focus on multivolt systems here,” Stefan explained.

“This makes Australia a very interesting market”.

With Australia’s announcement it will mandate Electronic Stability Control (ESC) for new heavy vehicle trailers from July 2019, why do you think it has taken so long?

“If we see something that will offer big safety improvements, then we push governments to mandate it, but also heavily market the OEMs and fleet presentations to convince them of the benefits with vehicle rollovers, so it is different around the world”.

Kevin added: “Currently, around 30 percent of the Australian market runs on EBS, driven by fleets and customers. But the biggest challenge will be training workshops for servicing and repair of EBS across the country, which will take time”.

What is the next big step in trailer technology?

“We are monitoring the trends in the industry, like automated driving, connectivity and digitalisation, with Knorr-Bremse developing many features for truck manufacturers.

“On the trailers, the biggest development will be clever radar systems facing towards the rear. Trucks have most of the technology, but trailers will still need a lot of monitoring systems for the area around them, loads, tyres, etc. Simple tasks like when to change lanes will come from the trailers.

Stefan Pahl, KnorrBremse’s director for product management of trailer systems

“Another big area that we are looking at is how to predict when a component is going to fail. There is a lot of information being collected, but we need to look at items that fail and how we could have predicted this to help operators reduce costs”.

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TRAILERTORQUE In targeting fleet operators, Stefan added that, “We are building up this strategy in the European market and are successful in the US market, developing a strong team that directly supports the fleets”.

With the future trends looking at electric vehicles, will brakes still operate under air?

“Although this comes under a different sector within KnorrBremse, we believe that air will still need to be available for a very long time. Full electric systems are technically available, but they need a very different infrastructure”.

In terms of regenerative braking, is Knorr-Bremse looking into this field?

“This is a topic that comes up more and more in our contact with many companies. For example, there has been a project with Schmitz Cargobull using regenerative technology by driving an axle. SAF has also been working in this space too. We have some basic technologies on board trucks that would be needed for regenerative axles, so we are well prepared for electrically driven technology. We are working on a couple of confidential projects in this area”.

During your time at Knorr-Bremse, have the challenges been growing?

“When I joined Knorr-Bremse in 1999, we were a much smaller company than we are today. We had 7000 employees, generating 1 billion Euros. Last year we were closer to 30,000 employees and almost 6 billion Euro turnover.

“We have had to learn how to be more efficient over time and more successful in what we are doing. We have transformed into a business that is very much more controlled, focusing on the quality of every single part. We are the main contributor to heavy vehicle safety, so this has made us grow in the right way”.

A fleet manager would usually choose the axle first, while the braking system is sometimes an afterthought. So, who do you target for sales – fleets, axle manufacturers or trailer builders?

“On one side it is the relationship and the other it is the perception that customers order trailers first and brakes are ordered later than the axles.

“This is a real challenge for us because the lead time for electronic components is very long, especially with automotive approved suppliers. We sometimes get requests from manufacturers to provide products within a few days, but we need to give some of our suppliers a 12-month lead time. So fluctuating demand is a problem”.

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Kevin Gibson, the national sales and engineering manager in Australia added: “We market to the fleets in Australia.

Half the battle is making sure fleets understand what they are specifying on their new vehicles, and we like to train their maintenance people, so they know what to look for and what to service”.

With so much talk on autonomous trucks, or electric vehicles, we sometimes overlook the importance of key components suppliers in making the trucks of tomorrow a reality.

Knorr-Bremse sounds like it is well placed to continue being at the forefront of truck and trailer innovations, as illustrated by Stefan’s enthusiasm in discussing what may be coming up in the future.

“We are the main contributor to heavy vehicle safety, so this has made us grow in the right way”

TRAILERTORQUE

LIFTABILITY

Maxilift Australia covers a broad spectrum of lifting requirements – Report by Stuart Martin.

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range of vehicle-mounted machines capable of lifting from 500 kg/metre to 30,000 kg/metre is undoubtedly a broad claim, but, as Maxilift Australia points out, it can fulfil all demands throughout that weight range requirement.

The company has operated in its current form for the last six years, but has more than three decades of experience behind it on which to draw. Maxilift Australia started in 2009, built from the foundations of current managing director Bob Davis’ BG Crane (established in 1991).

General manager for the last two of her six years at the company is Kymberly Davis, who told PowerTorque the company was in ‘a good place’ at the moment, although suffering the same struggles as much of the industry.

“There are no trucks in the country (for immediate delivery). Good on the dealers for selling the country out of trucks. Our order books are full, and we’ve got a lot of great things on the go, but deliveries are spread out because we’re waiting for trucks and body builders,” she said.

“It’s always been vehicle loading cranes, BG had small Maxilift-style and knuckle boom cranes, and Unic straight-boom cranes. Maxilift Australia started with the small cranes, and we’ve grown over time into the bigger ones,” Ms. Davis said.

The company began in Lonsdale south of Adelaide with just five staff, but has grown to employ more than five times that many, opening a new branch late last year in Regency Park, just 10 km north of the Adelaide CBD.

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“We started with five staff, and as of last count we had 37, in November last year we opened our first branch.

“We had been running more as a wholesale business for the first few years. As we grew we needed more people and more technical skills and knowledge to support the industry and our customers, so, in November in the north of Adelaide, we opened the first branch,” Ms. Davis said.

The Adelaide-based company has a broad range of vehicle-mounted offerings within Maxilift’s catalogue, starting with the Maxilift-branded small cranes.

MAXILIFT AUSTRALIA Designed for installation on light-duty vehicles, Maxilift’s standard cranes range from 0.5-tonne/metre to 5.0-tonne/ metre units that are regularly tasked with lifting duties in forestry, marine, agriculture, civil and industrial maintenance and general building among others.

Ms. Davis said the company had been built on the idea of customer service and its interstate dealer network reflected the company service ethos.

“It’s something we’re passionate about, offering the best level of service to our customers.

“We don’t have our own branches in other states. We have a fantastic dealer network that we work with, together with a number of people we have signed up as a formal dealer network for service and support. They’re a fantastic team of people who have had factory training, and we’ve run our own courses for them and we trust them to do the same kind of work as we would carry out ourselves,” she said.

The G2 ranges from 460 to 590 kg capacities on the LCV utes and 730 kg ratings on light trucks, which can also be fitted with the Tommy Gate Lift ‘n’ Dump.

Delivering the same 730 kg lifting performance, the dualcylinder hydraulic tailgate has ‘dump-through’ capability, and standard safety features include a ‘time-out’ system and a two-pin platform lock.

Expanding from a wholesale operation into retail distribution required growing the company’s network.

“As we’ve moved into retail, we have put on more sales people for feet on the ground – the key (to continued success) is that dealer network. It allows us to service and support our customers to the level that we need,” she said.

The network is able to offer some of the largest vehiclemounted cranes available anywhere through the availability of the Effer knuckle boom range.

Utilising experience gained from operating for more than half a century of history in the lifting industry, the Effer brand delivers machine capacities ranging from 2000 kg/ metre cranes to 30,000 kg/metre monsters. The brand has a strong reputation worldwide and is known for lightweight machines with world-beating power-to-weight ratios.

The company is also in partnership with Tommy Gate hydraulic lift-gates. These have been available in the US since 1965, subsequently coming to Australia.

Constructed on a galvanised frame, the Tommy Gate G2 Series is popular for LCV utes and employs two hydraulic cylinders on the platform. Each is available with a standard remote control and steel checker-plate, extruded aluminium or open-mesh platform options.

“The brand has a strong reputation worldwide and is known for lightweight machines with world beating power-to-weight ratios” TrailerTorque ISSUE 84

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TRAILERTORQUE Construction, mining and marine industries are all within the scope of the Effer breed. Each product is available with radio remote control, overload and operator protection systems, with manual or hydraulic swing-up stabiliser legs amongst the features.

Customers opting for cranes over 25-tonne/metre will also have access to a specialist engineer – as well as the sales staff – to ensure the optimal truck/crane combination is delivered for the customer’s requirements.

The Effer brand is growing, with the ability to offer a basic crane or one with all the ‘bells and whistles’ up to 30,000 kg/metre cranes

“We are the only crane retailer in the Australian market able to offer cranes rated from 500 kg/metre to 30,000 kg/ metre. At its maximum capacity of 30,000 kg/metre it’s the largest crane available from Effer. It’s a very specialised unit, and, although I doubt we’ll see one here, the exciting point is that Effer can deliver such a crane and that we are partnered with them. That is what excites us about the business,” she said.

“The growth in the crane market is currently with the higher-capacity weight range in models such as the Effer knucklebone cranes. With the Effer brand being relatively new in the Australian market the brand is growing its identity and has a lot of potential.

“The Maxilift cranes are really consistent with a great product range that has been a consistently great seller for 30 years. Future growth, though, is currently with the Effer brand. We took on the representation of Effer some two or three years ago and there’s been natural growth,” Ms. Davis said.

Maxilift also offers Unic vehicle loading cranes for high-level lifting work. There’s a wide working range for customers and using them is a very easy operation. More than 70 years of experience is put into the Japanese brand’s hydraulic truck cranes, which the company claims offer excellent operational control even in tight work spaces.

The Unic crane is lauded for high-lifting work that is due to its hoist-winch and long, straight telescopic boom combination. Its key safety features include the new Super Stability System and Super ML Radio Remote Transmitter – these allow the operator greater control and provide access to critical information. Lifting capacities range between 2330 kg (at a 9.8 m hook height) and 8200 kg with a 17.5 m hook height.

Adelaide company, Waternish Constructions Pty Ltd, recently took delivery of a Unic straight boom telescopic 12,000 kg/metre winch truck-mounted crane, one of the largest straight boom cranes on offer.

“Waternish had previously purchased a Unic crane, and now they’ve purchased a second unit. I think we have a good base of repeat customers and that’s because we appreciate their involvement and respect their businesses,” Ms. Davis said.

The company’s stated aim is one of market leadership through sustainable, steady growth, not only for itself, but also its wider network.

“We want to grow not only our own company, but those associated with us. A win-win for us, and the people with whom we are in business. That means as we grow – and we plan on doing that – we hope that our dealers and partners will grow with us,” Ms. Davis said.

“Slow and steady wins the race. There’s no point in rushing ahead and not being able to sustain that. Sustainability is really important,” Ms. Davis added.

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TRAILERTORQUE

EURO TRAILER TORQUE

Kässbohrer celebrates its 125th anniversary

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ässbohrer is one of the longest established trailer companies in Europe, having been founded by Karl Kässbohrer back in 1893 in Ulm, Germany.

This year the company celebrates its 125th anniversary, a milestone in trailer manufacturing and a tribute to the foresight of a company that is credited with designing a low-maintenance semitrailer coupling in 1931 that was so reliable it paved the way to three-axle semitrailers.

By 1907, Kässbohrer had already produced its first motor vehicle and the company subsequently moved into the production of its first 2x4 axle trailers, followed by the first tank semitrailers in the early 30’s.

In the same decade, Kässbohrer produced one of the very first low-bed trailers with a 12-ton capacity, expanding into semitrailers for transporting liquid chemicals and heavy abnormal goods. The first design of low-bed trailer with a 40-ton capacity was manufactured in 1938. In October 1953, the first silo semitrailer with hydraulic tipping system was introduced to the sector.

Currently the fourth largest manufacturer in Europe, with global sales expanding by five percent, the company has grown its market share by ten percent in the biggest low-bed markets of Germany, Poland, France and Italy, and has become the fifth largest manufacturer of low-bed models. In the German market it’s among the top three suppliers (the largest low bed market in Europe), and it does business in over 55 countries.

Its 125th anniversary celebrations were held at the Ulm factory in Germany with a two-day event for customers, hosted by Kässbohrer board member İffet Türken.

During a tour of the large outdoor area at the location in Ulm, guests also had the opportunity to experience Kässbohrer’s products that are enhanced with continuous innovation such as its curtainsider, low-bed, reefer silo, tank, and container chassis.

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Having one of the most modern trailer factories in Europe, with a total area of 365,000 m2, Kässbohrer has invested in a further 60,000 m2 low-bed factory with annual capacity of 2500 vehicles, to be the highest capacity low-bed trailer production facility in Europe.

All manufacturing processes are completed in a single hall. The new low-bed factory will operate according to Industry 4.0 principles with RFID latching crane systems, barcode positioning technology, robot-assisted chassis welding and painting as well as automatic surface blasting and metallisation carried out in the integrated coating and paint shop facilities.

Kässbohrer’s second R&D centre is currently under construction and will feature the highest test capacity in Europe as well as the most advanced testing equipment.

The centre will host 150 additional engineers and research staff with 300,000 engineering hours per year.

The R&D centre will be able to develop one vehicle platform every three months, one new vehicle per month and one new version every week. The same facility will be able to provide complete test programmes following the criteria of concept, design and prototype, through to production-ready vehicles bench tests for up to five-axle vehicles, using advanced computer aided simulations, and component and material testing areas.

Kässbohrer’s model range covers extendable and nonextendable low-bed trailers, plus units with hydraulic steering and low-loaders, each available with multiple axle options and platform choices. Other models include the Flex-Carrier vehicle transporter designed for construction equipment and heavy vehicles, as well as the heavy-duty middle extendable flatbed platform.

RAMTRUCKS.COM.AU

TOWING THE LINE TRAILERTORQUE

The history of the North American tow and recovery industry forms the backdrop to a unique museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

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t all started more than 20 years ago when a group of dedicated towing professionals, the Friends of Towing, decided to recognise outstanding individuals in the towing and recovery industry worldwide, record the industry’s history, collect and display artefacts and memorabilia in a museum setting, and provide information about the industry to the public. The first Hall of Fame class consisted of 27 members, and today has grown to include over 300 distinguished towing professionals.

In its humble beginnings, the Friends of Towing displayed the Hall of Fame and Museum in a semitrailer, and drove it to and from towing and recovery industry trade shows across the country.

In 1995 when it came time to settle down in one permanent location, the organisation decided on the scenic city of Chattanooga, TN. Chattanooga had been credited as the birthplace of the tow truck thanks to inventor Ernest Holmes Sr. Both Ernest Homes and his son Ernest Holmes Jr. would go on to establish the major manufacturer synonymous with towing and known throughout the world as the Ernest Holmes Company. Today, the museum has evolved from the humble Friends of Towing into the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum.

In 2006, the museum dedicated a memorial, The Wall of the Fallen, in honour of men and women who had lost their lives in the line of service. In 2007, at the first Wall of the Fallen dedication service, 94 names where added. Since its establishment, the names of towing operators who have lost their lives are added to the wall during a special ceremony held each September.

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The International Towing Museum is the only place in the world that offers a close encounter with a tow truck that is actually fun, positive, and nostalgic, with exhibits of trucks and towing equipment that date back to 1916.

TOW TRUCK MUSEUM

The foundation of the tow and recovery industry dates back to 1902, along with the formation of the American Automobile Association. From 1915 through to 1925 the Weaver manufacturing company produced an “Auto Ambulance”, preceding the construction of the first twinboom wrecker by Ernest Holmes of Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1916. A year later, in 1917, Manley Cranes entered the industry.

In 1942, during the Second World War, Ernest Holmes manufactured the W-45 military vehicle wrecker, and, in 1950, after the conclusion of the war in 1945, the first Towing Association was incorporated.

In 1959 Ernest Holmes patented the first tow sling and car dolly designs. Holmes’ first model was the 680, so named because it cost $680. That was a little more than the market would bear, but Holmes hit pay dirt with his Model 480 that cost $480. The twin-boom design – and Ernest Holmes’ business acumen – kept the Ernest Holmes Co. chugging along, even through the Great Depression.

This was followed in 1968 by the Vulcan Equipment Factory in Toronto, Canada, that produced the first “Lift and Tow”.

In 1969, Bill Jackson introduced air cushions to the USA, and in 1972 Jerr-Dan was formed

by J. Pool and D. Reynolds. The following year Ernest Holmes and Co. was purchased by The Dover Corporation.

In 1974, Gerald “Jerry” Holmes and Bill Holmes, grandsons of Ernest Holmes Sr., and an Ernest Holmes Co. designer, decided to strike out on their own and start the Century Wrecker Co., so named because the trio had about a century’s experience in the towing business. Together they designed and built affordable hydraulic towing equipment now used universally in the industry.

In 1975, NRC Industries was formed in Quebec, Canada, manufacturing a complete line of wreckers in the 4-40 tons capacity, together with car carriers, snow ploughs and wheel lift systems.

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TRAILERTORQUE In 1977 the Jerr-Dan Corporation introduced the first of its aluminium carriers for commercial use. This was the first extruded aluminium deck for a rollback in the industry, and the company also designed a wheel-lift type wrecker that is now standard in the towing world.

In 1979 the Towing Recovery Association of America was founded. The same year saw the entry into the market of American Wheel Lift. In 1981 the company produced the Eagle wheel lift, incorporating two claws attached to a boom that allowed the operator to hook up a vehicle from inside the tow truck cab.

In 1987, Chevron Commercial INC was formed in Highland, Illinois, 30 miles from St. Louis. Today the company forms a division of Miller Industries Towing Equipment Inc., claimed to be the world’s largest manufacturer of towing equipment.

Jerr-Dan became a member of the Oshkosh Corporation family of companies in 2004. Headquartered in Hagerstown, Maryland, vehicle production is completed in McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania. In the same year “Towman”, the first magazine in the North American market dedicated to the towing industry, was published.

Operator training is provided through an accredited training course run by Wreckmaster that runs courses throughout the USA and Canada. Since 1991 the association has trained over 40,000 operators and its professional trainer instructors run upwards of 210 classes each year, enabling members of the industry to be recognised as a skilled trade.

1926 FORD MODEL TT WITH MANLEY CRANE This truck was restored by Carl Christopher, a local resident in Cameron. Scotty (as he was known) purchased the truck from Carl at an auction. Within days of acquiring the truck a salvage man was visiting with Scotty and mentioned that he had an old Manley crane that had been in the family for over 25 years and had belonged to his dad. After inspecting the crane and realising it still had its original serial plate and casting from Manley Manufacturing, the decision was made to do a complete restoration and bring back the life to this old jewel. They proudly placed the restored crane on this beautiful old 1926 Ford Model T.

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HINO 500 SERIES WIDE CAB. WITH A GAME CHANGING ACTIVE SAFETY PACKAGE. THAT’S ANOTHER HINO

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VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL - STANDARD

The Hino 500 Series Wide Cab redefines what to expect from comprehensive vehicle safety in the medium duty truck category. In an Australian-first for this class, Vehicle Stability Control is now fitted as standard across the range. Another class-leading active feature is the standard inclusion of a reverse camera. The Hino safety package also includes ABS, traction control, driver SRS airbag, ADR84/00 Front Underrun Protection System (FUPS), Easy Start, Cruise Control and Fog Lamps. All that’s on top of the 500 Series’ unrivalled build quality, safety features, driver comfort, and innovative range of Hino Advantage business support solutions.

The Hino 500 Series Wide Cab. It’s a game changer! Visit hino.com.au