Top truck
It is all in the detail with custom printed mudflaps, and check out the polished stainless steel. Right: A real taste of Euro flare with an ‘Alucar’ headache rack protecting the big Scania cab
BIG KAITOA IS EFFICIENT LOG TOWER Story and photos by Carl Kirkbeck Plenty of power is the answer to getting logs out of the bush, and our Little Trucker Down Under Top Truck for Autumn 2023 certainly does not disappoint. When Steve was ordering the new Scania for his employer Kaitoa Logging Ltd of Whakatane, he was looking for a truck that would have plenty of comfort on the rough bush roads, as well as ample amounts of horsepower and torque to
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he big Scania V8 engine is popular with many drivers and operators across all areas of the transport industry, and this R730 that is driven by Steve Miles of Mamaku near Rotorua is no exception.
get out of skid sites with a heavy load of logs on board, especially in the mud on rainy days. So to tick the box on big horsepower and plenty of torque, Steve specified the Scania with the DC16 Euro-6 V8, this one delivering 730hp and 3500Nm of torque. Behind this is the 12-speed Opticruise automatic transmission, complete with 4100D retarder to
assist with slowing the big Scania down on steep hills. Jumping into the cab you will find big comfy leather Scania V8 seats, as well as overnight air conditioning, microwave oven and fridge making trips away a breeze. Fitted to the chassis of the Scania to hold the logs in place there is Evans logging equipment and matching Evans 5-axle trailer, and when the sun goes down the entire combination is lit up with an impressive package of quality Hella LED marker lights. Talking to Steve, we asked him, how did you get into trucks? “Well, my Dad was a truckie and he would take me for rides on the
Lumber Mill
