Transport & Trucking Today 94

TIC: Isuzu is a member of the Truck Industry Council - Safer Greener Essential. *According to T-Mark industry statistics. Bodies shown are not standard equipment. F•S•A/ISZ8821

The advanced turbocharged Japanese Isuzu SiTEC Series II and III diesel engines in each Isuzu Truck feature a Diesel Particulate Diffuser (DPD) or Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC) exhaust after-treatment system, depending on the model. There is no need for addition of SCR systems.

From the U.S. there are Alcoa Wheels and Allison or Eaton transmissions.

Plus, many of our trucks are fitted with Hendrickson suspension and Meritor axles and brakes.

ZF transmissions are sourced from Germany and so are the renowned ISRI 6860 suspension seats that come standard in every ergonomically designed Isuzu cab (from F Series up). All Isuzu cabs are also safety compliant with the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE-R29) standard.

Depending upon the model specification, these premium components are built into the rugged Isuzu cab chassis in Japan. So we’ve been around the world to ensure Isuzu Trucks are the best equipped for Australia.

Visit www.isuzu.com.au

FOR ROAD TRANSPORT & COMMERCIAL VEHICLE PROFESSIONALS

CONTENTS CONTACT DETAILS PO Box 3294 Erina, NSW 2250 www.truckandbus.net.au Enquiries Tel: 0411 099 091 Follow us on Twitter #truckandbusnews Managing Editor/Publisher Geoff Paradise gparadise@truckandbus.net.au Features & Technical Editor David Meredith dvm@bigpond.com.au Art Director Luke Melbourne www.groeningdesigns.com.au Advertising Sales Bruce Williams 0418 349 555 bruce@overdrivemedia.com.au

& TRUCKING TODAY

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FEATURES

14 SLT WITH THE LOT 20 SEE CHANGE 26 LOGICALLY SPEAKING 30 CLEANING UP CAIRNS 36 ‘MOGS N’ ROC’RS 42 HEAVY HITTER 48 GAME CHANGER

Mercedes-Benz sticks its toe in the severe duty market On the Pacific Highway with Volvo’s new FH16

As John Laws used to say...”when you’re on a good thing, stick to it” This local council has chosen Hino to reduce costs and pollution Unimog we get, Arocs we don’t (maybe one day) but they are now Euro VI Fuso’s Heavies have a strong and loyal customer base but more need to know We’ve tested it under rugged conditions and can vouch for Volvo’s new steering technology

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MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE

52

Sacre bleu! The French are giving the Germans a run for their big van money

Editorial Contributors Jim Gibson, Mark Bean Fabian Cotter Transport & Trucking Today is published under licence by the Truck Power Media Group Pty Ltd and is distributed to road transport professionals, fleets, business professionals and the industry throughout Australia.

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14 DEPARTMENTS

04 BACK TRACKS 06 IDLINGS RIP the Holden and Ford ute

Big savings with a new tyre

64 MONEY

Paul Clitheroe offers sage advice

BACK TRACKS GEOFF PARADISE

“They will be the last of their kind. RIP the great Aussie ute”

A

s we head to the close of the year it appears likely the truck market will dip ever so slightly for 2013. I don’t expect it will be by much, maybe 100 units or so all told, and if that’s the case it’s hardly a drama when you consider there are around 17 brands and a gazillian variants available here.

Of more concern is the decision by Holden to follow Ford Australia fold up its tent and hit the road. The big question for 2014 is will Mazda do the same?

It should be of concern to all Australians at the seemingly rapid erosion of manufacturing in this country. Not only cars, but everything from Blundstone boots to Bonds undies.

Yet isn’t it odd that while two huge car manufacturers decide they can’t make a go of it after decades of enormous profits, truck manufacturers Kenworth and Volvo/Mack, despite low volumes by comparison, (albeit with better margins) are powering on. It’s a credit to them and shows just how inept Ford and Holden had become over the last 20 years.

Yes, they blame the strong Aussie dollar largely for their decision to quit but the trouble started 20 years ago when federal minister John Button, introduced the Button Plan for the automotive sector. That was the thin end of the wedge that allowed imports to gradually receive reduced import tariffs and

in some cases, no tariffs at all.

But two decades isn’t a bad head start to get your house in order is it? If you were told tomorrow you’ll run out of cash in 20 years you wouldn’t wait 19 years and six months to do something about it, would you?

In my opinion, both Ford and Holden sat on their hands and either totally misread buyers shifts in attitude or didn’t bother to read it at all.

Years ago, I think when the Holden ute was reintroduced after a long hiatus (that in itself was a total misread of the market) I asked a senior Holden executive why wasn’t there a diesel powered Holden ute (or sedan for that matter).

He looked at me like I had two heads; “We don’t have one” was his emotionless response. Rubbish. They didn’t have to ‘have’ one, they could have sourced one from another manufacturer or even, say, that truck company to the north GM then owned – Isuzu. He did concede they had a prototype with a BMW diesel but it was unlikely to get the go- ahead.

Ford is no different. Although I think they did offer a diesel Falcon sedan briefly. But neither offered a range of locally produced diesel sedans, wagons or utes and as for hybrids, well you may have well asked for next weeks winning Lotto numbers.

Hang on, I did forget that dreadful Gemini diesel from the early ‘80s. You couldn’t miss seeing it, the one they sold bellowed smoke everywhere it went. But at least they had a (premature) crack at it and it was an Isuzu engine.

So, with the prospect of no Holen or Ford utes after about 2017 what will tradies, business people and sports minded buyers who like the ute concept do to fill the void?

Holden made much of their ‘sports car with a payload’ marketing spin a few years back but will the same apply to a Colorado twin cab? Does a Colorado float your boat if you own or have owned the more traditional ute?

Will GM consider filling the breach with a Chevrolet C10 or will Ford again look at F150 and F250? Or maybe Chrysler, now owned by Fiat, will seriously consider a Dodge Ram or whatever may be offered in a few years time?

Thai-built Japanese utes are good, very good, but they don’t compare with the traditional Aussie ute. Ford and Holden are going and that’s bad enough, but it could also spell the end of a genre of vehicles created by Ford engineer, Lew Bandt in 1934, and revered by generations since as we know them.

My tip is to buy a brand new one in ‘16/’17 and treasure it. They will be the last of their kind. RIP the great Aussie ute.

hino.com.au

LEGENDS NEVER DIE. Wh W he en n we do do a jo ob b, we we do it it rig gh htt. t. Ta ak ke e our ur 22 sstta arrts ts, 22 ts, 2 fi fin nis she hes, s, 13 cla 13 ass ss wiin ns an and a 4t 4th cons consse co ec cu cut uttiv ive ch c a am mpi pion on onsh nsh ship ip in th the un nde der 10 lit 10 itre re ca atteg ego orry in n the e gru ruelin elling in ng Da Dakar kar Ra ka allllyy.. Suc uch le eg ge end ndar ary pe p erfforma orrma o anc nce is s prro oo off tha hat Hino Hino Hi n rea ealllly lly is s a be ettte er cl classs of of tru ruck ck k.

HMS00356/TT

A Toyota Group Company

IDLING DAVID MEREDITH

“Another evolution in tyre design and construction is gathering pace”

I

n Europe, you’d be hard pressed to find a trailer with anything but super-single tyres, no matter what the application.

The industry has moved to the type, lock, stock and barrel, which means that infrastructure has shifted accordingly.

Operators have cited substantial savings in tyre wear and, in some cases fuel economy.

But the British Road authorities were not so happy as it rapidly became obvious that the roads were rutting due to the single footprint, particularly on and around intersections, including roundabouts.

Vast sections of roads needed to be repaired and upgraded once the industry reached a critical mass and there was no turning back.

Here, the infrastructure never quite got fully on board, and with vast distances without service back-up, carrying two types of tyre just didn’t make sense.

But another evolution in tyre design and construction is gathering pace, and has none of those concerns.

A recent survey of major fleet customers revealed that fuel makes up 28 per cent of total

outgoings on keeping the fleet on the road.

Cummins Engines published a survey in 2006 identifying that tyre rolling resistance soaked up a third of the energy required from the engine, matching that of wind resistance.

Most of that is due to distortion of the tyre where it meets the road. That’s why rail freight uses so little fuel per tonne, as the wheels and the “road” are almost distortion free.

As a result, tyres alone - maintenance, replacement and resistance - account for around 13 percent of the total expense in running a fleet. At around $25,000 for a complete set of tyres on a B-double set, including spares, it’s easy to see how that expenditure escalates.

On a typical long-haul B-double rig, steer tyres make up nine per cent of resistance, the drives 25 percent, and the trailer tyres 66 percent. So if a method is devised to reduce that resistance, there should be easily identifiable savings for a fleet’s fuel expense.

Thompson’s Transport runs a fleet of 22 rigs up and down the east coast. When the firm tested a set of Bridgestone Ecopia low

rolling resistance tyres on a 550hp Detroit diesel powered Western Star B-double rig, the first result recorded a 6.3 per cent fuel saving.

Scott Thompson didn’t believe it, so the test was repeated. Same result.

“This translates to a substantial saving when you’re talking about fleets,” he said. “We’d be crazy not to look at (this technology) across the fleet.”

The secret is the chemical mix of silicon and carbon molecules. Silicon keeps them apart which stiffens up the sidewall and reduces the heat.

In addition to new tyres, the compound is also available for retreads. Bridgestone estimates that a fleet spending $23m on fuel and $2.3m on tyres each year could save up to a million dollars. That level of savings is hard to ignore.

Importantly, 11R LRR tyres can be used alongside conventional LRRs at a pinch, and don’t require a forklift to heft onto the hub when you get a flat.

This is one tyre revolution that should catch on, and stay.

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To find out more, contact your UD Trucks dealer on 1300 852 915 or visit udtrucks.com.au UDT0086

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WS AND VIEWS FROM

ACROSS THE GLOBE

CAT WINS/NEW TUNL AND/NEW TRANSIT /FREIGHTLINER MIL ESTONE/HINO

EV

HALF A MILLION AND COUNTING Not the prettiest Freightliner but a milestone none the less DAIMLER´S COMMERCIAL VEHICLE subsidiary, Daimler Trucks North America, (DTNA) late last year celebrated the production of its 500,000th truck at its Mount Holly plant in North Carolina.

The milestone vehicle — a mediumduty Freightliner Business Class M2

106 — was handed over to long-time customer Duke Energy, one of the largest electric power companies in the U.S. With the acquisition of the new truck, Duke Energy is completing its fleet, which consists of several hundred vehicles of the Freightliner brand.

“Ever since the plant was established

in 1979, our employees’ diligent daily efforts have turned the production plant into what it is today — a stateof-the-art Daimler Trucks facility that meets the highest quality standards,” said Martin Daum, DTNA president and CEO. A part of DTNA’s commercial vehicle

production network, the Mount Holly plant manufactures medium-duty and heavy-duty Freightliner Business Class trucks. The Class 6 to 8 vehicles (with a gross vehicle weight of around 9 to 36 tonnes) are available as conventional versions as well as hybrid and natural gas trucks.

Business Class M2 106 Freightliner for Duke energy had the distinction of being the 500,000th Freightliner off the mount Holly line

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FREEZE FRAME You’d think being in Sweden they wouldn’t have to spend megabucks to make snow and ice

SCANIA’S AUS$ 64.5 million investment in Europe’s most advanced climatic wind tunnel for full-size trucks and buses has been officially inaugurated by Annie Lööf, Sweden’s Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Communications, and Scania’s President and CEO, Martin Lundstedt.

With the climatic wind tunnel, located at the research and development centre in Södertälje, Sweden, Scania can subject test vehicles to the most demanding weather conditions on home ground, thereby speeding up development and improving performance.

“This unique facility will help us

improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions even further,” says Harald Ludanek, Executive Vice President for Research and Development. “Because we can reduce the impact of snow, rain and dirt, drivers will benefit from a better cab environment and enhanced safety.”

In the facility, temperatures between -35 and +50 degrees Celsius can be simulated, as well as humidity of between 5 and 95 percent. The test vehicle is parked on rollers – one for each set of wheels. These allow technicians to simulate speeds of up to 100 km/h, the optimal pace for testing trucks and buses.

TUNLAND NOW SINGLE

Will buyers accept the Chinese-built Tunland even with a Cummins donk?

THE SINGLE CAB chassis variant of the Foton Tunland one-tonne ute range has been released, signalling a push by importer FAA Automotive Australia

to widen its marketing to include more work vehicle segments, especially tradies and farmers.

Available in both 4x2 and dual-

range 4x4, the single cab retains Tunland’s key powerplant feature ─ the linehaul-bred longevity of Cummins diesel engines. As with the dual cab ute Tunland, the feature engine is the light-commercial-specific Cummins ISF 2.8L, four cylinder, 16 valve SOHC common-rail turbo-diesel rated at 120kW and 360Nm that debuted in Tunland in some overseas markets in

the last two years. It also does local service in Foton light trucks up to 4.5 tonnes GVM. The single cab’s lighter mass helps it save 100ml of fuel per 100km over its dual cab cousins’ ADR 81/02 economy with a combined urban/highway fuel usage of 8.3 litres/100km.

Prices start at $24,990 for a 4X2 single cab and aluminium tray.

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CAT WINS/NEW TUNL AND/NEW TRANSIT /FREIGHTLINER MILE STONE/HINO EV

AMAROK WINS UK AWARD Poms think the VW ute is a top rig

MATS IN MARCH! LOOKING TO HEAD to MATS in 2014?

Get your skates on because hotel rooms can be notoriously scarce as the event draws closer. March 27-29 are the dates and for those that have never been its worth the trip to Louisville, Kentucky. While typically US-centric in its exhibits some European and Japanese products can be found but at the end of the day this event is as American as apple pie, or American Pie if you like that song. Aside from the manufacturers, the parking lot has a custom truck show that features some of the wildest and weirdest

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trucks ever to roll down the highway or into a transporter. The people are super nice, the food is finger lickin’ good and there is plenty see in the region if you want to stay on for a few days after the show. Kentucky in the speing is gob smackingly beautiful. For further details visit www.truckingshow.com

VOLKSWAGEN’S HIGHLY-ACCLAIMED Amarok has scooped the prestigious ‘Pick-up of the Year’ title from UK specialist off-road publication, 4x4 Magazine.

Seven utes underwent intensive testing by 4x4 Magazine, each judged on their off-road ability, performance on the road and value for money. The utes were also tested as a working vehicle including comparing towing capacity and engine capability, resulting with Amarok as the overall winner.

According to 4x4 Magazine, the multi award-winning Amarok was praised for its 4-wheel-drive 4MOTION technology which gives the driver maximum control on any surface and features Electronic Stabilisation Programme, Electronic Differential Lock, on and off road Anti-lock Braking System and Anti-Slip Regulation, all as standard. The vehicle’s unique blend of practicality and versatility both on and off-road meant it was ranked ahead of all other challengers.

The Amarok’s 2.0-litre TDI420 turbo diesel engine and eight-speed automatic gearbox were also highlighted as offering superior drive, road response and driveability.

PEDEN NAMED VICE PRESIDENT

A clear case of a local lad making good VOLVO GROUP AUSTRALIA’S vice president of marketing, communications and operational services, Mitch Peden, has been promoted to vice president – Volvo truck Sales, Region Australia, effective January 2014.

Mr Peden will be responsible for overseeing Volvo Trucks’ operations in region Australia and will report to Peter Voorhoeve, President Volvo Group Australia.

Mr Peden is currently the Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Operational Services overseeing the marketing communications, product and order

office for all Volvo Group Australia brands: Volvo Trucks, Mack Trucks, UD Trucks and Renault Trucks.

Commenting on his appointment Mr Peden said he is especially looking forward to working in partnership with the Volvo customers and business partners. ”Volvo Trucks is unique in the Australian market because we rely heavily on our customers for their input in the design and testing of our trucks and we are always looking for ways to better partner with them.

Peter Voorhoeve, president, Volvo Group Australia warmly congratulated Mitch on his appointment.

”Mitch recognises the significant importance of this new role as the Volvo brand platform continues to evolve within the highly competitive markets that make up Region Australia” he said.

Mr Peden has established relationships with many of the Volvo Trucks customers and business partners in Western Australia and Queensland, having worked as a Regional Sales Manager for Volvo Trucks between 2005 and 2010.

He also has a strong automotive background, having worked for both Holden and Ford Motor Company early in his career.

HINO’S BEST Hino launches new EV but forgets to take off the wrapper!

DETAILS ARE SKETCHY but Hino Trucks in Japan displayed a number of trucks and buses at this years Tokyo Motor Show but of particular interest was this 8X4 700 Series with a tipper body. The 700 has long been a popular truck in Australia and it remains to be seen if HMSA decide

to bring it here to give their Japanese opposition some hurry up.

Not shown, but released to the media as an image is this conceptual electric truck. It appears smaller than a 300 Series but how much so we can’t tell. It does indicate that Hino are looking into EVs.

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highway 1 ALL THE LATEST NEW S AND VIEWS FROM

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CAT WINS/NEW TUNL AND/NEW TRANSIT /FREIGHTLINER MILE STONE/HINO EV

NEW FORD LCVS At last, the new Transit is heading our way Ford is readying a stable of new vehicles for customers in 2014 with the arrival of the much-anticipated Transit models and enhanced Ranger line-up.

Key additions in 2014 will be the new Ranger XLS adding 2.2-litre to the already available 3.2-litre, both available with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.

Ford say both the Transit Custom (FWD) and Transit (RWD) will take the Australian van market in an exciting new direction with purpose-built applications for customers who need the ultimate in capability, combining

impressive load-carrying abilities with frugal turbo-diesel engines.

The Ford Transit Custom short wheelbase van arrives in dealers from January with long wheelbase and the larger load carrying RWD Transit arriving in the second quarter.

Powering the Transit Custom is a proven 2.2-litre TDCi engine that develops 92 kW and 350 Nm. The Ranger XLS was added to sit between the XL and XLT and is now available in either 2.2-litre or 3.2-litre engines mated to a sixspeed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. Apart from the arrival of

new XLS models, the 4x2 XL Single Cab Chassis 2.2-litre low-rider Ranger gains side airbags as standard while satellite navigation has been added across the entire XLT line-up.

As with all Rangers, the awardwinning pickup is available with Bluetooth速1, USB and iPod2 integration and voice control over the radio, CD, iPod, USB, and mobile phone standard on all models. Similarly, cruise control is standard across the entire range.

The Ranger was designed and engineering Australia. It is being manufactured in three continents and sold in more than 180 countries.

New Ford Transit promises much but the truth will be in the testing. Hopefully build quality has improved from earlier models.

Slightly revised Ranger maintains its good looks and now with an additional model in the range

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CAT WINS

Cat Trucks score a major accolade from truck show

AT PRESS TIME it was announced the prestigious 2013 Brisbane Truck Show’s Outstanding Truck Manufacture Display winner Cat® Trucks has been chosen as one of the top four finalists for the Exhibitions & Events Association of Australasia’s (EEAA) awards event for excellence within the best custom stand category

The Cat Trucks stand was nominated for the award by the custom stand design and installation company Moreton Hire on the back of its success at the Brisbane Truck Show.

The highly visible stand featured a high-tech CT610 water tanker, and a CT630 high polished alloy tipper body with a unrivalled paint colour

described as “a modern day ‘Mona Lisa¬’ where the colour changed as you walked past.”

“The Cat stand at the Brisbane Truck Show was vibrant and engaging: said Kevin Dennis, general manager, Sales & Marketing Australia & New Zealand.

“Customers were impressed by the range of trucks on display, and it didn’t

take long at all for some dealers to see results from the show, with all trucks on display from the show now out on the road working hard for their respective businesses”.

Cat Trucks will return to Brisbane in 2015 and will again be out to impress the trucking industry in delivering an interactive stand for the audience.

NEW SPRINTER

Safety is the key to the new Sprinter

THINGS ARE HOTTING up in the LCV sector with a number of models receiving upgrades and makeovers.

Mercedes-Benz has released their latest Sprinter van and along with a facelift the big box van now is also available with an extended array of safety features. It’s big, it comes in

a variety of roof heights (and a cab chassis version) and has the ability to swallow an inordinate amount of cargo. Sprinter now offers Crosswind Assist, Collision Prevention Assist, and Blind Spot Assist. Other new features are Highbeam Assist and Lane Keeping Assist.

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Road Warrior

Photography: David Meredith

SLT WITH

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THE LOT WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU’RE A LEGAL SECRETARY AND FEELING BORED? YOU GO DRIVE 100-TONNE DUMP TRUCKS THAT’S WHAT. DAVID MEREDITH REPORTS FROM WA.

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I

Instead of trying to keep the suits happy in an office, Heather Jones let it be known she wanted to get out and play with the same toys the guys were having fun with.

That seminal decision changed the course of her life for good, founded a thriving business, and established her as a recognized professional driver and businesswoman in her own right.

Many years later, Heather has driven millions of kilometers across the north-west, been named Western Australian Road Transport Woman of the Year – twice – an Australian Trucking Association Australian Transport Woman of the Year finalist and the Telstra WA Westpac Businesswoman of the Year.

Mercedes-Benz was coincidentally trialing its biggest Actros, the heavy-haulage special build SLT in Karratha, so it was fitting that its development path crossed Heather’s renowned north-west work habits.

By handing the truck over to selected

operators who specialize in big loads and special tasks, ‘Benz plans on harvesting real-time performance data in Australia’s unforgiving conditions, as well as having potential customers get a feel for the unique driveline capability. Heather’s track record made her a prime candidate.

She picked up the truck a few days before she was due to take components of a gigantic 750-tonne crane to Onslow, but unfortunately, the truck was left in a pretty sorry state by the previous potential customer during his demonstration period.

Dozens of kilo’s of hard-packed, salt-rich mud had crusted along the chassis and driveline, gumming up key components like the turntable, which needed some heavy work to free up and become functional again.

So it was an unhappy Heather that I met on a Monday as she hitched up the SLT to a lowloader for the run west. Fortunately, the Actros soothed her feelings with a number of features that impressed.

Heather’s crane run was just a blip on the horizon for the Actros SLT. Designed for the biggest jobs and rated at 250-tonne GCM – its tractive effort is 224-tonne with a 9% grade - the SLT is used around the world pulling things like power station armatures and the occasional office block. So the crane jib and low-loader’s ‘mere’ 80-tonnes never raised a sweat, even in the furnace-hot conditions of the Karratha-Onslow road.

The jewel in the Actros crown is the VIAB Turbo-Clutch that acts as both a dry clutch and torque converter, depending on driving mode.

In simple terms, power flows from the engine through a dry clutch, then a torque converter, and then to the Powershift transmission.

On start-up and maneuvering, the clutch is open, oil flows into the turbo-clutch and any amount of torque up to maximum can be applied at any speed, without any wear on the dry clutch. A soon as the slip of the hydro-dynamic coupling has reach nominal minimum value, the dry lock-up clutch is

“DESIGNED FOR THE BIGGEST JOBS AND RATED AT 250-TONNE GCM - ITS TRACTIVE EFFORT IS 224-TONNE”

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1.

2.

1. M-B SLT Actros is a formidable piece of kit and impressed many who drove it in the far west 2. Former WA Business Woman of the Year, Heather Jones is a skilled driver and business woman

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closed and the hydro-dynamic circuit is drained of oil. That leaves a purely mechanical link between engine and the drive wheels, with no power losses as per a conventional automatic transmission.

But wait, there’s more.

The system works the same in reverse, allowing a whopping 3,000Nm of retarder torque in any gear, varied by adjusting the level of oil in the turbo-clutch, surely a vote winner for the heavy-haul set.

All that technology generates a lot of heat, which is why Actros SLT has an hydraulic oil tank mounted vertically behind the cab, and a large radiator with hydraulic fan for the VIAB unit, plus another auxiliary engine cooling system alongside.

The Powershift transmission itself includes modified software to provide separate logic mapping, with Eco, High GCM, Rocking and Maneuvering modes available at the press of a button.

Heather reported that the VIAB TurboClutch operation was excellent. She said there was no feeling of driveline stress on the

change as the torque converter takes all the shock out of the system. It took her a while to realize that the Powershift transmission was going to change without intervention, but the truck performed flawlessly. Even the run back bobtail was comfortable and easy. She’d change some things though – the steps are too high for the type of work that she normally does and the lower step could be closer to the wheel for better foot placement.

The turntable fitted had only one grease point and the lever was almost impossible to shift. That might have had something to do with the crusted mud coating the chassis from the truck’s previous demo.

The truck is basically designed as a heavy haulage short-haul rig, and she missed some of the little creature comforts that she is used to on her line-haul rigs – a drawer too small for logbooks, no driver’s cup holder etc. But she loved the seats and air suspension on the cab.

Vision was outstanding and all the switch gear including the gear stick was in easy reach.

The driveline was clearly set-up for heavyhaulage maneuvering. As an experienced

heavy-haulage specialist, she appreciated the “soft throttle” delay in low for forward moves and a low reverse set up for micro movements when locating large equipment.

She also noted that the VIAB set-up meant there was no need to be careful in using the engine’s prodigious power and torque - 653hp and 3,000Nm to be exact.

After the debrief on the Actros, I spoke to Heather in more depth about her business.

Despite her professional achievements, trouble has visited as it usually does. The GFC/ Carbon Tax combo’ was a double-whammy that hit local businesses hard. She had six clients who found they couldn’t pay for work completed. Three went into receivership, and the cost of chasing the rest of the money was too high. The result was she had to sell trucks and equipment and dramatically resize the business, identifying new customers who were financially sound and had good prospects of survival. She now has just four clients - a couple of family owned companies and two medium sized but local operations. Crucially, they all pay accounts within 14 days. Multi-

“THE TRUCK IS BASICALLY DESIGNED AS A HEAVY HAULAGE SHORT-HAUL RIG” Stalked by the undisputed leader in the heavy duty stakes the SLT leads the way from Onslow to Karratha

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nationals take a lot longer and put small to medium sub-contractors under enormous cash flow pressure.

Although she’s flat out in the north-west she’s has been up north for the last three years full-time - the business is still based in Perth.

Daughter Chelsea looks after the city end of the business for her. Her other daughter Kersti is up north as well with husband Andre, who is Heather’s pilot for the oversized loads.

“Without them, I couldn’t do the things that I do,” she said.

The work is physically exhausting so Heather is planning on a change after five years or so. She wants to establish a driver training academy, taking drivers who’ve just got their license and then training them in all the ancillary but essential stuff – loading, lashing, hitching, safety and fuel usage.

In the meantime, it’s just the same old menu of hard work and long hours, plus the occasional interlude when a global truck manufacturer values your opinion on its latest development for a specific and highly demanding market segment.

EURO VI ACTROS SLT Mercedes-Benz unveiled their new Euro VI-engined SLT earlier this year and given it is based on the latest Actros we have yet to get it appears as a very similar machine, all be it with the same payloads and similar power.

The SLT takes the best genes and components from the various model series of the new truck generation and fuses them together to create the jewelin-the-crown of truck engineering. M-B say the customer profits from the huge range of possible heavy-duty transport vehicle variants - there are seven different wheel arrangements alone.

Responsible for the development and production of the SLT with immediate effect is Custom Tailored Trucks (CTT), located in the Alsatian town of Molsheim and managed by the Wörth truck plant.

The Euro III and Euro V versions of the Actros-SLT for non-European and overseas markets continues to be manufactured by CTT partner Titan.

The Mercedes-Benz SLT is currently the only heavy-duty transport vehicle on the market which boasts Euro VI certification, a turbo retarder clutch as standard, and the Mercedes PowerShift 3 transmission with a special “Heavy” transmission mode.

It is currently the only available heavyduty prime mover on the European market with a Euro VI-engine, the OM 473 Euro VI-engine. The most powerful variant of the new OM 473 Euro VI

in-line six-cylinder engine develops 460 kW (625 hp) and torque of 3000 Nm at 1100 rpm.

The special features of the new Mercedes-Benz OM 473 include a technical speciality, the turbocompound system. The term stands for a second turbine downstream of the exhaust gas turbocharger. The automated Mercedes PowerShift 3 transmission features a “Heavy” transmission mode and is designed for high torque to handle loads of up 250t.

The SLT is the only vehicle in the field of competitors that has a 16-speed.

The turbo retarder clutch is another unique selling point of the new SLT. It functions as a wear-free starting-off aid, while the retarder section functions as a brake, and yet is lighter, more efficient and more compact than a torque converter clutch. This means the SLT tractor unit has temporally unlimited manoeuvrability and unrestricted lowspeed driving and crawling capability.

The large quantities of heat developed are dissipated by the high-performance cooling system behind the cab, both in the three-axle and four-axle variants.

The cooling system is concealed by elegantly designed flaps on the sides that give the Actros cab a distinctive and dynamic appearance.

The Actros-SLT with air suspension is available with GigaSpace or BigSpace cab.

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Driven

Photography: David Meredith

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SEE CHANGE AFTER DRIVING THE FH EXCLUSIVELY IN THE UK EARLIER THIS YEAR, DAVID MEREDITH POINTS ONE UP THE PACIFIC HIGHWAY FROM SYDNEY TO BRISBANE.

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Paul Munro at the wheel of Volvo’s flagship FH16

P

aul Munro is known as Mr 13% at Volvo Trucks in Brisbane. Several years ago he and I drove a Mack Trident B-double on an economy test from Eastern Creek to Kempsey – I drove up and he drove back. I wasn’t careful about economy, but wasn’t crazy either. I drove to the limit without putting the rig under strain at all. But on the return leg Paul tried every trick up his sleeve to conserve fuel.

The result was legendary. He took seven hours instead of my six and a half, but used 13 per cent less fuel.

So this latest run with Paul required another test, except it was for me rather than him this time. On that Mack run, I’d managed to get from Eastern Creek to the start of the M1 north without stopping the truck once – in peak hour. M7, Pennant Hills Road, all were taken with ultra-care and measured braking.

So to demonstrate Volvo’s driveline sophistication, Paul Munro challenged me to repeat the Mack achievement. Get from the

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dealership to Hornsby without stopping. But this time things were different. For a start we began in Chullora, at the Volvo dealership on the Hume Highway. Our route was straight up Centenary Drive, through Concord, over the Ryde bridge, then along Lane Cove road, turning left up the Pacific Highway. We left at the very peak of the traffic, and the roads were far more clogged than they were during the Mack run.

Sydney traffic is infamous for density and delays, so it would mean using every trick up the big Volvo’s sleeve to keep engine and gearbox in good shape while threading 62-tonnes and 26-metres through multiple lanes of cars, trucks, buses and lunatic cyclists - the centre of Sydney’s morning peak hour madness. Plus a level of patience that my kids would suggest I don’t have.

I had thought it would be appropriate to try something new in a truck that was as new as it could get. Volvo’s latest FH16 was still two weeks away from starting production. That’s

when the last of the current FH16 was due to go down the line at the factory in Wacol, south-west of Brisbane.

But I’d managed to get hold of a 700hp version for a B-double run from Sydney to Brisbane, one of 10 that were built early this year for release and demo’ activity.

We didn’t get off to a good start. Turning out of the dealership and onto the Hume Highway I was late getting into the left lane for Centenary Drive and was stopped dead as the lights cycled through. But once past that turn, the Volvo had all the tricks needed to manage traffic – fantastic vision over the top of the congestion, an auxiliary brake system that automatically blends with the service brakes, the most versatile automated manual transmission on the market, and plenty of lowdown torque from the 16-litre engine.

I was able to slow well in advance of hold-ups and lights, and except for two extensive delays that were out of our control, never stopped. Lights, bus stops, pedestrian

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crossings, school zones - using manual mode on the gearbox I dropped down to crawler gear well before blockages and just kept moving.

Some cars darted in the gap I had to leave, but mostly the biggest Volvo was intimidating enough to deter the impatient car drivers.

Paul’s challenge wasn’t completely achieved, but importantly, it meant that the Volvo only really used the clutch for a standing start twice.

We never did a hill start, and at full weight, that would have a marked effect on clutch and driveline longevity over a truck’s lifetime.

By using the gears and engine brake, I rarely touched the service brakes. Plus fuel usage was at an absolute minimum. My only real problem was that the brakes were mostly cold, and with a very sensitive brake pedal I had the truck ‘nodding’ a fair bit until I got the foot pressure right.

Even more importantly, we recognized cars,

a black Audi in particular, that were changing lanes, rushing to the next stop, braking and accelerating hard, all to no avail. I couldn’t believe it when I noticed they were still alongside after a dozen kilometers or so.

The “no-stop” challenge was a practical demonstration of the value of blending advanced technology with quality driver training and encouragement. It saves cold hard cash, extends component life and relieves blood pressure.

At the end of the drive I thought, fair’s fair, and I challenged Paul to duplicate JeanClaude Van Damme’s viral splits YouTube video perched on the mirrors between two reversing Volvo FMs. He laughed.

THE DRIVE The new FH16 is Volvo’s most significant product, although it doesn’t feature in the viral

“AS FAR AS LINE-HAUL WORK GOES, THE FH IS AT THE PEAK OF TODAY’S TECHNOLOGY”

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success of Van Damme’s awesome ‘splits’ video. But as far as line-haul work goes, the FH is at the peak of today’s technology and illustrates how truck research and development is leading the way for all vehicles on our roads.

Sydney to Brisbane is harder than the run south to Melbourne. You can actually drive a large part of the trip to Melbourne by using fingertip cruise control and engine/exhaust brake controls – leaving your feet off the pedals.

Not so up the Pacific Highway where there are lots of interruptions and changing conditions – apart from back-to back road works.

The first big challenge is the ascent from the bridge over the Hawkesbury River, a long winding climb through sandstone cuttings that is hard work for every truck. Volvo’s i-Shift can operate in Eco or Power mode, and I switched to Power as we started to climb. The

shifts are faster and the engine revs another few hundred rpm before making the change.

Nearing the peak, I pressed the button behind the selector lever to go back into Eco mode and the truck eased over the top at around 1,100rpm. Despite being fully electronically controlled, the driver has many options at the fingertips for managing progress. Slipping the lever to manual mode allowed me to hold a gear when I could see something ahead that needed me to hold speed without a gear change. In Auto, I could still drop a gear by clicking the button on the side of the selector, boosting revs for a faster climb or more engine brake effect. If I pressed and held the down button, the box would hold the gear until I let go, allowing me to force the engine to lug down to the bottom of the torque curve if I could see it would still get me over the hill.

Less noise, less fuel and hardly any slower.

For the first time in a truck on the motorway north, I could hear Sydney’s cicada’s screeching in the bushes along the roadside, with all the windows shut and under full power. That’s how quiet the FH16 really is.

In the cab, the FH dishes up a range of important features that make truck life comfortable and therefore safe. Both seats are the right blend of soft yet firm. Both have dual armrests, and the neck support can be adjusted independently of the backrest.

There’s plenty of legroom for a stretch too – no crowding the feet with dash components.

Most key functions are at the fingertips on the steering wheel. The cruise control includes an adaptive speed function, which allows setting the time gap between traffic ahead. The truck then adjusts the physical gap according to road speed. You can set the cruise control ‘tolerance’ gap so that it is

a soft engage and disengage, rather than an abrupt cut-off at a set speed. I found it easier to adjust to changing speed zones by finger rather than foot.

The rain sensing wipers took care of rain showers, but when a giant bug suicided at dusk in front of the sensor, it prompted the wipers to smear his remnants across the screen.

FH accommodation is designed with overnight trips in mind. The cab is more than head high and the facilities are excellent, with a very comfortable double bunk bed as standard.

Volvo dealers are excited about planting customers in the new FH. They should be.

The truck sets a new standard for overall efficiency, and for the first time that I can remember, there’s no compromise between form and function. If you buy a new FH, you get both in spades.

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Operator

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LOGICALLY SPEAKING FROM PUSH BIKES TO PRIME MOVERS AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, PERTH-BASED CTI LOGISTICS HAS A MIXED AND VARIED DISTRIBUTION FLEET THAT HAS RECENTLY GROWN WITH THE ADDITION OF FOUR NEW HEAVY DUTY ISUZU FYH 2000 8X4S.

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C

TI Logistics fleet is one of the largest in Perth, and is put to good use providing its clients with everything from courier deliveries, taxi truck services, freight collection and storage and distribution, to heavy haulage and line haul, as well as fleet management and warehousing.

Their core management team has a vast knowledge across a myriad of transport and logistics disciplines, allowing the company to provide a total package to customers.

The innovative and strategically focused company was established in 1974 and has a corporate head office located in West Perth, as well as warehouse and service locations throughout Perth and major regional centres in Western Australia.

With over 560 employees and 580 independent contractors working from these locations, CTI Logistics is well resourced to meet the ongoing demand it experiences as one of Perth’s most sought-after logistics service providers.

The new Isuzu FYH 2000s are used as taxi trucks for one-off or oversized deliveries of palletised product around Perth. They join a fleet of 38 other Isuzu trucks which includes FVZ 1400s, FRR 500s, FRR 600s, NQR 450s and Gigas.

The FYH 2000s are fitted with 7.2 metre 12 pallet curtain sider bodies built by Park Body Builders in Perth, while tag-along trailers carry

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terrain forklifts for loading/unloading duties.

The trucks feature auxiliary power for the folding ramps and other accessories.

According to managing director, Mark Cameron, when choosing a new truck, the company has a comprehensive evaluation process that includes assessing truck suitability for the work performed and considering areas such as after sales support, maintenance costs, fuel consumption and resale value.

“The FYH 2000 fits the bill for us with its GVM of 30,000 kg,” Mark said.

“This model has great power output (257 kW @ 2,000 RPM) for towing coupled with a fully automated transmission (heavy duty 6-speed automatic Allison 4430 Series) which is an important feature for us.

“The support we received from the Major Motors Isuzu dealership was second to none.

They were able to deliver what we wanted within our very tight deadline.

“We operate 24/7 so it’s important the vehicles we use are reliable and can handle long stints on the road.”

Mark said CTI Logistics understands council and corporate clients must adhere to stringent OH&S requirements.

“The trucks come with a standard ECE-R29 compliant cab which allows us to meet clients’ OH&S needs,” he said.

“Over the next 12 months we expect to purchase around eight replacement trucks and most of these will be Isuzu.”

“CTI LOGISTICS IS WELL RESOURCED TO MEET THE ONGOING DEMAND IT EXPERIENCES”

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Operator

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CLEANING UP CAIRNS LOCAL COUNCILS ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO SAVE RATEPAYERS MONEY AND DO THE RIGHT THING

BY THE ENVIRONMENT. IN FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND, THE CITY OF CAIRNS IS ON A MISSION TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL.

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A

nine-month fuel consumption comparison carried out by Queensland’s Cairns Regional Council has confirmed significant reductions in fuel usage between Hino Hybrid trucks and similar Hino diesel models in its fleet.

Fleet Assets Engineer Geoff McAlister said the comparison revealed a 12 to 15 per cent reduction in fuel usage for the Hino hybrids.

“This was on par with what we were expecting,” Mr McAlister said.

“We anticipate seeing further maintenance benefits in the future as well, such as reduced brake pad wear thanks to the hybrid system’s

regenerative braking feature.”

Mr McAlister said the council expects each Hino hybrid truck to save about $2400 in fuel costs and reduce CO2 emissions by around 5.3 tonnes per year.

“When you consider the combined reduction in fuel costs and associated reduction in CO2 emissions, we’re very happy with the decision to use Hino Hybrids,” he said.

Mr McAlister said the council’s Hino hybrid trucks have been successful in their applications.

Two 300 Series 916 hybrids with garbage compactors fitted were delivered in June last year with another on order and due to be

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delivered shortly.

“They’re in use seven days a week collecting rubbish from public areas north and south of the Cairns city centre,” Mr McAllister said.

“Another two – a 916 and a 716 – have tray bodies fitted and are used as workshop service and breakdown vehicles.”

Cairns Regional Council is no stranger to hybrid technology, having put a Hino Dutro hybrid into service as a maintenance truck at its workshop four years ago.

“The council is always on the lookout for ways to reduce fuel usage and CO2 emissions,” Mr McAlister said.

“For example, in addition to our hybrid

trucks the council passenger vehicle fleet includes a number of hybrids, including Toyota Prius.”

Mr McAlister said the transition for the drivers from diesel to Hino hybrid trucks had been a smooth one.

“There’s been no issues for the drivers – the hybrids are just as comfortable and easy to use as the diesel Hino models.

“They both have automated manual transmissions, for example, so there’s really been no problems at all.”

Hino say their hybrid technology has been at the forefront of commercial, passenger and racing vehicles for more than a decade,

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sharing technical expertise and exacting standards with parent company, Toyota Motor Corporation.

The 300 Series was the first hybrid light-duty truck offered for sale in Australia, featuring the world’s first hybrid diesel engine designed exclusively for a commercial vehicle. It was originally known as the Dutro.

Mike Grant from Pacific Hino said Cairns Regional Council was one of the first organisations in the region to use Hino hybrid trucks.

“Hino’s range of light-duty 300 Series hybrids are ideal for organisations like local councils in applications like garbage collecting, where they need reliable, fuelefficient vehicles that can easily handle the demands of a stop-start urban environment,” Mr Grant said.

“We’re starting to see more groups take an interest in the Hino hybrid models, and the positive results of the council’s fuel comparison only confirm the benefits of taking up hybrid technology.”

“They’re in use seven days a week collecting rubbish from public areas north and south of the Cairns city centre”

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BIGGER WHERE IT COUNTS INTRODUCING THE CAT CT630LS LUXURY SLEEPER WITH THE CAT C15 ACERT ENGINE

• Maximize driver comfort with an integrated, stand-up sleeper and substantial storage space to keep you satisfied • Power through the toughest jobs with the legendary Cat C15 ACERT engine with no EGR and no SCR • Improve fuel economy with advanced aerodynamic design • Increase all-around visibility at night with LED headlights, standard • Drive confidently with 4 years extended service coverage and support from our nationwide dealer network

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL DEALER TO LEARN HOW THE CAT CT630LS LUXURY SLEEPER CAN INCREASE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY.

©2012 Caterpillar Inc.

We Wish

Photography: Mercedes-Benz

'MOGS AND ROC'RS WHILE RELATIVELY NEW, THE MERCEDES AROCS HAS A NEW MODEL IN EUROPE; A FIVE AXLE VERSION BUILT OFF-LINE. ALAS, AROCS IS NOT ON THE MENU FOR AUSTRALIAN CONSUMPTION… YET. SOME VERSIONS OF UNIMOGS ARE AVAILABLE IN AUSTRALIA THOUGH.

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What Australian farmer wouldn’t like one of these in his shed? Unimog is a true multi-purpose unitTail-lights offer a touch of styleStorage

ercedes-Benz has introduced a Euro VI-compliant Arocs in a five-axle variant for a gross vehicle weight of 40 tonnes for extreme operations in the construction industry.

The model has been developed by CTT (Customer Tailored Trucks) at MercedesBenz Molsheim S.A.S., where it will be built in future. CTT is the acknowledged centre for truck conversions and is based in the Alsace region of France, is expanding its portfolio with further specialised models.

Mercedes-Benz Molsheim is fully responsible for every step in the process that goes into converting a basic truck model from the Wörth plant into a five-axle variant - from development and production through to sales and marketing and even service documentation.

Customers also benefit from the fact that the trucks converted by CTT enjoy the familiar Mercedes-Benz standard of quality, being produced according to the same quality

criteria that apply to the standard vehicles, and delivered through the Wörth plant.

Customers also receive the same warranty and replacement part supply service as they would receive with a standard vehicle from Wörth. This in turn means that customers are able to take their modified trucks in to any Mercedes-Benz service station anywhere in the world.

Service colleagues there will be able to go into the system and see the full scope of the conversion - and to identify which parts were used. If necessary, the required replacement parts can be ordered through the Central Supply Depot in Germersheim and fitted locally. The visit to the workshop is thus guaranteed to be brief and trouble-free.

Euro VI-compliant five-axle trucks are very popular across Europe, but especially in Switzerland, a market that has its own specific legislation whereby vehicles with five axles are permitted to carry a gross vehicle weight of 40 tonnes.

A toll applies on country roads in

“FROM A VERY EARLY STAGE, BODY BUILDERS SUCH AS CONCRETE MIXER MANUFACTURER LIEBHERR PLAYED AN INTEGRAL PART IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS”

The new Arocs with five axles and a gross vehicle weight of 40 tonnes is aimed at heavy-duty construction site use

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Switzerland but Euro VI vehicles benefit from a lower-rate toll. In the Netherlands, on the other hand, a gross vehicle weight of up to 50 tonnes is permitted for five-axle trucks, so the possibility of making further adjustments to the five-axle Arocs for this particular market is currently being examined.

The new Arocs with five axles and a gross vehicle weight of 40 tonnes is aimed at heavy-duty construction site use. In this case the Arocs is fitted with the ClassicSpace cab and has a wheelbase of 4250 mm. The conversion involves fitting a nine-tonne airsprung trailing axle to a standard four-axle model with two steered front axles (7.5t and 9t respectively) and two air-sprung drive axles (11.5t load each). The additional axle is steered, relievable and liftable, in order to increase the payload or to increase the gross vehicle weight to 40 tonnes.

With three steered axles in all, the turning circle is reduced to 19.6 metres and a standard Arocs 8x4/4 becomes an Arocs 10x4/4. This now has the technical

capability of driving with a GVW of 44 tonnes in off-road terrain and away from public roads, e.g. on major construction sites, in Germany and other European countries too. In addition, sections of the chassis have been modified, for example the AdBlue tank and the air reservoir have been moved, while the fuel tank has also been adapted to create a greater tank capacity and allow better frame clearance.

From a very early stage, body builders such as concrete mixer manufacturer Liebherr played an integral part in the development process. The effort put into finding the right solution ultimately benefits both the bodybuilder and the customer, since the modified chassis is built from the start with outstanding body-mounting ability, which means that further work to fit the tipper or concrete mixer can be begun straight away and is therefore less costintensive and time-consuming.

The prototypes, complete with tipper body or concrete mixer drum, are tested

like any standard vehicle in the operational testing department of the Development and Testing Centre (EVZ) at the Wörth plant, under conditions that are as close as possible to those that will be experienced in practical operation.

The robustness of the 5-axle model, for example, was put to the test in a quarry in the northern part of the Black Forest.

The intensive cooperation between the Development department at the CTT and the EVZ has allowed developments that reflect this practical experience to find their way into the product..

NEW GEN’ UNIMOGS From the new-generation Unimog models, the Unimog U 423 is fitted with agricultural tyres and the redesigned mechanical rear power take-off. This vehicle accordingly suggests itself for use in transport work on the one hand and, in combination with the rear PTO, for field work on the other.

Ease of access is a plus as is the PTO but it’s the versatility of the ‘mog that makes it popular

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The panoramic cab of the Unimog presents itself in a new, ultra-modern design.

The Arocs is an imposing and refreshingly designed truck.

As a transport vehicle, registered as an agricultural tractor unit it can be used to pull two trailers with a maximum gross combination weight of 40t. In this case the combination attains a payload of as much as 24t. The key to the special aptitude of the Unimog for agricultural duty is the always good driving qualities of the Unimog implement carriers, both in the fields and on the roads – on the road it easily attains 90 km/h.

This application of the Unimog – here shown in the tried-and-tested version of the U 500 – stands for the requirements of contractors and service providers who handle summer and winter duties for road construction departments and municipalities outside the main farming season.

The panoramic cab of the Unimog presents itself in a new, ultra-modern design. Here the visual and functional effect of the short bonnet is emphasised even more. Bi-halogen headlamps including daytime running lamps are integrated in the new bumper. To improve visibility, the windscreen wipers have now been fitted above the windscreen. The superb view of both road and implements is improved even more by the new front camera monitor system, which also further simplifies the mounting of implements. A small but fine visual distinguishing feature within the

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model series: unlike the entry-level models 216 and 218 the Unimog U 318 to U 530 have headlamp surrounds painted the colour of the vehicle.

A multi-function steering wheel, adjustable steering column and a more powerful heating and climate control system with improved air distribution are a joy to drivers and co-drivers.

The controls have been improved so that there is now a steering column lever to operate driving functions such as gear changing or the new premium engine brake.

The instrument cluster for driver information is new and has a large, well-lit display.

The joystick for operating implements can be removed and held in the hand and boasts functions such as reversing during operation.

An unhindered view of the front implements is ensured by the monitor system with front camera – and all this adds up to appreciably less strain on the driver, who often has a very heavy workload to shoulder.

The Unimog implement carrier brings the infinitely variable traction drive to the road in an innovative form. The combination of hydrostatic drive and manual transmission (“synergetic traction drive”) now enables changing systems on the fly and so produces a synergy effect. Up until now it was necessary to stop briefly to change systems.

The comfortable new Drive-Work mode proves to be a great help during work; for example, once a section is completed with the areal spreader, the changeover to the manual transmission is activated simply. The new hydrostatic drive in the Unimog now allows speeds of up to 50 km/h, and the hydrostatic performance has been increased by 20 percent. Whereas infinitely variable driving and working reduces the wear on the clutch and increases work performance, driving with the manual transmission saves fuel because of its increased efficiency.

The driver makes the changeover by pressing the clutch; in conjunction with the optionally available automated gearshift (EAS), the changeover is then completed fully automatically. This new synergetic system is conveniently operated by means of the steering column switch, hydraulic joystick, or alternatively the accelerator.

Due to the relatively low unladen weight of the Unimog, it can accommodate a high payload before reaching the permissible gross vehicle weight of 16.5 t; with two two-axle trailers, it comes in at precisely the legal transport length of 18.75 m. With a gross combination weight of up to 40 t it essentially achieves the load capacity of a semitrailer combination with a payload of up to 24 t.

“THE AROCS IS AVAILABLE IN A NUMBER OF CONFIGURATIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS”

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Photography: Katrina Lawrence

F TROOP

Driven

FUSO’S FLAGSHIP RANGE, THE F-SERIES RANGE OF HEAVY TRUCKS HAVE LONG BEEN THE STAPLE RIG FOR MANY A FLEET OPERATOR AND OWNER/DRIVER. WE DROVE THE FV TO REAQUAINT OURSELVES WITH AN ALWAYS RELIABLE AND COST EFFECTIVE TRUCK. GEOFF PARADISE REPORTS. 042 www.truckandbus.net.au

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I

f ever a truck flew under the radar it has to be Fuso’s range of heavy trucks.

Talk about run silent, run deep. They are so inconspicuous as they go about their myriad daily tasks they are virtually unnoticed.

They look like they are built for work and not for show.

And that’s exactly what the F-Series is all about; work, making a buck for the operator and being as reliable as a five year old kelpie working the bottom paddock.

There are three versions in the line-up; FP, FV and FS. FP is a 4X2 spec’, FV is 6X4 and FS is 8X4.

Let’s hold it right there, how many of you

know Fuso even did an 8X4? I figured as much.

If there was ever an unsung hero in a truck line-up it is the FS. We didn’t drive it in 2013 but a full test drive is on the schedule for this year, so hang in, and we’ll get to it.

What we did drive was a FV 6X4 with 455HP under the floor, a 12 speed automated manual or full auto’ and air suspension.

A quick glance at the specification sheet reveals a host of features that will appeal to discerning operators. Cruise control, full air brakes with ABS and ASR, what Fuso call ‘Powertard’ constant throttle engine brake, transom window in the door, keyless locking and electronic windows make life easier and

the truck is B-double rated.

The six-cylinder 12-litre engine used is from the Mercedes-Benz family of engines and in this case is a OM457. It meets ADR standards by way of SCR. It features a waste-gated turbocharger with an air-to-air intercooler and maximum torque of 2200Nm is reached at 1100 rpm and maximum power of 335kW is on tap at 1900 rpm. Power plateaus at around 1500 revs and stays constant to 1900 and even a little beyond according to Fuso’s power and torque curve chart. The maximum engine speed is 2100 rpm.

The Fuso INOMAT-11 automated manual works well. Shifts are seamless and barely

“A QUICK GLANCE AT THE SPECIFICATION SHEET REVEALS A HOST

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detectable and it offers a crawler gear and skip-shift when loads are light. A PTO is provided at the rear of the transmission.

As you would expect the I-beam front axle is rated at 7500kg and the full floating bogie drive with diff locks is rated at 21600kg. The trailing arm air suspension features a dump control and allows a GCM of 60000kg and aGVM of 24000kg It’s a bullet-proof driveline and one that has proved itself in the field and on our run in the outlying areas of Geelong with a tanker loaded with around 25 tonne of H2O the FV was a good package, not only for the willingness of that M-B bred engine and the AMT but as a complete package.

Driver comfort is as a good as the Europeans, noise levels are way down and ergonomically – that’s the relationship between driver and all of the dials and controls – was convenient and comfortable.

The Isri air suspended seat is, as you would expect, top notch (has anyone ever experienced a bad Isri seat?) and every Fuso Heavy is fitted with a multi-media unit in the central part of the dash that provides not only a digital radio but Bluetooth connectivity, iPod interface, DVD player and satellite navigation with truck mapping.

The driver is also kept extremely well informed via the speedo/tacho cluster with air pressure and AdBlue level gauges

complementing the standard instruments.

There is no shortage of warning lamps either, we counted 15 and another six that are supported by a warning buzzer; these are the ones that really need your attention should things not be right!

With air suspension, and an air suspended seat then it’s fairly obvious the air suspended cab (front and rear) only further enhances the ride, and after a few laps around a quarry and on some unmade roads we can say unequivocally the combination of all three air features irons out the bumps exceptionally well. It was easy to negotiate the sometimes less than generous narrow roads, roundabouts and cross-roads of the ‘burbs and city with

OF FEATURES THAT WILL APPEAL TO DISCERNING OPERATORS”

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the FV offering nice direct steering and exceptional vision.

It should also be noted that foot to throttle pressure was balanced, by that I mean you could feed the throttle on in a measured way with your right welly and the engine responded in accordance to that pressure.

All too often with some trucks this isn’t the case and makes tight environments more of a challenge than they should be, which only adds to the stress of a days work.

The cab also boasts a generous array of

storage bins, trays and coat hooks. It could be said there is never enough but in the FV Fuso have got the mix pretty spot on.

Two cabs are offered; a standard roof and a high roof. The standard comes it at 3299mm while the other is 3648mm. Cab to frame and air intake to roof vary between the two models, but only slightly, and all other cab dimensions between the two remain the same.

It’s always hard to make a definitive appraisal of any truck after just a few hours

behind the wheel but as a general rule our driving route takes in conditions that may take some operators weeks to experience, and even with a nominal time behind the wheel of the FV it was apparent this is a truck that will find favour amongst the discerning. It’s got a tough, no nonsense feel about it. It’s beautifully built with an extremely high grade of materials that will withstand plenty of abuse and hard yakka and, like that five-year old kelpie, it will quickly become a favourite in the yard by all who drive one.

“IT FEATURES A WASTE-GATED TURBOCHARGER WITH AN AIRTO-AIR INTERCOOLER AND MAXIMUM TORQUE OF 2200NM”

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CORONADO

When it’s heavy and harsh, the Coronado 122 SD is in its element. Rated up to 140 tonnes GCM with DD15 or Cummins ISX engines delivering up to 600 hp and 2,050 lbs-ft of torque, there’s little it can’t handle. And with driver-controlled differential locks as standard there are few places it can’t go. Inside the cabin though, it’s always spacious, comfortable and just the right temperature. Designed for Australia’s withering heat and brutal conditions. Freightliner’s Coronado 122 SD. It’s time to move over. Visit www.freightliner.com.au or call your closest dealer on 1300 66 22 30.

Technology

Photography: Meredith and Volvo

VOLVO'S GAME CHANGER VOLVO RAISED THE BAR SIGNIFICANTLY WHEN IT UNVEILED ITS VARIABLE DYNAMIC STEERING SYSTEM TO THE WORLD. DAVID MEREDITH REPORTS.

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n a recent visit to the Volvo development factory in Gothenburg, Sweden, the conversation turned to new truck features, and the ones that had influenced journalists so much that they changed their thinking. “What can you recall that was so good, you wouldn’t want to drive another truck without it?”

ABS brakes was an obvious one, underlining the basic self-preservation instinct that good truck drivers have in good measure. Electronic braking was another, closely tied to the former, and indicating the acceptance of electronics taking over primary roles in safety. At the operational end of the scale, the passenger door transom window in Fuso’s Fighter was another, as it changed the way a driver maneuvers a truck in tight situations or heavy traffic.

But Volvo has probably trumped the lot now though, and jumped to the top of the list with its impressively named, but even more impressively designed Variable

measured against.

The reason was best illustrated as I drove a loaded 540hp FMX tipper at 40+ tonnes along a broken, heavily ridged track along the rim of a deep quarry without touching the steering wheel. To my left was the quarry wall. To my right was a sheer drop of several dozen meters. After I pointed the FMX where I wanted it to go, the system kept the wheel straight and true and the truck on track as it crawled across the ridges, chassis twisting and bogies fighting for traction. I wasn’t too worried – it was left hand drive so I’d have a chance to bail if it all went pear shaped. But My Volvo co-driver, who was sitting close enough to the edge to see nothing out the window but fresh air, was even less concerned. His name was Jan-Inge Svensson, and he was one of the principal design engineers who had developed and tested the system, and was entirely confident about the performance of his pet project.

The system plants an electric motor on top of the hydraulic power steering pump, as

well as an electronic control unit that contains all the smarts. And according to Jan-Inge, it’s the software that turns a group of otherwise ordinary components into an extraordinary collection of features that, in my view, is a game changer in the provision of safety and ease of use in trucking.

Put simply, the electric motor applies up to 25Nm of calculated and precise torque to the steering column to filter out the kind of road shocks that can move the steering wheel off line and require constant driver input to keep a rig on line. It works its magic at the astonishing rate of 2,000 cycles per second, and ‘tunes out’ the kick-back that requires steering wheel input, or at worst can dislodge the driver’s hands.

It’s a bit like noise cancellation earphones that generate matching sound frequencies to suppress background noise.

I asked Volvo for some technical drawings, or exploded views so I could understand the internals of the system. Nope. Jan-Inge politely told me that he could only provide some graphics of the exterior of the system.

“ANY DRIVER WILL FIND A HUGE DROP IN STEERING CORRECTIONS NEEDED TO KEEP A RIG ON TRACK” Dynamic Steering system.

Around six years ago a group of Volvo engineers at the technical development centre in Gothenberg were kicking around wild ideas about trucks of the future and things that could make them safer and more efficient. In amongst the off-the-wall concepts that only serve to stimulate the imagination, they conceived an improvement to truck steering systems that could enhance the driving experience and minimise effort.

Making the steering system easier to use could be done much more effectively than just bumping up the power steering boost.

Since that idea germinated, the relatively simple addition of an electric motor to the steering box has expanded into a key development that will influence the widest range of truck tasks.

Volvo’s unique Variable Dynamic Steering system (VDS) is a masterpiece of technical vision evolving into an essential part of the driveability of the latest Volvos, particularly the construction applications that are the target of the new FMX models. What started as a comfort measure, is now a safety feature that many other trucks might well be

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1. Position of the steering box is evident, as is the electric motor in blue.

2. Look Ma, no hands! proving how a VDSequipped steers itself (to a degree anyway)

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So although electronics is the key, there are obviously some mechanical tricks in the unit bolted to the top of the steering box that enable torque to be applied rapidly in either direction by the single motor.

I drove the 40-tonne FMX across the series of alternate ridges that were designed originally to test chassis flex and traction control. Once lined up, I took my hands of the steering wheel and it didn’t budge a millimeter, despite the ridges pulling each front wheel alternately. Even large pot-holes which still tested the suspension to its limits don’t affect the direction. The computer plays the middle man by assessing steering inputs from both the steering wheel and the road wheels and decides how much torque to apply and in what direction. It makes a hard road easier and a rough driver smoother.

On the highway, wind gusts have no effect on the direction you’re pointing as the system absorbs sideways pressure on the steering and compensates.

Camber, bitumen seals and broken edges

are no problem. In my experience, there is a wide gap in controllability between various brand prime movers in the highway. Some require constant adjustment, which to be fair becomes instinctive after a while on the road. But others, especially the CATs, are very firmly in control of the road no matter what the surface. However, VDS takes all of that to a level that mechanical systems can’t possibly achieve, and releases a major part of the driver’s attention for other, just as important tasks.

Any driver will find a huge drop in steering corrections needed to keep a rig on track, so long-haul operators will feel as much of the benefit as the construction and vocational users.

As part of the package the system also has a self-centering function that I thought was a bit of a gimmick until I drove it in off-road conditions.

Around our favourite Swedish quarry track, I easily wheeled a fully loaded FMX around tight bends. Coming out of each bend and

neatly lined up, I released the wheel and it gently self-centred. Picking the right point to let go was the trick, but once mastered, it made construction site work so much easier.

The system also helped out when reversing.

I completed a right-angled turn to line up for a reverse to a tipping point. Coming to a halt I selected reverse, and as I released the footbrake brake and applied the throttle, the steering self-centred automatically to line me up dead straight for the loading bay.

The new I-Shift transmission joins the party here with a couple of tricks to make life easier. As I approached the point where I had to stop before reversing, I selected reverse before stopping. I-Shift applied the brakes and stopped the truck. Reverse gear then engaged, the steering self-centred and I moved smoothly into the tipping bay.

VDS is available as an option on all new FM and FH Volvo’s, and like ABS and EBS, I predict will become a must-have amongst owners. There’s little chance that a test drive will fail to impress.

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Reviewed

MASTER OFTHE UNIVERSE RENAULT’S MASTER VAN OR CAB CHASSIS HAS PLENTY TO OFFER FOR THOSE NEEDING A WORK TRUCK.

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1. Dual cab models offer plenty of room for workers or family.

Dash design is typically French; quirky but alluring.

2. Big box vans look very similar but the Master breaks from the herd to a certain extent

“THE 4.5-TONNE GVM RENAULT MASTER CAB/CHASSIS

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enault has launched its range of rear-wheel drive Master cab/ chassis heavy-duty vehicles that offer twice the payload and up to twice the load-space of a regular ute, yet a comparable price, they say.

The Renault LCV offer is now expanding into new market segments with a proven, competent, well-equipped and versatile range that can be configured easily to suit a variety of hard-working applications, while at the same time delivering driver and passenger comfort, thanks to a choice of spacious, safe and well-equipped cabs.

The 4.5-tonne GVM Renault Master cab/chassis vehicles can all be driven on a regular car license, and are offered with

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a choice of six-speed manual or advanced six-speed ZF-sourced “Quickshift’ automated transmissions.

The rear-wheel drive Master single cab comes in a choice of two chassis lengths while the seven-seat dual cab allows the entire crew to travel in style.

The dual cab offers a terrain-gripping Eaton automatic differential lock as standard (optional on single cab), to deliver excellent traction on the typically loose and slippery surfaces found on construction sites, rural properties, or unsealed roads, precluding the need for a more expensive and often superfluous all-wheel drive solution.

The Renault Master cab/chassis offers a substantial payload of up to 2.5-tonnes,

with an additional 3-tonne towing capacity, thanks to its robust multi-leaf rear suspension.

A high level of safety equipment comes as standard, including dual airbags, ABS and Electronic Stability Program with ASR traction control, cruise control and variable speed limiter, and even a brake pad wear indicator.

Comfort and convenience features abound, and include remote central locking, Bluetooth hands-free connectivity and audio streaming, air conditioning, multifunction trip computer, a multitude of drinks holders, chilled glove box, overhead storage, and power front windows.

A broad array of customer-selected options

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VEHICLES CAN ALL BE DRIVEN ON A REGULAR CAR LICENSE” includes a locally sourced alloy or steel drop-side tray; satellite navigation, and a rear view camera as well as an Isringhausen driver’s suspension seat.

Mechanical options include a transmission-driven power take off (PTO) and a towing pack.

A number of the options are bundled together as a ‘safety and security pack’, comprising auto headlights and rain sensing wipers, dual head and side airbags (non-suspension seat versions), fog lights, rear demister, alarm and headlights with cornering lights.

The ‘premium pack’ for cab/chassis models features an integrated sat-nav system, storage compartment under

passenger seat, an additional large door bin, glasses storage and A4 dash top document compartment lid.

The Renault Master cab/chassis models feature the just updated 2.3-litre turbodiesel, direct injection, four-cylinder engine, as used in the front-wheel drive Master van range. This produces 110kW and a substantial 350Nm of torque between 1500rpm and 2750rpm.

Like all Renault Master vehicles, the new cab/chassis range is able to travel as far as 30,000km between service intervals, depending on its working environment, thanks to a new oil condition monitoring system.

The Master single cab offers a choice of

wheelbases, 3682mm or 4332mm, while the dual cab is only available in 4332mm. The longer single cab model can be built up to an overall length of almost eight-metres, of which almost 5.5-metres is load area.

Renault is offering the Master cab/chassis with a three-year/200,000km factory warranty as well as three years of roadside assistance, and capped price servicing for the first 90,000km or three years, whichever comes first.

The single cab variant is priced from $45,490 and the dual cab from $50,490.

The ‘Quickshift’ automated transmission adds $2,500. Pricing is manufacturers’ recommended retail price, and does not include on road costs or dealer delivery.

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MONEY MATTERS PAUL CLITHEROE

FOUR BILLION DOLLARS IS STILL A MASSIVE SLUG

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onsumers have benefited from a steady decline in bank fees in the past few years but figures from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) show there is still a long way to go.

Each year since 1997 the RBA has surveyed bank fees. The latest results show bank fee income earned from households fell from a total of $5.2 billion in 2009 to $4.1 billion in 2012.

On one hand it’s great to hear we’re paying less in bank fees. But four billion dollars is still a massive slug on household wallets - and usually it’s easy to avoid or at least reduce many of the more common bank fees.

To see how you could save on everyday bank fees, take a look through the latest statements for your regular transaction account. If it shows you’re paying a monthly account keeping fee it could be time to switch

money in your everyday account to pay for direct debits like your power bill or loan repayments. If there isn’t, and your balance dips into the red, you could be charged an exception fee. This is one area where bank fee revenue from households has climbed over the last few years.

In 2012 for instance, consumers collectively paid exception fees totalling $261 million on deposit accounts alone. Yet it’s a cost that can be sidestepped by planning ahead for regular electronic payments.

Making the most of your money isn’t just about avoiding unwanted costs. It also involves making the money you have work harder. Some transaction accounts pay a miserly rate of interest ñ usually below one percent, though most pay no interest at all.

So it makes sense to only hold enough cash in your everyday account to pay immediate bills and expenses. Any spare funds should be

investment market starts to rise in value that many other investors consider jumping in.

As a result I’m frequently asked, “Is now the right time to buy?”

The answer to this is pretty simple. The ‘right’ time to buy shares is when you have the money to do so.

Many financial commentators and investors place great emphasis on making sure you time your entry into and out of markets correctly.

By correctly I mean buying when markets or a particular share are at a low point, and selling when the share reaches its high point. Anyone who can do this consistently will become extremely rich, but as any experienced investor knows, it’s much easier said than done.

That’s why I’m such a big fan of dollar cost averaging. It’s a buying strategy that involves investing a fixed amount in the

“Anyone who can do this consistently will become extremely rich” to a different account because there are a growing number of transaction accounts that don’t charge this sort of regular fee.

Next, check your statement for foreign ATM fees. These apply each time you use an ATM that doesn’t belong to your bank’s network.

‘Foreign’ ATM fees often work out to around $2.50 per withdrawal. Used every now and again it won’t send you broke, but if you’re using a foreign ATM two or three times a week, you could be paying over $300 each year just to access your own money, and that’s just ridiculous.

Avoid this type of charge by sticking to a machine or network belonging to your bank, or take cash out when you pay for purchases with EFTPOS. You can also make fee-free withdrawals at an EFTPOS machine belonging to one of the big supermarket chains like Coles or Woolworths - there’s no need to make a purchase.

Another simple way to save on bank fees is by ensuring there’s always enough

parked in a high interest savings account.

Online banking makes it easy to switch money between a savings account and an everyday account. If you hold both types of accounts with the same financial institution an online transfer is normally immediate without the need to wait 24 hours before you can access the funds. It’s an easy way to keep your cash working at all times.

SHARES - THE RIGHT TIME TO BUY?

The strong growth we’ve seen this year in the property market is attracting the lion’s share of attention but Australian shares have also been posting noteworthy gains.

Despite a recent dip, the Australian sharemarket has been trending upwards since the middle of 2013, with the S&P/ ASX 200 price index rising from 4656 points at the end of June to around 5350 as I write in November.

It’s a good result for shareholders however experience tells me it’s only when an

sharemarket (or other investment markets) at regular intervals. A typical example would be investing, say, $1,000 in the sharemarket on the first business day of every quarter.

The logic here is compelling. Firstly, dollar cost averaging is a disciplined investment regimen which gradually builds up your investment portfolio. Secondly it acts to average out the cost of the shares you buy even though the value of the underlying assets - and hence share price, may have fluctuated.

For more on sharemarket investing and dollar cost averaging, take a look at my book Making Money or check out my free e-book – ‘Top Ten Keys to Successful Investing’ at www.paulsmoney.com.au

Paul Clitheroe is a founding director of financial planning firm ipac, chairman of the Australian Government Financial Literacy Board and chief commentator for Money magazine. Visit www. paulsmoney.com.au for more information.

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This is a manufacturer’s ad. This offer is available until 31/12/2013 from participating Fuso dealers to business buyers only (excludes national fleets, government and rental buyers).

Not available in conjunction with other offers. # The maximum recommended sale price of $56,990 applies to the Fighter 1024 SWB model FK61FH1RFAG with manual transmission and transmission park brake. Dealer delivery charges and statutory charges may vary between dealers and States. *30,000 km or 12 months, whichever occurs first. Intervals based on normal operating conditions and may be reduced when operating under severe conditions. ~Insurance arranged by Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Corporation to Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Australia Pty Ltd ABN 73 074 134 517 AFSL 247271 as an agent of the underwriter QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited ABN 78 003 191 035 AFSL 239545. Please see the PDS for full terms and conditions. Insurance cover cannot be exchanged for cash or a discount off the purchase price of the vehicle. Full terms and conditions available from participating Fuso dealers or www.fuso.com.au. Bluetooth® is a registered trade mark of Bluetooth SIG. ^Fast track finance subject to maximum finance amount, term and balloon payment. Credit assessment and other lending criteria apply. Ask us for full terms and conditions.

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To find out more visit www.volkswagen-commercial.com.au today.

Capped Price Servicing is available on Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles first registered in Australia on or after 1 January 2013 and applies to the first 6 standard scheduled services of your vehicle. Exclusions and conditions apply. For details on pricing, items not included in the capped price and for full terms and conditions please see www.volkswagen-commercial.com.au. Volkswagen Group Australia reserves the right to at any time modify or discontinue the Capped Price Servicing program.

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