Tired of your old Kenworth truck? No reason to worry, as Kenworth has made available a series of glider kits for the T660, T800 and W900L models. The glider kits can be mated to customer-supplied EPA 2004 engines and matching transmissions.
Alan Fennimore, vocational marketing manager declared, “We’re offering the gliders as both rolling and non-rolling models (customer supplies driveline, axles, suspensions, wheels, tires and other ‘rolling’ equipment) and no FET tax is included from Kenworth. Depending upon the project’s final cost, and if the host parts came from a useable truck, the 12% Federal Excise Tax (FET) on new trucks may not be applicable, which can be a real money saver for customers.”
FET will apply when a glider kit is used to repair a wrecked truck vehicle, or change its intended service or where the restoration cost exceeds 75% of the value.
Mr. Fennimore added: “There are several other engine-related components – such as electrical harnesses, power steering pumps, batteries and air cleaners – that customers need to supply themselves, or purchase from Paccar Parts through their local Kenworth dealerships, but for the truck itself, it’s a very complete package.”
Concluding the report, Fennimore said that the interest for gliders has started to grow in the latest years, hence their decision, “Gliders are a great alternative for fleets and owner operators with the tools and service technicians to bring a solid and existing powertrain back to life in a ‘brand new truck’. We’ve talked with several fleets that plan to purchase gliders and have their service technicians work on the conversions during slow or off periods. It can be an effective use of shop hours.”
The International Extreme Truck or the XT lineup consists of three heavy duty pickup trucks (CXT, RXT and MXT) that were sold between 2004 and 2008.
The XT models were designed to be the biggest pickups ever made. The XTs were created by taking the trailer off a prime hauler and turning into a dinosaur-looking pickup truck.
The first model introduced was the CXT which came with a massive curb weight of 14.500 lb and a GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) of 25,9999 lb.
The CXT is built on an International 7300 chassis and is equipped with the DT 466 diesel engine. Thanks to its heavy duty engine, the truck is able to tow up to 20 tons. The CXT came with a four wheel drive system and was priced from $93,000 to $115,000.
The Hino brand is a part of the Toyota company and was launched in 2008. The brand has managed to build a pretty solid image in the trucking industry, thanks to its sturdy and reliable vehicles that share the same quality standards with Toyota’s cars.
At the moment the brand’s lineup consists of two trucks which cover a wide range of GVWs (gross vehicle weights) from class five to class seven models.
The conventional cab model is available as a class 6 and 7 truck with gross vehicle weights ranging from 23.000 to 33.000 lbs. The class 6 versions are equipped with a 220 hp engine, while the class 7 trucks come with 260 hp on tap.
Freightliner has recently revealed the first details about the new Cascadia Evolution that will be introduced as a 2014 model. In a press conference held not long ago, the company declared that theirnew Cascadia Evolution will be able to offer up to a 7% fuel economy improvement compared with the current model.
To prove that they are talking serious about the performances of the new model the company had organized a series of real-world tests hosted at Freightliner’s manufacturing facility in Detroit.
Mr. Tim Tindall, director-engine & component sales for Detroit, was the host of the event and said that 40 new Cascadia Evolution models were handed in customers’ hands to be tested.
Ten of these tractors were equipped with DD13 engines and had day cab configurations, while the rest of 30 vehicles were fitted with the new DD15 engine and came with sleeper cabs.
Tindall said, “All of these trucks are equipped with the visibility package [which is part of Virtual Technician], so we can look at fuel consumption at anytime on any of these customer trucks. The program is aimed at showing that the truck does what we say it does and that the reliability is what we say it is.”
After the tests, Tindall revealed that the new Freightliner Cascadia Evolution scored a 6.7 % improvement in fuel economy compared to the original Cascadia.
The second step of this demonstration will be made in September, when 61 additional Cascadia Evolution trucks will be delivered for extra tests. The trucks will be fitted with both DD15 (35 units) and DD15 (26 units ) engines and 16 of the DD15 models will also get the new Detroit DT12 transmission.
The Freightliner Columbia is a medium duty truck designed for short or regional transportation. The vehicle has a highly versatile character and can cope with various medium duty jobs. At the moment the truck is sold in South Africa, New Zeeland and Australia.
Designed to for construction or short haul applications, the Freightliner Columbia offers a light tare weight and ideal axle positioning, being available in 6x4, 8x4 and 10x4 configurations for construction work, and 4x2 or 6x4 for distribution jobs. Furthermore there is also the option of a Day Cab or a 34” Mid-Roof Sleeper.
Under the hood, the Freightliner Columbia is equipped with a Cummins ISLe5 engine which delivers a maximum output of up to 400 hp and 1,254 lb-ft of torque. Thanks to its powerful engine and the solid chassis the Freightliner Columbia can be rated to 40,000 kg Gross Combination Mass.
The Freightliner Century Class is around from some time now and was designed especially for long haul operations. The truck features a conventional cab configuration with an aerodynamic design which gives it a low drag coefficient.
Moreover, the Freightliner Century Class uses strong, lightweight components in the hood and fenders to reduce the overall weight thus allowing for increased payload. The truck has a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 26000 kg for the 6x4 model and 30800 kg for the 8x4 version. There are also available both day and sleeper cabs and the truck is powered by a Detroit Diesel engine which develops between 470 hp - 525 hp.
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Most of the current trucks in Tata’s lineup are rugged and solid vehicles build to deal with the harshest working conditions without breaking down. Besides their proven reliability, the Tata trucks are also pretty cheap and easy to repair which makes them the favorite choice in rural zones or isolated areas.
The SE 1613 is a medium duty truck built for short or regional haul operations and it’s equipped with a Cummins 6BTAA 5.9 liter engine that churns out 125 hp.
Unlike most of the Tata’s trucks which are using a cab over engine construction the SE 1613 features a conventional cab configuration which makes it look significantly different from its siblings.
Freightliner has revealed its new generation of the Cascadia heavy duty Class 8 truck which will be introduced as a 2014 model.
The main trait of new Cascadia Evolution is its increased fuel efficiency and the improved aerodynamics. The truck is equipped with Detroit diesel engines and thanks to a few significant aerodynamic improvements and engine tweaks it offers up to 5 percent improvement in fuel economy compared to the 2013 Cascadia.
Talking about the new model, David Hames, general manager, marketing and strategy for Daimler Trucks North America said “With the introduction of the Cascadia and Detroit DD15 in 2007, our priority was to help customers lower their total cost of ownership through improved fuel efficiency and performance. Now, with the Cascadia Evolution, we are building upon our commitment to maximizing our customers’ bottom lines with new product advancements that will deliver unprecedented fuel efficiency.”
The Tatra Jamal is a three-axle truck with conventional cab configuration which is available as a tipper or construction dump designed to tackle the most difficult construction sites.
This vehicle is part of the heavy duty category engineered for off-road operation and off-road transport of loads. The truck’s body volume is 14 m3 with a payload of approximately 24 t. The Jamal can be also driven or public roads, but the signaling lights must be permanently on.
Powered by a 12 litre, air cooled, turbocharged V8, 440 hp diesel engine the Jamal has the potential to deal with the biggest payloads and the hardest working conditions without backing down.
CAT has officially announced introduction of the new 15L CT15 engine which will be offered together with the CT11 and CT13 units for the CT660 heavy duty truck. The new engine develops a maximum output of 550 hp with a peak torque of 1,850 lbs.-ft achieved at 2100 rpm.
To be able to offer these superior performances, the engine uses sequential turbochargers and a high pressure common rail fuel system. Moreover, interstage cooling between turbochargers increases air density to maintain power as speeds increase. The CT15 uses an EGR system to reduce the emissions and meets EPA 2010 requirements without the need of additives (AdBlue).
The engine is perfectly suited for heavy haul operations as it offers a massive pulling power from relatively low revs.
George Taylor, director of the Caterpillar Global On-Highway Truck Group said, “The CT15 engine is the perfect power solution for heavy-duty applications and extreme environments. Cat vocational truck customers can count on the CT15 for years of reliable, durable operation, which translates into a longer-lasting truck and higher resale value.”
The new CAT CT15 engine is also offered with a capable engine brake than provides a retarding power of up to 600 hp being among the strongest in this class. Besides improving the stopping power, the engine brake also keeps the use of service brakes to minimum.
CAT has a long history behind and the company is famous thanks o its strong engines and the heavy duty working vehicles that were designed to tackle the harshest construction sites without thinking twice. Recently, the company decided to try its luck in the transport industry and allied with Navistar to launch its first highway truck.
At the moment, the CAT CT630 is sold mainly on the Australian market and was developed especially for highway operations. Except for a few small differences, the truck shares the same design with the International ProStar, but is powered by a CAT C15 engine which develops 550hp. The CT630 also features a roomy cabin and an aerodynamic exterior design that was developed to enhance its fuel efficiency.
The International ProStar is an aerodynamic class 8 long haul truck designed to deal with heavy payloads and thousands of miles. The truck has a 6x4 or 4x2 axle configuration and is available with a choice of either Day or Sleeper cabs. The truck competes against models like the Kenworth T700, Freightliner Cascadia or Peterbilt 587.
The international ProStar is available with a choice of three MaxxForce engines that are combined with an aerodynamic design and a few efficient technologies to offer one of the lowest fuel consumption levels in the segment.
The Western Star 4900 and 4800 were designed with power and versatility in mind. The trucks come with various options available which made them perfectly suited for a wide range of applications, starting with long hauls missions and finishing with vocational jobs.
The trucks are available in five configurations with both Day and Sleeper cabs and also with either set forward or set back axles and conventional or double steer configurations. Under the hood, the Western Star 4900 can be equipped with a choice of Detroit Diesel or Cummins engines which can develop up to 600 hp.
