International Debuts Low Cab Forward
Steve Sturgess
Senior Editor
The long rumored and much anticipated low cabover from International has been unveiled in a preview press launch. The truck, to be called the CF Series, is a Class 4 and 5 low cab forward, designed to take on the imported Japanese trucks that have dominated the field.
Currently, this market segment accounts for around 20% of sales in the medium duty market. International is looking to wrest sales from current competitors to make an impact. And the company is well placed to pick up incremental bid business from utility and municipal fleets. These accounts often take domestic conventional-cab mediums in a bid process where one of the purchase considerations is to buy products from a North American manufacturer.
The International CF models will be available early 2005 with a 16,000-pound rating for the CF 500 Class 4 and a 19,500-pound rating for the CF 600 Class 5 trucks. All will feature the V6 version of International's newly introduced diesel V8. In its V6 configuration, the engine displaces 4.5 liters (275 cu in) and will be rated 200 hp at 3,000 rpm with 440 lb.-ft. of torque at 1,850. Designated the International 275 — reflecting its cubic inch displacement — this engine will feature dual turbochargers for fast throttle response and will be complemented by a 4-speed automatic manufactured by Ford.
The LCF trucks feature a cab currently supplied to Mazda in Japan for that company's Titan model. The cab is manufactured by a third-party supplier, and sources say that there have been a number of modifications to beef it up for North American duty cycles. The plans call for the current supplier to ship steel pressings to Escobedo, Mexico, where the cabs will be assembled to trucks produced in International's Mexico plant.
This plant is home to the Blue Diamond assembly operation that is a joint venture between Ford and International Truck & Engine.
Under that program, an International medium-duty chassis is the basis for a Ford badged truck with the SuperDuty cab. This competitor to the International 4000 Series chassis is sold through the Ford truck dealer network. International confirmed that the CF Series will also be produced with Ford badging and will also be offered through the Ford distribution system.
The CF is to be built on a high-strength, low-alloy steel frame with standard 34-inch frame rail width. It features taper leaf front suspension and standard front and rear shock absorbers. Chassis lengths and wheelbases will accommodate bodies from 12- to 24-feet length. According to International, body builders are to be consulted in the period between the launch and series production, with the first unveiling of the truck at the upcoming National Truck Equipment Assn. show in Baltimore Md.
International is making much of the availability of a North American sourced chassis and powertrain. According to company statements, the combination will make the truck long lasting and inexpensive. Other benefits include scheduled maintenance and cost-effective repair for low cost of ownership and reliable uptime. Drivers will like the truck, too, the company says, for its easy access and the ergonomically designed cab interior.
Other benefits include available finance and lease programs through the International Finance Group that can mean minimum impact on customer cash flow and limits to excessive interest payments.
Target customers include landscapers with small dumps, flatbeds and stake beds. Municipalities and utilities that want domestic alternatives to current trucks are also targeted for aerials, scissor lifts and similar equipment that work in urban environments.
The trucks will start production in January 2005, but will be on display at NTEA's show early March and at the Mid-America Trucking Show later in the month.
Gold Standard Van Trailer
Strick Corp., a leading manufacturer of van trailers, has introduced the Gold Standard trailer to its product line. The Gold Standard features van innovations that Strick says will set new industry standards for excellence.
Strick designed the Gold Standard as a means for customers to lower operating costs, reduce maintenance and increase their payload capacity, the company claims. According to Strick, these innovations were created as solutions to common industry-wide customer needs.
The Gold Standard features 101 inches of inside width and includes customer-driven innovations such as a plywood-free sheet and post trailer that eliminates plywood replacement; damage-resistant top rails with integrated full-length protection to reduce cargo and trailer damage; an inboard roof design that prevents costly roof repairs; and an advanced paint system that resists peeling and corrosion on the kingpin wrap, rear frame and bumper.
Strick backs the Gold Standard with a five-year trailer warranty that includes five-year protection on painted steel surfaces and a five-year replacement warranty on the synthetic lining and side posts.
Air-Weigh Available On Utility Trailers
Utility Trailer dealers now have the complete line of Air-Weigh Self-Weighing Truck and Trailer Scales available as aftermarket accessories as well as new-trailer options.
The new aftermarket program lets you add on-board scales to stock trailers at the dealership or to retrofit older trucks and trailers. The totally self-contained scales install in less than 15 minutes on newer trailers with standard ABS wiring harness, and can be retrofitted on older trailers in less than 30 minutes. The unit mounts directly to the frame rail or can be suspended from a rail with optional mounting brackets. Keypads and display screens are featured on both Air-Weigh truck and trailer scales, so the trailer scale can display accurate, on-the-ground weight even if the tractor isn't equipped with a scale. Pre-calibration menus are available on-screen for most popular trailer suspensions, so the operator can select the suspension model during set-up and the scale immediately displays the actual on-the-ground weight to within 300 pounds (135 kg) of a DOT scale.
Astucia Hazlight Provides Roadside Safety
Astucia's Hazlight road stud is a road marker in a sturdy and compact lightweight case, which also serves as a charging rack. The charging method is a power cable that plugs into a 12/24 volt power supply.
HazLight Emergency studs are automatically activated when removed from the case and placed on the ground. Once deployed, the studs flash, enabling a safe area to be rapidly established. The intensely bright LEDs can be seen up to 1,000 yards away in darkness.
The kit comes with five studs, each equipped with three ultra-bright LEDs available in blue, amber and red.
Tand-L Tool Fits All Tandem Handles
The Tand-L is a handle assist tool designed to lock tandem handles easily in any position. Truckers using the Tand-L don't need to ask for help, or strain to pull the tandem handle out or up into the locked out position. A driver simply pulls the tandem handle out or up as far as possible, wedges the Tand-L in place, locking the tandem handle in that position.
If the tandem locking pins are bound, the driver should rattle the trailer to loosen the pins and repeat the process. The driver then slides the tandem to the desired position and releases pressure off the Tand-L to remove easily.
The chrome/nickel-plated tool will not slip once installed and eliminates frustrating "pop-back" while sliding the tandem.
This patent pending design has no moving parts and there is no need for adjustments. It also works on various kingpin handles. The Tand-L can be attached to the tandem or kingpin handle area as a permanent remedy to the maintenance needs. The pocket-sized Tand-L fits all types of tandem handles and various kingpin handles.
International Offers Down Payment Match
International Truck and Engine Corp. has announced a Down Payment Match program with the purchase of an eligible International truck or tractor.
The new International Down Payment Match program offers customers up to $2,000 toward their down payment on eligible new International 4000, 5000i, 7000, 8000 or 9000i Series trucks. The program is valid on up to 10 vehicles per customer and is available through International dealers until April 15, 2004.
Line-Haul Tire Available From Yokohama
Yokohama Tire Corp. has a new all-position radial — the RY617.
The RY617 shares five-rib tread design and casing configuration of its predecessor, the RY083A. From a performance standpoint, Yokohama says the RY617 carries on the tradition of the RY083A as an all-position tire that delivers excellent fuel efficiency and long tread life. The company says both the original and revised tires share design elements that aid in superior water evacuation, wet traction, uniform wear and low rolling resistance.
The RY617 touts the integration of thousands of additional sipes for water evacuation, wet traction and uniform wear. A wavy groove wall design provides strengthened rib stiffness and combats uneven wear, while a stress-wear control groove reduces contact pressure at the tread edge, providing increased resistance to shoulder step-down wear. Further enhancing tread life and cost efficiency, the RY617 has a slightly decreased tread depth that increases tread stiffness.
Phillips Develops Cold Weather Air Coil
Phillips Industries has developed Polar Air, a cold weather air coil designed to survive the rigors of cold weather travel.
SAE requires air coils to be made with nylon tubing. Nylon can become brittle and stiff in cold weather, says Phillips. The Phillips' Polar Air is made with a heavy-duty jacketing, extruded over nylon tubing to protect against freezing in the winter and UV rays in the summer — both which degrade standard nylon tubing. This high-strength jacketing will protect against shattering, kinking or fracturing of any type.
The jacketing allows it to remain flexible to -85¡F and offers corrosion and abrasion resistance with superior recoil memory.
Duron Synthetic Blends Meet Mack Specs
Petro-Canada's Duron 15W-40 and Duron XL Synthetic Blend 15W-40 heavy duty engine oils have added the new, more-stringent Mack EO-N Premium Plus 03 specification to their list of OEM and global credentials.
However, Mack EO-N Premium Plus 03 engine oils are also highly recommended for all Mack engine models, regardless of the vintage. To achieve this specification, a heavy duty engine oil needs to perform at an acceptable level in the new Mack T-11 test with 6% soot load, demonstrate used oil pumpability at high soot load and pass a severe shear stability test.
Duron 15W-40 and Duron XL Synthetic Blend 15W-40 are formulated from the patented HT purity process Petro-Canada uses to produce 99.9% pure, crystal-clear base oils.
Peterbilt Offers Eaton VORAD Warning System
Peterbilt is now offering the Eaton VORAD Collision Warning System with the optional SmartCruise feature for select heavy duty truck models.
The Eaton VORAD EVT-300 model is available, with the SmartCruise option, for Peterbilt Models 379, 387, 378 and 357. The EVT-300 system equips a vehicle with sensors at its front and sides. The sensors emit radar signals that detect vehicles in their transmitting range, including the truck's side blind spots. If the sensors detect a potential hazard, such as the truck switching into a lane occupied by another vehicle, an on-dash display unit will produce visual and audio signals to warn the operator.
3rd-Party Logistics Directory Published
The 2004 edition of Leonard's Guide National Third Party Logistics Directory weighs in at 570 pages and is filled with comprehensive information on providers of third-party logistic services.
The guide includes office locations, phone and fax numbers, e-mail and web site addresses, contacts, ICC authority number, classification, services offered, regional specialties, equipment owned, equipment needed, surety bond and cargo contingency insurance information, association memberships, year established and number of employees.
Witzco Introduces Gooseneck Trailers
Witzco Challenger Trailers has introduced the newly designed series of removable gooseneck trailers for low-approach-angle front loading/unloading.
A new Single Point Operating Station allows for easy control access to hydraulic functions and provides added safety. The non-ground-bearing gooseneck features four-position adjustment of the trailer's run height for off-road operations, and for fast offloading or pickups on the job.
RG-Series' single-pivot articulator is powered by an all new multiple cylinder hydraulic system. Twin six-inch hydraulic cylinders are a standard feature on the new RG-Series. The new multiple cylinder design enhances operational efficiency. Hydraulic and ride functions are all accessed and controlled from a single-point operating station at the side of the gooseneck.
The Witzco RG model is designed for front-loading, low approach angle applications common with rugged field work, including excavation; utility, pipe and cable; mining; underground construction; oilfield and rigging; and logging, forestry and firefighting.
Haldex Brake Shoe Coating Combats Corrosion
Trucks exposed to corrosive conditions can benefit from a new protective coating from Haldex for all remanufactured shoes. The coating is high in solid content and corrosion inhibitors. The coating is applied through a process that insures that each shoe is properly coated, cured and ready for lining attachment.
When used in conjunction with Haldex Friction with Cross-Link Technology, the new Haldex brake shoe coating is guaranteed to protect against lining edge cracking from rust jacking.
ValvePal Removes Rig Stems
ValvePal is a tool that can be used to access, remove and reinstall metal tire stem valve caps specifically on vehicles with dual-mounted tire arrangements.
The dual tire arrangement makes it difficult to access and remove the tire stem valve cap, particularly if caps are inaccessible due to tire rotation or wheel angle.
ValvePal eliminates the need to reposition your vehicle or lose or drop a valve cap. One twist enables the user to access, remove and reinstall the tire stem valve cap on a truck or trailer.
SKF Tensioners Have Longer Bearing Life
SKF recently introduced a full line of heavy duty tensioners and idler pulleys. SKF's new product line comes at a time when tensioners have become a key replacement product for heavy trucks. A tensioner's typical failure interval is 100,000 to 250,000 miles, but field and laboratory tests have confirmed SKF Tensioners to last more than 400,000 miles — up to four times longer than leading OE components. Additionally, SKF Tensioners provide 30% more bearing life.
SKF Tensioners feature a round spring design, a patented feature that allows the tensioner to maintain constant tension even during changes in operating loads and torque. Also, SKF's patented "Noose Ring" technology reduces tensioner motion for improved life. The "Noose Ring" acts like a shock absorber by reducing system vibration and stress on other components such as belts and bearings.
Willis APU Packs Power
Through a digital unit controller, the Willis APU automatically kicks in to power cab and sleeper systems as the truck is parked. The APU shuts down when the truck's main engine starts.
Compared to an idling truck engine, the APU's three-cylinder Kubota engine uses 72% less fuel to cool the cab and sleeper and 88% less fuel to heat the truck in the winter. The company says its APU stands apart from others because of its integration with the truck's operating system. It can run almost every device on the truck, heating or cooling the cab. Since the APU is using the truck's fuel line, it can also prevent fuel gelling.
