Kenworth's local haul hybrid and more
Products 80 Commercial Carrier Journal November 2008 Kenworth Truck Co. says it designed its new T370 Class 7 diesel-electric hybrid tractor to improve fuel economy by up to 25 per-cent in local haul applications, including beverage, general freight and grocery distribution. The tractor will be available in various wheelbases, starting as short as 153 inches. The T370 tractor is powered by the Paccar PX-6 engine and features an integral transmission-mounted motor/generator, a frame-mounted 340-volt battery pack and a dedicated power management system. Advanced powertrain controls monitor driving conditions and automatically select the ideal power mode, smoothly switching among electric-only, combined diesel and electric, and diesel-only power modes, according to the Kirkland, Wash.-based truck maker. Electricity generated through regenerative braking is stored and used for acceleration, assisting the diesel engine. The hybrid system is monitored through a dash display, Kenworth says; as the power requirements for different driving conditions change, the screen constantly updates the driver on system status. Kenworth Truck Co. (www.kenworth.com) Write 200 on Reader Service Card TruckWeight says its Smart Scale wireless onboard scale now is available for trucks, tractors and trailers with mechanical spring suspensions, such as vehicles used in bulk distribution, agriculture, construction, forestry, containerized loads and heavy hauling. Smart Scale for mechanical suspensions includes three compo-nents: an axle-mounted load sensor, a low-powered radio trans-mitter and a small handheld wireless receiver. The load sensor measures subtle changes in the deflection of the axle; it feeds this data to the transmitter, which relays it to the handheld receiver up to 500 feet (155 meters) away. The result is a weight calculation that's accurate to within 1 percent compared to a certified scale, according to the company, which touts several benefits of the unit: Smart Scale uses AA batteries for power and does not require electricity from a truck or tractor. Users can actively manage the weight of an untethered trailer as it is being loaded, while fleet managers can deploy their power units where they need them and eliminate the time and inconvenience of hooking up a trac-tor in order to use a scale; One handheld receiver can monitor both mechanical spring and air-ride sensors on the same vehicle or combination; and The wireless feature is useful for drivers who load their own vehicle and want to verify and fine-tune distribution of the payload. TruckWeight (www.truckweight.com) Write 201 on Reader Service Card With its acquisition of Fleet America Service Technology, Stertil-Koni has added the ECO Lift a shallow-pit, axle-engaging multi-scissors lift to its product line. An alternative to piston lifts, the heavy-duty ECO Lift is designed to allow technicians to have easy access to wheel and brake assemblies and comes with a variety of adapters that will accommodate any axle configuration, according to the company; the lift also features a safety locking mechanism to help prevent unprompted lift descent. Its collapsible design makes it small enough to require only a 34-inch-deep pit instead of one that is six to nine feet deep for traditional axle-engaging piston-style lifts, Stertil-Koni says. The ECO Lift's ultra-shallow pit requirements and bolt-in design allow for easy installation, accord-ing to the company. In addition to being compact 25 inches tall, 40 inches wide and 22 inches front to back, when collapsed the ECO Lift also is powerful, with 30,000 pounds of lifting capacity per unit, Stertil-Koni says; multiple lift configurations accommo-dating 60,000 pounds and 90,000 pounds also are available. Stertil-Koni (www.stertil-koni.com) Write 202 on Reader Service Card Kenworth's local haul hybrid Wireless scale for mechanical suspensions Shallow-pit scissors lift