Kenworth revealed new front and rear suspensions for its heavy- and medium-duty truck models Wednesday, March 26, at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky.
The AG130 is a front-axle air spring suspension. The AG400L is a tandem rear suspension using a trailing arm design. The AG210L single-axle rear suspension is for Kenworth’s Class 6 and Class 7 conventionals.
The AG130 features a four-bag air spring configuration, compared to the typical two. “Four air bags help reduce road inputs and vibration to provide the best riding suspension we’ve ever offered,” said Mike Dozier, Kenworth chief engineer. “Drivers will definitely feel the difference. Roll stiffness is also improved to provide better handling and road feel.”
Lighter by 20 pounds than traditional 12,000-lb. taperleaf front-end suspensions, the disc brake-compatible AG130 will be available in 12,000- and 13,200-lb. ratings for the Kenworth T660, T800 and T2000 Class 8 models.
“We designed and tested the AG130 to handle the high torque braking demands of disc brakes,” Dozier said. “The new suspension system is a perfect spec to improve ride and performance for longhaul applications.”
The disc brake-compatible AG400L is a 40,000-lb. highway rear suspension system for Kenworth T660, T800, T2000 and W900 Class 8 models. The four-bag suspension supports fifth-wheel heights as low as 42 inches, has fewer parts and eliminates axle seat welding, the company said.
The AG210L, a two-bag version of the AG400L, is a 21,000-lb. rear suspension for the Kenworth T370 and T270.
Kenworth also announced a new driver information center on its Class 8 models designed to provide instant trip access information for miles per gallon, engine and idle hours, idle percentage and optimum rpm range. A “sweet spot indicator” offers visual cues when the optimum rpm is reached, while a bar graph displays current mpg against trip average mpg, the company said.
Kenworth also announced a new state-of-the-art dash for the T2000 model tractor that’s more ergonomic and visually appealing and also is easier to service, according to the company. A new speedometer and tachometer cluster features large 2-inch diameter gauges with chrome bezels, an engine hour meter, odometer, trip odometer and outside temperature gauge. “The new dash design makes it much easier to check gauges and warning lights with LED back-lighting in the face plate and pointers, while dash rocker switches contain LED indicator lights,” Dozier said.
The system is supported by the Kenworth Electronic Service Analyst, a computerized diagnostics tool designed to enable technicians to quickly troubleshoot dashboard electronics.
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