Hendrickson says it trimmed 90 pounds from its Paralift lift axle system with the launch of the Paralift PST. Fitting Paralift with a new axle, Hendrickson says the 20,000-pound steerable lift axle system comes with a Westport axle and D22 spindle, and is available for a wide variety of Class 8 truck chassis. To enhance driveline clearance and extend wheel cut to 25 degrees, the company says it redesigned the axle seats and moved the stabilizers inside the tie rod and connected them to the axle brackets. Hendrickson says PST also retains features of previous Paralift models, including adjustability of frame width and ride height, allowing fleets, aftermarket installers and body builders to apply one unit to meet a wide variety of truck configurations.
Paralift’s parallelogram design helps facilitate proper wheel tracking and helps keep lift plates parallel for longer air spring life, while the trailing arm beams feature a single-paddle z-beam configuration. Paralift PST delivers 12 inches of total travel with nine inches of lift in ride heights from 91/2 to 131/2 inches in a 28-inch package space. Zero-torsion trailing-arm bushings help eliminate bushing windup and allow for the dual lift-spring configuration.
Hendrickson
(www.hendrickson-intl.com)
Drop frame side loader
Heil says its MultiTask SL drop frame side loader features a new and improved design that increases efficiency. The MultiTask SL is a 3-in-1 refuse collection vehicle featuring a drop-frame chassis configuration and dual side-loading capability designed to allow operators to collect containers in manual, semi-automated and automated modes. The new vehicle reduces the total time needed to collect a standard route of residential waste by 20 percent or more with single-operator capability, delivering additional productivity for municipalities, private haulers and waste collection companies, according to the company.
An optional, strengthened and redesigned TeleGrip lift arm can be utilized on automated and semi-automated vehicles to further increase efficiencies, Heil says. The arm, which features a cycle time ranging from 8 to 20 seconds and 88 inches of reach, is designed with maximum productivity in mind; grabbers may be stowed in a work-ready position at the chassis frame rail for a width of less than 102 inches. The TeleGrip’s design also facilitates the MultiTask SL being used in narrow streets and alleys, with the arm acting as a cart tipper for receptacles that may be located close to the vehicle body. A low body height helps limit the potential for paper to blow out of the hopper during tipping, while simultaneously providing for dumping of overfilled 96-gallon containers.
Heil says the MultiTask SL allows an operator to continue picking up and dumping waste containers while the packer blade is retracted or extended, and further maximizes effective time on route by utilizing the ReadyPack feature, which automatically compacts the payload with every arm cycle. Other features, according to the company, include a fully welded interlaced subframe for added resistance to salt and corrosion, large hopper capacity, twin dump-hoist cylinders, the company’s proprietary Shur-Lock hydraulic tailgate locks, and Heil’s Operate-at-Idle System. Available body capacities are 24, 27, 30 and 33 cubic yards.
Heil
(www.heil.com)
LEDs in flexible thin sheets
Grote Industries says its latest LED technology, LightForm, uses LEDs in ultra-thin plastic strips that can be placed inside and outside the truck, affixed by the same adhesive used in conspicuity tape. “LightForm is a game-changer that will dramatically alter the way the industry uses lighting, while challenging all of our imaginations in the process,” says Dominic Grote, vice president of sales and marketing.
Grote says LightForm – a highly-advanced solid-state lighting device embedded in film less than 1 millimeter thick – is available in an assortment of colors and decorative finishes, and can be wrapped around surfaces of varying shapes. The product can be cut to fit, even in the middle of a circuit, and the remaining lights will stay lit, according to the company; strips and bars can be bent, twisted and rolled.
The company plans to engineer never-before-seen light patterns and configurations. “We can achieve the same FMVSS 108 photometric requirements for a P2-rated marker lamp, with just 2 percent of the material used in a traditional LED lamp, all while eliminating the installation cost and time associated with drilling holes, affixing mounting brackets and utilizing traditional fasteners,” Grote says.
Grote Industries
(www.grote.com)
Lighter aluminum wheel
Alcoa Wheel Products says it has developed a patent-pending proprietary process that has led to the development of a significantly lighter forged aluminum wheel for heavy-duty truck applications. According to Tim Myers, vice president and general manager, the LvL One is two pounds lighter than competitive aluminum wheels. “That doesn’t sound like a lot, until you consider that is a 36-pound weight reduction on an 18-wheel rig running on competitive aluminum wheels and nearly 650 pounds less than a rig running on standard steel wheels,” Myers says. “These pounds can add up to millions for a fleet and translate into more payload, fuel savings, less stress on engines and drivetrains, and lower emissions, too.”
LvL One wheels weigh 451/2 pounds and are load-rated at 7,400 pounds, Myers says; they feature a two-sided finish that reduces the need to order single-side inner-diameter and outer-diameter wheels. “Any LVL One wheel can be mounted on any position on a tractor or trailer with no problem,” Myers says. “There is no need to inventory two wheels – the LVL One fits all.”
Alcoa Wheel Products
(www.alcoawheels.com)
Air suspension system
SAF-Holland says its SAF CBX40 air suspension system integrates key technologies from the former SAF and Holland organizations to provide an advanced solution for the North American van and reefer markets. According to the company, the system incorporates a high-strength slider box with QwikRelease Pin Pull to facilitate easy slider adjustments; SwingAlign, designed to provide fast, convenient axle alignment; and cast-beam trailing-arm construction for optimal strength and weight reduction. In addition, the CBX40 features the company’s 53/4-inch diameter X Series axle, new drum brake configurations and optional Integral-Disc brake technology. SAF-Holland says its proprietary bi-metallic casting process mechanically combines the rotor and adapter-flange into a single rotor assembly designed to control the effects of heat; the rotor expands in a radial direction, under extreme braking conditions, to keep rotor surfaces flat and stable, which helps minimize the risk of premature rotor failure while extending brake pad and bearing life.
SAF-Holland
(www.safholland.com)
Fan drive conversion kit
Horton Inc. has introduced a fan drive conversion kit that it says saves fuel and reduces noise. The DM Advantage and DriveMaster Two-Speed Conversion Kit is designed to convert a DM Advantage or DriveMaster On/Off Fan Drive to two-speed technology to facilitate superior operating efficiency and performance. Two-speed technology is suitable for cooling refuse trucks, rear-engine cement mixers, school and city buses, fire trucks, severe-service vehicles and other on- and off-highway equipment with little to no air ram. The two-speed conversion kit features advanced components and the latest magnet design for efficient and reliable operation, according to Horton; the conversion kit installs easily, without removing the fan drive from the engine, and is compatible with any 2.56-inch fan pilot. The company says the two-speed fan drive will have higher torque for turning larger fans and higher ratios, precise temperature control, quicker response to cooling needs, more available power to mount steep inclines, less wear and maintenance, higher reliability, less radiator abrasion from dust and debris, and faster engine warmups in cold weather.
In most operating conditions, the converted two-speed fan drive is powered by eddy current, which turns the fan at a lower speed; according to Horton, this reduces noise, saves fuel and increases available horsepower for auxiliary systems. When additional cooling is needed, the fan drive spring-actuates and runs the fan at full input speed, the company says.
Horton Inc.
(www.hortonww.com/2speed)
Stainless trim for Class 8 aero-models
Panelite Custom Truck Accessories has added new stainless-steel trim options for the Freightliner Cascadia, Peterbilt 386 and Kenworth T660. Panelite says it developed the extensive line of decorative accessories and lighting with its signature styling in response to the growing popularity of aerodynamic-model Class 8 trucks.
Panelite Custom Truck Accessories
(www.panelite.com)
Aftermarket brake drum
Webb Wheel Products’ Aftermarket Business Unit has released a new brake drum, part number 66855B. The company says the 16.5 x 8.62 drum, for R-series drive axle and TN & TP trailer axle applications, is similar to Webb 66854B without an oil groove machined in the wraparound area. The 66855B brake drum is designed to fit most applications where a 66854B brake drum is used, with the exception of a limited number of school bus applications where the machined oil groove is required. The 66855B balanced 10-hole drum weighs 122 pounds with an 8.78-inch pilot diameter and 11.25-inch bolt circle diameter. If balance is not required, the replacement Webb part number would be 66854F.
Webb Wheel Products
(www.webbwheel.com)
Under-bunk refrigerator
Dometic Automotive says its CD-30 under-bunk refrigerator unit, with a convenient slide-out drawer, is designed to fit beneath the bunk or any other out-of-the-way location, such as a closet or shelf. According to the company, it provides more than 1 cubic foot of interior space and is 9.8 inches high, 17.5 inches wide and 28.25 inches deep, and weighs 39.7 pounds; it runs on standard 12- or 24-volt DC power. The unit is designed with a rugged steel exterior with durable protective coating, as well as a polystyrene interior to facilitate easier cleaning and maintenance. The DC-powered Danfoss compressor is designed for long life under the toughest over-the-road conditions, while an oversized condenser helps protect against compressor overheating, and built-in low-voltage and high-pressure cutout circuits help provide extra protection.
Dometic Automotive
(www.dometicusa.com)
Nonmarring tool sets
Snap-on says its five-piece nonmarring scraper set includes everything needed to safely remove adhesive, foam, moldings and emblems off of interior vehicle surfaces, while eliminating the fear of scratching or gouging soft materials. Each tool in the set has a different tip designed to handle most scraping jobs, including curved and angled profiles for getting into tight spaces to loosen, clean and scrape. The set includes a 7⁄8-inch straight blade tool, a 1/-inch straight blade tool, a 11⁄8-inch curved blade tool, a 3/4-inch angled blade tool and a 5⁄8-inch curved blade tool, as well as a kit bag. According to Snap-on, the lightweight tools are resistant to most fluids and are made of glass-reinforced nylon for strength. Suitable applications include caulk, paint and putty removal, but the set is not recommended for use on windshields or other glass surfaces.
The company says its five-piece nonmarring pry tool set (PBN500) is suited for removing molding clips, gaskets and power seat and window buttons – as well as many other applications – while reducing the possibility of damaging work surfaces. Each tool in the set features a handle with a crown that can be tapped into place to allow the user to insert the working end in tight places. According to Snap-on, the tool set includes a wedge tool with a narrow point for reaching in narrow spaces (PBN1); a wide sticker and gasket scraper (PBN2); a narrow-forked pry bar, suited for removing door panels and grommets (PBN3); a wide-forked pry bar (PBN5); and a flat-forked tool for straight access (PBN7). The pry bars are made of glass-filled nylon and molded for added strength and flexibility.
Snap-on
(www.snapon.com)
Trailer tire pressure monitors
The Tire Sentry division of Fleet Specialties Co. says its three latest wireless tire pressure monitoring systems now are available for most all four-, six- and eight-wheel dedicated or drop-hook trailers. The new systems are designed to warn drivers of an underinflated tire or a loss of tire pressure. The latest models – TMS-4RC, TMS-6RC-TL and TMS-8RC-TL – allow trailer tires to be monitored from the cab of the truck, according to the company; the wireless, portable display module can be plugged into the truck’s cigarette lighter.
Fleet Specialties Co.
(www.tiresentry.com)
Tank trailer
MAC Trailer – a manufacturer of specialty dump, flatbed and transfer trailers – says its PneuMACtic tank trailer incorporates enclosed strut and conical areas that complement the trailer’s aerodynamics for improved fuel efficiencies and enhanced structural integrity. To help reduce maintenance costs, corrosion-preventive features have been made standard to help extend the longevity of the trailer, including a galvanized coupler assembly and suspension hangers, soft-coat “paint” axles and full-aluminum front and rear frames. To help maximize payloads for transporting cement, sand, plastics, flour, sugar, feed or ash, the base 1050 PneuMACtic tank has a tare weight of 8,600 pounds. MAC also offers the 1350, 1650 and 2200 models in tandem and multiaxle configurations.
MAC Trailer
(www.mactrailer.com)
Diesel engine oil with titanium additive
ConocoPhillips Lubricants has introduced new versions of its Guardol ECT and Kendall Super-D XA premium diesel engine oils, which now include a new “Liquid Titanium” additive system. Developed in conjunction with a major additive manufacturer over a period of 18 months, the additive offers enhanced wear protection in many critical areas of heavy-duty diesels, along with enhanced oxidation and thermal stability, according to the company. The additive is dissolved in a liquid and contains no solid metal. However, the titanium, the strongest and lightest metal known, bonds onto critical wear surfaces, reducing wear of critical wearing parts – such as crossheads on a Cummins ISB – by as much as 46 percent, and camshaft lobe wear on the same engine by 15 percent, ConocoPhillips says; another test showed bearing wear reduction of 9 percent. The oils have the potential to extend changes where the condemning factors are those that the new additive system affects, such as wear metals or thermal breakdown. The company says the products meet or exceed all OEM requirements for CJ-4 heavy-duty diesel engine oils.
ConocoPhillips
(www.conocophillipslubricants.com)
Sealed connector system
Waytek says it now carries the MX150 Sealed Connector System from Molex, a preassembled, environmentally sealed interconnection system offering superior performance under submersed water conditions. Shipped in one piece, the matte and interface seals are preassembled in the housing and designed for ease of use without having to purchase or handle individual wire seals, according to the company; simply insert a crimped terminal lead and seat the TPA into its final lock position. The rugged connector system is designed primarily for SAE wire and to support both low-level signal applications and power applications up to 22.0A.
Waytek
(www.waytekwire.com)
