For those hauling tankers, “steady as she goes” can be something easier said than done.
“Driving tankers has its own set of balance issues with more than 4,800 gallons of liquid moving around in the tank,” said Dean Magura, transportation manager for Border Chemical, a Winnipeg, Manitoba-based chemical manufacturer. These chemicals are used in water treatment facilities, mining, pulp and paper manufacturing, and farming. Magura said the company wants drivers to be as comfortable and as alert as possible. “We welcome any new technology that can make our drivers’ jobs easier and more comfortable,” he added.
That’s why Border Chemical has started to specify the Kenworth AG130 suspension on all of its new Class 8 tractors. Border Chemical now has four of its 15 Kenworth T800s equipped with the new suspension, and plans to continue with the suspension in future Kenworth orders.
“The drivers who operate the new Kenworths say the difference between the new front air suspension and the leaf spring suspension on our older trucks is very noticeable,” Magura said.
The Kenworth AG130 suspension utilizes an innovative design, advanced technology, and high-performance components. The disc-brake compatible AG130 is available in 12,000-lb. and 13,200-lb. ratings for Kenworth T660 and T800 Class 8 models.
The AG130 features a four air-bag configuration while other competitive suspensions typically have just two air bags. The four air bags allow the suspension to resist high input torque encountered with disc brakes. The AG130’s four air bags handle 75 percent of the vertical load while a lower leaf spring handles the remainder. This design reduces vibration into the cab and onto the chassis to help provide a smooth ride without sacrificing the feel of the road that customers expect from a Kenworth.
Border Chemical runs its trucks in a 700-mile radius of Winnipeg, primarily on the roads and highways of northwestern Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta in Canada, and on the roads and highways of Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota in the United States. Border Chemical trucks, which travel about 160,000 kilometers annually, operate in some very windy areas and on roads that can often be snow-packed and icy in the winter or rutted and pothole-pocked for much of the rest of the year, Magura said.
