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Product Showcase Resource Guide
The latest innovations in distribution equipment
Brakes
Bendix’s ABS-6 Advance with ESP stability
system is the only complete stability solution that reduces rollovers and
jackknifes through advanced sensing and automatic application of vehicle
brakes. No matter what the driving condition, the system improves vehicle
control by employing all-axle braking for better performance on dry
surfaces and delivers individual wheel-end braking for optimal response on
slippery surfaces. The system is a standard offering or data book option on
Class 7 and Class 8 vehicles from most tractor OEMs, and is currently being
adapted to straight trucks. To learn more visit www.bendix.com/abs6.
Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake’s air disc brakes
improve brake responsiveness with passenger car-like feel, provide
exceptional stopping capability, improve brake balance and wear and
minimize service. When traveling at 60 miles per hour, air disc brakes will
stop up to 39 percent shorter than the current FMVSS 121 requirements.
Bendix air disc brakes are proven compatible when used in combination with
North American air drum brakes. By using air disc brakes with 17-inch
rotors, fleets are able to go 30-50 percent longer between brake
replacements, resulting maintenance costs savings. To learn more visit
foundationbrakes.com.
Pacbrake has detailed and specific information on
the design and features of its engine and exhaust brakes, which help reduce
maintenance costs on service brakes. Engine braking is the act of using the
energy-requiring compression stroke of the internal combustion engine to
dissipate energy and slow a vehicle. An exhaust brake turns the engine into
an air compressor, which absorbs energy, and the resulting retarding effect
slows the engine and vehicle. To learn more visit pacbrake.com.
Engines
Caterpillar’s Mid-Range C7 engine with
ACERT technology is an in-line, six-cylinder diesel available with a wide
range of horsepower ratings — 190 to 350 at 2,400 rpm, and torque
ratings from 520 to 860 pounds per foot at 1,600 rpm. Designed to take full
advantage of a “gear fast, run slow” strategy, the engine
features Caterpillar’s HEUI fuel system for “unsurpassed”
performance and reliability and has full electronic controls and features
typically found only on heavy-duty diesel. To learn more visit
cattruckengines.com.
Cummins offers a wide
range of diesel engines. Heavy-duty engine models include the ISX with
ratings up to 565 hp, the ISM with ratings up to 450 hp and the ISL for
heavy-duty, vocational or regional less-than-truckload truck applications.
Medium duty engine models are the ISC in ratings from 240-315 hp and the
ISB in ratings from 145-260 hp. It also offers high-performance alternative
fuel engines. To learn more visit cummins.com.
Hand trucks
RWM Casters offers a large variety of strong,
lightweight aluminum hand trucks and has a Build-a-Custom Hand Truck option
to create fixed or convertible hand trucks for almost any application.
Personalized logo strips can be added to the sides of any hand truck for
promotional purposes and to help prevent theft. Accessory bags, small and
large, are available to carry clipboards, scanners, tools or supplies. To
learn more, phone 800/634-7704 or visit rwmcasters.com.
Liftgates/tailgates
Thieman Tailgates offers a full line of hydraulic liftgates for light, medium and heavy-duty trucks and
trailers. Its pickup/service body liftgates, stowaway liftgates, side
loaders, railgates and conventional liftgates come in a wide range of bed
heights, platform widths and heights, ramps and load capacities to meet a
variety of delivery needs. To learn more, phone 800/524-5210 or visit thieman.com.
Tommy Gate manufactures
many models of hydraulic liftgates that can be mounted on many types of
truck bodies, including compact, mid- and full-size pickup trucks, service
and utility bodies and flatbed, stake and van bodies and cargo vans. Model
choices and features allow for a large variety of lifting capacities,
travel, platform types and sizes. To learn more, phone 800/LIFTGATE or
visit tommygate.com.
Waltco Truck Equipment manufactures more than 50
standard liftgate models — including rail-type, conventional,
flipaway, level lift, side loader and pickup — in a wide range of
sizes and load capacities. To learn more, phone 800/211-3074 or visit
waltco.com.
Lighting
Arrow Safety Device’s 4-inch Stop/Turn
& Tail Pedestal Mount Lamp comes with a rubberized housing that is
ideal for harsh environments and locations where lamps are susceptible to
damage. Ideal for forklifts, the pedestal allows for the lamp to be mounted
in just about any position. It is available in incandescent or LED. To
learn more, phone 800/327-2514 or visit arrowsafetydevice.com.
Truck-Lite’s Super Strip-Lite is a new form
of lightweight lighting using LEDs evenly spaced on a fabricated aluminum
channel with evenly spaced diodes. Strip-Lites are available in two styles
of extrusions, shaped either for mounting flat or into corners, and can be
mounted almost anywhere with minimal intrusion into cargo or
workspaces. Because the strip of LEDs spreads light over a distance,
lighting is even with minimal shadows. The white LED lighting is brighter
and whiter than other forms of interior trailer lighting. To learn more,
phone 800/562-5012 or visit truck-lite.com.
Arrow Safety Device’s 145 series is a
6-inch oval sealed stop/tail LED lamp available in both grommet-mount and
surface-mount. When compared to incandescent bulbs, LEDs consume as much as
90 percent less power (amp draw) which translates to less load on vehicle
electrical systems. Because LEDs don’t have a filament that needs to
heat up before generating light, as with incandescent, the LED light
“fires” at its maximum output instantly, which can provide an
extra 24 feet of stopping distance at 60 miles an hour. To learn more,
phone 800/327-2514 or visit arrowsafetydevice.com.
Seats
Recaro North America’s Recaro Ergo MCI and MCII
seat models have been developed particularly for commercial trucks to help
reduce fatigue and stress so the driver can focus on the road. Because reducing the pressure on the spinal column is essential
for correct ergonomic sitting, the backrest and specially shaped seat
cushions provide spinal support. The seat cushion supports the body’s
weight and helps absorb road vibrations and the seatback and side bolsters
are designed to hold the driver firmly in place. The seats are available in
many upholstery materials and several seat adjustments.
To learn more, phone 800/8-RECARO or visit recaro-nao.com.
National Seating’s 2000 Series seats are
ergonomically designed to better fit the driver, offering improved comfort
and support. Available in Premium, Standard Plus and Standard models,
features include an ergonomic seat cushion — adjustable in three
directions for improved leg circulation; contoured bolsters for longer
cushion life and more side support; enhanced lumbar support; integrated
heat rest and a re-engineered base for improved side-to-side stability. The
seats come in several upholstery materials with a wide variety of options.
To learn more, phone 800/222-7328 or visit nationalseating.com.
Tires
Bridgestone’s R260F is a deep-tread steer
radial tire for regional, short-haul and pickup and delivery operations.
With a tread depth more than 20 percent deeper than standard steer radials,
it provides long wear in the very high-scrub environment of urban and
regional hauling. The tread is also wider than standard, improving wear and
making it easy to retread for drive axle use. Other design elements absorb
irregular wear forces and fight curbing. The R260F is available in both
standard and low-profile sizes, with “G” and “H”
load ratings, for 22.5 and 24.5-inch wheels. To learn more, phone
800/543-7522 or visit trucktires.com.
Bridgestone’s M725 radial drive tire is
specially designed for extra long and even wear
on single-drive axle tractors and straight trucks. With an extra-deep
30/32-inch tread, it offers long tread life, high traction and
retreadability. The M725 incorporates a tread design that digs in and holds
on snow and other soft surfaces, better resists the torque generated by
single drive axle vehicles, combats stone retention that can lead to casing
damage and loss of retreadability, and provides high traction on wet
pavement. To learn more, phone 800/543-7522 or visit trucktires.com.
Bandag’s recently launched new product, called
BDV, is a good fit for the beverage industry. BDV is for all wheel
positions on pickup and deliver vehicles where irregular wear from corners
and curbs presents a maintenance challenge. BDV offers a deep 22/32-inch
tread depth which reduces maintenance expenses for fleet managers. To learn
more, phone 563/262-1400 or visit bandag.com.
Michelin’s X One XDA-HT Plus wide single
tire is designed use in weight-sensitive, long-haul and regional
operations. The sixth addition to its series of weight- and fuel-saving
wide single commercial truck tires, it is engineered to replace dual tires
and has a longer original tread life because of increased tread depth and
wider tread. Designed for additional mileage and optimum retreadability,
the tire also has improved wet traction, a quieter running tread design and
reduced stone retention. To learn more, visit michelintruck.com.
The Meritor Tire Inflation System (MTIS) by Pressure Systems International
(PSI) has two new enhancements to its automatic tire inflation system. One
is specifically designed for steer axles on Class 8 tractors. The other is
a new wheel-end heat sensor package to warn of an impending wheel bearing
failure. Including steer tires within the MTIS is expected to reduce tire
wear, boost fuel economy and eliminate the need for drivers to hand-check
tire pressure. The wheel-end heat sensor
package contains a special heat-sensitive material designed to melt at the
heat threshold for a wheel-end failure. Once it melts, it activates a blue
light on the dashboard and causes a wailing sound to come from the wheel
end to signal the driver to stop immediately. To learn more, visit
psi-atis.com or arvinmeritor.com.
Transmissions
Eaton’s new fully automated Fuller
UltraShift HV (Highway Value) medium-duty transmission is been designed
“to deliver fuel savings superior to its competitors” by
allowing the engine to consistently operate in the most fuel-efficient
portion of the performance curve. A fully automated transmission system,
the HV is designed for Class 6 and 7 vehicles with diesel engines in the
195 to 260 hp. and can handle torque capacities up to 660 lb.-ft. and loads
up to 33,000 lbs. gvw. A key feature is the “Hill Assist” which
automatically minimizes rollback on up to 10% grades while the operator
makes the transition from the brake pedal to the accelerator.
Eaton’s heavy-duty Fuller UltraShift LHP
(Line-haul High Performance) transmission is for on-highway applications
where superior low-end and high-end performance and excellent ratio
coverage are required to handle varying terrain and load conditions.
Providing fully automatic “two-pedal” operation, the LHP is
capable of handling torque capacities up to 1,750 pounds per foot and loads
up to 110,000 pounds gcw. It features 13 speeds plus a selectable low
starting gear of 12.2-to-1 and progressive gearing that provides gathered
ratios in the low-end and high-end gears for superior startability and
better operating efficiency because the engine operates within a tighter
rpm range. To learn more, visit roadranger.com.
Allison Transmissions’ Highway Series
automatic transmissions are designed with increased ratings in horsepower,
torque and gcw. These transmissions make trucks and drivers more productive
because automatics are easier to operate than manuals and allow a driver to
better focus his attention on driving. To learn more, visit
allisontransmissions.com.
Truck starting
KPI’s Dieselmatic NVT (New Valve
Technology) is a low-cost intelligent engine starting fluid injection
system for today’s smart engines. The system is compatible with an
engine’s electronic control module and has a low current draw. The
NVT can reduce cold weather operating costs by improving cold start
performance, lessening wear and tear on starters and batteries, reducing
engine idling for fear of “no-starts” and eliminating the use
of ether. To learn more, phone 847/658-8561 or visit koldban.com.
Lubes & Fluids
Citgo Petroleum’s new Citgo QuatraSyn synthetic
transmission fluid has been engineered to
“deliver unsurpassed performance” while helping heavy-duty
powershift and automatic transmissions “stand up to excessive loads
and severe operating conditions.” The fluid is a blend of synthetic
base stocks and special additives that allow it to remain in the
transmission system longer, enabling fleets to extend drain and filter
intervals and reduce the cost of fluid replacement. To learn more visit
citgo.com.
Shell’s new Rotella Extended Life Coolant
(ELC) Conversion Kit provides everything needed in one box to quickly,
easily and economically convert a heavy-duty diesel engine’s cooling
system from conventional to extended life coolant. Once the conversion has
been made, protection is provided for up to 600,000 miles or 12,000 hours
of service. A typical conversion takes less than an hour to perform, does
not require draining and refilling of coolant and the cooling system will
not need to have supplemental coolant additives. To learn more, phone
800/782-7852 or visit shell-lubricants.com.
SAFETY
WARNING SYSTEMS
SafetyFirst Systems offers
programs that serve as early warning systems to identify
“unsafe” drivers and to help drivers improve their performance
through screened behavior observation reports. Along with helping lower
accident rates, its driver-monitoring programs can enhance a fleet’s
public image by demonstrating its concern for public safety by making it
easy to report driving performance. Safety coaching to encourage drivers to
pay extra attention to their own driving can then be provided. To learn
more, phone 888/603-6987 or visit safetyfirst.com.
The Eaton Vorad BackSpotter is a rear object
detection system designed to warn drivers that they are approaching an
object behind the vehicle while in reverse. It features radar-based
technology that is effective in detecting objects under poor visibility
conditions — such as rain, snow, sun glare and darkness, when mirrors
and camera systems are not as effective. When the vehicle is in reverse and
the BackSpotter detects an object in the coverage area — 15 feet wide
by 15 feet long behind the vehicle — it reports the obstacle by
activating audible and visual alerts on the driver’s display unit. To
learn more, visit vorad.com.
Delphi’s Forewarn
Collision Warning Systems are designed to warn drivers of pedestrians and
obstacles in their blind spots to the front, sides (side alert) and rear
(back-up aid) of the vehicle. By providing a 360-degree electronic cocoon
around the perimeter of the vehicle using radar sensors, the devices warn
drivers with both audible and visible alerts when objects are present in
visually obstructed areas around the vehicle. To learn more, visit delphi.com.
CONSPICUITY MATERIAL
Reflexite manufactures a
variety of microprismatic retroreflective materials for the trucking
industry, including conspicuity material to help make trucks more visible
and fleet graphics packages to enhance brand recognition and identity. It
also makes reflective trim for high visibility garments and can accommodate
brand requirements such as corporate colors and logos with its specialty
patches and shadow logo garment tape that embosses company logos. To learn
more, phone 860/612-3216 or visit reflexiteamericas.com.
CAMERA SYSTEM
Lang-Mekra’s offers a camera system designed
specifically for commercial vehicles, which
when combined with a truck’s current mirror systems, greatly enhances
the visibility of the driver by providing vision in “blind
spots” — those areas that can not be seen directly or
indirectly through the mirrors. The Mekra Proximity Sensor System enables a
driver to recognize the distance between his vehicle and an unseen obstacle
by way of ultrasonic (sound waves) technology. The system consists of at
least four sensors, a control unit and an internal or external LED display.
To learn more, phone 803/337-5262 or visit lamg-mekra.com
LITERATURE & RESOURCES
TIRES & WHEELSThe Technology & Maintenance Council’s latest Radial Tire Conditions Analysis Guide, A Comprehensive
Review Of Tread Wear And Tire Conditions is
a fully illustrated, color handbook designed to be a reference source and
training aid. It contains photographs and detailed descriptions and
explanations of common radial tire failures and their causes. The guide
also offers advice on how to correct these problems and what can be done
with the damaged tires. To order, phone 800/ATA-LINE or visit
tmc.truckline.com.
Goodyear Tire & Rubber has revamped its new
commercial tire Web site: goodyear.com/truck. The site includes more
powerful tire-evaluation software tools, including the Tire Value Calc
software which calculates new tire, retread and rotation changes that
impact operating costs; new roadside assistance to reduce downtime and
costs for tire-related emergencies; a wealth of information on tire
inflation and load capacities to help maximize tire wear and performance,
and detailed service manuals that specify tire inflation, vibration
solutions and proper alignment.
The Technology &
Maintenance Council’s completely revised, full-color User’s Guide to Wheels & Rims is intended to help drivers and service technicians spot wheel,
rim and fastener problems, and help fleets minimize the risk of wheel
separation. This manual offers what TMC regards “as the best
maintenance practices for medium- and heavy-duty wheels and rims in
accordance with all DOT regulations.” To order, phone
800/ATA-LINE or visit tmc.truckline.com.
TRUCK INFORMATION
The National Truck Equipment Association’s Work Truck Industry Resources Catalog describes an array of products, including buyer’s
guides, directories, news publications, customized databases, technical
information and vehicle certification, and regulatory and legislative
information. To request a copy, phone 800/441-NTEA or visit ntea.com.
Unique Truck Equipment’s Truck Safety and Maintenance Products Buyer’s Guide features specialty products designed to help increase
productivity, reduce maintenance costs, minimize downtime and maximize
worker and driver safety. For a free copy, phone 800/777-4855 or fax
616/245-4918.
Truck-Lite’s Lighting
User’s Guide is a manual on vehicular
safety lighting on a variety of important topics, including Basics of Electricity, Why Lights Fail and How to Prevent It, New Advancements in Lighting
Technology, Truck-Lite
Support Tools and Glossary
of Industry Terms. Small enough to fit into any
tool or glove box, the 4.5 inch by 8 inch spiral-bound manual contains 66
full-color pages of lighting and electrical know-how. To request a copy,
phone 800/562-5012 or send an e-mail to corporate@truck-lite.com.
VALUATION GUIDES
The American Truck Dealers (ATD)/National Automobile
Dealers Association (N.A.D.A.) Official
Commercial Truck Guide provides 10 model
years of retail, loan and wholesale values for all makes and models of
Classes 2-8 commercial trucks, tractors and trailers. MSRP, gvw and gcw
data is also included. There is a comprehensive option and accessory
listings for medium-duty trucks, as well as light- and medium-duty mileage
adjustments. The valuation guide is available by subscription in print,
Web, CD-ROM and other electronic formats. To learn more visit nada.com.
The Truck Blue Books from Primedia Price Digests provide 20 years of medium- and
heavy-duty commercial truck, truck body and trailer identification and
values. The guides include VIN identifiers, component specs, optional
equipment, mileage, gvw/gcw and factory SRP. This
data is offered via printed books, Internet CD and data extracts. To learn
more visit pricedigest.com.