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Post Number: 66
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| | Posted on Tuesday, April 05, 2005 - 1:22 pm: |       |
Kenworth’s K104 is as Versatile as You are, says Ken Hamilton
When you’re a solo owner-operator, the demands are different from other transport professionals. Surviving not only means being competitive and reliable, it requires being versatile in the jobs you handle – and that means choosing the right vehicle for productivity, longevity and versatility.
Owner-operator Ken Hamilton is one of the most versatile men on the road. He has spent his life reinventing himself. He started as a cabinet maker carving furniture, and later got his pilot’s license and flew aeroplanes. He changed careers again, building a 36-year career with Ford in various manufacturing and sales managerial roles. Along the way, Ken earned two degrees – a mechanical engineering degree and an associate diploma in manufacturing engineering. When it was time to retire, Ken shifted gears again and bought a 1000-acre farm near Wagga Wagga.
That would be enough for most people, but not Ken Hamilton. His property grows wheat, barley and canola which, after the harvest begins in November, is carted daily to mills in Melbourne and occasionally in Adelaide throughout the six-month season. All he needed now was a truck license and a rig.
Ken got his license and his first truck – a Kenworth K104 cab-over with a single trailer, but it wasn’t long before he wanted to expand the operation. So he learnt how to drive a B Double, then hooked up a second trailer.
That was five years ago and now, at 62, Ken has just purchased his second K104 and added a new dimension to his transport business – a B Double tautliner which enables him to fully utilise the six-month, off season, by carting general freight between Adelaide and Melbourne.
Ken says Kenworth has played an integral role in his ongoing success.
“I don’t jump into anything – I consider all of the options – and I did this when I purchased my first truck. I needed a vehicle that was not just dependable, it was also versatile – something that could handle a variety of jobs beyond the farm work. I researched the market and learned that Kenworth was the most popular heavy duty truck brand for a reason – they’re built to the highest standard so that they can handle diverse applications and the daily rigors, year in and year out.
“There are a lot of brands on the road today, but it’s not often you see a Kenworth on the side of the road. They are tough, reliable and up to any task you throw at them. That’s what other drivers told me, and now I know it for myself,” he said.
When he was ready to replace his first model, Ken decided to stick with the same model because the K104 was the most versatile truck for his diverse needs.
“There are many advantages to a Kenworth, even after you sell it. I got a very good price when it was time to upgrade and I still get calls from the new owner, saying how pleased he is with my old truck. It served me well for the past five years and I know the new one will do the same and probably even more,” he said.
“Kenworth is the benchmark by which other trucks are judged. There simply isn’t a better brand on the road,” Ken explained.
Ken’s new K104 spends half the year as a B Double tipper carting grain and fertilizer and the rest as a B Double tautliner for general freight for the rest of the year. Rated to 120 tonnes, the cab-over is powered by a Caterpillar C16 engine, producing 600 hp and 2050 lb/ft of torque. It also features an 18-speed Eaton Autoshift transmission, Neway suspension, a spacious 2.3-metre Aerodyne sleeper as well as post-mounted air intakes and dual exhausts.
“It’s a lovely vehicle to drive and to ride in, and it’s even more comfortable than my first K104 – and that was hard to beat,” he said.
He chose the optional AutoShift automatic transmission not just for ease of driving but to ‘future proof’ the vehicle. Always thinking down the road, Ken believes that when he’s ready to sell this truck, he will gain an even greater resale value because of the AutoShift and the other extras he added. He says that in 2-5 years time, the market will be demanding automated transmissions because of the range of benefits, including lower operating and maintenance costs, not to mention driveability.
Kenworth’s K104 is perfectly suited to large-capacity, long hauls where higher horsepower is needed to maintain road speeds and trip times. One of Kenworth’s most popular models, the K104 provides the best of both worlds for driver and owner with a powerful engine, comfortable cabin, excellent fuel economy and the Kenworth Airglide suspension for superb handling and ride.
The K104 2.3-metre aerodyne is available with a range of top-end Caterpillar, Detroit and Cummins engines. The cooling system is designed to cope with the outputs of these new high-powered engines in Australia’s high temperatures and demanding operating conditions, utilising all of the 600 horsepower and 2050 lb/ft torque available. Inside the cabin, all controls are within easy reach, and the overhead console is divided into four separate parts for easier accessibility.
Other K104 versions available are the 2.3 metre flat roof, 1.7 metre flat roof and 2.9 metre Aerodyne models.
Kenworth trucks are designed and manufactured in Australia to meet the world’s toughest applications. Kenworth, a division of PACCAR Australia, is market leader in heavy duty trucks in Australia. Its trucks are also exported to Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. PACCAR Inc, a Six Sigma company, is a worldwide manufacturer of heavy and medium duty trucks under the Kenworth, Peterbilt, DAF, Leyland and Foden nameplates. It also provides financial services and distributes truck parts related to its principal business. |
