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| | Posted on Tuesday, July 26, 2005 - 11:23 am: |       |
Kenworth K104s Take a Punishment and Come Back for More
A number of truck makes claim to be heavy duty but, according to Adam Perry of Access Recycling, the proof is in the application. He says that when it comes to ruggedness, durability and dependability, you cannot go past a Kenworth – and he should know.
For more than 30 years his second-generation family business in Barmedman, near Wagga Wagga, has been managing scrap metal recovery, processing and bulk transportation throughout the eastern states. His company collects and trucks a variety of materials from car bodies, white goods and mining equipment to train derailments and demolished factories.
Material from all over NSW, southern Queensland and northern Victoria is hauled primarily to Simsmetal’s processing plant in Sydney. About half the scrap is sourced from more than 100 local council waste depots and the balance is from mines, farms, factories and other commercial sites.
Access Recycling has a fleet of nine Kenworths, mainly K104 cab-overs, and it has just purchased another.
Rated to 90 tonnes, the new tandem-drive K104 is configured to tow a heavy steel B Double tipper. It is powered by a Caterpillar C15 engine with 500 hp and 1750 lb/ft of torque. The vehicle features an 18-speed Fuller RTLO20918A-AS2 AutoShift transmission, Meritor FG941 (6.6 tonne) front axles and Dana DS462P (20.9 tonne) rear axles, riding on Kenworth’s Airglide rear suspension. It also includes a 2.3-metre Aerodyne sleeper.
One of Kenworth’s most popular models, the K104 provides the best of both worlds for driver and owner with high horsepower capability, a comfortable cabin, excellent fuel economy as well as superb handling and driveability. This combination of features makes the model ideal for high-capacity long hauls and national distribution.
Adam says the K104, like the other models in the Kenworth range, offers a range of benefits including improved productivity and reliability, and the cab-over delivers superior ride and maneuverability. But the most important feature is Kenworth’s reputation for handling demanding applications.
Most of Access’ K104s tow heavy-duty floats carrying Caterpillar excavators fitted with electromagnets for cleaning a site and claw-like hydraulic shears capable of crushing large machinery. The material is then compacted into custom-built, 115 cubic metre B-Double tipping trailers which enable the company to transport large quantities of low-density scrap steel across long distances, cost effectively.
Adam says it’s hard, heavy work, especially on his trucks. And that’s the main reason he will only rely on Kenworth.
“When a tipper is half full with materials, such as corrugated iron, washing machines and old cars (we can fit about 60 car bodies in one tipper), the excavator compacts the scrap, by pounding the metal into the trailer. It hits the trailer so hard the excavator’s tracks jump off the ground. Needless to say, this gives our Kenworths a fair shaking,” Adam said.
“That degree of punishment, day in and day out, can quickly turn a truck into scrap metal – but not my Kenworths. They are designed and built to a true heavy duty standard and my job certainly proves that. If we were using anything other than Kenworths, we’d properly destroy those trucks,” he admitted.
Adam said the company had been conducting this practice for many years, and had never had a problem with its Kenworth’s performance or durability.
“We don’t see any unusual wear in our trucks. But we had a driver using another brand and, after one experience with the excavator, the truck’s bonnet hinges were broken. We now take it a little easier on other trucks, but not our Kenworths. They have a rigid chassis and they’re more robustly built than any other vehicle we’ve used. Even the cabin remains in perfect condition,” Adam explained.
Adam said the K104 was an ideal vehicle for his business. “Our trailers are built to maximum length and we need the largest cubic capacity possible, and the K104 delivers. Even though we are hauling scrap steel, we are often carting a lot of air no matter how much we compact the metal. But I decided a long time ago that, even if we didn’t need the volume, we would still stay with the K104. The solid cabin design makes it a much stronger truck than most others. It makes it a pretty tough truck – just what we need,” he said.
Adam says the advantages of working with Kenworth extends well beyond the vehicles. He says his local dealer, Riverina Truck Centre in Wagga Wagga, provides expert advice and service which is uncommon in the industry.
“We recently had a problem with a truck, and they were very responsive. ….We didn’t lose a minute in down time because of their service,” he added.
Available in both flat roof and Aerodyne variants, the K104 has been designed with the versatility to operate in single trailer, B-Double and B-Triple applications, as well as twin-steer operations for mining sites, heavy logging and other specialist applications.
The K104 is available with a range of top-end Caterpillar, Detroit and Cummins engines, producing up to 620 hp and 2050 lb/ft of torque. 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. Inside the cabin, all controls are within easy reach, and the overhead console is divided into four separate components for easier accessibility.
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. |
