Sources: Kenworth Truck Co., Kirkland, Wash.; Peterbilt Motors, Denton, Texas
The two heavy-duty brands of Paccar Inc. showed new vocational models at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, both sporting variations of a common, set back front axle vehicle platform with 12.9-liter Paccar MX-13 engine; 83-in. (2.1-m) wide aluminum cab; sloped, multi-piece hood fabricated of impact-absorbing Metton composite; and, panoramic windshield offering marked visibility improvements over predecessor chassis.
Eyeing eventual replacement of its T800—a stalwart for dump trucks and concrete mixers—Kenworth unveiled the T880 in 116.5-in. or 122.5-in. bumper-to-back-of-cab lengths. Scheduled for summer production, the model’s spacious cab is assembled with self-penetrating fasteners and stamped aluminum panels for a durable enclosure exhibiting enhanced noise, vibration and corrosion resistance. The cab was introduced last year in the T680, a highway model Kenworth bills as its most advanced and aerodynamic truck to date, and has been subjected to extensive testing to confirm suitability for a vocational environment.
In addition to the MX-13 engine, with high-end ratings of 500 hp and 1,850 lb.-ft. of torque, the T880 is available with the Cummins ISX15 engine (up to 600 hp and 2,050 lb.-ft. of torque). The T880 joins the T800 and W900S, with set-back and set-forward axles, respectively, and three other Kenworth vocational models. Field demonstrations will begin this spring in the Pacific Northwest and Ohio, the latter to include a T880 with OSW dump body that was part of the Kenworth Mid-America Trucking Show booth.
Noting positive signals in transportation and other construction markets that will be key to driving new mixer and dump truck demand, Peterbilt rolled out the Model 567 at the March 21–23 Louisville gathering as an eventual successor to the 367 and 365 chassis often deployed for concrete and aggregate hauling. With production commencing in June, the 567 is available in 115-in. and 121-in. bumper-to-back-of-cab configurations, and with optional Cummins ISX15 power. In addition to its set-back axle, an angled steering gear installation further improves maneuverability by increasing wheel cut by up to 9 degrees over other designs, reducing curb-to-curb turning diameter by up to 9 ft. Chassis system routing improvements over earlier models include new air and fuel hard lines and the separation of key air, fuel, diesel exhaust fluid and electrical systems routing to simplify service, repair and body installation.
“The Model 567 builds upon [our] long history of providing customers with the most durable and reliable trucks that are designed to endure the harshest of vocational applications,” says Peterbilt General Manager Bill Kozek. “From the rugged design and versatile configurations to enhanced visibility and spacious interior, this new model exceeds the demands of our customers’ unique vocational operating requirements.”