Kenworth previews set-forward front axle version of T880 workhorse

National Ready Mixed Concrete Association 2016 ConcreteWorks attendees were afforded the first formal showing of the successor to the Kenworth W900S, a longstanding model for mixer trucks running in bridge formula markets. The T880 Set-Forward Front Axle (T880S) premiered at the mid-September gathering in Nashville, and will be among Kenworth Truck’s 2017 World of Concrete and ConExpo-Con/Agg headline offerings.



Anchoring Kenworth’s ConcreteWorks exhibit was the premier T880 Set-Forward Front Axle model, bearing an 11-yd. McNeilus BridgeMaster Mixer and V Extended Tag Axle. Compared to the legacy W900S, the manufacturer underscores such T880S features as shorter cab; improved visibility and lighter weight characteristics; five-piece hood made of RTM, a light material tougher and more durable than fiberglass; and, complex reflector halogen headlight providing projector beam performance without the extra cost. PHOTOS: Concrete Products
KW ii

Outside the ConcreteWorks exhibit in the Gaylord Opryland Resort, Kenworth Truck joined OEM peers and body builder allies supporting the 2016 National Mixer Truck Driver Championship, displaying a Con-Tech Extreme Duty Drum-bearing T880, the charter set-back axle model.

When specified with a mixer tapered bumper of 28-in. setting, the T880S has a 114-in. bumper-to-back-of-cab (BBC) length versus the 120 in. length of the W900S, sunset of which will be near term. The new model’s hood crown, 3.6 inches lower than its predecessor’s, affords up to four feet of additional ground visibility. It shares cab, five-piece hood, reduced weight and other features of the T880, a set-back axle model introduced in 2013 as the eventual successor to the mixer- and dump-grade T800.

“The T880S advances [our] heritage of providing fleets and truck operators with industry-leading, rugged and reliable vocational trucks that deliver excellent performance,” says Kenworth Assistant General Manager, Sales & Marketing Jason Skoog. With the short BBC and bumper setting, he adds, “tare weight is minimized, weight distribution optimized, Federal Bridge Formula can easily be met, and body installations enhanced.”

In addition to the mixer tapered bumper, the T880S is available with dump tapered or straight box bumpers of 29.5- and 31.5-in. settings, respectively, netting 115.5 in. and 117.5 in. BBC lengths. The truck has the Paccar MX-13 engine (12.9 liter, 405- to 510-hp) as standard, the lighter MX-11 (10.9 liter, 335- to 430-hp) optional. Scheduled production is first quarter of 2017.