Since the birth of road transport, trucking operators have strived to reduce fuel usage and increase payloads. Over the past decade, the industry’s push towards alloy wheels because they’re far lighter than steel wheels has seen many truck manufacturers make alloy rims a standard fitment on various models. For instance, almost half a tonne (476kg)…
In trucking terms, the acronym DPF refers to the Diesel Particulate Filter used in the exhaust system of trucks built after 2009. Its purpose is to trap the particulate matter or soot produced from the engine and prevent it (down to 1-micron) from exiting the exhaust pipe. A poorly maintained or blocked PDF will cause…
How ride height effects truck shockers Words and photography by Howard Shanks (diagrams supplied by Powerdown) As the title suggests, changing the ride height of your truck’s air suspension can have shocking results on the life of your shockers. Suspensions like many components on a heavy vehicle are precision pieces of equipment that play a…
MMW Highway-Bowl side tipper quad road train review. Mining company executives have little time for the finer details of truck and trailer specifications and even less for manufacturers marketing garrulity. Except, that is when your trailer combination promises to deliver a 10 per cent payload increase. Townsville based trailer builder; Mick Murray Welding knows this…
Bogie Drive Basics – Advice for truck drivers Dana Diff Lock Driver’s instruction manual available to download at end of article. Diff Lock engaged – axle in the locked position All bogie or tandem drive trucks require an inter-axle differential, also referred to as the Power Divider, which allows the forward and rear axle to…
Minimising truck fuel consumption is essential for a fleet’s profitability, even in good times. The good news is that immediate techniques and training are available that can significantly improve your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. Roadtrains.com.au asked Karlie Shire, Scania’s Driver Trainer for Western Australia, to share these strategies to reduce fuel consumption. Karlie Shire, a seasoned…
How to Couple and Uncouple a Fifth Wheel on a prime mover is a skill that should be mastered before a driver get’s their heavy combination licence. Yet there are an increasing number of photos posted on social media of trailers being dropped. We sent our resident trainer-assessor, Howard Shanks, to find out why is…
Queensland are the first state to ditch the laborious heavy haulage permit system, making Smart OBM mandatory for Over Dimensional loads. “Queensland Transport and Main Roads (TMR) Revised Class 1 Heavy Vehicle Access Regime represents a critical step forward in improving the safety, efficiency, and compliance of heavy haulage operations in Australia,” Grant Elphinstone, Technical…
Queensland-based Sunchip Group has had Mack trucks and Elphinstone trailers operating in one form or another for over 30 years. But thanks to the proven reliability of their existing Mack Super-Liner and Elphinstone Long Logger fleet, they placed an order for ten more. Roughly three hours’ drive north of Brisbane, hidden within the verdant embrace…
In the rugged and breathtaking terrain of Tasmania’s snow-capped Great Lakes, a revolution in logging transportation is quietly unfolding. At the heart of revolutionary transformation is Scania’s latest R 770 V8, an engineering powerhouse with unique features that are redefining efficiency and performance in the logging industry. With its unparalleled fuel economy, reduced trip times,…