Kenworth Australia has set a new benchmark in 'extreme duty’ workhorses with the introduction of the C510 Twin Steer, a purpose designed and manufactured tri-drive vehicle for remote on and off-highway, heavy-haul tasks.

The C510 Twin Steer raises the bar in design and engineering for Kenworth and for Australia. It is the largest truck built by Kenworth, and it is the biggest ADR-compliant on-highway vehicle ever produced in Australia.

Functionally the C510 is a unique truck developed exclusively for the most demanding applications requiring the highest GCM, particularly the heavy haul of mined aggregate and ore.

Developed in conjunction with Brambles Industrial Services, which has ordered a number of these trucks, the new model is already attracting widespread interest from a growing number of mining contractors as well as operators in other industries, including timber plantations.

Kenworth’s C510 Twin Steer is designed to be road registered, meaning it meets dimensional and axle load constraints and complies with Australian Design Rules.

Rated up to 200 tonnes GCM, the 10x6 twin-steer, tri-drive is powered by Cummins’ newly-developed, 19-litre QSK19 engine which meets the European Euro 3 emission standards and complies with Australian on-highway emission requirements (ADR80). Designed primarily for high-end road train applications, the big-bore Cummins engine provides superior levels of durability and reliability than is currently available from smaller cubic capacity engines.

The engine delivers 600 hp (447 kW) at 2100 rpm, with peak torque of 1950 lb ft (2644 Nm) at 1300 rpm. Other key components include an 18-speed Fuller RTLO-22918B transmission, Neway AD369/10 air suspension and Sisu FR3P39 tri-drive, hub-reduction axles to meet Western Australia’s concession loading regulations at a slightly reduced operational top speed (90 kmh).

The new vehicle also features Kenworth's development of the unique twin steer configuration. This is required to accommodate the increased front axle load of the big bore engine and associated cooling package, which incorporates massive 1900 in2 radiators cooling the engine block and a special charge air cooler. In addition, the truck includes other unique features, such as second axle squared guards, to provide a safe working platform for access to the cab and for daily maintenance requirements.

Kenworth’s Chief Engineer, Gary Hartley, says the C510 Twin Steer provides customers with enhanced durability compared to other models as well as a new level of flexibility, allowing fleets to use higher GCM trucks when and where they are needed.

“These days, with just-in-time processes and tight schedules especially in mining applications, operators literally cannot afford to operate trucks that are unreliable or not up to the extreme-duty tasks. This is where the C510 will shine. It has been built without compromises on productivity, reliability or longevity.

At the heart of the C510 is the new Cummins engine. Gary Hartley says it has passed rigorous 'real world’ testing, proving its ability to deliver improved engine performance and life while operating in the harshest environments.

“One of our customers has been putting the QSK19 through its paces in Northern Territory’s Tanami Desert, hauling gold-bearing ore in 400-tonne, six-trailer road trains with powered trailer. Despite being continually under heavy load, there have been no overheating problems or performance issues They haven’t missed a beat – which is just what extreme-duty operators need and get with the C510,” Mr Hartley said.

“We are very pleased with operational experience to date that shows the engine’s life-to-overhaul exceeding 20,000 hours. That’s a significant improvement on smaller 14 to 16-litre engines which can begin to peter out at 6000 to 8000 hours, as engine load factors reach a critical point,” says Ross McDonald, general manager of truck engine business for Cummins South Pacific.

Apart from fitting the enormous engine into the chassis, the most significant challenge for the engineering team was providing sufficient cooling for the power plant. The project involved a significant re-design of Kenworth’s regular model, resulting in a longer chassis, tri-axle drive and a significant increase in frontal bonnet area to allow the vehicle to operate under ambient conditions in excess of 50?C experienced in the expected operating terrain.

Kenworth’s Director, Sales & Marketing, Joe Rizzo says the C510 Twin Steer is a prime example of Kenworth’s ingenuity to produce low-volume, high-load capacity trucks for niche markets.

“We are the only Australian manufacturer that has the design capacity, technical expertise and resources to custom engineer trucks to meet the challenging needs of specialist niche markets, with high quality and quick turnaround,” Mr Rizzo said.

“This project took under 12 months to complete from detailed concept to production and certification. No one else has that capability, and that’s why truck operators who cannot afford to compromise, choose Kenworth,” he added.

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.

For Further information, contact:

Neil Willox
Marketing Manager
PACCAR Australia
Tel: (03) 9721 1500
E-mail: neil.willox@paccar.com