International on Friday introduced its new flagship line of Class 8 on-highway trucks, taking the mantle from the company’s ProStar. International says its LT Series, the company’s most fuel efficient line of trucks to date, was designed with feedback from drivers that resulted in a final product that Jeff Sass, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Navistar, calls “the most driver-centric Class 8 vehicle we’ve ever built.” The truck…
Read MoreAutoCar XSpotter Terminal Tractor Recall
Autocar Industries, LLC (Autocar) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Xspotter Terminal Tractor vehicles manufactured August 3, 2015, to April 21, 2016. The steering column shaft weld may break causing a separation of the steering wheel from the steering system, creating a loss of steering ability. CONSEQUENCE: A loss of steering ability increases the risk of a crash. REMEDY: Autocar will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the steering columns…
Read MoreMitchell On Demand’s New ShopConnect Blog
Mitchell 1 is using its database of repair information for medium- and heavy-duty trucks, as well as the collective knowledge of its commercial vehicle editorial staff in its new ShopConnection blog, with the idea of offering tips to help truck technicians work more efficiently. In the blog, many of Mitchell 1’s ASE-certified trucking service experts address repair issues that truck technicians may face in the shop. Recent blog topics covered…
Read MoreAugust Truck Sales Up 36% Over July
Orders for Class 8 trucks in the month of August will be slightly above expectations and a 36% improvement over July’s terrible numbers, according to projections from FTR and ACT Research. Class 8 truck orders in August will be around 14,200 units for the month, a significant rebound from July’s dismal 10,358 units ordered, according to ACT Research. July’s order numbers were the worst recorded by ACT since the first…
Read MoreCaterpillar May Close its Belgium Plant
Caterpillar Inc. has started a consultation process that may lead to closing its plant in Gosselies, Belgium, and the loss of 2,000 jobs there, as part of a global restructuring and cost-savings plan announced a year ago. The Peoria, Ill.-based heavy equipment maker on Friday said the construction equipment manufactured at the site may be shifted to its facility in Grenoble, France, and other sites outside Europe. The company also…
Read MoreU.S. Proposes Speed Limiter on Trucks
A national association of small-business truckers claims the government’s proposal to mandate speed-limiting devices on large commercial trucks would be dangerous for all highway users. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), the nation’s only organization representing professional and small-business truckers, says such devices create speed differentials that lead to more crashes and promote road rage among other motorists. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic…
Read MoreDOC Issues 40% Tariff on Chinese Truck Tires
The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) says truck and bus tire manufacturers in China are dumping tires in the U.S. at less than fair market value, and those tires should be subject to tariffs of at least 20%. The tariffs are retroactive. The DOC announced its preliminary results Aug. 29. In every tariff investigation, the DOC selects manufacturers to serve as mandatory respondents. Those companies then provide data and answer…
Read MoreNew Kenworth T680 DayCab Increases Fuel Economy
Kenworth will extend its T680 fuel economy Advantage package into vocational applications soon with the launch of two new, T680 Advantage Day Cab models, but will cut production of the T660 by the end of the year. The announcement came Friday at Kenworth headquarters in Kirkland, Washington, ahead of a demonstration of Bendix’s new Fusion Advanced Vehicle Safety system. Kenworth Chief Engineer Kevin Baney said the new trucks will help…
Read MoreBendix SR-5 Trailer Brake Spring Valve Recall
After a group of trailer manufacturers issued a recall in late July on more than 30,000 trailers due to an issue with Bendix SR-5 Trailer Spring Brake Valves, another group of manufacturers has joined in recalling some of its trailers. The valve is a “reservoir-mounted trailer valve that can control up to four spring brake actuators during parking or emergency applications,” Bendix says. Manac, Polar Tank Trailer, Heil, East and…
Read MoreKenworth’s New Light Weight T680 Truck
Lightweight is the holy grail of most bulk haulers, who can often convert a pound cut from vehicle weight directly to payload, be it grain, gravel, chemicals and food-grade liquids, or building materials. Kenworth recently showed off a T680 sleeper-cab tractor that scaled at 14,200 pounds (not counting fuel), according to hosts at a ride-and-drive event staged at their headquarters plant in Chillicothe, Ohio. As with any lightweight specification, saving…
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