by Kirk Landers, Editorial Director

Rigid-frame dump debuts

Moxy Engineering used the 2008 ConExpo-Con/Agg show for the first public showing of the AB510, a rigid-frame dump truck with a 51-ton payload capacity. The 600-horsepower hauler has a six-speed transmission and a front steering axle with two independent suspension cylinders. The tipping body has a heaped capacity of 37.3 cubic yards.

Upgraded screening

Powerscreen has introduced the new Chieftain 2100X as an upgrade of its popular Chieftain 2100. Available as a two- and three-deck, it has 14-percent greater bottom deck screen area to provide greater screening capability. The company says it also has greater stockpile capacity and sets up ready to run in less than 30 minutes.

Super-stable suspension system

Volvo says its new, seven-model E-Series articulated haulers introduced this year are the first to offer a suspension system with automatic leveling and stability control on all wheels. The lineup ranges from the 26.5-ton A25E to the 43-ton A40E. Tier 3 engines have brought a surge of power: the A40E FS got a 12-percent increase in horsepower and a 19-percent increase in torque.

The A35E and A40E models also have a new fully automatic, nine-speed “fast-adaptive” transmission that features an optimized gear shift pattern with a precise overlap of ratios to provide constant power transfer. All models have new frames, axles, and a single-speed drop box with longitudinal differential and 100-percent lockup to reduce power losses and improve traction and fuel efficiency.

Also new: more powerful exhaust brakes and retarders, and improved cooling systems.

Payload capacity reaches 43.5 tons

Caterpillar introduced in new 740 articulated hauler with expanded capacity earlier this year, touting its 43.5-ton payload capacity as the highest in the class. Its expanded capacity truck body handles up to 31.4 cubic yards of material. Other features on the truck include differential locks that can be engaged and disengaged on the go for faster cycle times in poor underfoot conditions and steep grades, a 453-horsepower engine, and a seven-speed automatic transmission with individual clutch modulation to ensure constant shift times even when the oil is cold.

Six-wheel drive all the time

Moxy unveiled its upgraded MT26 Series III haulers at the ConExpo-Con/Agg show earlier this year. The 310-horsepower artic has a heaped capacity of 26 cubic yards and a 24-ton payload. New features include a new skip design, wet disc brakes on all wheels, and a substantial reduction in truck weight. Like all Moxy artics, the MT26 Series III has full time six-wheel drive, a free-swinging rear tandem bogie, independent front suspension, and an articulated hinge system.

Also new at ConExpo-Con/Agg was Moxy’s new three-model line of ejector trucks, the MDT31, MDT41, and MDT51. The new models have bodies built from hardened abrasive-resistant steel plates and three-stage ejector rams to move the bulkhead rearwards to eject material. The first model shown in North America was the MDT31, which has a 29-cubic-yard heaped capacity.

All-in-one sand plant

KPI-JCI is in production with its new portable, self-contained plant that scrubs, screens, and washes aggregate at a rate of up to 500 tons per hour. It includes a 36-inch twin-blade mill, 44-inch twin fine-material washer, and a 6- by 20-foot three-deck horizontal vibrating screen. The company says the plant’s greatest advantage is setup time – about 4 hours, says KPI-JCI, compared to several days for a traditional plant.