THE LOCKWOOD REPORT

January 18, 2012 Vol. 8, No. 2

Well, barely a couple of weeks into the year and we already have significant news to talk about on the hardware front. That's courtesy of Daimler Trucks North America which launched its own proprietary axles -- and a very full lineup at that -- under the new 'Detroit' brand during a press event in Miami last week. The press corps was grateful for the venue.

A steer axle plus both single and tandem drives come in a broad range of ratings said to cover 90% of North American applications. Detroit’s I-beam steer axles have an innovative needle-bearing design -- no bushings -- that promises to reduce wear, tighten tolerances, and deliver better performance with less maintenance. Friction and thrust bearings reduce chatter and enhance steerability, according to Tim Tindall, director of component sales for Detroit. This one sounds good.

The drive axles are marked by better sealing and more straightforward driveline angles that should reduce vibrations and add durability in the process.

The axles are built in Detroit's Michigan plant but they originate, of course, from the very deep parts bin in Germany that DTNA is only beginning to access. And they'll soon be followed by transmissions -- the "missing link" -- as part of Daimler's long-term vehicle-integration plan that really began with the current Detroit engine that is in fact a diesel for Daimler at large, designed for global use from the outset, and built in both Germany and Japan as well as the U.S.

DTNA has several Mercedes Benz automated mechanical transmissions running around the U.S. in Freightliner Cascadia tractors right now, according to David Hames, general manager, marketing and strategy.
 

In Miami he made the point that there are superior opportunities to create fuel economy and performance gains for customers when you're working with your own engine, transmission, and axle as a complete package. Otherwise, consorting with independent engine, transmission, or axle makers is at least partly an exercise in protecting proprietary information.

"The next big opportunity for Daimler in North America is to look at how we can optimize shift strategies with the engine fuel map, the torque curve, etc., to get optimally lower rpm and reduced fuel consumption while still maintaining the performance characteristics required for a class 8 long-haul vehicle," Hames said.

Which is exactly what Volvo did last year with the introduction of its XE13 package that meshes the D13 engine and iShift transmission in a fuel strategy that brings cruise rpm way down to 1100-some-odd and fuel economy up by something like 3%. But only if you're pulling a gross of under 80,000. It's a strategy that won't work for heavier weights, at least not until power and torque curves change quite a lot.

DTNA's integrated powertrain will first be seen in on-highway heavy-duty applications, followed by medium-duty and then vocational.

THE NEW DETROIT BRAND was launched last fall, developed to encompass all powertrain-related components, not just engines.

This expanded vertical integration was inevitable, North America being pretty much the only global market where customers can pick and choose componentry from various suppliers. From a manufacturer's viewpoint, especially a huge outfit like Daimler, it doesn't make much sense.

“By launching the Detroit brand, DTNA is reinforcing its intentions to respond more quickly and efficiently in developing an optimized line of vertically integrated components,” said Andreas Renschler, Daimler's commercial vehicles chief last October. “DTNA and Detroit Diesel have embraced Daimler Trucks’ strategy through implementation of uniform production standards and processes, and a modular strategy for engine development, engineering and manufacturing processes that draws upon Daimler’s global resources.” 

ANOTHER MIAMI ANNOUNCEMENT, incidentally, involved Virtual Technician, DTNA's real-time remote diagnostic system. It will be joining the Detroit family too. The on-board system, developed in concert with Zonar, provides real-time engine diagnostics. It comes standard on every 2012 Freightliner truck (and optionally on Western Star trucks) with a Detroit engine.

The technology provides a technical snapshot of a truck's engine status when the check-engine light illuminates. The Detroit customer support center then relays that information to the provided contact to determine the maintenance issue, recommended service and how soon the vehicle should be serviced. The support center also supplies the closest Detroit service location, and the location is alerted in advance of the vehicle's arrival.

Virtual Technician is also available with Detroit Visibility, which provides data on stops, idle time, speed, location, path and fuel consumption.

KENWORTH PLANS TO SHOW a W900S mixer truck powered by a natural gas engine at next week's World of Concrete Show (Jan. 23-27) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The company's latest vocational product line will be featured there in a four-truck display devoted to mixers.
 

The W900S natural gas mixer (pictured here) is equipped with a Cummins Westport 8.9-liter ISL G engine, Allison 4500RDS 6-speed automatic transmission, and McNeilus Bridgemaster mixer body. Rated at 320 hp and 1000 lb ft of torque, the ISL G uses a maintenance-free, three-way catalyst and is 2010 EPA- and CARB-compliant without the use of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology or a diesel particulate filter (DPF).
 
With it in Vegas will be a T800 short-hood mixer with 12.9-liter Paccar MX engine as well as another pair of W900S mixers, one sporting a Cummins ISL9 engine and the other a Cummins ISX11.9.
 
“Kenworth’s green trucks continue to gain interest among vocational customers, and the W900S natural gas mixer that we’re showcasing at this year’s World of Concrete is leading the way,” said Alan Fennimore, Kenworth vocational marketing manager. “Kenworth offers a wide range of chassis configurations that will work with either standard or bridge formula style mixer bodies. Kenworth’s vocational market share was strong in 2011 and we expect that to continue in 2012.”
 
CAN'T FORGET SHOW SEASON so let me end this as usual with some reminders for your date book.

After next week's World of Concrete we have Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week 2012 at The Mirage in Las Vegas from January 23 to the 26th, which starts with the Heavy Duty Manufacturer Association's Heavy Duty Dialogue on the 23rd. Call 708-226-1300 or visit www.hdaw.org.

Then it's TMC, the Technology & Maintenance Council’s 2012 annual meeting and exhibition, February 20-23, at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. Check out http://tmc.truckline.com or call 703-838-1763.

From March 5th through the 10th it's The Work Truck Show 2012 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, held in conjunction with the National Truck Equipment Association annual convention. The gathering includes the Green Truck Summit on March 5 and 6. Call 1-800/441-6832 or go to www.ntea.com.

A couple of weeks later, March 22-24, it'll be time for the Mid-America Trucking Show at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. Your car, like mine, can probably find it without human or electronic intervention. Call 502-899-3892 or 1-800-626-2370 or go to http://truckingshow.com.

And next it's time for a trip north to Toronto, Ontario for our own Truck World 2012 show on April 19th through the 21st at the International Centre. Call 1-877-682-7469 or go to http://truckworld.ca.

For those of you who plan way ahead, note that this is a Hannover year. The 64th IAA Commercial Vehicles show will be held from September 20 to 27, 2012 in Hannover, Germany. See www.iaa.de/en/

THIS NEWSLETTER IS PUBLISHED every two weeks. It's a heads-up notice about what's going on with trucking technology. I also write here about interesting products that may not have had the 'air play' they deserved within the last few months.

I should remind you that I don’t endorse any of the products I write about in this e-newsletter, nor do I have the resources to test them. What you’re getting is reasonably well educated opinion based on more than three decades in trucking.

If you have comments of whatever sort about Product Watch, or maybe you've tried a gizmo I should know about, please contact me at rolf@newcom.ca.
 

DETROIT AXLES

(January 18, 2012) -- Detroit Diesel adds axles to its 'integrated powertrain portfolio'

SAFETY BY CELL PHONE

(January 18, 2012) -- Really, here's a smartphone app that turns a cell phone into a collision-warning system

LED WORK LAMP

(January 18, 2012) -- New Hella Power Beam 3000 LED work lamp offers 3000 lumens of light

EFFICIENT DIESEL FUEL

(January 18, 2012) -- 'New Shell Diesel Extra' is said to make a 3% difference to efficiency

REMAN TRANSMISSIONS

(January 18, 2012) -- Eaton expands reman transmission warranty for vocational trucks to 2 years