VHD GETS SLEEPER
The Volvo VHD vocational truck and tractor are now available with a factory-installed 42-in. sleeper cab. Designated the VHD 430, the new truck had its first public showing at Montreal’s ExpoCam 2007 truck show in mid-April. The VHD was previously only available with a daycab. Like all VHDs, the new truck is highly customizable and comes as a 6x4, 8x4 or 8x6 tractor or truck, in axle-forward and axle-back configurations. The basic design accommodates a wide variety of factory-installed options, with multiple axles, frame rail choices, and a wide list of available components. Major features include the one-piece cab and sleeper, constructed of robotically-welded high-strength steel. Volvo’s D13 engine is standard, with up to 485 hp and 1650 lb ft of torque. Transmission choices start with Eaton Fuller 10- to 18-speed manuals and the AutoShift, plus the new Volvo I-Shift 12-speed automated mechanical transmission and Allison full automatics. Front axles can be spec’d up to 20,000 lb, and Volvo T-Ride rear suspensions can be ordered up to 70,000-lb capacity, with Hendrickson suspensions optional. Frame rails are available in five thicknesses. The VHD 430’s one-piece design eliminates the compromises necessary to mount aftermarket sleeper boxes, Volvo says, such as the risk of reduced structural integrity from cutting away the back wall, while eliminating the risk of water and air leaks at the seal between sleeper box and cab. It also means less noise intrusion and better thermal insulation.