Today, it is not a secret for anyone that on the Ukrainian market the construction boom is pushing up the demand for heavy-duty dump trucks. The boom is enhanced especially in the run-up to preparations for the Euro 2012 football championships. An ocean-wide scope of work should be carried out within a tight schedule.

Four-axle dump trucks can help solve this task successfully. The bulk of such work falls on such vehicles, indeed. We can hardly imagine any construction without such dump trucks – either for road building, stadium building, and construction of separate complexes… Having a higher lifting capacity (thanks to an additional axle) and more roomy bodies the 4-axle trucks are far more efficient than three-axle trucks. Sure, in order to justify the investments made into such vehicles to the fullest extent, they should be cost-efficient, reliable, and common in terms of both their use and maintenance. The significant factors should include driver setting comfort and ergonomics. By no means, everything that is available on the local market satisfies all these requirements. However, we may say for sure that the new models of dump trucks from Italy do satisfy all the said requirements and they will offer much more to those who would trust them.

In Search of a Younger Builder

Such statement is not advertising at all. Iveco Trakker’s dump trucks, in the first place, are fitted with the chassis well-known in many countries of the world, especially the builders are aware of them. That’s why the first model with the brand name of EuroTrakker that had been manufactured before 1993 and after, when the changes in the generation took place, the word Euro in the title was removed. The reason for such removal was worthy enough: the model that was originally focused on the European market has become very popular outside Europe. That’s why it was decided to refuse to use the word denoting Grand Dame Europe in the name. The first Trakker’s dump truck saw the light in 2004. It inherited a lot from its predecessor, including well-known Italian Cursor’s engines and the EuroTronic automatic gear box designed in 2000 and 2001, accordingly. It was last year when following Stralis, the leader in the industry, there appeared new Trakker’s heavy-duty dump truck. The exterior and interior of the cab since then has changed significantly, though here we may speak only about re-styling, not more. But kind of restyling are we talking about?
It seems that an “ordinary” builder in the past cannot compete today with the long-range hauler -standard-bearer in terms of attractiveness. Moreover, the lines of false grating on the radiator of the Trakker’s second version look more elegant, rounded off at the bottom, within the range of the collision bumper, unlike the clear-cut jib of Stralis’ version. As far as the leader is concerned, the location of logos of the vehicle has also been changed. Now, the brand name is placed quite high, just above the windscreen, and the make – on top, inside the grating of the radiator. Such solution was chosen not only for the sake of some stylistics, but rather for caring about client’s interests. Today, building companies using new Trakker’s vehicles will be able to place their own names and logos not only on the doors, but also on the front panel of the cab, just in between the name of the model and the make.

It is also important to note that alongside with the stylistic solution of the radiator grating on Trakker’s vehicle, Stralis’ cross baffle plates (of course, of smaller size) and the external rear view mirror casings of a new design are placed on Trakker’s vehicle. On both sides of the cab, on the doors, one can still see Iveco’s brand lines with elongated downward  “small windows” improving visibility and a black plastic overlay that combines, in a solid line, those “small windows” with the edges of the external mirrors. It would be interesting to know whether all such lines will ever be rounded in this century. Indeed, the belt-type pimple has acquired some curvature. Yet, it is not that stylistic approach that plays the leading role in picking up the construction technology.

Builder Comfort

Right are those who consider that the capacity of the construction vehicle depends on conditions of work of the driver. The better the conditions, the less-fatigue work of the driver, the less tired the driver, the higher the efficiency of the vehicle. The Italian designers have done a perfect job to optimize ergonomics of the cab of the driver. It is the interior of the cab of Trakker’s vehicles where major modifications have taken place: the interior has been modified significantly. If it were not for the signs of Iveco on the seat upholstery, they could be taken for Sparco’s civil “buckets”. Such strong is the presentation of their arm supports on the sides. Only sporting lodgments cannot boast of the air suspension and that wide range of adjustment tools available on the ‘builder’ from Italy.

Even more impressive is Trakker’s vehicle steering wheel. It has become more ergonomic than the original one. On the sides of the steering wheel now there are special bosses to fit the palms of your hands, which will significantly facilitate the work of the driver. The steering wheel’s four spokes are located below the steering wheel, which provides, in fact, perfect visibility of the dashboard, regardless the position of the steering wheel column. But the most important is the fact that now the multi-function steering wheel on the dump trucks of Italian origin has the jake brake, retarder brakes, radio, cruise control and even the computer-aided Euro Tronic automatic gear box control buttons. The multi-function steering wheel is included into a standard list of equipment the dump truck is fitted with!

By no means, important is one more innovation of Trakker’s vehicle – a pneumatic system of position setting of the steering wheel. Before, it had only three fixed positions of the tilt angle, but now by pressing the button on the floor of the cab, the driver can unlock the pneumatic system. Without the need to apply the gear box, through the whole adjustment process, the driver can choose any setting of the steering wheel most convenient to him in terms of both the tilt angle and the height.

The working place ergonomics has also been optimized. Especially attractive are the bosses on the sides of the dashboard, just next to the steering wheel, on which other most frequently used systems and even the “alarm” buttons are located. The dashboard is easy to see “through” the steering wheel. And now, in between the speedometer in the habitual round casing and the tachometer, a rather large display of the computer is placed. It is important to note that almost all the data on the vehicle, including the eng hr and the level of brake shoe wear, can be displayed.

It seems that nothing escapes attention in the interior of the cab. Thus, the fore-body is made of a brand new scratch proof and soft to the touch material in the industry, which reminds that of neoprene. In the same way, all seat upholstery is made of easy-washed material. New vibration-absorptive materials are used for noise insulation. There is no need to say that new standard versions of Trakker’s dump trucks are fitted with the door glass regulators, and servo-controlled and heated exterior mirrors. However, the Italians are saving on an air-conditioner and offer it as an option. The Ukrainian importers usually include an air conditioner in the list of standard equipment and they believe that a comfort setting for the local builder should be established and he should not be deprived of anything that brings comfort.

A very interesting option that can be of interest to builders is the third seat. However, it will be less comfortable for the second passenger to sit on it. This passenger seat is above the lug for the engine, a tall passenger will not feel comfortable nor will he be able to stretch his legs. In addition, the seat is fixed in a stationary position on the floor and has only longitudinal adjustment without any air suspension and other pleasing “extravagancies”.  However, if required, the drive can take two workers in the cab. Ant it is good, especially if the option of special task or municipal Trakker’s vehicle is considered. It is not, however, acceptable for dump trucks.

Muscles of a Builder

For several years now, it has been Iveco 6-cylinder diesel engine capable of running a highway truck for one million km from the Cursor family, the “heart” of the heavy-duty trucks, first produced in 2000.  They have covered millions of miles on the roads across the world and stood the test of time. In 2006, the design of these engines was significantly modified and the company was granted a Certificate of compliance of the engine with the technical requirements for a safe lorry EURO4 and EURO5. The main modifications comprised the turbine of variable geometry, the pump-injector unit, and the new engine electronic control system. The later is entirely integrated and monitors almost all driven elements of the vehicle and which converts them into a multiplex system. It is also needless to say that a new electronic system is now available on Trakker’s vehicles and none of the dump trucks, either from Europe or Asia, can boast that it has such system.  Its no laughing matter, if there is an Iveco computer, it takes only two minutes to complete a diagnostic test of all the modules of the truck, including the engine and the gear box. Thus, for example, you will be capable to see the compression reading for each cylinder in the engine. The new engines do not require much time for maintenance: a scheduled inspection is performed after the truck has run 40,000 km, and the fuel system should be cleaned only each 250,000 – 300,000 km (however, the later will depend very much on the quality of the fuel).

To perform less complex tasks, a 7.8-liter Cursor 8 engine 330-360 hp is offered. However, for real builders, a 12.8-liter Cursor 13 engine is designed. Depending on the version of the engine, the power of this turbo-diesel “heart” can be from 410 up to 500 hp, those of Italian drag horses. Medium-power versions such as 440 and 450 hp engines, which the dump trucks are fitted with,  are most widely used, (EURO3 and EURO5, accordingly). It is true to say that the version 500 hp Cursor 13 is more powerful and its torque of 2500 Nm is higher than the torque of 2100 Nm of the 440 hp engines. However, it is the very version which is considered to be the most appropriate among Iveco’s engines. The turbine with variable geometry is of importance here. The peak torque of 2100 Nm falls within the range of green vehicles of EURO5 emission standards — 1000 rpm.
Also, all mechanical gear boxes have been improved: in fact, where applicable, new larger in diameter gear-wheels of more wear-resistant materials have been used. Especially for 440-450 hp engines, an improved EcoSplit – 16S 2200ТО 16-gear box has been designed (for more powerful engines, 16S 2500ТО gear box is used). It makes it equally possible to handle the vehicle both in open pits and on the highway with more efficiency and comfort. Thanks to a special range-change gear box and the pneumatic amplifier, the driver can easily and smoothly switch to the appropriate gear, and the transmission gear lever has an uncustomary short travel almost like that of cars.

It is worth mentioning the fact that there is also an automatic Euro Tronic gear box version, which is so appealing to every driver and which has been improved as well. It had taken five years, since the date of its first design, to significantly improve it in 2006 and, at first, it was used on the leader Stralis, and from now on, it is included into the list of option versions for builders as well.

Tendons of a Builder.

In addition to a standard choice of tree or four versions, Trakker’s vehicle can be fitted with any axle configuration. There are even heavy-duty 4x2 haulers, special 4x4 all-wheel drive vehicles and a 8x8 rough-terrain version of a dump truck to perform jobs, first of all, in open pits. In addition, the Italian designers offer a wide spectrum of wheel bases from 3.2 meters to 5.125 meters in length. It total they offer 8 wheel bases. But in reality, there are many more of them and their range is from 5 to over 8 meters in length. Most of such wheel bases are well-known and passed the test of time and which have roots in the times of the first Euro Trakker’s vehicle.

To perform more complex tasks, there is a special chassis for increased loading. They can have various length and axle configuration. Here, instead of the usual thickness of the material of 7 mm, 10-mm profiles are used. Moreover, in the construction of such chassis there are no so-called double reinforced frames (when two profiles are combined into one following the principle “one into the other”) which are so popular among other manufacturers. Only this single metal profile, if strengthened, does not lose much of its robustness characteristics in terms of its resistance to twisting and keeps the frame “alive”.

All 4x4- and 8x4-chassis, including the haulers, are fitted with new rear bridge tandems with the epicyclic reduction gear. The reduction gears make it possible not only to deliver greater torque from the wheel to the ground but also increase the cross-country capability of the vehicle. Thanks to them, the axle differential gear has become more compact and its crankcase housing is less visible on the profile of the axle.  It makes it possible to somewhat increase the clearance of the vehicle, which, in turn, adds to the cross- country capability of the vehicle. As a result, the well-designed location of the units of the chassis and the use of the rear bridge tandems with the epicyclic reduction gear, made it possible to increase the ascend/descend angles. All rear bridges are offered both with one- or two-stage gearboxes including the differential lockup.  Even the heavy-duty 8x4-dump trucks are considered to be true offroaders. 

In addition, the dump trucks of Italian origin offer some “redundancies” (especially for builders) such as the rear air suspension and even the disk brake units. For both the pivoted axles and the leading axles! They considerably reduce the weight of the vehicle. However, for builders’ construction sites, they prefer to choose more common cushions and drum-type units. They why they supply us with 4-axle Trakker’s dump trucks having not only the most common front semielliptical cushions (each of which is with estimated lifting capacity of 8 tons), but also with the rear tandem suspension with the parabolic cushion (lifting capacity of 32 tons), which is considered standard for construction vehicles. As a result, the lifting capacity of such a vehicle is 30 tons. Though, in open pits (where there is no legislation on the ground bearing pressure) it can carry heavier materials. The same situation is with the brake system. Today, Trakker supplies us with the efficient ventilated disk brakes on the front axles, and the more improved Duo-Duplex drum-type brakes installed on the rear leading axles.

A standard list of equipment also comprises a U-type 18-m3 body from Gervasi - one of the leaders in the bodywork industry, a strategic business partner of the concern Iveco. This bodywork is distinguished in high reliability and long period of service, since it is made from high quality steel XARDOX 450. The floor and the rear stop valve of the body are strengthened and are of 8 mm thickness; the walls are of 5 mm thickness. They ensure sufficient robustness of the body for handling any type of material and significantly reduce the weight of the vehicle. The original shape of the body ensures that no soil gets stuck in the corners of the body. The tipping system is represented by the common front telescope cylinder.
The 4-axle Trakker’s models are fitted with 20 m3 tipping bodies for handling materials of less density, and 3-axle tipping bodies are fitted with standard ones of 14 and 16 m3.   For special tasks – transportation of hyperdense and hard-rock materials there is a 12-m3 body. Unlike the rest of the bodies, its walls and the floor are of 12 mm thickness. On order, Trakker’s vehicle may be fitted with the bodies of one more Italian bodywork manufacturer - Cantoni. The recent shot of this body manufacture is a new type of the tipping body; there is no need to manually avoid heating of the body with exhaust gases while ascending, as it is normally required in many other instances.

Upon appearance of the new Trakker’s dump truck, any driver who, works on the construction site, will no longer envy a long-distance truck driver colleague his comfort, except the height of the cab and the sleeping room in it. Though, he does not need it at all while working on the construction site… Moreover, on order, Trakker’s dump trucks may be fitted with long cabs and even with the medium height of the roof – АТ. However, not those dump trucks, where each extra centimeter of the chassis means that more load can be transported by the vehicle. It is not a secret within Iveco, that on the exterior of the cab we may speak only about the so-called face-lifting and none of them boasts about it, but as far as the interior is concerned, especially where it is really needed and appropriate (suspension and transmission), the Italian designers can be really proud of the new Trakker’s builder.

The dump truck is really universal in terms of its 4-axle version. Such dump truck can successfully work both on any city construction site (experiencing no difficulties in maneuvering along the busy and tight streets) and run long distances, giving so much comfort to the driver during the performance of road building jobs. If necessary, it can easily leave those sites and set out for cross-country journeys – not bothering too much about the destination, either it is a muddy construction site or hard work in open pits. It is really a builder-sized job, isn’t it a builder?

Source – The Trivium Motors, issue No. 10, 2008