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If I had bought a clean 2000 year Mack, at the first sign of engine trouble, not knowing the truck's history in any detail, I would have had a dealer install a complete Mack factory remanufactured engine if I intended to work the truck day-to-day long-term. While such a strategy can easily be argued against when it comes to costs and profits, the Mack warranty on their remanufactured engines (2-years / unlimited miles), and the fact that it was Mack brand dealer installed, would provide me with "peace of mind" from coast-to-coast. In fact, I would have gone with the optional 3 year/350,000 mile warranty, available when the reman engine is installed by a Mack brand dealer. https://www.macktrucks.com/~/media/files/remack_hotsheet_basic_engine_new_format.ashx

So you clearly had this Mack brand dealer exceed their minimal recommendations by a substantial amount. Your thought process as described is to be commended, and huge ammunition for your case when speaking with Mack Customer Satisfaction in Greensboro. Put it all down on paper before you call them.

Unlike the warranty system of the former Mack Trucks, Volvo warranty processing is painfully slow. You're not alone, the dealers hate it as much as you. There's been large scale resistance to the "uptime" scheme, in as much as Volvo has frustrated the Mack brand dealer network in so many ways. Volvo wants and wants, but fails to give (With the former Mack Trucks, it was a 2-way street).

Volvo wants to be at the center of your world and be the only person to touch your truck. With that theme in mind, when the original Mack brand dealer was doing the work, installing thousands of dollars of genuine Volvo parts, did you go against any of their recommendations?

I suggest you call Volvo Group's Mack brand customer satisfaction hotline (U.S. and Canada) at +1 (866) 298-6586 and start working this problem from that angle as well. It makes a huge difference when dealers know that Greensboro is following this. Are either of these dealers "uptime" certified by Volvo? .................http://fleetowner.com/maintenance/mack-reaches-100th-certified-uptime-center

I feel your pain and frustration, particularly just after that substantial investment.

Ford calls German diesel deal 'ineffective' Automotive News Europe / August 4, 2017 FRANKFURT -- Ford Motor's German operations decided against an industry-wide program to clean up diesel cars with software updates, calling the plan ineffective. BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen Group on Wednesday agreed to update the engine software of more than 5 million diesel cars in Germany to reduce harmful NOx emissions. Most models will be Euro 5 diesels with some Euro 6 models included in the refit recall. Ford said it believes a software retrofit will result in "negligible customer benefit and have no real impact on air quality." The deal also could raise "unrealistic" expectations from the authorities and non-governmental organizations, Ford said in a statement. Instead Ford Germany is offering incentives of between 2,000 euros and 8,000 euros to encourage customers to trade in Euro 1, 2 or 3 diesels registered in 2006 or earlier for a new Ford model. Ford said it is evaluating whether to extend the offer outside of Germany. Volkswagen Group, BMW and Toyota also are offering trade-in incentives for older diesels in Germany. BMW will give owners of Euro 4 or diesel cars a bonus of up to 2,000 euros when they trade in their vehicle for a BMW i3 electric car, a plug-in hybrid or a Euro 6-standard vehicle. Toyota is offering up to 4,000 euros to German customers who swap a diesel car from any brand for a new Toyota hybrid model. Volkswagen Group said it will give trade-in incentives for Euro 1 to Euro 4 diesel models across all brands including the VW, Audi, Porsche, Skoda, Seat marques. It did not specify how much the incentives would be. Foreign brands criticized German Transportation Minister Alexander Dobrindt criticized import brands, which have so far declined to take part in the software update recall because they cannot agree on a common position. "I made it very clear during the summit that the behavior exhibited by the foreign manufacturers is entirely unacceptable," he said. "Whoever wants to retain their share of the German market must be prepared to accept responsibility for the cities, for public health and cleaner air, and these manufacturers are not yet meeting their responsibilities." Clean air campaigners criticized Wednesday's deal, which was agreed at a summit in Berlin attended by politicians and top auto industry executives. Public health advocates and environmental lobbyists said only a more expensive hardware solution will sufficiently lower tailpipe pollutants. They also question promises from automakers that the software fix will not affect the engines' performance, fuel consumption or durability. Volkswagen Group agreed to recall 1.5 million vehicles across its stable of brands, while Daimler will update 900,000 models and BMW said it would update emissions software on 300,000 cars. Opel, which has the lowest diesel share of any German brand, committed to unspecified improvements. Additionally nearly 2.5 million Volkswagen Group Vehicles are receiving the software on a mandatory basis. City bans Ford accepted that diesels may have to be banned from areas with poor air quality. Munich and Stuttgart are among cities considering bans. "No measures – including restrictions on vehicles in certain emission hot spots – should be ruled out," said Ford's Germany sales and marketing chief, Wolfgang Kopplin. Pollution from diesel emissions has become a hot topic ahead of Germany's general election on Sept. 24. Chancellor Angela Merkel's government has been criticized for cozy ties to the auto industry, which is the country's biggest exporter and provides about 800,000 jobs.

Recent (from 2013?) New Zealand-assembled 9800i's had a unique grille treatment. Note the cab sits higher.....the headlamp/side fender panels are taller. And now the latest grille mimics the LoneStar (Intertruck 9870). And note the new step arrangement. .

What had been planned to be the 9800i's replacement in the global market..........AeroStar. .

DT466, DT570 and HT570. Great engines. Navistar's mis-guided (Dan Ustian) EGR direction gave all their engines a bad reputation, and being proprietary they needed volume to be viable, as well as justify future investment for tightening emissions. Ustian is to blame for the premature demise of these engines. Redesigned in 2014, I feel these are still great engines, particularly set up for SCR. But the Cummins ISB is universally loved. I personally never cared for the ISL in a heavy truck application, but they're selling.

Hendrickson Press Release / August 1, 2017 The ULTRAA-K® system is engineered with an optimized strength-to-weight ratio making it stronger than comparable standard and heavy duty 40K slider models in the market today. It is the lightest slider system in the industry by nearly 100 pounds .

T950 LEGEND OF LAWRENCE TRANSPORT Warren Caves, Power Torque Magazine / August 2017 When Kenworth Australia decided on releasing the limited-edition T950 Legend, essentially making old new again, I suspect that even their own management team was taken aback a little by the demand. All 75 units sold out within 48 hours of release announcement, in fact they were oversubscribed. A real plus for the sales team for certain. Originally released in 1992 and running through to 2007, the 950 was a solid performer, equally at home pulling triple road trains as it was on East Coast highway duties. The nostalgic appeal must have been substantial to generate the kind of excitement caused by the announcement of the T950 Legend. Perhaps it was the lure of a limited edition, creating a sort-after classic in the future, or the chance to grab a truck of “Legendary” heritage amalgamated with all the modern advancements in technology to create that perfect partnership of old and new. Previous limited-edition models, such as the T909 Director, were dressed up versions of their original stablemate, with extras and bolt-on bling. Not so with the T950 Legend. A genuine stand-alone Limited Edition was designed, created and built at the Bayswater manufacturing facility. With its High, setback modular cabin with no engine intrusion into the firewall, the 950 is a unique beast with old-school credibility, modern-day compliance, and safety, appealing to obviously a large spectrum of purchasers and more than a few disappointed bidders. From a cabin interior styling perspective the Legend gets a flat dash panel with white background gauges, air-operated windows, custom wood-grained gearstick knob and retro badging on the doors and gearstick boot surround, plus custom seating. This is all embellished by the studded red vinyl trim providing styling accents dating back decades. Externally, the stainless-steel infill panels below the air cleaners give away the limited-edition status, as does the Cummins Diesel, black on gold insignia recreated for this release. Laser cut identification of the model is also carried over into the Mr Bullbar side wings, adding a nice blended touch. There also must have been a few cans of Cummins beige spray paint left on the shelves from the eighties, which was used to paint the usually red ISX engine. Retro external steel door handles are also included. Our featured truck is owned and operated by Lawrence Transport and has the title of #72 out of the 75 sold. Lawrence Transport was started by John Lawrence 38 years ago and is still very much a family oriented business, still operated by John and his two sons, Kel and Blake. Currently operating 18 prime movers and 70 trailers, the company utilises up to ten subbies, as needed, out of its Ingleburn NSW depot. “We are a family business and pride ourselves on old fashioned personalised service,” said John. “We have customers that have been with us for 35 years. We do quite a bit of wharf work in containers as well as generalised work in curtainsided trailers. A lot of the work we specialise in is dangerous goods, and we operate all over NSW as well as interstate as demand dictates”. The Lawrence men have always been loyal to the Kenworth brand; however, John said that this is the first Kenworth he has had that is Cummins powered, being an ISXe5 @ 615 horsepower. With the absence of Caterpillar power as an option, John admits to having a little trouble getting used to its mannerisms. But, being only eight months in service and with 45,000 km on the clock, it still has time to get on his good side and prove it can match it with the Caterpillar engines he has previously been accustomed to. Interestingly, John said, “It (the Cummins) seems to work best at 64 tonnes, more so than when it’s running lighter”. An 18-speed Eaton manual transmission and 4.1 Rockwell differentials round out the driveline. Purchased in late 2015, the Legend was ordered in the company maroon paint as a base, with the final painting to the company scheme, and then given to Max Smash Repairs in Smithfield. Blake Lawrence explained that, “We feel very privileged to have been lucky enough to be a part of this limited-edition model, particularly with such demand”. A good deal of customisation was also carried out on #72 before it was put into service as Johns Truck. Blake explained that it went to Klos Custom Trucks for the bulk of this work. “On the outside, we wanted to keep with the old 950 feel, so we changed the original roof bullet lights for some more period-styled lights and swapped the round bonnet blinkers for square ones. Stainless steel rock guards around the headlights, stainless steel elephant ears on the front of the air cleaners with LEDs and a stainless steel mid-drop sun visor were also installed”. John is the first to admit that, “I’m not that keen on polishing, which is why we went with stainless steel wherever possible. It costs a bit more initially, but is worth it in the long run”. The fuel tanks have been stainless wrapped, cleverly incorporating the wrapping around the AdBlue tank, making it look as one. Stainless wrapping was also used on the alloy wheels, ensuring a long-lasting durable shine, without the polishing. Stainless steel was used on the battery box covers and guards, which utilise low mount brackets hidden from view. Seven-inch exhaust pipes reach skyward. The inside of the cabin didn’t miss out either, with Custom Air in Melbourne fitting a diesel-powered heating and cooling unit with dual-zone control. Other luxuries include an upright Waeco fridge, TV and DVD player, and, wait for it, a fully-automatic espresso machine, for those mornings when you just can’t get going without your morning heart starter. All power is distributed by the 2000-watt pure sine-wave inverter. Occasionally a two-up run is needed, or John’s wife or grandkids might go for a run, so a double-bunk is also featured in the cab. The legacy of the T950 has well and truly been revived, albeit in limited numbers, much to the chagrin of some. The T950 Legend will no doubt be a sought-after acquisition for years to come by way of its limited availability, so, if you missed out on this one, perhaps you got in quick on the recently released T900 Legend. If not, you’ll just have to be content crying over your beer in the pub, and dreaming of what might have been. .

Chris Mullett, Power Torque Magazine / August 2017 Technology has not necessarily improved efficiency, and, for those with long memories, today’s experts could learn a lot from yesteryear December 25th, 1938, H.W. Crouch Pty Ltd, the NSW distributors of Federal Motor Trucks, published Volume 4, Number 11 of the Federal News. This Christmas Day issue led on page one with the “Sylvan Beauty of Bathurst”. Never mind that World War II was looming ever closer, the importers and distributors of Federal Trucks published Federal News on the 25th of each month to inform Federal Truck owners of news and progress as a service and courtesy, and it was therefore duty bound to publish on Christmas Day. The lead editorial feature on page two was titled “Federal Fleets Grow” and announced proudly the receipt of an order from Messrs. Lopez Bros. of Victoria Road, Gladesville, Sydney, for its eighth Federal Truck – this latest one being a two-tonner: “In this particular instance, the first Federal Truck purchase was made as far back as July 1929. The second order came along in August 1935, and the third in April of the following year. In 1937, Lopez Bros. purchased three more Federal Trucks, and this year (1938) they have purchased two. A fleet of eight Federal Trucks is a splendid advertisement for the enterprise and industriousness of the Lopez Bros”. Based in Detroit, Michigan, the Federal Motor Truck Company manufactured its products between 1920 and 1959. Federal outsold Diamond T in 1927 and 1928, but thereafter lost the lead to its rival and never recovered, dropping sales to just 1300 units in the depression years before picking up during the war through US Defence Force purchases. In those days it was impressive to speak of truck engines managing to produce 90 hp at 3000 rpm from a 4.3-litre, six-cylinder hauling a GVM of 7.7 tonnes. But while the name of Federal Trucks is a passing memory, its staunch supporter at that time, Messrs. Lopez Bros., still exists today, hauling containers and general freight with its fleet from its base now in Enfield, and run by Phillip and Anne Lopez, joined in recent years by their son Ben. PowerTorque caught up with Phillip’s brother John Lopez and his son Danny on a winter Saturday morning, not to reminisce, but to discuss Danny’s 2007 Western Star 4800, the focus of attention for a photographic feature by Steven Foster, who, as well as heading the MMMG graphic art team, is also acknowledged for the high quality of his creative photography. John Lopez explained that the family had always been involved in trucks, and, with a history dating back to 1929, the link between those early days of the company and today is how the company maintained virtually its exact livery through nearly 90 years, complete with hand signwriting of the Lopez name and scroll work. “In those early days my grandfather started off doing general freight, and in the war years they used to cart the entertainment around for the soldiers. My grandfather died when my father was just 15 years old, and even at that young age he then joined the company. In those days they used to do engine rebuilds at the side of the road and had a wide range of skills that nobody seems to possess today,” said John. “When you look at the ways trucks were loaded in those days, the idea of load restraints was virtually unknown. The yard was in Gladesville, and as housing and shops encroached on the yard they restricted the available space to such an extent that the decision was made to move to Enfield, where the company remains based today,” John added. John still fills in occasionally for driving duties, but, predominantly, runs a property in Yass, NSW. Meanwhile, his son Danny runs country NSW and occasional interstate runs mainly on drop-deck work hauling farm equipment. With his 2007 registered Western Star 4800FXB, resplendent in the Lopez Bros. company livery, Danny has notched up over 1.4 million km without any major rework, with the exception of a new camshaft and followers. Opening the door of the Western Star, now some 13 years old, gave a good indication why the truck with its Detroit Series 60 was performing so well. The interior could be considered to be as new, an amazing tribute to the way the family looks after its assets, and, in particular, how Danny looks after his truck. The fleet totals some 12 vehicles, with 4 prime movers being Western Star for the longer haul work and UD for use around town hauling containers to and from the Sydney ports. The Western Stars have a variety of engines, including the Cat C13, the 12.7 Detroit and a DD13, and the 14-litre Detroit Series 60 in Danny’s truck. Maintenance is handled in-house with the assistance of a mechanic. Oil is always BP, as John believes an engine benefits from the use of the same lubricants through its life. “We’ve been with BP for over 20 years and we run our oil drain intervals at 15,000 km. The other benefit we have noticed is with the Eaton Auto Shift transmission. When we change the oil there’s never a hint of metal in the lubricant. We standardised on the automated manuals some years ago and it’s been an ideal choice,” said John. “For tyre choice the Western Star 4800 runs Bridgestone 150s in 295/80R22.5 on the steer axle with Firestone 11R22.5s on the drive axle. The Firestones are performing well with tyre life of around 100,000 and 140,000-150,000 km on the steer tyres. “In terms of fuel economy, we regularly get well over 2.0 km/litre, although some days running over the mountains if the weather is bad we may drop to 1.8 km/l with the drop-deck,” commented John. .

Scania Group Press Release / August 3, 2017 Red Pearl and Chimera wow the crowds at Convoy in the Park. Two of Svempa’s spectacular customised trucks – Red Pearl and Chimera – wowed the crowds at the recent Convoy in the Park truck festival in England. The trucks have been on show at various events around Europe over the summer, and the dynamic duo were driven to the event by Robert Bengtsson and Jan Gisslén from Scania. Both Robert and Jan were inundated with questions about the trucks, with enthusiasts wearing out their phone batteries taking photos and movies. And of course, there was the opportunity to hear these magnificent machines’ distinctive roar, which, as our film shows, had people swarming round them like bees to a honeypot. . .

Navistar to drop its medium duty engines by next year Jason Cannon, Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / August 3, 2017 Navistar announced Thursday plans to cease engine production at its Melrose Park, Ill., plant by early next year as the truck maker continues that facility’s transformation into the company’s technical center. The move will bring the company’s medium duty 9/10 liter engines to an end. “Our N9/10 engine family was updated in 2014 and since then has served as a competitive niche offering for specific medium-duty vehicles,” says Persio Lisboa, Navistar chief operating officer. “As we approach future regulatory requirements, the low volume nature of the platform could not justify further product development investments on it.” Navistar reintroduced the 6.7 liter Cummins engine as an option for its Class 6/7 medium duty vehicles in 2013, and in 2016 made available a 9 liter Cummins engine option. The Cummins ISL and ISB, which now take standard position in those trucks, are manufactured in Indiana and North Carolina, while Navistar’s big bore engine plant in Alabama will continue to make engines for International Class 8 trucks. The cessation of engine manufacturing at Melrose Park is expected to affect about 170 employees, many of which are retirement eligible, and reduce Navistar’s operating costs by approximately $12 million annually. Assistance and opportunities for retraining will also be offered to affected employees. “Ending production anywhere is a difficult decision because it affects employees,” Lisboa says. “We continue to be committed to investing in our Melrose Park facility as we complete its transformation into a technical center that is integral to our product design, engineering and sales teams. Given the investments we’ve made, we expect to have a significant presence in Melrose Park for years to come.” Navistar began the transformation of its Melrose Park facility in 2010 by adding a state-of-the-art truck testing and validation center on the 80-acre campus, which complemented an existing engine test center there, all of which is in close proximity to Navistar’s product development teams in Lisle and to the company’s New Carlisle, Ind., proving ground. Over the last several months, the company added a used truck evaluation and reconditioning facility and its flagship Used Truck Sales Center to Melrose Park. Additional consolidation in the former manufacturing space is possible in the future, Navistar says, which would allow even more employees in product design, engineering, service and sales units to work alongside each other.

Heavy Duty Trucking / August 3, 2017 Volkswagen has quietly purchased a significant number of shares in Navistar International Corporation, parent company of International Truck and Engine, during the month of July, according to reports in various international financial news sources. Volkswagen has been a major shareholder in International since purchasing a $250 million stake in the Lisle, Ill., company in September of last year and the two companies have collaborated on diesel engine technology for commercial trucks for over a decade. According to a report in the financial journal Week Herald, Volkswagen acquired 43,501 shares of International stock on Monday, July 17th at an average price of $29.25 per share, for a total transaction of $1,272,404.25. That transaction was followed closely by four additional Navistar stock purchases by Volkswagen in July, ultimately netting the German car and truck manufacturer an additional 341,663 shares in the company for approximately $9,991,085. All told, Volkswagen invested approximately $11,263,489 in Navistar International stock last month. According to additional reporting by the United Kingdom’s Press Herald, as of July 21, 2017, Volkswagen owns approximately 16.4 million shares of Navistar International stock, which is approximately 17% of the company’s overall market capitalization. .

Making ELDs pay in trucking Sean Kilcarr, Fleet Owner / August 3, 2017 So obviously the talk continues apace within the industry regarding the possibility of delaying the still highly controversial electronic logging device (ELD) mandate via legislative action by Congress. Right now, the betting is that this effort to delay the implementation of the mandate by two years isn’t going to fly – largely because, hello, Congress is the one that forced this mandate to be established to begin with. “There is a lot of discussion going on and a lot of conversation going on,” noted Joseph Beacom, vice president and chief safety and operations officer for Landstar System, in the carrier’s second quarter earnings call. “We're trying to get the guys [contracted owner-operators] to move towards implementation of ELDs by the deadline in December. We currently believe … the deadline is going to hold. We're confident that they will get them installed.” Beacom noted, however, that the proposed legislative delay cited above coupled with a request from Congress for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to conduct a review of the mandate is creating what he dubbed “a little hesitation” in the industry. “I do think there's been some speculation as to whether or not the deadline will hold and I think there's been some indecision based on that,” Beacom pointed out. “[But] my opinion would be is that it probably doesn't [get delayed]. And I base that on the fact that it was Congress who asked them [FMCSA] to implement it,” he stressed. “So unless there's something that comes out as to trouble with enforcement or something along those lines, I would be hard pressed to think they would defer it further.” Interestingly, Beacom pointed out that 20% or so of Landstar’s contracted owner-operators – whom the carrier calls “business capacity owners” or BCOs – haven’t installed ELDs as of yet and are doing so largely to avoid cost and “inconvenience” issues. “It's not a fear factor. It's not a productivity issue, I don't believe,” he explained. “It's just why incur the cost or the inconvenience before I have to. And so there's that deferring the decision. It isn't something that they're not willing to do," Beacom emphasized. "It's just more a factor of seeing it as there's plenty of time and hope and maybe there's this slight chance that it gets deferred. So why go through the expense and the hassle if it does, in fact, get delayed two years? It's more of that kind of mindset that we're hearing.” Indeed, James Gattoni, Landstar’s CEO, noted on the call that BCO productivity this year has been better than it has been in the past two years – and that’s with 75% to 80% of Landstar’s BCOs using ELDs. “We have to go back to 2014 [as] the last time they were running the way they are running today,” he noted. Thus it clearly seems this group of independents, at least, isn’t suffering too great a business impact from adopting ELDs. And that’s really the key to making the mandate work for truckers, according to Jason Goodrich, product manager of technology solutions at J.J Keller & Associates. “Using is believing,” he told me. “The key is to how to find the proof in the pudding; where you can advantages by using ELDs.” First, Goodrich stressed that there is cost of not being in compliance. For if and when the mandate goes into effect, if it is discovered that a motor carrier doesn’t have one during a roadside inspection, you can placed out of service – expensive downtime any trucker, large and small, can do without. During a conference last year, Bill Quade, the FMCSA’s associate administrator for enforcement and program delivery, noted that there’s going to be very little wiggle room for truckers regarding ELDs. If a motor carrier is discovered without an ELD or issuing one deemed “non-compliant,” the agency plans to only provide an eight-day window from the time of the initial notice that they install compliant ELDs. “But eight days isn’t much time to select, buy and install a new ELD, especially for a large fleet,” he noted. “The regulations, however, do contain provisions that allow for waivers, and FMCSA would take such circumstances into consideration.” Yet rather than think solely about the possible “negatives” associated with ELDs, Keller’s Goodrich told me the key is look at the short- and long-term positives they can offer. And when he said “short-term” he pointedly meant costs savings, such as with fuel tax reporting. “Think about it: with paper logbooks, you have to reconcile the log with paper fuel receipts,” Goodrich explained. “Many times receipts get lost over the course of a 600 mile length of haul, so you end up ‘guesstimating’ the right amount.” With ELDs, however, now you have an exact mileage count. Marry that up to electronic receipts from a fuel card program and, presto, you have far more accurate fuel tax records. Goodrich said the return on that improved accuracy alone can pay for an ELD in a year or two. “We’ve had some customers gain a return [on fuel tax reporting] in a much shorter time frame, too,” he pointed out. Then consider the reduction in time spent on the administrative needs of paper logbooks. “Think about a driver that’s making 20 stops in a day,” Goodrich emphasized. “That’s a lot of time spent noting duty status changes by hand. With an electronic log, that goes away.” Finally, there’s the long-term to think about, especially in terms of recruiting a new generation of drivers – ones who’ve grown up in an electronics-based world. “My grandfather was an OTR [over-the-road] driver, so mobile apps would never have worked for him,” Goodrich said. “But today, mobile apps make sense for the younger generation. They are ordering their groceries online, order Uber via their phones. They send texts; they don’t send letters. So setting up electronic technology to collect [logbook] data automatically appeals to them. This is part of what allows [carriers] to attract a new generation into trucking.”

Class 8 orders continue to roll Fleet Owner / August 3, 2017 Medium-duty truck orders dipped in July, though they remain up year-over-year. Class 8 net orders remained strong in July, while medium-duty truck orders took a significant mid-summer dip, though order levels remain higher compared to 2016. Class 8 orders increased 4% in July versus June this year and are up 81% year-over-year. “While down on a nominal basis from the 2017 order trend, seasonal adjustment brings July’s order intake in-line with recent activity," one analyst said. "Over the past six-months, Class 8 net orders, seasonally adjusted, have averaged 21,900 units per month." According to data from FTR Transportation Intelligence, Class 8 net orders for July hit 18,300 units; a month-over-month improvement of 5% and 79% better than the same month one year ago. Orders increased for the second month in a row, a positive sign during the summer, with order volume over the past 12 months indicating an annual Class 8 production total of 224,000 units. “This is a great sign to see orders rising, even slightly, in mid-summer,” noted Don Ake, FTR’s vice president of commercial vehicles, in a statement. “This is the beginning of a positive trend that we expect to continue the rest of this year, right into 2018. Freight is on the upswing and industry capacity is tightening. The equipment markets, both Class 8 and trailer, are starting to respond to this environment.” By contrast, North American Class 5-7 medium-duty orders dropped 26% in July versus June, though they remain 2% higher on a year-over-year basis. After a seven-month stretch of Class 5-7 net orders averaging 22,100 units per month, preliminary orders dropped in July, declining to a 13-month low. Still, taken together, even though heavy- and medium-duty orders were lower month-over-month based on July’s numbers as a group, they are up a combined 33% from last year, which highlights the significant improvement in demand that has occurred over the past twelve months. Truck OEMs themselves remain confident regarding the current commercial truck order and sales trends as well. Paccar, for example, noted in its second quarter earnings report that U.S. and Canada Class 8 orders increased 44% in the first six months of 2017 compared to the same period last year. “Kenworth and Peterbilt’s medium- and heavy-duty truck deliveries increased in the second quarter of 2017 by 25% compared to the first quarter of this year,” said Gary Moore, Paccar’s executive vice president, in that report. “Class 8 truck industry retail sales for the U.S. and Canada are expected to be in a range of 200,000 to 220,000 vehicles in 2017. The truck market reflects the good economy and high levels of freight tonnage.”

Daimler Produces its First 3D-Printed Metal Part Heavy Duty Trucking / August 3, 2017 In Europe, Mercedes-Benz Trucks has printed its first spare part made of metal that has passed all stages of the company’s quality assurance process. The 3-D printed part was a thermostat cover for older series Mercedes-Benz truck and Unimog models. Daimler said this was the first time the company was able to print a strong metal version in original quality. Printing parts that are made of metal could lead to cost-effective, rapid, and flexible production of parts in small batches. Producing metal parts directly from digital records saves money on special tools, storage, and transport costs. "With the introduction of 3D metal printing technology, Mercedes-Benz Trucks is reasserting its pioneering role among global commercial vehicle manufacturers," said Andreas Deuschle, head of marketing and operations for customer services & parts at Mercedes-Benz Trucks. "We ensure the same functionality, reliability, durability, and cost-effectiveness with 3D metal parts as we do with conventionally produced parts." The parts division of Mercedes-Benz Trucks began using 3D printing with increasing success for aftermarket and replacement parts about a year ago. Since then, the customer services and parts division has worked with researchers and pre-developers at Daimler to improve and expand the use of the latest 3D printing processes of plastic parts. Metal components produced through 3D printing processes are an extension of this program, allowing metallic components to be produced on demand. The process was initially used to produce rarely ordered aluminum parts, but in the future it could extend to peripheral engine parts made of metal, in-engine parts, or parts in cooling systems, transmissions, axles, or chassis. “The particular added value of 3D printing technology is that it considerably increases speed and flexibility, especially when producing spare and special parts,” said Deuschle. “This gives us completely new possibilities for offering our customers spare parts rapidly and at attractive prices, even long after series production has ceased.”

Working smarter and harder: Metal 3D-printed parts for trucks Aaron March, Fleet Owner / August 3, 2017 As 3D printing technology continues to find real-world applications in automotive and trucking, Mercedes-Benz Trucks has opened new possibilities with an announcement yesterday that it's now printing metal spare and replacement parts. That follows up on the OEM's plan to begin 3D printing plastic or composite spare parts for certain European market trucks in late 2016. It may have seemed a move that would have limited applications or advantages, but the company's expansion into new materials could offer more. For example, Mercedes-Benz noted that the first metal parts it's printing are aluminum, and "these excel with almost 100% density and greater purity than conventional die-cast aluminum parts." The 3D printing process could deliver items with a material/ structural advantage, which has also been touted in using the technology to make things from plastic and similar materials. 3D printing — especially if it can use and produce items from a wider range of materials — can offer a better way to provide spare parts and faster service for older model vehicles. That might seem counter to manufacturers' continual push to sell new ones, and more of them, but older vehicles are a diminishing fraction of their business that can tie up significant capital. Consider large investments needed in traditional manufacturing runs; shipping, distribution and storage of parts; and maintaining and storing production tooling to make those parts. What's more, Mercedes-Benz noted that 3D printing can adeptly handle more complex items and may have very broad applications for vehicles indeed — so long as the production needs match the technology's capabilities as they currently stand. "Especially when they have complex structures, 3D-printed metal parts in small numbers can be produced cost-effectively as infrequently requested replacement parts, special parts and for small and classic model series," Mercedes-Benz stated. "Conceivable areas of use are peripheral engine parts made of metal, in-engine parts and also parts in cooling systems, transmissions, axles or chassis." Size matters The scope of what can be 3D printed has grown with the introduction and broader use of larger printers. What began with desktop 3D printers — which were good for affordability and "oohing and ahing" the public, but limited in practical automotive-type uses to actually compete with traditional manufacturing — suddenly opened up with the potential to print parts more of a size that trucks and other vehicles require. You can even print an entire vehicle body, such as companies like Local Motors and Cincinnati Inc. have demonstrated using that latter firm's Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) technology, for example. "Additive manufacturing" is the somewhat more clinical term for 3D printing. Computer-designed parts going back for years essentially provide a built-in blueprint that could be used with such printers. Ford Motor Co., another automaker that has pioneered the use of 3D printing, said earlier this year that it was testing out the use of large-scale 3D printers from Stratasys in vehicle production. "Imagine a 3D printer as big as a room, capable of printing auto parts of practically any size," the manufacturer said — and the technology also has the potential to make equivalent parts lighter, a major strategy OEMs use to increase vehicle efficiency. Notably, Stratasys has been expanding other transportation applications as well with its printers. In July, the company said its machines were chosen for an Airbus project to 3D print parts such as brackets for planes to "achieve greater supply chain flexibility and improve cost competitiveness, while leveraging on reduced material consumption and waste." Back in spring, McLaren Formula 1 Racing announced it had increased its use of Stratasys 3D printers in making similar parts for faster design, installation and testing at the track. Siemens Mobility, a branch of Siemens AG, has used Stratasys printers in making some custom "one-off" parts for trains operating in Ulm, Germany. A 3D-printed part for the nose of trains, for example, can be made to exact specifications and holds its shape when exposed to the elements better than the equivalent part made from fiberglass plastics. Thus 3D printing can even produce items with characteristics that are "simply not achievable to the same degree" with traditional manufacturing, according to Siemens Mobility. In those and other uses, 3D printing appears to be finding its niche, though currently somewhat narrow, even as printer size and materials range are widening it. The technology makes most sense when limited quantities of items are needed, and traditional production and distribution is comparatively slow and costly. What's been emerging are more applications, whether it's specialty situations like racing parts or various kinds of prototyping or vehicles found in limited numbers — perhaps classic cars or late model heavy trucks. .

Navistar to End 9/10L Engine Production by 2018 Heavy Duty Trucking / August 3, 2017 Navistar announced on Aug. 3 that it will cease production of its medium-duty 9L and 10L engines at the company’s Melrose Park, Illinois, facility by the second quarter of 2018. The change is part of Navistar’s transformation of the Melrose Park facility into a technical center that conducts truck and engine testing and validation as well as used truck sales and reconditioning. The majority of engines produced at the facility are 9- and 10-liter engines used in International Class 6 and 7 vehicles. Alternative engines are currently offered in all applications. “Ceasing production of engines at Melrose Park is a difficult decision, but represents another important step on our journey to strengthening the company’s competitiveness,” said Persio Lisboa, Navistar chief operating officer. “Our N9/10 engine family was updated in 2014 and since then has served as a competitive niche offering for specific medium-duty vehicles. As we approach future regulatory requirements, the low-volume nature of the platform could not justify further product development investments on it.” Navistar reintroduced the option of a 6.7L Cummins engine in 2013 and a 9L Cummins engine in 2016. The Cummins engines that are used in the medium-duty Class 6/7 segment are manufactured in Indiana and North Carolina, while Navistar’s big-bore engine plant, which makes engines for Navistar’s Class 8 trucks, is in Alabama. The cessation of engine manufacturing at Melrose Park is expected to affect about 170 employees and reduce Navistar’s operating costs by about $12 million annually. The company will take an approximate charge of $43 million as a result of the action, including around $8 million in cash-related charges. .

Navistar to Cease Engine Production at Melrose Park Plant Transport Topics / August 3, 2017 Manufacturer Navistar International Corp. is phasing out the production of engines at its Melrose Park, Ill., plant and will turn the facility into a technical center for truck and engine testing. The company said Aug. 3 that the production shutdown will be completed around February to April and affect about 170 employees. The company uses Melrose Park to make its 9- and 10-liter N-Series engines, mainly for Classes 6 and 7 trucks and buses. The original equipment manufacturer, based in Lisle, Ill., said the move will reduce operating costs by $12 million a year, but it will cost $43 million at the start of the process. “Ceasing production of engines at Melrose Park is a difficult decision but represents another important step on our journey to strengthening the company’s competitiveness,” Navistar Chief Operating Officer Persio Lisboa said. The N9 competes with the Cummins Inc. ISL engine, which also has 9 liters of displacement. The Navistar statement said the transformation of Melrose Park began in 2010, when the company added a truck testing-and-validation center at the 80-acre campus. Engine testing was done there for years prior to 2010. The company also has a proving ground in New Carlisle, Ind. Navistar is a major builder of smaller Class 8 trucks. Often called Baby Eights, these heavy-duty trucks have engines smaller than 10 liters. During the first half of this year, Navistar ranked second behind Freightliner Trucks in sales of Baby Eight trucks, according to data from WardsAuto.com. There was a major change, though, in that Navistar truck buyers in the segment switched overwhelmingly to Cummins engines from Navistar engines. .

Fleet Owner / August 3, 2017 Company said it will end production of medium-duty 9/10L engines by 2018 and will continue transformation of Melrose Park facility. Navistar announced that it will cease all engine production at its plant in Melrose Park, IL, by the second quarter of fiscal 2018. The company said it will continue the facility’s transformation into Navistar’s technical center, including truck and engine testing and validation as well as used truck sales and reconditioning, continuing the process that started in 2010. The majority of engines produced at Melrose Park are medium-duty 9/10 liter engines used in International Class 6 and 7 vehicles, for which alternative engine options are currently offered in all applications. Once completed, the cessation of engine manufacturing at Melrose Park is expected to affect about 170 employees and reduce Navistar’s operating costs by approximately $12 million annually. The company noted it will take an approximate $43 million charge as a result of this action, including approximately $8 million of cash related charges. “Ceasing production of engines at Melrose Park is a difficult decision, but represents another important step on our journey to strengthening the company’s competitiveness,” said Persio Lisboa, Navistar chief operating officer. “Our N9/10 engine family was updated in 2014 and since then has served as a competitive niche offering for specific medium-duty vehicles. As we approach future regulatory requirements, the low volume nature of the platform could not justify further product development investments on it.” In 2013, Navistar reintroduced the option of a ISB 6.7 liter Cummins engine [200-325hp] for its Class 6 and 7 medium-duty vehicles, followed in 2016 by a ISL 8.9 liter Cummins engine option [260-380hp]. “Ending production anywhere is a difficult decision because it affects employees,” Lisboa said. “We continue to be committed to investing in our Melrose Park facility as we complete its transformation into a technical center that is integral to our product design, engineering and sales teams. Given the investments we’ve made, we expect to have a significant presence in Melrose Park for years to come.” The transformation of the Melrose Park facility began in 2010, when the company added a truck testing and validation center at the 80-acre campus. Truck and engine testing are now being conducted at Melrose Park, in close proximity to Navistar’s product development teams in Lisle and to the company’s New Carlisle, Indiana proving ground*. * https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40066-navistar-buys-668-acre-indiana-proving-grounds-from-bosch/ .