Cool CAT Carrier - the Kiwi CT630 8x4 tractor

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New Zealand Trucking

The temperate, climate and good soils mean just about anything will grow in the Gisborne region, and the clean environmental image of New Zealand agriculture certainly helps in international markets. The main products from here are apples, broccoli, lettuce, grapes, sweet corn, watermelon and pre-packed salads. Marist missionaries at the Taradale Mission first planted grapes in 1851, and wines from this area have since gone on to worldwide acceptance and acclaim.

Getting all that produce to the end user and essential supplies back to the community is now handled entirely by the trucking industry over a road network most politely described as challenging. The distances are significant and Weatherell Transport has five Cat trucks to do the job; four 8x4s and an ex-demonstrator 6x4, mostly double-shifted, travel up to 1,400 kilometres per day. As well as the Gisborne to Auckland run, another Cat does Gisborne to Wellington and a third is on the Picton to Christchurch route. The 6x4 covers Gisborne to Auckland, usually five days a week.

Weatherell’s Cats handle a diverse mix of terrain daily, including some of New Zealand’s most notorious gorges and ranges. The runs demand experienced and skilled drivers as well as damn good trucks. Breakdowns are expensive, embarrassing and mean that a load of fresh produce could well be compost before it reaches the distribution centre.

Steve Weatherell has operated various makes of truck over the years and has closely monitored the performance of competitive makes. He started out as an owner driver for Trailways before moving to Freightways Express, Daily Freight and finally Mainfreight. A disagreement with Mainfreight management prompted Steve to call it quits and set up his own business in October 1994.

Those first few years of any business are always tough but Steve had been operating two Scanias and an Isuzu as an OD, and had been on the Tauranga to Gisborne run for four years. He already had a solid reputation for delivering good service, and at the end of his first year was running seven Scanias. Steve and his wife Jane Weatherell have gone on to make Weatherell Transport the diverse, successful operation we see today. He places much credit on the support of loyal customers and a good team to operate the 60 plus trucks the company now has.

The growing demand of line haul operations required bigger trucks and most of the solutions came from the Kenworth stable. Cummins and Caterpillar engines were both trialed but the big yellow Cat C15 soon became the preferred option and an alliance was formed with Murray Kernohan at Goughs early in the piece. At this point we should be able to say “And they all lived happily ever after”, but the story didn’t end that way.

In 2008 Caterpillar made the shock announcement that they would cease supplying on-road truck engines. It was greeted with dismay, even disbelief, by long term buyers and understood to be prompted by concerns about forthcoming emission regulations. Then came another surprise, NC2, a new venture between Cat and Navistar was formed to produce their own range of trucks. In the meantime Daimler had taken full control of Detroit Diesel and the only place you could buy one of these was under the bonnet of a Freightliner truck.

The first batch of 540 of the new Cat branded trucks were assembled in Australia during late 2010 on a temporary production line at their Tullamarine (Melbourne) premises. New Zealand Trucking magazine reviewed one of the Australian CT610 tractor units at the time and was told production had been brought forward as the Cat engines would not meet Australia’s forthcoming ADR 80-03 emission legislation and that there were no plans for an eight-wheeler or exports to New Zealand.

More surprises came in September 2011 with the news that Caterpillar was pulling out of the NC2 alliance. Then in December of that year, word that NC2 Australia had received ADR80-03 approval for the Cat ACERT C15 after minor changes to the engine programming and addition of a crankcase breather. Why hadn’t the boffins back in Peoria thought of that?

Finally, in April 2012, news that some New Zealand operators had been keenly awaiting – Cat trucks would be available here. Steve Weatherell ordered four 8x4s, but before any went into service a 6x4 demonstrator truck came on the market and Steve bought it and put it to work immediately. The eight-wheelers soon followed, utilising a twin steer conversion by Wilkinson Transport Engineers of Cambridge. With the return of the Cat engines, Murray Kernohan returned to Goughs and helped with the deal.

This brings us to the fleet’s latest addition, an 8x4 Cat CT630 powered by a big yellow 550hp C15 ACERT driving through an Eaton RTLO–20918B transmission to Meritor RT46–160 rear axles on Hendrickson air suspension. It rides on a 5.2m wheelbase with the steering handled by two Meritor MFS14-143A wide track axles each rated at 6.5 tonne. It is non-load sharing setup but well up to the task and, as Steve points out, avoids the expensive and early failure of rocker bushes he has experienced with other makes. The conversion to twin steer uses the original Sheppard steering box and a new fabricated steering arm attached to a drag link running back to the second steer axle. It is an effective setup and even wear on the front tyres suggests the alignment is in order.

The new Cat rides on 275/70R22.5 tyres and the suspension has been lowered front and rear to improve stability and achieve a chassis height of just 880mm. To ensure correct loading of the front axles, the fifth wheel turntable is mounted 1,100mm ahead of the centre of the bogie.

The tractor unit’s low set sleek appearance is somewhat deceptive for what is every inch a heavy duty highway unit. A glance at the build plate and loading certificate confirms this with a tare of 9.6 tonne, GVM of 29 tonne and GCM of 72 tonne.

The Cat has a number of features added by Weatherell Transport in light of their local experience. Long turntable supporting angles spread the weight of the trailer along the chassis, and a rail across the rear of the cab allows brake and air lines to slide smoothly as the trailer’s long front overhang swings across the chassis. Side skirts cover the fuel tanks, and neatly fabricated brackets between the rear mudguards carry the company logo.

Steve says the custom Aliarc alloy bumpers have already proven their worth against falling rocks and an out of control car. He adds the LED lighting on the Cats is, “a big plus”. The trucks only have two ordinary light bulbs, even the headlamps are LED units, and Steve says the increased reliability of the lighting is a significant advance in safety and ease of maintenance. He has started swapping out the lights on other makes for LED units.

The CT630 is normally coupled to a new Fairfax quad fridge that includes the latest innovations from Fairfax’s forward thinking and well proven designs. The whole trailer body is vacuum formed in one piece to avoid stress points, thermal leakage and places where dirt can accumulate. High strength structural foam insulation is bonded to the inner and outer skins during a clever patented process that ensures high strength in a thin wall profile. The wall section measures a remarkably thin 22mm resulting in a trailer that can take two conventional 1.2m pallets side by side within its 2.5m outside width. The thin walls still achieve an insulating factor sufficient down to -20 Celsius and are strong enough to support a full length Maxiloada double stacking system.

The trailer is right on the legal length limit of 15.65 metres and is stickered for 22 tonne. Its design clearly demonstrates Weatherell Transport’s commitment to improvements in productivity, safety and fuel efficiency. The running gear consists of four BPW axles on air suspension (with the rear castor steering), across a 4.2 metre axle spread. It rides on single 385/55R22.5 tyres and is disc-braked, with ABS and EBS to cater for the unexpected.

The refrigeration system is designed to ensure correct temperatures are maintained, minimise fuel consumption and noise levels, and offer maximum flexibility for backloads. A Carrier Vector 1950 multi-temp diesel electric unit operates evaporators at either end of the trailer and provides the capacity for two separate fridge or freezer sections. The two zones can be separated by a full height insulated moveable divider when operating both zones at different temperatures.

The Carrier Transcold diesel electric system is a major departure from conventional fridge design but offers efficiency gains and reduced maintenance according to John Oates, Sales Director of the NZ Distributor, Transcold Group Ltd. Components such as main drive belts, gearboxes, clutches and vibrasorbers are eliminated. Because every powered component is electrically driven there are no mechanical drive losses and power can be reduced to match the cooling load required. The all electric design also means a fully hermetic refrigeration system is used which reduces refrigerant loss over the lifetime of the unit and eliminates maintenance costs for components which are no longer required. For on-road operation, the power source is a Kubota 2.2 litre four-cylinder diesel driving a three phase 415 volt alternator. When plugged into mains power the unit operates without the engine, just like a shipping reefer unit.

A neatly curved fuel tank occupies the space immediately below the fridge unit with both filler cap and fuel gauge easily accessible. Close attention has been paid to aerodynamics with the trailer featuring side skirts which curve underneath the unit over the final 600mm of the long unit. A mesh panel between the tail lights allows air to flow out from beneath the trailer. The benefits here are threefold; a fuel saving of up to 0.2 km per litre, better brake cooling and less road grime on the rear doors.

We met up with drivers Klyne Komene and Herbie Edmonds during a trailer swap at Matawai, where we got our first look at the Cat CT630 and Fairfax trailer. An overnight accident in the Waioeka Gorge meant their run had been rescheduled and we only caught a brief look at the newest trailer which was heading on to Gisborne behind a Kenworth T404. We joined Klyne in the cab of the eight-wheeler Cat for our run north with an older Fairfax quad in tow.

Travelling the return trip from Gisborne to Auckland six days a week is a challenge for any truck and driver. The Weatherell Cat leaves Gisborne about 8am with a load of fresh East Coast produce. The two drivers are based in Tauranga and a driver swap takes place at the Weatherell depot there about 12:30pm and the truck then leaves Tauranga for Auckland. Arriving in the City of Sails in the afternoon, it is unloaded and picks up another load before heading to Hamilton for more drop offs and pick ups. It then makes the journey across the Kaimais to Tauranga, where the trailer is topped up if there is room and the driver swap takes place about midnight, before the trip through to Gisborne, where it starts unloading about 5am. The significant round trip of almost 1100 kilometres means the truck has already clocked up over 100,000 kilometres in little more than three months.

The drivers do the Tauranga to Gisborne return trip for two weeks before having a change and doing the Auckland side of the route. Klyne acknowledges both routes have their challenges and although there is plenty of hands on work for the drivers when loading and unloading, he says it is clean work and the customers are great.

Klyne is an easy going and totally professional driver who followed his father’s wheel tracks into the trucking industry. His driving career started in classic fashion, driving J model Bedfords and D series Fords for the Rodney County Council. This eventually led to his HT licence and a stint with Provincial Freightlines pulling curtainsiders in a CH Mack. Klyne has been with Weatherells for over five years and enjoys the role and the company. “I like to keep a tidy truck and present a good image to the customers,” he explains. Herbie was on his first week with the company and learning the route.

An all up weight of around 35 tonne does little to bother the big Cat engine on a couple of decent grades after Matawai. We get down to fifth high in the Roadranger at one stage but this is more to do with numerous bends than any shortage of power. The C15 will pull happily down to 1000rpm at which point it is still churning out a healthy 2500Nm of torque. Even at full weight on this section of the route, 44 tonne until the bridges are upgraded, Klyne says he will not usually need the low box.

Klyne’s previous truck was a Scania R730 and he compares the Cat favourably with both the Scania and the Western Star he had before that. He likes the torque and comfort, saying, “It’s doing exactly what it should be doing. The eight-wheeler is an advantage over the [six-wheeler] Scania because I don’t have to worry about the weight distribution so much.”

He has even more praise for the trailer, “The trailer is awesome. It is ideal for us, it’s got cube and travels well with a load on.”

The day cab has ample room and even the air ride Gramag passenger seat is quite comfortable. Instrumentation is neat and easy to read without the multitude of gauges and switches used in most American trucks. Klyne is pleased with his new steed, his only complaint being the reversed switches for the electric windows. This was noted in our original test but is apparently a function of the left hand drive CAN bus wiring setup and cannot readily be changed. He was a little reluctant to tip the bonnet for our photographs and, ever the professional driver, he apologised for some oil stains on the engine. This was the result of a cracked oil filler tube that has been replaced with a shorter one making it difficult to avoid spillage.

On the downhill run some old fashioned technology, the three-stage Jacobs brake, keeps our speed under control with only an occasional service brake application needed for corners. The Cat engine’s deep growl brings back memories of when the C15 was often considered the supreme engine for long haul work and even though the Jacobs is well muffled the engine sounds restrained rather than tamed. With countless trips through the Waioeka Gorge under his belt Klyne still takes the descent with caution and keeps an eye out for the unexpected. Despite being well behind schedule he remains philosophical and takes the time to pull over and let cars overtake wherever possible, pointing out, “People can get annoyed and do silly things otherwise.”

It is surprising to find that there is no cellphone coverage for over 70 kilometres here, a factor that greatly delays emergency response to any incident or accident. Whilst phone companies need to make sound commercial decisions surely there is also a responsibility to the community and customers in this area.

We meet the ocean again at Opokiti and enjoy coastal views along the Matata Straights. The CT630 is cruising at just over 1300rpm at 90kph with a 0.73:1 overdrive top gear and 3.9 diff ratios. Any driver accustomed to a lower powered European or Japanese truck would be reaching for the gear lever now but the big 15.2 litre Cat engine has plenty in reserve.

A few days later we caught up with Klyne and Herbie again. Herbie was about to take the wheel for the Tauranga to Auckland run and had the new trailer in tow. Normally the Auckland run takes in the Kaimais, but this time Herbie was leaving from Mount Maunganui and heading west on State Highway 2 through the Karangahake Gorge.

Like Klyne, Herbie is a professional driver with more than 20 years experience behind the wheel. He moved down from Whangarei where he had been carting food and produce for a number of years, so the role is not unfamiliar and he knows a lot of the people in the industry. Herbie is a comfortable driver and guides the long trailer smoothly through the deep narrow gorge. On the flat straights across the Hauraki Plains the Cat cruises effortlessly, easily maintaining the traffic flow on the hills, including the Bombay climb as he turns on to State Highway 1 and rolls into Auckland a little after four.

The first stop is Foodstuffs Fresh, where the trailer is completely unloaded of its cargo of produce. As Herbie forks out pallet after pallet it becomes clear just how long the trailer is and the immense cubic capacity of the unit.

The Maxiloada system consists of a series of aluminum beams, which are rolled along tracks about 1400mm from the floor and lock together to support a second row of pallets. When not used the beams are stored out of the way against the ceiling. Loading using the system requires a procedure and Herbie demonstrated it when loading frozen and chilled pallets at Foodstuffs’ Auckland warehouse. First a couple of beams are set up on the tracks at the rear of the trailer, two pallets are forked on side by side and the loaded unit easily pushed by hand to the front of the trailer where it is locked in position. Two more pallets are then forked in under the pallets on the Maxiloada.

Getting the pallets stacked to the optimum height is the job of the driver. The warehouse often has them too high or low and Herbie has to alter them when loading to take maximum advantage of the cubes available. The trailer usually travels back to Gisborne cubed out, 56 standard pallets will fit in the trailer, subject to weight limits. Double stacking using the Maxiloada avoids damage to light and sensitive food packaging and insulation dividers are placed between the frozen and chilled pallets.

The trailer floor is lined with 5mm aluminum but the underlying combination of foam and fibreglass provides sufficient strength to allow a five-tonne forklift to work inside the trailer.

The Cat handles its challenging route with deceptive ease and economy with fuel returns of up to 2.3km per litre.

We still can’t say, “And they all lived happily ever after”, because trucking stories don’t end that way and more stringent emissions regulations will eventually mean the end of the big ACERT Cat engines.

Unless yet another surprising press release arrives from Caterpillar, that is.

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