Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
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PRODUCT REVIEWS, OEM & SUPPLIER NEWS AND EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT TRENDS BY JACK ROBERTS ➡ MODEL: 2012 660S SBA 6x4 (CF7AA) ➡ FUEL ECONOMY: 6.47 mpg @ 55 mph ➡ ENGINE, DIESEL: CT13 (EPA 2010), 475 hp @ 1,700 rpm, 1,700 lb.-ft. torque @ 1,000 rpm, 2,100 rpm ➡ TRANSMISSION, AUTOMATIC: Caterpillar CX31, first-generation controls, 6-speed; includes oil level ➡ AXLE, FRONT, NONDRIVING: Meritor MFS-20- 133A, wide track, I-beam type, 20,000-lb. capacity sensor with PTO control ➡ AXLE, REAR, TANDEM: Meritor RT-46-164P single reduction, standard width, 46,000-lb. capacity with ➡ SUSPENSION, REAR, AIR, TANDEM: Hendrickson Primaax EX, 55-inch axle spacing, 46,000-lb. capacity, 9-inch ride height dump. The CT13 diesel, based on the Navistar MaxxForce 13, is exceedingly quiet on the road, with plenty of smooth on-demand torque and power – and fuel economy rated slightly above 6 mpg out of the box. The engine has the raw power required to get a fully-loaded dump out of a muddy rut but still cruise endlessly down a straight stretch of road without skipping a beat. Another nice surprise is the truck's well-heeled handling characteristics. Nothing highlights design defects in steering and handling like rolling down a rain-slicked interstate at 65 mph, but the CT660 remained sure-footed. Steering response to control inputs was intuitive and precise, and the truck didn't wander all over the road – even when blasting through deep, large puddles of standing water. It was a nice shot of confi- dence – and in my opinion, confidence that your truck is up to the task at hand is never a bad thing. JACK ROBERTS is Executive Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. E-mail jroberts@ccjmagazine.com or call (205) 248-1358. lube oil pump, driver-controlled locking differential in forward rear and rear rear axle; 4.89 gear ratio governed speed, 475 peak hp (max) Navistar submits MaxxForce 13 for EPA certification avistar has submitted its MaxxForce 13 diesel engine to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for com- pliance testing, the company told attendees at a Feb. 1 stock analyst meeting. The California Air Resources Board notified Navistar in January that the company's emissions credits for the MaxxForce 13 would expire Feb. 29. Most diesel engine manufacturers chose to use selective catalytic N reduction aftertreatment technology to meet the required emis- sions levels. Navistar diesel engines use an in-cylinder exhaust gas recirculation technology to reduce exhaust emissions; the com- pany is the only North American engine manufacturer to do so. Currently, Navistar diesel engines emit more grams of nitro- gen oxide than their competitors' engines. But because Navistar exceeded the performance parameters set for earlier emissions reduction regulations, the company was awarded emissions credits by EPA that allow them to do so. "The bottom line is that Navistar will sell engines in 2012 that Navistar diesel engines use in-cylinder exhaust gas recirculation. are fully certified in all 50 states," said Jack Allen, president of Navi- star's Engine Group, during the analysts' meeting in Chicago. "Any issue between Navistar and the EPA will remain be- tween us and the EPA and will not affect Navistar customers." Navistar's DT medium-duty engines, as well as its MaxxForce 11 and Maxx- Force 15 engines, were not included in CARB's notification and will continue to be sold using the com- pany's existing EPA credits. "This is an ongoing process and a continual refinement process of our engines and our emissions technology," Allen said. "We are confident the MaxxForce 13 will be certified as compliant by the EPA, validating our in-cylinder emissions reduction technology and without any degradation in terms of performance, durability and fuel economy for our customers." – Jack Roberts COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | MARCH 2012 31 Navistar told stock analysts it was "con- fident" its MaxxForce 13 diesel engine will be certified as compli- ant by the U.S. Envi- ronmental Protection Agency.