The Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky., is the largest industry event of the year, hosting more than 75,500 attendees who explored new truck innovations in more than 1 million square feet of exhibit space. Beverage Industry distribution contributor David Kolman reports on some of the ground-breaking products designed to improve safety, driver comfort … and maybe even the planet.

ArvinMeritor Commercial Vehicle Systems has released its Web-based Literature on Demand function on DVD, covering its broad range of integrated drivetrain systems, modules and components, undercarriage products as well as specialty equipment for trucks and trailers.

The user-friendly DVD offers numerous search and viewing options and can quickly link to ArvinMeritor’s Web site for more detailed product information. The company plans to release updates each quarter.

Caterpillar has enhanced service coverage for purchasers of its 2007 engines with the Cat Pure Confidence program. It includes free Extended Service Coverage and an On-Time Promise that provides reimbursement for a rental if any 2007 engine is down for warrantable repair for more than 24 hours.  

All of Caterpillar’s 2007 engines are equipped with ACERT technology, which relies on four basic systems to lower emissions — air management, precision combustion, advanced electronics and effective aftertreatment — while preserving the engine’s reliability and durability to keep costs low.

Cleantechnics International has introduced a bypass filter system said to substantially extend oil drain and filter change intervals, as well as engine life.

Unlike a typical bypass filter, Cleantechnics’ unit “filters 99.5 percent effectively at the one micron level,” the company says. A typical spin-on or full-flow filter is designed to capture only 35 micron and higher particulate contamination.

The increased load ability allows for filter change intervals of up to 90,000 miles and oil drain intervals of up to 360,000 miles, the company states.

Cummins has released a high-performance rating for its ISX engine and approved the use of biodiesel fuel for its engines.

Its “most powerful ISX engine in years,” the ISX 600 is 600-horsepower (hp) 2,050 pound-feet (lb-ft.) torque diesel that allows drivers to maintain road speed even on steep inclines, which reduces the number of downshifts and fuel consumption. It also can maintain a higher average road speed with less shifting to reduce driver fatigue and shorten trip time.

In addition to stronger pulling power, the ISX 600 includes electric actuation on the Cummins’ variable geometry turbocharger for improved engine response across the entire power range.

The ISX 600 engine is scheduled to be available this fall.

All 2007 Cummins ISX and ISM on-highway truck engines are covered by its exclusive Uptime Guarantee, which covers both the engine and the aftertreatment system. If a problem can’t be repaired within a 24-hour period, Cummins will pay for the repairs and provide up to three days of reimbursement for a rental vehicle.

Cummins has approved the use of biodiesel B20 blend fuels in its 2002 and later emissions-compliant ISX, ISM, ISL, ISC and ISB engines, including 2007 diesels.

Biodiesel is the name of a clean-burning alternative fuel produced from domestic, renewable resources. Biodiesel is produced in pure form and contains no petroleum (100 percent biodiesel or B100). However, it usually is blended with petroleum diesel fuel at low levels to create a biodiesel blend. B20 is a blend of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent diesel.

Delo Synthetic Gear Lubricant SAE 75W-90 from Chevron, developed for use in rear axles and differentials, meets a new industry specification for enhanced performance in subzero temperatures.

The gear lube can provide improved equipment durability, fewer churning losses and fuel economy gains — particularly at low operating temperatures. Chevron says other benefits include extended drain capabilities, performance in a wide range of operating temperatures and thermal and oxidation stability.  

The lube meets all OEM (original equipment manufacturer) specifications and warranty requirements.

Ford’s 2008 F-Series Super Duty has been overhauled with an all new interior, new design frame for enhanced safety. New to the line is the first F-450 Super Duty pickup; the F-450 was previously only offered as a cab and chassis.

The new Super Duty Series is offered in three cab styles — regular cab, supercab and crew cab — and each model is available in a variety of bed configurations. The all-new 6.4-liter Power Stroke Clean Diesel joins a powertrain lineup that includes the segment’s most powerful gasoline engine, the 362-hp 6.8-liter V-10 Triton.

Starting in July, 10 new model sizes for the F-Series will be introduced with additional cab-to-axle (CA) configurations.

Grote Industries has unveiled a new innovation in vehicle lighting products: LED WhiteLight. This latest generation of LEDs (light emitting diodes) provides improved light quality while using less power. It is being developed for use in forward lighting, interior lighting and work lamps.

Basically, LEDs are tiny solid-state technology lightbulbs that offer a number of advantages over incandescent lighting. Among them: greater durability, longer life span and less energy consumption.

Grote’s LED WhiteLight lamps put out a genuinely white, bright light with a good dispersion pattern, while using advanced technology to solve the internal thermal problems that plague LEDs.

For interior lighting applications, the lamps provide improved light color for optimum viewing comfort. For forward lighting and work lamp applications, the new lamps present a bright, white, reliable light with optics tailored to the particular application.

The new LED WhiteLight products will be on the market within the next several months.

Haldex’s self-setting automatic brake adjuster (S-ABA) for truck applications has a unique design, which is said to revolutionize correct fit with easy installation, improve performance, extend service life and reduce inventory costs.

The self-setting adjuster establishes its own reference point with the help of the control arm. For example, the control arm sets itself to any angle within the total range of permissible control arm positions allowed with current adjusters, the company explains. Its clearance-sensing design maintains a constant and uniform distance between the brake drum.

The gradual adjustment of the S-ABA maintains this lining-to-drum clearance, which lowers the risk of over-adjustment during prolonged braking.

Like Haldex’s standard automatic brake adjuster, the new S-ABA has a heat-treated housing to extended service life and minimize internal wear; centralized clutch location for improved protection from moisture, dirt and other contaminants; and heat-treated internal gears made of high-strength, high-alloy steel to minimize wear and improve durability.

International Truck and Engine now offers six big bore diesels for its Class 8 heavy-duty truck models. The inline, six-cylinder MaxxForce 11 (11-liter) and MaxxForce 13 (13-liter) engines come in ratings of 330 to 475 hp and 1,250 to 1,700 lb.-ft. torque.

The engines feature advanced fuel- and air-management systems for improved combustion efficiency with peak torque achieved at 1,000 rpm (just above idle) where fuel economy is inherently best. This allows for earlier upshifts when accelerating and fewer downshifts when climbing hills. The engines also offer less harsh noise and vibration.

The new engines are the latest addition to the MaxxForce lineup, which includes engines for Class 4-7 trucks.

Meanwhile, International has completed the re-branding of its entire truck line with “Star” badges to bring a consistent nomenclature to its vehicle line. Each name corresponds to a previous product in the International “thousand” series.

The CityStar is a medium-duty Class 4; DuraStar, medium-duty Class 5 and 6; PayStar and WorkStar, severe service Class 7 and 8; TranStar, heavy-duty Class 7 and 8; ProStar, heavy-duty Class 8.

Kenworth’s W900S and T800 vocational models now are available with Cummins’ ISM 425 hp diesel engine. More than 500 pounds can be saved by spec’ing the 11-liter ISM 425, compared to 13-liter engines.

Kenworth offers the ISM 425 with a torque rating of 1,550 lb.-ft. at 1,200 rpm. Manual and automatic transmissions are both offered.

All of Cummins’ 2007 ISM and ISX heavy-duty truck engines come with its Uptime Guarantee, which covers the engine and aftertreatment system. If a repair can’t be completed within 24 hours, Cummins will not only pay for the repair, but also provide up to three days of reimbursement for a rental vehicle.

Kenworth’s newest medium-duty truck is its T370 Class 7 conventional, which is available as a tractor or a straight truck with single or tandem axles. It is equipped with a 325-hp 750 lb.-ft. torque Paccar PX-6 diesel engine, front axle ratings are from 10,000 to 14,600 pounds; rear axles from 17,000 to 40,000 pounds.

The models are available in a choice of manual or automatic transmissions, air or hydraulic brakes and wheelbases.

Its new medium-duty cabover, the K260, is a non-CDL truck with a gross vehicle weight (GVWR) rating of 26,000 pounds. It has 63.2-inch bumper to back of cab (BBC) dimension and is available in wheelbases of 189 and 210 inches, with either an air or mechanical suspension.

Power is supplied by a 220-hp PACCAR PX-6 5.9-liter diesel engine backed to a ZF overdrive six-speed transmission. Axles are rated for a total of 26,000 pounds — front 10,000 pounds; rear 21,000 pounds (4.56 ratio). It has air disc brakes all around.

The K260 joins the Class 7 K360 cabover, introduced by Kenworth last year. Rated at 33,000 pounds GVWR, the K360 comes with the same engine — in horsepower ratings from 220 to 280 — and the same transmission.

Michelin has introduced two new tires: XDN2 drive tire and XZA2 Antisplash tire.

The all-season XDN2 incorporates elements that eliminate the compromises usually associated with getting more grip from truck tires. It combines the traction of individual full-depth sipes, which are small slots molded into a tire tread surface, with the wear rate of solid tread blocks for longer life and excellent traction.

The 27/32-inch-tread-depth XDN2 is offered in 11R22.5, 11R24.5, 275/80R22.5, 275/80R24.5 and 12R22.5 sizes.

Michelin’s XZA2 Antisplash tire helps improve overall visibility for oncoming and overtaking motorists.

The tire’s design reduces the splash trajectory height by more than 50 percent compared to standard truck tires. As a result, the water that often is kicked up into the path of other vehicles has less opportunity to impair the visibility of other motorists.

Plus, the splash reduction provides better visibility to truck drivers, allowing them to see overtaking vehicles more clearly in their mirrors.

Peterbilt has added several new trucks to its lineup of 2008 models:

• The aerodynamically styled Model 384 and Model 387 day cab, which join the Model 387 and Model 386 to complete the company’s aerodynamic truck lineup.

• The traditionally styled Model 389 and Model 388.

• The vocational Model 367, Model 365 and Model 340.

• The cabover Model 220 and conventional Model 330, which join the Model 335 to complete its medium-duty offerings.

Peterbilt offers a new Driver Information Display that provides important vehicle performance information. The display is located directly in front of the driving position on the dash for easy viewing. The driver can scroll through menus and select display options through a dial on the dash. Among the data available: fuel economy for a trip or life of the vehicle; optimum engine speed; average speed over a measured distance; engine operating hours; and number of idling hours.

Fault codes have been replaced with easy-to-understand text-based readouts for improved diagnostics and reduced downtime.

The Driver Information Display is standard in Models 389, 388, 386, 384, 367 and 365.

Shell Rotella T with Triple Protection technology is a new and improved formulation from Shell Lubricants designed to meet the latest API CJ-4 specifications for heavy-duty diesel engine oils. These specs were developed specifically to be compatible with exhaust aftertreatment devices.

Shell says its new oil “provides significantly lower wear and exceptional deposit control and engine cleanliness for both pre-2007 engines and the latest performance and emissions systems technology found on new 2007 truck engines.” It provides on average 50 percent greater wear protection (ranging from 27 to 88 percent reduced wear) than the previous formulation, the company says.

In addition, the oil is formulated with 30 percent more active ashless chemistry for improved protection against deposits and sludge. It also features a unique detergent system designed for greater control of high temperature piston deposit.

Rotella T with Triple Protection was designed to optimize the durability and performance of diesel particulate filters (DPF) on the 2007-emissions compliant diesel engines, Shell reports. Overall, the lower ash content in the oil will mean the DPF will potentially require less cleaning, which can mean lower maintenance costs.