Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/687054
40 | Overdrive | June 2016 Severe Service At the 2014 Mid-America Truck- ing Show, Western Star showcased a custom-designed version of a 4900X highway tractor then set to star as the Optimus Prime autobot in the fourth chapter of the "Transformers" movie series. Fittingly, the company last month rolled out another transformer, this one for its offroad customers. The 6900XD Offroad MBT-40, the Multi-Body Transformer, is designed to quickly change from one fully func- tional in-cab-controlled body applica- tion to another. "The MBT-40 package is a game- changer in construction applications for its ability to be multiple pieces of equipment in one chassis," said John Tomlinson, XD and vocational sales manager for Western Star. "Offroad chassis equipment can be expensive to buy and maintain, and new emissions levels are making the investment even more costly." Using a Palfinger G68 hooklift that has a lifting capacity of 68,000 pounds, the MBT-40 is designed to give customers greater utilization of their chassis by replacing the need to have multiple pieces of dedicated offroad equipment on a jobsite that sit for long periods of time when they are not needed. The unit is equipped with a ge- neric in-cab control system and a self- adapting hydraulic system designed to allow operators to easily swap the controls of body applications. The MBT-40 features hydraulic air and electrical connections that allow it to connect and power a variety of body needs from powerful flow-con- trolled hydraulic motors and pumps to heavy high-flow tip cylinders. Tomlinson said he is working with truck body builders to expand the range of bodies the truck can accept. The MBT-40 demonstration accom- panied the launch of Western Star's new Extreme Duty (XD) Offroad package at Michelin's Proving Grounds in Laurens, S.C. Engineered for rug- ged environments, it initially is avail- able on the 4900 and 6900 models, but the company plans to make it available for other models. Between the two current available truck models, the XD40 package will be the flagship specification, with heavy-duty components designed for multiple applications. Tomlinson said the XD40 package was developed to be a consistent and repeatable chassis spec. It includes a Detroit Series 60 Tier 3 engine or 2016 Detroit DD16 engine, an Allison 4700 or 4800 ORS trans- mission, a 110,000-pound planetary rear axle, a 28,000-pound front drive axle in all-wheel-drive or standard, and a front engine skid pan. WesternStar.com Western Star debuts 'transformer' truck and new offroad package BY JASON CANNON Swap out a water tank for a dump body? No problem for this Western Star 6900XD. Scan the QR with your mobile device or search "Western Star MBT-40" at OverdriveOnline.com to view a video demo of the company's new "transformer" body-swapper for offroad vocational apps requiring body versatility.