March 22 - US truck manufacturer, Kenworth has announced that its heavy duty truck, the T880, is now available with a driven front steering axle, writes HLPFI correspondent, Peter Shakespeare.
The Kirkland, Washington-based manufacturer now offers the T880 with a 6 x 6 or 8 x 8 Class 8 axle configuration using a Marmon Herrington MT-22 front driving axle providing additional traction for challenging applications.
The new driven front drive is available up to a 10-tonne capacity and is installed at the Kenworth factory. The manufacturer says this will speed up delivery times and reduce costs for customers.
The T880 is Kenworth's multi-vocational truck. In tractor form its 32-tonne double drive bogie combined with Paccar's MX13 510hp or optional 600hp Cummins ISX15 in-line six diesel engines, the T880 is Kenworth's principle heavy haulage prime mover offering.
The addition of a driven 10-tonne front axle should significantly enhance its performance on rugged or difficult terrain.
"For severe duty applications where the ultimate in traction is required, our new configuration is a welcomed spec," says Kurt Swihart, Kenworth's marketing director.
"We see our all-wheel drive T880 being used in oil fields, configured as an off-road crane. The Kenworth T880 represents the ultimate in toughness and durability for all applications."
The all-wheel drive configuration requires a Fabco transfer case, and can be specified with Fabco's 1-speed TC-142 or 2-speed TC- 143 transfer case, depending on customer requirements.
