Cab ride in 18 liter CAT 3408 powered Kenworth roadtrain grossing 80 tons across the Nullarbor Plain in Western Australia. Full throttle climb up Eucla Pass. A run into Perth after splitting up the trailers.
As a former trucker in the US I sure enjoy these videos. Might mention that trucking across North Dakota is a bit like a piece of Oz, but no road trains and plenty of truck stops!
You can adjust the fuel racks with Cat's adjusting tool to get whatever HP you want within reason. Mine was rebuilt as a B motor & set at 550 HP on the chassis dyno which is about 600 at the flywheel. The twin turbo marine 3408 can put out 800 HP.
@Drafty01 It is a very tight fit but that was the original engine. I don't think KW changed the cabs. The starter motor and oil cooler are very hard to get at. The highway engines have got a different turbo mounting to the earthmovers. 28V3137. It was an 'A' motor but we changed to 'B'. Also turbo updated.
Just came back for another visit. I always enjoy coming back to this video and watching it again. Tonight I'm also going to share it with my Facebook friends.
Same here originally. But it's easy to reset them. On the dyno you get the balance between smoke, horses, and fuel economy. Most guys here I know have them set at around 550 - 600 HP at the flywheel. There's quite a few still around, mainly on roadtrain work
@gm16v149 Most drivers use UHF radios here but they're usually for companies and businesses. The dump truck I drive for a railway company has a Kenwood radio and the boom crane truck I also drive has a Motorola radio. Both trucks have CBs installed and is mainly use while driving on the highway and the Kenwood/Motorola radios are used for work.
It's a mesh stone guard, most long- haul trucks in Australia have got them. Our roads away from the cities are two lane and it saves the windscreen from stones kicked up from vehicles coming the other way.
I left the second trailer and dolly at Meckering roadhouse just up the road from Northam because it was getting late and I wanted to get the first one in without the hassle of the dolly hanging off the back. Normally you'd park at Northam and take the first trailer and dolly in. I went to England about 10 years ago and there is a big difference in the trucking scene !
Usually we split them up at the roadtrain park at Northam but this time I did it just up the road at the Meckering truckstop. Everyone with a multi combination licence can back a trailer and dolly under the second trailer, it's backing a two trailer roadtrain onto a third trailer that will test you out.
what kind of manifold pressure will she pull? even when you ease into it she puts out quite a hays of smoke. Nice to see someone appreciate a piece of equipment and use it, not abuse it.
It was the first KW made with a 3408 in Australia and it was on the front cover of July '82 Truck and Bus mag. It's had a change of clothes since then. No, Bulls never owned it but they had at least one like it. Mine had a 20 spd Spicer, then a 13 spd R/R, now it's got a 16 spd Spicer Pro-Shift.
Hey Chris, My dad does double tankers between Melbourne and Sydney and I go with him whenever I can...But watching your clips makes me want to go with you so much! Hahaha Cheers ;)
4 trailer roadtrains with a tri-drive prime mover have 7 tri-axle groups and go to 160 - 180 tonnes gross depending on permits. Generally have 600 - 620 HP Cat or Cummins.
Actually that's my brother's kid and 21,000,000 people over here wouldn't agree on your last comment ! Thanks for watching the vid, at least you watched it to the end, the start of it does go on a bit.
@jmm2000 We use UHF radios which are much clearer than the 27 meg. CBs that I think you guys still use in the states. Uniden is the most popular brand which is made in Australia. Also a lot of us have got satellite phones because the mobile phones don't have a lot of coverage outside of the settled areas.
Most guys would like a bonneted American truck with a long wheelbase and a big sleeper, and that's what you mainly see in the north and west. KW is the biggest seller in class 8 over here. They are higher to accommodate the much bigger radiators......that's one area the euros fall down on. Also the euros have got tiny sleepers. Volvo and Scania used to have bonneted trucks here but now they only sell cabovers.
Just looked your serial no. (prefix 28V) up on TMI (Cat's Technical Marketing Info site). Must be getting on a bit as it's only got 3408Bs from 444bhp to 503bhp. 503's have a Full load speed of 2100 and torque of 1585lb-ft of torque at 1400rpm - probably your sweet spot I reckon. "Red line" is at 2287rpm - pretty high for one of these! They don't have these in NZ - no large loads allowed - not like Aussie anyway. Cheers, Drafty01.
Hi there, I have no problem understanding the Aussie accent, it's the British accent that I have a problem, especially when they talk fast. Thanks for your compliment. Ya, my truck was in Truckin' Life in the late eighties and then again early this century. I used to enjoy getting the magazine.
Don't have much tyre probs but yes we change our own. Nearest tyre dealer could be 100's of miles away. On the Nullarbor if it's wet you just don't get off the road.
Nice vid! How were your EGT's climbing that grade going flat out? Do they ever get to the point were you have to back off? Whats an exceptable EGT for that engine? Thanks!
verry nice vid. i drive a v8 16 liter my self (scania) but i don't think it will last 1 month out there down under hahaha.. great engine that cat. show us more please. thanks
Over here I think it was because they were expensive, heavy (1.5 tons with the Brakesaver), maybe emissions, and the 3406 had proved OK and was a lot cheaper. Same reasons as in the States I guess. Everyone loved 'em, though (they still do!) They're still made for earthmoving etc........ no problems with parts.
@Drafty01 Cat tool #5P7335 gave me 550HP at the wheels @ 1900 RPM on Cat's dyno or about 600HP at the engine. I usually drive @ 1600 RPM which was 520 HP at the wheels.
Nicely done demo of OTR ops here! BTW, is this truck equipped with the Eaton-Fuller RTLO-22918B, as I suspect the case to be from the Caterpillar V8? And with what axle ratios?
Yeah, could be waiting a while, tho they never stopped making them for earthmoving and marine. Kenworth in Australia brought back the Cummins 19 liter K Series for the real ultra- heavy stuff because the Signatures kept grenading. So you never know....
Depends how you drive it, the wind, weight etc. But with a two trailer roadtrain at 80 tons about 3.8 mpg, one trailer at 42 tons about 5.4 mpg. The latest computer engines are better on fuel but not that much. But if it's windy with a high, heavy load and two trailers I've been down to 2.8 mpg.
