Manufacturers Unveil New Products

April 1, 2001
IT WAS the largest NTEA exhibition on record, and many manufacturers chose the T3 show to introduce new truck bodies and equipment. Here are some of the

IT WAS the largest NTEA exhibition on record, and many manufacturers chose the T3 show to introduce new truck bodies and equipment.

Here are some of the products that made their debut at the T3 show in Baltimore:

It may look like a pickup, but two new products from Royal Truck Body in Paramount CA are actually service bodies made to look like pickup boxes.

Royal offers two models — one for the Ford Super Duty and one for the Chevrolet and GM 3500HD. The bodies are built from scratch at the Royal plant — rather than being modifications of an OEM pickup box.

Delivery Truck Kneels for Loading. Newest truck body at the NTEA show was a prototype forward control delivery truck that is expected to be in production in July.

Operating in the 9,000 to 19,000 GVW range, the Carrus Orbis (Latin for World Truck) has a very low floor height of 20", even with its rear wheel drive. When the air suspension kneels down, the floor height is 17" and the step height is 10". The low floor increases load cube by 13% to 18%.

The unitized body has a tubular steel skeleton covered by 304 stainless steel sheets. Mohinder Kumra, CEO of Carrus Orbis, says that the new truck in a stripped chassis version would also be ideal for motor home, shuttle bus, ambulance, and emergency vehicle applications.

The Carrus Orbis address is 19855 West Outer Drive, suite 400E, Dearborn MI 48124.

Rugby's new 14-ft, 5-yard contractor body is styled with dirt-shedding top rails, 45° sloped rubrails, and a 10° sloped rear tailgate. All appearance corners have radius bends. The four-way tailgate is 23" high. The stop/turn/tail lights have a new oval shape and are recessed in the rear corner posts. The 17" high sides have brackets for side board extensions. Protecting all is a two-part epoxy primer. Showing off the new design are Fred Martin and Tami Stewart, Rugby Manufacturing, Rugby ND.

Is it a backdrag plow or an unconventional conventional snowplow? The Hiniker C-plow operates as a conventional plow when being driven forward, but it can be converted into a backdrag plow by folding over the upper 3/4 of the moldboard. Optional clip-on box ends attach with two pins each, forming a “snowbox” for more effective cleaning in forward and reverse operation. It is a product of Hiniker Company, Mankato MN.

Daniel Bibeau shows the new Bibeau front-discharge slide-in spreader. It is retrofittable by cutting a trap door hole in the floor of the dump body. The slide-in spreader moves the material forward without raising the body and spreads it ahead of the drive wheels. This 8½ -yard spreader is mounted in a 16-ft Bibeau end dump. It is produced by Bibeau Enterprises, St Felix de Valois, Quebec.

This 2.5-yard dump body has dual purposes so that it can be used year-round in snowbelt cities. Its first job is as a satellite garbage pick-up vehicle for use in alleys and crowded streets. Its two side-mounted hydraulic cylinders can tip the body to a 65° angle to dump into a larger refuse packer. During the snow season, a cover over the chain conveyor is removed so that it can spread sand or salt with the body down. It can be mounted on a Class 4 or 5 chassis. The body height is only 25" above the frame rails. Highway Equipment Co in Cedar Rapids IA is the manufacturer.

RoaDor is a new type of upward-acting door for truck bodies and trailers. The door panels are foam-filled vinyl boards that are reinforced on the inside by steel channels. The integral hinge requires no separate hardware. Light in weight, it runs quietly on 28 nylon wheels with no visible cables. The smooth vinyl surface is clean for graphics and never needs painting. Andrew Rekret, president, demonstrates for the manufacturer, Proplas Ltd of Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada.

New sales opportunity in more ways than one is now being offered by Morgan Corp, Morgantown PA. Morgan Skins are billboards that mount on the sides of van bodies. The skins fit into aluminum extrusions that hold them tight against the sidewall. Unlike decals, these graphics can be easily replaced so that the same truck can carry a different sales message. The concept is a product of BrittenMedia, Traverse City MI.

Leyman's all-aluminum platform hydraulic tailgate can handle loads up to 3,300 lb. The LAH 3300 has an 80" platform either 48" or 56" deep, and it tucks under the body. The aluminum platform saves weight and is easier for the driver to open and close. It has automatic hydraulic leveling with auto tilt. Greg Dixon demonstrates for Leyman Manufacturing Corp, Cincinnati OH.

The new Crysteel 2-3-yard tipper carries its own sales message. Pictured is part of Crysteel's sales team: Joe Paulsen, Bob Miller, Todd Butler, Tom Hoosline, Pete Jones, Corky Gallagher, Eldon Jones, and Pam Hill.

The Pow'R Booster is a new Crysteel hoist that doubles the effective power of the cylinder. It does this by using a lever arm to provide greater lifting force at the front of the load during breakaway and for the first 15° of body movement. After the body has tipped 15°, the hoist acts as a direct-push cylinder to finish the dumping cycle.

Eldon Jones, inventor of the new hoist, shows the upward end of the Pow'R Booster lever after the body is raised. Jones says that the hoist is lighter because it uses a smaller bore cylinder, less hydraulic oil, and a smaller reservoir. Operating at 2500 psi (2000 psi is an option), it is compatible with central hydraulic systems used by municipalities.

For the next 12 months, the new hoist will undergo field testing and then go into production. Crysteel envisions the hoist, subframe, and body being completely assembled at the factory. Mounting will consist of bolting the mounting brackets to the truck frame. The only welding will be at the rear hinge area.

A liftgate designed for handling bottled gas is displayed by Jack Wyatt and David Heatherington. The rail gate has a capacity of 1,600 lb, a 36" × 89" platform, and 12" folding ramp. It is a product of Waltco Truck Equipment, Tallmadge OH.

In order to mount large hydraulic pumps directly to Allison World Transmissions, Muncie Power Products of Muncie IN has developed a PTO shaft extension that moves the pump back of the transmission where more room is available. The NTEA exhibit showed a shiftable PTO shaft extension (foreground) mounted on one side of the Allison transmission, and on the far side was mounted a constant-drive extended shaft PTO for refuse trucks, snow and ice control utility trucks, vacuum trucks, and fire equipment. Pictured are George Halleck, Muncie VP, Larry Wesley, inventor of the PTO shaft extension, and Fred Brandt, zone salesman.

Chelsea's new 680 eight-bolt, lightweight heavy-duty PTO is more powerful than 6-bolt PTOs, but lighter and less costly than 8-bolt PTOs. Pete Chew and Jeff King show the new 680 for Chelsea Auxiliary Power, Toledo OH.