For its first South Africa customers, Western Star has produced versions of its extreme-duty thirty- and forty-ton dump truck made up of the 4900SA and 6900XD Constellation cab. Working in rock quarries and mines, the Western Star trucks compare favorably in performance, productivity and value to traditional earthmovers.
These custom-built trucks are designed for severe-service, maximum load-carrying capabilities. The Constellation 6900XD (“XD” for extreme duty) is designed for heavy off-road hauling with axle weight ratings of up to 138,000 pounds and a gross combination weight rating of up to 450,000 pounds. The 4900SA features a set back axle configuration for enhanced maneuverability and load distribution in off-road applications.
Western Star is marketing heavy-duty vocational trucks in South Africa through DaimlerChrysler South Africa and distributing them through Liebherr Africa, a manufacturer of mining equipment such as excavators, bulldozers, wheel loaders and face shovels.
AJP Mining Ltd. was the first South African mining operation to purchase a Western Star-Liebherr equipment package. It put three Western Star 4900SA 30-ton dump trucks to work at a high-grade anthracite mine in the Ermelo area of Mpumalanga.