Tag: New Product Releases

Isuzu Commercial Truck of America Inc. recently unveiled an all-new entry in the Class 6 medium-duty truck segment – the 2018 Isuzu FTR. The F-Series truck is slated to go into production in the United States in mid-2017.

The FTR will be powered by Isuzu’s renowned 4HK1-TC 5.2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine, a first in the segment. Although horsepower and torque ratings have not been finalized, the company noted that the 4HK1 engine is well known for its high torque output. The powerplant will be mated to an Allison 2000 Series automatic transmission. The engine carries a B10 durability of 310,000 miles, meaning that 90 percent of engines should reach that mileage before requiring an overhaul.

Eight wheelbase configurations will accommodate bodies from 16 to 30 feet, allowing for a wide variety of body applications.

The all-new cab features a clean back-of-cab design that can provide more space for body applications compared to the previous F-Series truck. The FTR cab’s wide step and wide-opening doors allow easy entry to the spacious interior, which features three-across seating and extra space for storage behind the seats. Additional interior amenities include a side under safety mirror, overhead console and a suspension driver’s seat with armrest specially designed to increase comfort and reduce driver fatigue.

Pricing, available configurations, power ratings and additional features and specifications will be released in mid-2017. www.isuzucv.com

WorkWave, a provider of cloud-based software solutions for field service management and last-mile fleet management, has added three critical enhancements to its route planning solution, leading to a rebranding of the solution.

WorkWave Fleet, the company’s proprietary route planning software, has been rebranded as WorkWave Route Manager. The software allows users to easily manage schedules, drivers and customers.

WorkWave Route Manager has incorporated three major enhancements to fulfill its vision of being the on-demand enabler for last-mile delivery companies. The first enhancement is GPS integration. Now, from one screen, planners can instantly locate their vehicles and react smarter and faster to last-minute changes. Communication between drivers and the office is greatly streamlined, and information is always at planners’ fingertips so they can provide customers with real-time status.

Proof of delivery is the second enhancement. Drivers can now capture photos, signatures and notes that sync back to the office using WorkWave Route Manager’s mobile app. This enables companies to answer customer inquiries quickly and accurately and gain easy access to a digital record of all completed deliveries.

APIs are the final enhancement. Companies can now easily integrate WorkWave Route Manager with their fleet management solution. Companies benefit by automated processes enabled by seamless communication between systems and the flexibility to manage their business as they choose. www.workwave.com/route-manager

To complement Webasto’s Polar Cab TS, an engine-off cabin cooling system that features exclusive thermal storage technology, the company recently launched the all-new Polar Cab ES. The ES maintains cool cabin temperatures during wait/load time in hot, humid and full sun conditions. Operators can now turn off their engines and keep comfortable, leading to fuel savings, idle reduction and increased productivity.

The ES is a battery-driven electric cooling system that offers a cooling capacity up to 7,000 BTU/h while maintaining low power consumption. It includes a compact 24-volt variable-speed electric compressor, with no additional batteries required for operation.

The Polar Cab ES can be installed with one of two different aftermarket kit configurations. Operators can decide between a universal overhead compressor/condenser unit with evaporator (Oakland) or a universal vertical floor-mounted compressor/condenser unit with evaporator (Osaka). Kits include refrigerant lines and fittings, mounting hardware, control unit and wiring harness. www.polarcabcooling.com

The redesigned Fusion LED combination stop, tail, turn and backup lamp from Optronics International is 25 percent smaller. It includes new, optimized circuitry that hosts both red and white LEDs on a single board, plus a patent-pending optical design.

The original 9-inch oval Fusion lamp was introduced at the 2014 Work Truck Show and has since been made available in 4-inch round and 6-inch oval formats with grommet- and flange-mount versions that fit virtually any standard lighting application. The entire family of Fusion LED combination stop, tail, turn and backup lamps is also being upgraded utilizing the new technology.

The Fusion lamps have been radically redesigned and now employ a more advanced circuit-board configuration and LED light projection technology. An optical bridge helps project red LED light from the red area of the lens to the clear area of the lens during the braking function. The innovative design enables the lamps to use fewer diodes, reduces heat load and lowers the overall lamp cost.

Mounting the new 6-inch Fusion surface-mount LED combination lamp requires only a half-inch hole for the lamp’s wiring and four mounting holes to accommodate rivets or screws. The low-profile, half-inch-thick LED lamp mounts snugly to the vehicle’s surface while preserving the vehicle’s structural soundness.

The new Fusion LED combination stop, tail, turn and backup lamps are expected to be available in the second quarter of 2016. www.optronicsinc.com

The innovative BOLT (Breakthrough One-Key Lock Technology) series of locks, designed to provide convenient, one-key access to multiple locks, can streamline the workday and improve security for owners of 2015 and 2016 Ford Transit and Transit Connect commercial vans.

Patented BOLT locks are designed so that a single ignition key can be programmed to open any number of BOLT locks, reducing the need for multiple keys. The first time the ignition key is inserted into the BOLT lock cylinder, spring-loaded plate tumblers move, immediately coding the cylinder to that unique key. From then on, only the driver’s ignition key is needed to unlock a padlocked toolbox, unhitch a trailer or secure gear and other valuable equipment.

Rugged, weatherproof BOLT locks are manufactured with an electroless nickel-plated carbon steel pin or shaft assembly/shield for strength and durability, and feature an automotive-grade stainless steel lock shutter and a six-plate tumbler sidebar that prevents picking and bumping. www.boltlock.com

McNeilus Truck & Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corp. company, has expanded its McNeilus NGEN Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) system offerings with a new high-capacity back-of-cab CNG configuration that provides 88 diesel gallon equivalents packaged in a low-profile design.

Ideal for fleets with Class 7 and 8 trucks, the NGEN brand system uses an exclusive, streamlined design with 50 percent fewer fitting connections and 25 percent fewer plumbing components. Three Luxfer G-Stor Go Type 4 cylinders are used, optimizing the overall weight of the system and minimizing the height to meet low-clearance specifications. Each cylinder is fitted with a Luxfer G-Flo One-Turn Valve that not only extends vehicle range by providing more usable gas at the required flow rate, but also significantly increases the filling flow rate. A dedicated pressure-relief device system spans the full length of each cylinder and provides continuous heat protection.

The system also features a fully enclosed structure with easy-access door, maintenance-friendly O-ring face seal connections, and North American-manufactured, CNC-formed high-pressure lines. Future plans to build off this new design will make the system scalable with customizable capacity options. www.ngencng.com

The new WEATHER GUARD EZGlide2 drop-down ladder rack improves user safety when handling heavy ladder loads, especially with many of the new high-roof van models. The heavy-duty design is built with long-lasting powder-coated aluminum for continual use and, due to the light weight of the ladder rack, it maximizes the roof weight capacity of the van and improves vehicle gas mileage.

Additional ladder rack features include ease of operation, versatility and safety. According to WEATHER GUARD, the EZGlide2 is 50 percent easier to operate than competitor drop-down ladder racks. It also fits extension ladders up to 40 feet and step or podium ladders from 3 to 12 feet, plus it easily operates with up to 100 pounds of ladders per side. The optional third cross-member accommodates a conduit carrier for secure storage, and the rubber guard strip protects ladders, while the ladder lock bracket secures the holder in a loaded position. In addition, the removable lever bracket secures ladders from theft, and storage clips secure the lever inside the van for extra protection.

A variety of mounting kits are offered with the EZGlide2 to allow OEM integration with a wide selection of van models. www.ezglide2.com

To help fleet managers balance equipment value with user requirements, Terex has developed a new process to assist customers with spec’ing utility trucks, including aerial devices and digger derricks, that complies with bid specs, costs less to purchase and takes less time to produce.

Here’s how this new approach works: Terex meets with a utility customer to better understand what equipment is needed and how it will be used, what parts and service would be needed to support that equipment, and the capital structure that best fits the organization as it considers filling its fleet needs. And it’s not a one-way street – Terex shares information on a full line of utility truck offerings, as well as the latest technology and innovations. Through this approach, Terex can realize all of the synergies in specifications to create efficiencies in bid specs, delivery times and overall work practices.

If a customer does require a customized configuration for their equipment fleet, Terex uses the truck’s standard options and accessories as building blocks. This allows Terex to engineer, produce and place the parts unique to the customer requirements during the installation process where the unit and body are mounted on the truck chassis. www.terex.com/utilities

Crane Institute of America has released a metric edition of its flagship handbook, “Mobile Cranes.” The book joins “Rigging,” another of the institute’s metric handbook options, and can now be used more efficiently around the world.

Over the past few years, Crane Institute has delivered an increasing number of training classes overseas. It has also seen growth in the number of students from other countries attending classes at the institute’s corporate training facility in central Florida. Many of these students have requested metric editions of CIA’s training materials. The first edition metric “Mobile Cranes” is in parity with the 10th edition of the imperial “Mobile Cranes,” updated with the latest standards and information. Crane Institute of America now has more than half a million books in print and handbooks are available in its online store. www.cranetrainingproducts.com

HUBB has introduced its new oil filter to the automotive aftermarket. According to the company, the filter’s patented design provides unprecedented engine protection, cost savings and environmental benefits. The HUBB filter is backed with an industry-first 100,000-mile performance guarantee.

Currently available for any light truck or passenger vehicle that uses a spin-on filter, HUBB’s patented filter-in-a-filter design is made with surgical stainless steel weave rather than paper that is used by conventional filters. HUBB’s unique design and functionality improves oil flow by five times, while capturing more contaminants from combustion so engine oil stays cleaner, longer. HUBB’s reusable and cleanable filter also helps the environment by eliminating the need to dispose of used filters in landfills.

To back its claims of superior filtration, engine health protection, extended oil change intervals and reduced carbon emissions, HUBB has undergone independent third-party testing by Automotive Testing and Development Services Inc. and Southwest Research Institute, as well as extensive field testing with customers. www.hubbfilters.com