No argument from me.
Isn’t it true that in the UK we have fewer and fewer long distance jobs?
Much more work going through hubs and using trailer swops?
I guess that Aus is still using longer runs and (whoops) what we once might have thought of as “proper” drivers?
Maybe some see this as a good thing, and get more life away from the job, but whether or not that is so, I think it is real thing.
Not so much age, more badge.
I have a mate operating a small fleet (>10 prime movers) on Brisbane-Darwin. He started with Western Star 6900s, but when he had to expand the fleet, rapidly, he went over to Iveco Powerstars. He readily admits they’re not exactly premium, but says you get a lot of truck for the money.
Often, when he advertises for drivers, they phone and ask what truck they will be driving. Many loose interest when they find out they won’t be steering a Western Star 6900 or Kenworth 909.
IMHO there are two main reasons for this:
A massive increase in traffic congestion in the south-east (incl. the M25) and other hot spots round the country has wrecked traditional journey times (and more drivers want to be home by tea-time).
The long-distance lorry drivers aren’t out there any more, partly because the whole culture of international driving, especially long-haul has vanished from the UK. This was largely a result of admitting the eastern bloc into EU, whose hauliers undercut rates, testing established ones to destruction. At this point, Turks took over much of the beyond-EU traffic. At first glance, this may sound judgemental but I am simply making an observation about the mosaic of trade.
I think the long distance work is still about but no one wants to do it me included. We don’t have the facilities that other countries have and the powers that be don’t care.Laybys are prone to diesel theft as well as curtain slashing. Gone are the days where you could park up and have a fee pints before bed it’s a different game. There’s hundreds of " tramper" jobs available but they aren’t what the new breed want.There’s also thursday to monday shifts or any 5 from 7. The people who think these things up are probably the same ones who have gone in and undercut the company that was doing the job before
That happens here but replace Kenworth with Scania or Volvo , put some chrome on and you will have no trouble getting drivers at low wages.
Have a Captain Cook at this site, Ramone. I think you might find it of interest.
It shows all the current models and explains the roles for which the basic design is intended. Bare in mind, each truck can be customized, within legal operating parameters, e.g. a 19 litre Cummins can only be fitted to twin steers, as the tare weight exceeds 6 tonne, the maximum axle load allowable on a single steer.
It also gives the history of KW in Australia and how they evolved from fully imported to designed and built with mostly local content.
Despite our resident know-it-all, Carryfast claiming Australian Kenworths are clones of American models, a truck with a design weight of 120 tonnes (200 tonnes off road) is a vastly different beast to one designed for 40,000 lb.
I’m at work on a break at the moment and i’ve just had a quick look at the site.I think Paccar have got the market cornered because you can spec exactly what you want. I remember an owner driver who lived on the same street as me when i was just setting out had run a Saviem a F88 an ERF and then moved on to 3300 Dafs x 2. He then ordered a 4000 series Foden and was invited to the factory to see it being made. He got exactly what he needed
This would have been 87/88 i can’t quite remember. Anyway the motor was quite the part a 6x4 with a high roof and a 450 CAT . My point is that Paccar are very customer orientated and to go to the trouble of showing him around the factory for one vehicle purchase speaks volumes. I think AEC over here did something similar but before Leyland got involved .A well known contributor on here who studied the brand for many years ( he stopped posting a few years back for obvious reasons )said there wasn’t really a standard AEC. Is it just the Kenworths that Paccar offer or can you do the same with DAFs and are DAFs built over there? Thinking about it,it’s a no brainer with such diverse types of work for any country but especially Australia. I will have a good read tonight
Not sure but I think Daf are a take it or leave it option. I imagine there are different trim levels but as far as I know, the only spec option may be manual or ACM gearbox. DAF are realy aimed at fleet buyers, who buy on price.
Interestingly, Kenworth are trying to steer buyers into DAF powered Kenworths.
All Peterbuilts in this country are private imports. They are not supported by Kenworth Australia, not saying the dealers won’t service them or sell spare parts, but they have no facilities to look up what should be fitted, or supply Peterbuilt specific parts.
Back in about 1975/6 I was looking for a new motor for ME work to replace my trusty but slow & underpowered Merc 1418.
Having got used to a spacious almost walk through cab, the Marathon caught my interest. The Arlington salesman arranged a trip to Southall and I was shown nearly all the options sitting in the export yard.
I was told that once the spec was agreed it was put in the queue and produced as a one off on the normal production line.
I almost went for one, but in the end I just wasn’t confident enough in the reliability for ME work.
So what did you go for another Merc?
If you were in the market for something now i think Mercs are probably the worst of the lot. Ours take it in turns to go to the dealers with gearbox/brakes/clutch the list is endless and the v.o.r is even longer. The dealer doesn’t care and i think they won dealer of the year a couple of years ago. I can tell you with hand on heart you would be hard pushed to get to Dover in one now never mind the M/E. They have nothing in common with the older Mercs apart from the badge.I hate driving them due to the fact i have to stoop down all day to see out of the windscreen and the side windows are even lower.
Yes !!
I was lucky, John Fishwick an Astran Subby had a special import left hooker LPS 1932, 320bhp V10 full cab, with a few ME specs like 1200x20 tyres. Silky smooth & oodles of power.
Only a year old and in excellent condition, more expensive than a new Marathon and a better cab than the new NGs that were appearing. Money well spent.
Pity that Mercs are no longer Mercs.
Same as my car, a 1998 C230 Kompressor, wouldn’t swop it for a new model.
320 in 76 would have been up there , everythings done on price now not quality.
I bought a 2004 320 CLK last year to run until i could find the Volvo i wanted and it was immaculate with just over 100000 miles on the clock. I sold it after a few weeks when i found what i was looking for but at £1600 i was impressed but struggled to get out of it .The young landlord at my local bought it and loves it. Obviously the " i’d have given you £3000 for that" was mentioned but a solid motor.
Back to Oz , SDU i’ve seen photos of MK111, MKV & Ergo Mammoth Majors pulling several trailers, what modifications would they have made to be able to do this .How would they keep the Ergo temperature down and what gearbox would they have had. They must have been pedestrian like speed wise. I know it will be before your time but any info?
This should get your Oz AEC juices going ramone:
@ramone definitely before my time, mate. When I worked for Maynes, they had an Ergo something laying almost derelict in the yard.
A common modification, on any truck, was to raise the cab a few inches, to get more airflow.
@ramone , you should come over here for a bit of a shufti, peterm is there at the moment, due home in two or three weeks. Maybe you could carry his bags. 
I can’t afford Oz on my wages unless i could persuade CF to come along and pay my fare, anyway i hear it’s full of convicts . Over the years we have sent you AECs Leylands Atkis Fodens ERFs to name a few and what did we get in return 
Jason bloody Donovan Kylie Dame Edna and dare i say … do you know what it is yet? Rolf. Surely our motors weren’t that bad , anyway we surrendered and closed our commercial vehicle manufacturing down just to stop anymore coming over 
Yeah Robert i’ve seen that before, some great stuff there .The bonnetted 6x4 i guess would have had the AV1100 i think a few went to South Africa. I think there was a turbo version too .Weren’t they 19 litre engines?
…to give me a lift, when he’s delivering a Reliant Robin, on some decent distance work.