The earlier ride was in an HV615 set up as an image-conscious dump-trucking fleet or owner-operator might, with air-ride seats for the passenger as well as the driver, plus other upscale interior appointments, and chrome and polished-metal exterior trim. Chassis equipment included two liftable axles ahead of its tandem, a “quad” setup as used in Wisconsin and other states where weight laws favor it.
This outing was arranged by Nick Smith, International’s press relations manager, as a follow-up to the announcement of the updated HV series late last summer. Past versions of this series were collectively called Work Star, during a period when International used descriptive names for its products. The current foreshortened abbreviations are also meaningful with some interpretation: HV, for Heavy Vocational, is the builder’s main Class 8 work-truck line utilizing a steel cab that’s also used in other heavies and medium-duty models.
Work for me this day started with a briefing by Cooper and Smith on International’s ambitions and the HV changes. The builder has long been successful in municipal bidding and other vocational sales, and it’s trying to extend that success to other markets.
Regarding vocational-truck engines, Cooper said International uses its own S13 diesel and Cummins’ B6.7 and L9. The S13, developed with Scania of Sweden, emphasizes simplicity: Its turbocharger uses fixed vanes instead of variable-geometry vanes; the amount of exhaust gas recirculated into the cylinders is reduced and there’s no EGR cooler. Also eliminated is the “seventh” fuel injector ahead of the particulate filter to induce heat, and no fuel-fired “active regens” are needed. Instead, high-efficiency fuel combustion in the cylinders and increased urea dosing helps purify the exhaust.
The bright-blue quad had an S13 Integrated powertrain with a 475-horsepower version of the 12.7-liter diesel and an Eaton-made, International-branded T14 automated manual transmission. The self-shifting tranny had two crawler ratios and 12 driving ratios, and it worked well with the engine, whether on- or off pavement.
Likewise for the 360-horsepower 8.9-liter L9, mated to an Allison 3000 RDS automatic, in the MoDOT truck Automated gearboxes have become popular among buyers of freight-hauling highway tractors but not with users of on/off-road vocational trucks, who still favor the torque-converter-equipped Allisons for their smoothness and proven reliability.
As for the updated HV series, many changes are under their skins. For instance, 270 pounds were slashed from the main front crossmember, and the Diamond Logic electrical system has more sensors, including some that automate checking of fluid levels, and additional 130-amp remote power modules to simplify body mounting and wiring. Outside trim has also changed.
Starkly obvious on the MoDOT truck was the nose’s flat-black grille, which looks like someone forgot something, especially when parked alongside the fancier quad with its cheerful chrome-trimmed grille.
To either side of the grilles in both trucks were cool-burning LED headlamps, with heating grids to melt snow and ice; these are optional while halogen lamps are standard. Black bezels surrounded the lights on the MoDOT truck but those on the quad were chromed. Composite hoods now have separate fenders that can easily be replaced if they get bashed in action. The hood tilts easily thanks to a special support mechanism.
Steps leading to the cab have the familiar two treads, but a newly available third step, vertically adjustable to suit a driver, can ease the climb up. That’s the beauty of the spec’ing process: You can set up a truck for your drivers and your hauling jobs, and the results will include the performance, workability, ride quality, and driving character you want. These two test trucks were prime examples.
The MoDOT snow-plow truck had a bare-bones, “your tax dollars at work” appearance. Yet it was anything but simple, and its Order Content list was as long as the quad’s. Government trucks tend to favor tried-and-true components, and that was the case with this one. It had S-cam drum brakes on all axles, all from Meritor, with Bendix anti-lock braking systems and Haldex slack adjusters.
Among specialty equipment were high-set plow lights perched on the fender-mounted mirror brackets. And there was an integral forward frame extension to accommodate the plow mount; Cooper noted that the extension’s rails are part of the main frame rather than bolted-on separate pieces, yielding a cleaner appearance and reduced mass from fasteners and overlapping steel.
On the long oval test track, I had both trucks up to 60 and 65 mph and noted the tach needles pointing at 1,600 to 1,800 rpm, with the quad’s faster 3.58 axle ratio and additional transmission gears allowing easier cruising vs. the MoDOT’s 5.29 ratio and shorter-geared Allison. Off road, whether on gravel or punishing test pavement, both trucks ran well, even with the MoDOT’s bouncing on that rough test stretch.
