A V8-powered R 730, converted to 10x8, is set to take on the Pilbara
Scania Australia says it has just completed its biggest ever truck for Australia, converting an R 730 V8 8×8 to a 10×8 for mining haulage company Qube Bulk.
Configured to take advantage of any future payload regulation changes, the unique Scania is capable of leading a PBS Quad road train with up to 220-tonnes of iron ore throughout the Pilbara.
To work 6-and-a-half days a week, the R 730 is expected to carry bulk iron ore from a variety of mine sites to the terminal at Port Hedland.
With the around the clock treatment, and with trips close to 450km, the truck may cover a million km over its first three years in action.
Accommodating the Qube Bulk requirements, general manager of Scania’s WA-based Mining and Resources Division Robert Taylor says the R 730 model is a glimpse into the future.
“This vehicle is the prototype for future iron ore PBS Quad haulage,” Taylor says, and one that “we hope to deploy more widely in this market as they combine safety, comfort and efficient operation for customers.”
Powered by a Euro 5 V8 engine with EEV that can run biodiesel, the Scania is fitted with a fully automated Opticruise gear change system, full steel multi-leaf suspension, a heavy-duty Jost DR38C-1 fifth wheel rated to 260kN, hub-reduction bogie-drive axles, and a fifth axle operating as a tag unit at the very rear.
Scania says the CA8x8EHZ specification also includes 4,700mm axle and 1,450mm bogie distances.
“The Scania R 730 is fitted up with some hydraulics and has a high-riding chassis suitable for this type of work,” Taylor says.
“The 8×8 base configuration includes drum brakes all round for greater durability in very arduous working conditions.
“This vehicle has amazing traction, and with its powerful 730hp engine, it has the heart for pulling four trailers of ore across vast distances to the terminal.”
Qube Bulk director Todd Emmert says the converted Scania models offer a combination of safety and performance.
“The most important factor leading to the purchase of this vehicle was safety on the road,” Emmert says. “We have safety as a number one priority.”
While PBS offers greater surety for drivers and other road users, it also provides a competitive advantage.
“We have designed this truck to give us the flexibility to take advantage of payload improvements under PBS now and into the future,” Emmert says.
“As it stands now, a standard Quad Road Train can pull 175-tonnes, or 200-tonnes under PBS.
“We anticipate that in the near future we should be able to raise this to 220-tonnes, once permission is granted by the relevant authority.”
The higher payload limits may also see a reduction in the number of trucks on the road, he says.
“Reduced interactions between cars and trucks, and having trucks with higher levels of safety will all combine to make these roads safer for all road users,” Emmert says.