Real World Testing: 2015 F-150

Two and a half years before production Ford secretly tested six prototype F-150s with high-strength aluminum cargo boxes. The goal was to prove the durability of aluminum alloy through real-world extreme experiences that ensured the new F-150 could stand up to the tough work of our customers.

2014 Ultimate Heavy-Duty Challenge: What We Like

Here's Cars.com Detroit Bureau Chief Aaron Bragman discussing what we liked and appreciated during our five-state and two-week tour with these HD pickups during our 2014 Challenge.

Bendix Upgrades Brake Shoe Reman Facility

Bendix has unveiled its newly upgraded brake shoe remanufacturing facility in Huntington, Indiana.

The upgrades were done with a $3.2 million capital investment and increased the capacity and capability of the 74,000-square-foot plant.

“The Bendix Brake Shoe Remanufacturing Center grew from our desire to provide reman brake shoes offering the durability, reliability, performance, and extended lining life expected of original equipment,” said Henry Foxx, Bendix director of remanufactured products.

Foxx said that fleets and owner-operators were turning to remanufactured brake shoes in greater numbers and that the upgrades were designed to meet that need.

As a result of the upgrades, the Indiana plant can now handle start-to-finish brake remanufacturing and can produce several million brake shoes annually.

A key part of the upgrade was to the coining process, which returns brake shoes to the original specifications of the manufacturer.

The upgrades also include a self-contained salvage and de-lining area to prevent contaminates from reaching the painting and riveting process. There are four new automated de-liners that will improve accuracy of the process and reduce the chance of accidental shoe damage.

There will also be a 2,000-square-foot paint line that can handle 500 parts per hour.

From http://www.truckinginfo.com

Delving Into the Cummins/Peterbilt SuperTruck: Part 1

The Cummins/Peterbilt SuperTruck’s 10.7 mpg performance is just the tip of the iceberg in improving fuel and freight efficiency. 

When the U.S. Department of Energy first announced funding for the development and demonstration of advanced technologies to improve the efficiency of long-haul Class 8 trucks, 10.7 mpg was almost unheard of. That was in 2010, when the industry was reeling from the fuel efficiency degradation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2007 emissions mandate.

By the time the Cummins/Peterbilt SuperTruck made its public debut this February boasting 10.7 mpg, some contemporary trucks were achieving better than 8 mpg, and some super-fuel-conscious fleets boast even higher. While that may make the SuperTruck accomplishment seem slightly diminished, that 10.7-mpg milestone is only a small part of the story.

The DOE put $115 million on the table, launching three projects aimed at improving fuel and freight efficiency. Cummins received a $39 million grant to develop and demonstrate an advanced waste heat recovery system, an aerodynamic Peterbilt tractor-trailer combination, and a solid oxide fuel cell auxiliary power unit to reduce engine idling. The SuperTruck is the result of those efforts.

While the 10.7-mpg figure turned its share of heads, the truck as it stands today is not something any fleet will ever own. It’s a combination of technologies packaged together to demonstrate their effectiveness. While it meets all the design objectives set out by DOE, the sum of its parts is measurably greater than the whole.

“If you look at the goals of the project, they were really to achieve a 50% improvement in freight efficiency [measured in ton-miles per gallon] over a drive cycle as well as a 68% improvement in freight efficiency over a 24-hour duty cycle that includes no-idle technology — both of which we surpassed,” says Peterbilt Chief Engineer Landon Sproull. “We approached it in the areas of aerodynamics, lightweighting, reduced parasitic loads such as rolling resistance, driver assistance tools, and engine technology — the Cummins ISX 15-liter engine with the waste heat recovery system.”

Sproull says the engine contribution was 20% and the vehicle contribution was 30% toward the objective of a 50% improvement in fuel efficiency in the drive cycle.

Singled out, some of the efficiency improvements are quite spectacular.

David Koeberlein, Cummins’ principal investigator, says they improved the thermal efficiency of the engine (its ability to convert the chemical energy contained in a gallon of fuel to motive power at the driveshaft) from today’s typical 42% to 50%.

“The difference between 42% and 50% may seem small, but it’s a 20% gain,” he says. “The next goal is 55% – another 10% gain. And it’s all the more remarkable when you consider historic gains in thermal efficiency have been measured in single-digit steps.”
Saving Weight

The tare weight of the combination is about 31,000 pounds, which is a net improvement of 1,305 pounds from the baseline truck, a 2009 Peterbilt Model 386 tractor with an ISX 15 engine and a non-aero, standard dry van.

If that sounds less than remarkable, consider that engineers added about 1,500 pounds to the truck, including the auxiliary power unit, the cooling package, and the waste heat recovery system. The weight of the extensive aero treatment on the tractor and trailer is over and above that. So, a 1,305-pound net weight reduction from the baseline unit represents about 3,000 pounds of actual weight reduction.

“It was rather challenging because we added a lot of systems and aerodynamic features to the truck, which naturally added weight,” says Ken Damon, SuperTruck project manager at Peterbilt. “So we had to do extensive weight reduction throughout the truck in order to first break even and then actually end up with a benefit.”

Among the weight-reducing items:

•     variable gauge steel frame rails drilled for additional weight reduction
•     a number of aluminum parts, including the drive shaft, aluminum matrix brake drums, aluminum trailer frame and subfloor
•     6x2 drive axle
•     selective use of magnesium in some of the chassis cross members
•     wide-base single tires on aluminum wheels
•     lithium-ion hotel-load batteries

Smoothing Out the Flow
As Sproull noted, much of the drive-cycle efficiency came from the aerodynamic treatment, which focused on integrating the tractor and the trailer and reducing drag to the extent possible.

The biggest change, he says, was integrating the aerodynamic flow of the truck-and-trailer combination.

“To the truck we added front-wheel closeouts to tighten the gaps between the wheel and fender and lower bumper air dam, tandem wheel fairings, aero enhancements to the sleeper door housing, and a bridge fairing between the extenders.”

The trailer treatments include a nose fairing and full side skirting from just ahead of the landing gear to the DOT bumper. The fairings covering the wheels lift outward for easy access to the wheels for inspection, while the rest of the skirt tilts inward for better ground clearance at low speeds. The trailer also features an ATDynamics TrailerTails boat tail, and sculpted returns (shaped “fairings”) from the trailer bogey back to the bumper.
Using Waste Heat

The waste heat recovery system developed by Cummins is the most complex part of the truck, and indeed the most interesting. Its function is to capture heat energy that is usually given up to the truck’s cooling system and exhaust stack, and return it either to the powertrain directly, as is the case here, or redeploy the energy to serve some other function, like accessory drives.

And now for the $39 million question: How much does one of these things cost?

“SuperTruck is really a showcase of how to optimize fuel economy using technologies and components that are or can be available today,” says Damon. “We intend to bring to market the features that best meet customer needs and provide an ROI of one to two years.”

Each of the systems and components on the SuperTruck could be broken out and priced separately, but certain things, such as the aluminum matrix brake drums, have not yet been commercialized, and therefore can’t be priced.

“The waste heat recovery system, in its SuperTruck Gen 3 configuration, is still too costly, but design work is advancing to a Gen 4 solution whose key objective is to get the cost structure within an 18-month payback for the customer,” Cummins’ Koeberlein says.

With what they have learned from the SuperTruck, he says, Cummins engineers are systematically changing the system to improve its performance, reduce the complexity, reduce weight impacts, and eliminate troublesome refrigerant joints, all of which will significantly reduce the system cost. The waste heat recovery system has been operating on three Peterbilt trucks over the last three years.

“While [waste heat recovery] increases fuel economy, we’ve also tested advanced low greenhouse gas refrigerants which have performed at least equal to or better than the current system with a 10:1 reduction in GHG impact,” he notes.

For all we have mentioned here, we haven’t even touched on the improvements SuperTruck brings to the Freight Efficiency, or ton-mile, table. There’s more to tell. For a deeper dive into the project, go to www.truckinginfo.com/supertruck and check out our photo gallery.

From www. .truckinginfo.com

2015 F-150: Ford Reveals Two Powertrains

We've been hearing about new all-aluminum 2015 Ford F-150 since the beginning of the year when it was revealed at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, but details on the truck's engines have been kept under wraps. Ford is now slowly beginning to peel back the layers of secrecy surrounding two of the F-150's powertrains, releasing some (but not all) specifications for the standard 3.5-liter V-6 engine and the brand-new turbocharged 2.7-liter EcoBoost motor.

The new standard V-6 will provide 283 horsepower and 255 pounds-feet of torque, enabling the base 2015 F-150 to tow 7,600 pounds and carry a payload of 1,910 pounds. This is a best-in-class tow rating for V-6 light-duty pickups, according to Ford. But the more interesting power option comes in the form of the new turbocharged 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6, which is rated at 325 hp and 375 pounds-feet of torque. It's as powerful as most other truckmakers' midrange V-8 engines and enables an F-150 equipped with the 2.7-liter engine to pull 8,500 pounds and haul a payload of up to 2,250 pounds. The company believes that this is likely to be its volume engine, comprising fully half of its expected engine mix. It makes sense, Ford said, given that 85 percent of F-150 buyers tow less than 8,500 pounds and carry a payload less than 2,000 pounds.

Ford demonstrated the efficacy of the new 2.7-liter motor through a comparison with three competitors: the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado with its midrange 5.3-liter V-8, the 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel with its 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V-6 and the 2015 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 (an unusual choice) featuring a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine.

The company showed a video at a special news conference at the company's headquarters in Dearborn, Mich., that showed the 2.7-liter-equipped 2015 F-150 out-performing the Ram EcoDiesel up the Davis Dam run in northern Arizona, and besting the Chevy in two out of three runs up the same steep grade while towing a 7,000-pound enclosed trailer. The Toyota was included as a demonstration of what the an engine of comparable displacement can achieve — the 2.7-liter EcoBoost produces 166 more hp and 195 pounds-feet more torque than the big four-cylinder in the Toyota.

Sadly, no fuel economy numbers were made available by Ford; those are likely being reserved for yet another press conference in the near future. Ford did, however, demonstrate something that the public has been asking to see for months — a direct weight comparison between the outgoing truck and the new one. Ford had two F-150 Lariat models on display, one a 2014 crew cab with the 5.0-liter V-8, and the other a comparably equipped 2015 model with the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6. Both trucks were rolled onto electric scales, with the 2014 model weighing in at 5,674 pounds, while the new 2015 model totaled just 4,942 pounds, a difference of 732 pounds. Ford spokesman Mike Levine said that even if the 2015 had been equipped with a comparable 5.0-liter V-8, the difference would have been just 25 pounds less.

Stay tuned for more F-150 news and specs (hopefully including some fuel economy ratings) as the year progresses.

To see the video and the press release, click here.

By Aaron Bragman
From  www.pickuptrucks.com

Images from manufacturer

2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Bi-Fuel CNG Pickup

The bi-fuel CNG Silverado 2500 should expand CNG use among fleets.

 Photo by Vince Taroc.

I had an opportunity to test drive the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Crew Cab with the bi-fuel CNG option for a week and was very impressed. In fact, I primarily drove the pickup using CNG and was struck as to how indistinguishable it was from being powered by gasoline.

I’ve driven a number of CNG vehicles over the years and I must say this was one of the most seamless bi-fuel transitions I have experienced, segueing from CNG to gasoline and back all with a simple flip of the switch — while you are driving. This produces a very pleasant user experience and also a strong appreciation of the engineering that allows this to occur.

Also, the effortless transition from one fuel to the other will help facilitate use by fleet drivers who, in the past, were reluctant to use the bi-fuel option and switch to the alternative fuel. Not all bi-fuel systems allow drivers to manually switch fuels.

The beauty of these models is that they provide reduced CO2 emissions (compared to the gasoline engine), while continuing to deliver full-size truck utility.

The CNG option is available on all 2015 Silverado 2500HD configurations and Silverado 3500HD models with single rear wheels, along with the 2500HD double cab and crew cab models, and with 2500HD regular cab and all 3500HD models. The bi-fuel CNG option is available on standard- or long-box models in both 2WD and 4WD.

The bi-fuel CNG Silverado/Sierra 2500/3500HD uses the 6.0L Vortec V-8 with factory-installed hardened exhaust valves and intake/exhaust valve seats engineered for gaseous fuel use. As mentioned earlier, the Vortec 6.0L V-8 engine can seamlessly transition between CNG and gasoline.

However, there is a slight difference in power between CNG and gasoline. The gasoline engine produces 360 hp and 380 lb.-ft. of torque. While running on CNG, the engine produces 301 hp and 333 lb.-ft. of torque.

Photo by Vince Taroc.

Besides allowing the driver to seamlessly switch fuels with the flip of a switch, the fuel system automatically switches to gasoline when the CNG tank is empty. This greatly expands the pickups driving range, which compensates for the lower power in the CNG mode. The combined 17 gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE) CNG tank and 36-gallon gasoline tank provide a range of more than 650 miles, it is very impressive.

The CNG tank is located in the pickup bed providing easy access when refueling. On the interior, the gasoline fuel gauge also doubles as the CNG fuel gauge, a very nice touch.

From a fleet maintenance perspective, the CNG fuel delivery and storage system is covered under GM’s limited warranty and is serviceable by Chevrolet and GMC dealers. Plus, all major components have GM service part numbers for broad availability.

In the CNG system, all high-pressure fuel lines are located between the frame rails, which increase vehicle safety in the event of a collision. There is a full 10-year corrosion validation, which is similarly value in Snow Belt regions. Lastly, the bi-fuel CNG Silverado/Sierra has a comprehensive five-year/100,000-mile transferable powertrain limited warranty, which is not the case for all manufacturers. All in all, I walked away really liking my experience with the truck and feeling like it will help expand CNG usage among fleet users.

From http://www.government-fleet.com

Celebrating 90 Years of GM’s Milford Proving Ground

Safety testing moves from primitive to high-tech over the decades 

DETROIT – When the General Motors Milford Proving Ground opened in 1924 – 90 years ago this October – engineers lacked advanced tools and technology for safety testing. Judging from this video, some might say the only crash test dummies back then were human.

Engineers today keep their distance during crash tests. No more riding the running boards until seconds before impact. Inside the vehicles being tested are heavily instrumented anthropomorphic test devices – dummies – who capture the data for which engineers once risked their lives.

“The technology used today to research vehicles is far superior to the past, but the intention stays the same, put vehicles to the test in the name of safety,” said Jack Jensen, the GM engineering group manager for the dummy lab and a GM Technical Fellow. “We have more sophisticated dummies, computers to monitor crashes and new facilities to observe different types of potential hazards.

“All those things together give our engineers the ability to design a broad range of vehicles that safely get our customers where they need to go.”

GM has provided customers with many industry-firsts using the Milford Proving Ground to test the developments:

• ·         Patent-pending child restraint seat cushion extension feature: A segment safety first, the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon jump seat headrest can be removed from the back of the seat on inserted into the base to give the child seat more area to sit on

• ·         Belt assurance system: The industry-first keeps drivers from shifting from “park” if not buckled up, will be launching in Q4 of 2014 on a limited group of fleet vehicles

• ·         Front center air bag: GM was the first manufacturer to introduce the feature in 2013 on all full size crossovers, it will also be on the all-new 2015 full size utilities

• ·         Rollover test facility: GM was the first North American auto manufacturer to build a rollover test facility, which opened in 2006.

• ·         Test dummies: In the early 1980s, GM’s safety team developed several dummies, including the Hybrid III, which became the universal standard for frontal crash testing and remains so today across the globe.

General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world's largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. GM, its subsidiaries and joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at http://www.gm.com  

Battle destructive corrosion with routine maintenance

With the rugged operating conditions that many heavy-duty trucks endure, it’s no surprise that operators and maintenance staff need fast, easy solutions to protect vehicles from road debris, salt and rust.

In addition to rust from excessive moisture, heavy-duty trucks often experience the damaging effects of corrosion due to rock salt, magnesium chloride or calcium chloride used to salt and de-ice most roadways. Chlorides can be problematic for electrical connections and wiring, as well as dissimilar metals on the truck (i.e. electrical connectors, sensors, nuts, bolts, battery straps, etc.). Chlorides create a breeding ground for destructive corrosion, because they have the ability to stick to metal and capture atmospheric moisture.

The best way to protect truck components from rust and corrosion is to implement checks for any accumulation of rust or corrosion as part of a routine maintenance program. SKF, with its line of Krown rust protection products, recommends the following maintenance tips:

•     Remove de-icing agents in a way that dissolves quickly, makes dissolved salt inactive and prevents further accumulation of corrosion.
•     Wash the vehicle regularly with a detergent. Start by soaking the vehicle with a detergent and then power wash thoroughly to reduce the ability for de-icing chemicals to draw in the moisture and accelerate the corrosion process.
•     Apply a penetrating lubricant with a high dielectric strength to problem areas on the electrical system including plugs, ECUs, wiring harnesses, battery terminals and any exposed wiring. It can also be used to protect the body, chassis, dump beds, salt spreaders or moving parts.

To correct the damage caused by corrosion, it is recommended to use a solvent-free rust inhibitor with a dielectric strength of 50kv so it is safe with electrical components. SKF Krown products are a solvent free and environmentally friendly rust protection solution. However, 95% of all rust inhibitors in today’s market are made with solvents, which are hazardous to the environment, dangerous to the user and damaging to paint, plastic and rubber. They can also leave surfaces vulnerable and brittle as a result, which could lead to further corrosion.

Be sure to choose the right rust protection solution to help reduce downtime and save money from repairs needed due to rust.

How to Couple a 5th Wheel Hitch - CURTmfg.com

This informative video demonstrates the process of coupling and uncoupling a 5th wheel hitch. Whether you're towing cross country or hitting the family campground, 5th wheel trailers offer superior comfort, towing, and construction. Combine these amenities with a CURT 5th wheel hitch and you have the most well designed, problem free rig on the road!

For more towing information and to find the perfect hitch for your vehicle, check out http://www.curtmfg.com

Mark Your Calendar: Work Truck Show 2015 and 2016 Dates Announced

FARMINGTON HILLS, MI (July 28, 2014) — North America’s largest work truck event will return to Indianapolis, IN, where it has enjoyed sustained success over the past four years. NTEA – The Association for the Work Truck Industry has committed to hosting The Work Truck Show® at the Indiana Convention Center through 2016.

The Work Truck Show® 2015
March 4–6, 2015
Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, IN
Educational programming, including the Green Truck Summit, begins March 3

The Work Truck Show® 2016
March 2–4, 2016
Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, IN
Educational programming, including the Green Truck Summit, begins March 1

“Our many successful years in Indianapolis have allowed us to expand The Work Truck Show in both size and scope,” says Steve Carey, NTEA executive director. “The trade show floor has grown each year the event has been held in the city, and the extensive slate of educational sessions has evolved to meet changing industry needs. In 2015, The Work Truck Show will provide attendees with the latest information needed to make their operations more efficient, capable and profitable.”

Each year, The Work Truck Show brings together more than 10,000 truck fleet managers, manufacturers, distributors, dealers, equipment buyers and maintenance personnel. It features more than 500,000 square feet of the newest vocational trucks, vans and equipment, ride-and-drives and opportunities to connect with other work truck industry professionals.

Registration for The Work Truck Show 2015 opens in October. For more information, visit www.ntea.com/worktruckshow or call 1-800-441-6832.

Connect with the NTEA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NTEA.TheAssociationForTheWorkTruckIndustry, and join the Work Truck Show conversation on Twitter at @WorkTruckShow and with the official hashtag: #wts15.

ABOUT THE NTEA
Established in 1964, NTEA, the Association for the Work Truck Industry, represents approximately 1,650 companies that manufacture, distribute, install, sell and repair commercial trucks, truck bodies, truck equipment, trailers and accessories. Buyers of work trucks and the major commercial truck chassis manufacturers also belong to the Association. NTEA provides in-depth technical information, education, and member programs and services, and produces The Work Truck Show. The Association maintains its administrative headquarters in suburban Detroit and government relations offices in Washington, DC, and Ottawa, ON, Canada.


Editor’s Note: High-resolution photos from the The Work Truck Show 2014 are available for download in the online pressroom at www.ntea.com/worktruckshow/photoslogos/.

2015 Ford F-450 Superduty Video Review

We recently had the chance to drive the full lineup of 2015 Ford Super Dutys, some of which are relatively unchanged from 2014 with the exception of the newly upgraded and tuned 6.7-liter V-8 turbo-diesel and stronger transmission combination. The new engine leads the HD segment with 440 horsepower and 860 pounds-feet of torque and feels impressive, but that singular change does not make up for all of the Super Duty's faults.

After a full-blown media test-drive event we were able to take an all-new F-450 Super Duty (which does offer a stronger front axle, rear springs, steering components, torque converter, and an upgraded transmission) from West Virginia to Detroit. The good thing is that we spent enough time behind the wheel to be sufficiently impressed with this new truck and powertrain. The problem was that we weren't towing or hauling anything (in fact, we made the run completely empty), which meant we had to deal an exceptionally stiff and punishing suspension.

Still, there is a lot to like about this up-sized one-ton Super Duty, so we found some nice spots along our route to stop and talk about the truck. Yes, this is the monster that has Ford stating it is the best-In-class towing champ of the segment, but we can say that the trade-off (the unloaded ride quality) might be too much for many pickup truck customers to handle.

If you're thinking about buying this truck, you better have a sizable trailer (upward of 20,000-plus pounds) that you have to tow more than 75 percent of the time. Until we get our hands on one of these new trucks to do a more thorough and controlled towing and payload test, this will have to do. Look for our full story on the 2015 Super Dutys to come.

From www.pickuptrucks.com

Cars.com photo by Mark Williams