S & K Whitehead Earthmoving based at Corryong has taken delivery of a new Kenworth T410SAR supplied by Twin City Truck Centre, Wodonga.
The unit features a PACCAR MX engine rated at 510hp coupled with an 18-speed manual RoadRanger transmission.
It is fitted with a steel tipping body manufactured by Nixons Engineering, Wagga Wagga, and a Ringfeder coupling enabling it to tow either a tri-axle pig or super-dog tipper.
The company runs a fleet of six trucks – four Kenworths and two Western Stars – with the Keworths comprising T950, T659, T409 and the new T410SAR.
Speaking about the new unit and Kenworths in general, S & K Whitehead owner Simon Whitehead said he likes the brand because, “… they are built well and built to last.”
“The T410SAR is an ideal unit for what we do – either as a rigid tipper on its own or pulling a three-axle super-dog trailer,” said Whitehead.
The power and torque of the MX engine, according to Whitehead, are ample which is important due to the hilly terrain in which it operates, which is generally confined to a 250km radius of Corryong, including the Snowy Mountains region of NSW.
“I reckon the new unit rides better than the T409,” he said, “which might have something to do with the positioning of the steer axle.”
Whitehead said he has visited the PACCAR production facility in Melbourne and seen the Kenworths being built, an experience that enhanced his opinion that they are a well-built piece of machinery.
“It’s unbelievable to think that in two days it goes from being two chassis rails to a fully operational truck,” he said.
He added that the Australian-made aspect is important for him, too.
“It’s a machine that’s built tough to handle tough Australian conditions,” he said. “That’s why the resale value of Kenworths is so good.”
Whitehead said the past 12-18-month period had been exceptionally busy for the company with a lot of remediation earthworks and clearing being done in the aftermath of the devastating bushfires.
“I think this year has been our busiest year ever,” he said.