At CONEXPO, International Truck introduced a new lightweight spec for its International® HV™ Series. The new HV50B mixer package removes over 1,000 lbs of weight from the vehicle with engineering optimizations that allow drivers to haul up to 9.75 cu yds of concrete while staying under 66,000 lbs GVW. The result of these changes means that customers currently only able to legally carry 9 cu yds of concrete will be able to increase their revenue by $750 per truck, per day. The spec also includes fringe benefits such as enhanced safety due to improved line of sight for the driver.
The spec was designed solely with a focus on the customer. In fact, the idea stemmed from a conversation between the company and a potential customer.
“A major concrete producer was excited about our HV series but had some constructive feedback regarding the chassis weight and line of sight for their application,” Mark Stasell, vice president, Vocational Truck Business, Navistar, says. “As with all customer feedback, we took that challenge to heart and wanted to respond to these suggestions. We put together a small, passionate team and got creative from a design standpoint. The result is the HV Series that you see in our booth today. A physical representation of how we do business—with the customer at the center of everything we do.”
LIGHTWEIGHT HV FEATURES
The spec was designed specifically for saving pounds that don’t affect the integrity of the vehicle. To start, it features an all-aluminum, lighter bumper that is used on the International HX series. The team also optimized the front suspension components, allowing for a lower hood height, which leads to the increased visibility for the driver and improved safety on the jobsite. The fuel water separator and air dryer were also mounted on the same bracket, saving the weight of multiple brackets and getting out of the way for concrete mixer hydraulics. In addition, the team optimized crossmember locations, further reducing the weight of the chassis. This also leads to less cost for the customer, as truck equipment manufacturers do not need to relocate crossmembers.
“With this spec, we were able to reduce the weight of our vehicle without compromising any jobsite performance,” Stasell says. “Reduced vehicle weight means heavier loads per trip and per truck, which directly improves our customers’ bottom lines. I’m very proud of what our team accomplished with this project and look forward to continuing to optimize our offerings based on the needs of our customers.”
Customers looking to learn more about the lightweight HV spec or International’s vocational vehicles can visit International Truck’s booth (#s61107) at CONEXPO 2020 in Las Vegas.
Find out more, visit www.navistar.com.
