Tips for improving off-highway haul truck efficiency

For off-highway hauling, the right truck body can greatly boost efficiency and profits for your operation. Volumetric capacity, weight distribution, and the type of materials being hauled can limit the productivity of many standard OEM truck bodies. To get the most out of your fleet, consider the following options:

one

ADD A TAILGATE

While it may seem like a small feature, not having a tailgate typically results in loads that are 10% to 15% below rated capacity. By increasing haul volumes to meet a truck’s rated capacity, tailgates can quickly and easily boost an operation’s profitability. For example, a 100-tonne-capacity truck with a tailgate hauls nearly 15 more tonnes per load than a 100-tonne truck without a tailgate. If a fleet of eight trucks adds 15 tonnes to each of their respective 10 loads per day, additional 1,200 tonnes of material move daily — comparable to adding another truck to the fleet.

two

CONSIDER REAR-EJECT BODIES

Rear-eject bodies can improve off-loading efficiency by pushing materials out with a blade while leaving the truck bed down. By eliminating the need to raise the body, the truck can safely dump materials while in motion and in the presence of overhead barriers. This versatility increases efficiency without reducing stability by providing a lower centre of gravity and allowing dumping on downhill slopes and conditions with a soft footing. While you can purchase many articulated off-highway trucks with rear-eject bodies, aftermarket solutions can be easily adaptable to any make and model of articulated truck as well as several rigid frame trucks.

three

LOOK FOR 450 BRINELL STEEL

To ensure durability and extend the service life of both the truck and body, consider opting for reinforced bodies made with 450 BHN steel. Because of the steel’s hardness, abrasion resistance, and lack of ductility in both warm and ultra-cold climates, it can increase the life of a truck body by 25% to 30%. For added reinforcement, look for bodies with floor bolsters that run from side to side under the body’s floor, as well as load distribution cones around the “sweet spot” of the centre floor section. The added strength from this floor support structure allows for maximum payload capacity by supporting the full weight of materials without stressing the truck’s chassis.

By boosting haul truck efficiency and extending the service life of off-highway equipment, operations can increase revenue in the short term, as well as over the life of each truck. 

Josh Swank is vice-president of sales and marketing for
Philippi-Hagenbuch.

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