The 6900XD Dump Truck from Western Star Trucks

by Bruce Ungersbock · March 23, 2016

Western Stars legendary dump trucks for sale were forged in the United States and the company and its trucks have proven themselves time and time again across the globe. Western Star produces some of the most reliable and rugged trucks on the planet and if you are in the business of making money then Western Star trucks will never fail you.

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This Mercedes Benz offshoot company only makes trucks to order, every single one is painstakingly constructed from the ground up. Keep reading to understand why Western Star trucks for sale, and especially their dumpers, will never disappoint.

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Western Star trucks heritage and history in South Africa

Western Star was established in 1967 and originally developed to serve the needs of the Canadian logging industries in the Canadian Rockies. The brand continued from here and have been both publically and privately owned up until October 2000 when Freightliner LLC, bought the brand. Freightliner is the biggest heavy duty truck brand in North America and is a fully owned subsidiary of Daimler AG.

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In September of 2001, the Western Star brand was launched in South Africa in an attempt to fill South Africa’s niche mining industry. Western Star started producing rugged, high performance trucks to meet this need. Since the brand’s inception, Western Star has branched into the abnormal load haulers, break-down recovery and construction trucks.

Why Choose Western Star?

Let’s have a look at some of the reasons why you should always go for Western Star trucks for sale.

• All their trucks are made to order so the vehicle you buy will be specific to your own conditions and desired applications
• Their trucks have both on-road and off-road capabilities
• If you are in the mining industry then Western Star are niche specific
• All Western Star trucks have very heavy duty chassis
• Jacobs engine brakes are used in every truck, these are high quality and dependable braking systems.
• Everything is ergonomically designed around the cab operator. Western Star trucks have increased headroom space, very high driver visibility, unique sleeper options and Low Max profiles.

You should now have a much better understanding as to why the Western Star brand does so well in South Africa and the rest of the world. Now we will have a closer look at one of the most recognizable Western Star Trucks on the road today, the Dumper 40T.

6900XD 6×4 40 T Dump Trucks

Open cast mining quarries are the most common kind of quarries found in South Africa. The 6×4 40 t Dump Truck is specially made for this type of environment. These tippers are built to be rugged and capable of withstanding all of the off road operating conditions that are associated with open cast mining. Not only are they almost indestructible, but the 40 t Dump Trucks are faster moving than other rigid or articulated trucks on the market.

These Western Star dump trucks for sale have a very high power-to-weight ratio. This coupled with an abnormally rigid frame means that this truck can quite easily travel at speeds of 65 kilometers per hour without any reduction in payload limitations that are normally experienced by other trucks due to their tire design limitations.

The Dumper uses a Cummins ISM 11litre, Turbocharged Inter-cooled Diesel Engine to make it move. This engine has a power output of 260 Kw @ 2100 RPM and produces a maximum torque of 1965 Nm @ 1200 RPM.

Long downhill gradients that are normally associated with open cast mining quarries can easily be handled by the 40 T’s Jacobs engine brake. If you need any extra stability then you can also install the optional transmission retarder that Western Star Trucks offers the buyer. This dumper is very easily operated as the controls are very simple and straight forward. You need very minimal training when being introduced to the vehicle if the driver knows how to operate a normal car, the controls are just that simple.

In terms of safety, these dump trucks make use of integral safety systems that stop the dumper from being mechanically abused and massively improve operating safety in dangerous conditions.

Western Star Dumper 40T Specifications

Minimum Group Clearance	310 mm
Wheelbase	5512 mm
Payload	25400 kg
Engine	Cummins ISM
Power	260 Kw
Torque	1965 Nm

Return on investment on the Western Star 40 t Dump Trucks

The 40 t has actually been designed to minimize the cost per ton hauled when compared to other traditionally articulated trucks or rigid frame off road dumpers. This is possible through much lower maintenance costs and higher productivity levels. The 40 T hauler is built for reliability and fuel efficiency.

In actual fact, the longer your haul, the better these trucks perform. On tarred and maintained road surfaces, when the haul is longer than one kilometer, this dump truck is thirty percent more fuel efficient than any other competing articulated and rigid dump trucks in the same payload class. If you extend the haul further, you save even more on fuel. If you have long hauling requirements then there really is nothing better than Western Star trucks.

Key design features that help with ROI

Simplistic drivetrain

All Western Star dump trucks use a heavy duty Allison 4500RDS automatic transmission and a very robust Axletech planetary gear drive axle. This means that you have much less reduction gearing and power loss. There is also less heat produced than other drivetrain systems so there is less wear and tear on the moving parts and increases in efficiency.

High pressure tires

14R25 tires are used with earth moving treads to give maximum comfort, stability and speed. Smaller diameter tires give the dumper for sale reduced rolling resistance and amazing fuel efficiency and cycle speeds. Not to mention that you get all of this with forty percent less replacement costs if your tire fails prematurely.

Efficient braking system

Low cost, dry drum brakes are used to stop you from using oil as in the wet braking process. You get a standard engine compression brake that gives off 373kW of stopping retardation. If you install the optional hydraulic transmission retarder then you will get 447kW of stopping power.

Heavy duty dump box

The main features of these dumpers are of course their dump boxes as these are the parts that do the dirty work. HARDOX 400 steel is used in this vehicle’s dump box. This steel is made to handle any extreme material. Low profile sides allow for easy and efficient loading, and the end is scarred, so large boulders are secure. This reduces hydraulic cylinder stress. The tailgate has an auto fill feature that maximizes material loading times. All of this is done while the operator is in a very safe cabin behind the protector.

Luxurious operator comfort

You can’t have a powerful workhorse without a comfortable saddle. The cabin inside the 40 T has many features that create the most comfortable ride for any dump truck operator. The entire cab sits on an air ride system and there is an optional insulation package that almost completely stops any outside noise from getting inside the cab. The seats have active lumbar air ride support and the dashboard uses highly visible LED lighting so the driver doesn’t have to strain when looking at the dials. Your operators will feel well rested after a day on the job.

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Are you in the market for dumper for sale? Truck and Trailer features a range of dump trucks for sale. Specifically looking for Western Star trucks for sale? Browse www.TruckAndTrailer.co.za for the best deals on commercial vehicles.