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All the FLB's sold down here were  compliance plated for a minimum of 70,000 Kgs (154,000 lbs) Gross Combination Mass (GCM) quite a few were 90Tonne GCM..

So your cap outcome???what did ya see!

http://www.gordonbrothers.com/assets-for-sale/assets/2018/rivet/rivet-photo-gallery#

Wonder how he gets around the Construction and Use regulations with a tractor that was never type approved for such heavy weights?

Owner-Driver  /  June 15, 2018 After decades of buying second-hand trucks, the Woods family changed direction and bought their first newie – a Kenworth T610. Warren Aitken gets the feedback from Jamie Woods and driver Chris Faaaliga The old saying is ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’. But while that might be the case for actual old dogs, the same isn’t true of those ‘old dogs’ in the transport industry. To survive in this industry ‘old dogs’ have to keep up with what’s new in the industry as well as mastering everything they’ve learnt from previous years. For my own safety though I’m going to drop the ‘old dog’ analogy because those oldies also know ways of punishing those who call them ‘old dogs.’ More to the point, when you’ve learnt the new tricks and grown your transport business from a ‘two trucks between mates’ kind of business into a flourishing 34 truck and 75 trailer fleet, what new things are there left to try? Well, for Kim Woods, his wife Diane and sons Jamie and Chris, the one thing they could try was buying their first brand new truck. Kim formed Brisbane-based Bondwoods Transport in 1994 with a mate. Back before Facebook, Google and Ebay filled our days, Kim was running 48ft boxes on and off the rail for Cubico/Boxcar. Kim and another contractor where kept flat out with local work. When Cubico mentioned bringing in another subbie, the two men bought another truck and formed Bondwoods Transport. For 14 years Bondwoods built a solid reputation based on both men’s old school values of service and reliability. In 2008 Kim bought out his partner and it became a one-family operation. "It was too large a job to change the name," explains Kim’s son Jamie. "So we just kept Bondwoods." During those first 14 years Cubico was bought out, the company that bought Cubico was then bought out, then that company was bought out and then that company was also bought out and then … well, you get the gist. There had been many changes of management but Bondwoods kept supplying their reliable service and the work kept coming. Bondwoods did meet on hard times when the Global Financial Crisis hit in 2007. They lost a chunk of work with several trucks having to be sold and the fleet downsized to eight prime movers. Coincidently 2007 was also the year Jamie joined the Bondwoods’ driving team (I’m not saying he caused the GFC, but the timing is interesting). As 2008 disappeared in the rear-view mirrors the Bondwoods’ team was starting to replenish their workload. Over the next decade the business set about building a solid reputation with all its customers. In 10 years they’ve more than quadrupled their fleet, although Jamie admits they’ve never gone chasing work and have looked taking anyone else’s work either. The customers come to them. "Our growth is run by the growth of our customers," Jamie says. Out of the driver’s seat Jamie managed six years in a driver’s seat before the business became just too busy for him not to suit up and get in the office. The same thing happened earlier this year when younger brother Chris ‘Boof’ Woods had to retire his seat to take over the interstate operations. While the move to a comfy office chair was to take care of the day-to-day operations, one of the other aspects Jamie was instrumental in was increasing the presentation of the Bondwoods’ fleet. "There’s nothing real flash about them," Jamie humbly explains. "Just a bit of stainless and some pin striping." Although when that pin striping is done by the boys at Truck Writers in Caboolture, you know it’s going to stand out. Jamie freely admits that the other reason the trucks stand out is his drivers. The pride they take in their gear shows on the road, which is a case in point. Jamie happily regales a recent story of a customer who was on his way down to the port of Brisbane for a meeting with his current freight forwarder that he was having issues with. "He saw a couple of our trucks in a line of 10 or so trucks and they stood out. Next thing he’s on the phone and Bondwoods have another client to look after." While their workload has increased from local box carting to general freight, steel, produce and everything in between, the roads travelled now go anywhere from Melbourne to Mackay. However one thing has always stayed the same – the purchase of second hand trucks. "It’s always been the way Dad modelled the business," Jamie tells me. "Originally it was to keep the costs down, we did a lot of subcontract work and the money just wasn’t there. "The flipside of buying second hand is having to allow for more maintenance, so having two fulltime mechanics on board meant everything was looked after." As far as what second hand trucks they purchased, Kim wanted to keep variety in the fleet. There’s K104s, K200s, T401s, 404s, 404 SARs, 408s, 409s, a T650, a 904, a 604 and a 608 .It’s a definite variety of Kenworth models. "Nothing stands up better than a Kenworth" is not just Jamie’s opinion, but that of the entire family. "They put up with the harshest conditions and they’re brilliant round town," he continues. If you look closely in the yard though, you will see a couple of bonnets without a KW emblem on them. Enter the T610 In late 2017 it was time for a big change and Bondwoods very first brand new truck arrived. The decision came about through the increased workload, coupled with the struggle to find good second-hand trucks that weren’t housing the older EGR motors, an engine Bondwoods preferred to stay away from. Dave Constable from Brown and Hurley’s Yatala outlet was the man to get Kim and his boys into their very first new truck. "He’s been brilliant!" Jamie says. Even though they’d never bought anything from him previously, Dave was always popping in for a chat, checking on the business, going as far as dropping off a gift when Jamie’s wife had their first baby. "When the decision was made it was a no brainer," Jamie adds. "He’d put the legwork in." Dave brought round a stock truck which was white with a black chassis. Another bulls-eye in Bondwoods’ book so Dave had to Uber home. Done deal! The new T610, powered by a Cummins X15, was immediately sent off to Truck Writers to get some scroll work done. Soon after, it popped around the corner to Leeroy’s Stainless for a little bling before returning home where a new visor from Rocklea Truck Electrical was fitted. One of the other notable attributes of Kim and the Bondwoods management team is their willingness to hire young and inexperienced workers trying to get into the transport industry. Jamie admits to enjoying putting the time and training into the new recruits. "We’ve got three or four guys here under the age of 22. They’re all keen, they love their trucks; why wouldn’t you want them here? "They can’t wait to get here Monday morning; they’re the sort of people you want." One of those graduates of the Bondwoods’ school of ‘we’ll cart everything’ is the man who got the new keys and the first ever new truck smell at Bondwoods – Chris ‘Coco’ Faaaliga. Power of the X15 Chris started with Bondwoods over six years ago and while his job now predominantly involves the new swing lift work, there’s nothing in the company he hasn’t tried. Local DC deliveries to steel, changeovers to dock work, Chris has learned more ropes than a sailing class. Along the way he’s taken a lot of pride in each vehicle he’s had. The last 409 he had looked in better condition than my car, and I clean my car a lot. Jamie admitted that even though Chris works six days a week, the T610 looks like it’s just rolled out of the factory. So how does the new T610 handle the round town work? Piece of cake, not just any cake either, one of those three-tiered chocolate and banana cake creations. Chris loves it, admitting the power of the X15 makes it a breeze. His laugh borders on maniacal when he recants cruising past other trucks when he’s fully loaded. In terms of manoeuvrability and vision, two vitally important attributes when it comes to round town work, the same praise flows from Chris. He had been forewarned of the shaking of the single arm mirrors, but in typical Coco fashion he informs me, "Those kinda mirrors normally shake, but nope, that one’s good … maybe they shake when you keep hitting trees a lot!" While the new Kenworth T610s have proven their worth out and about on the Australian highways it was great to see how well it performed in more confined spaces. The power of the X15 is evident pulling away time and again from the lights, the turning circle has lost nothing to its younger 4-0 models and the drop away bonnet and large mirrors means you’ve got to pull some real David Copperfield stuff to hide from the driver’s view. It’s taken 24 years for Bondwoods to get their first truck, and the new Kenworth T610 has definitely made them rethink waiting another 24 for the next one. .

Diesel News Australia  /  June 2018 A South Australian heavy haulage outfit is planning the return of the Freightliner FLB. Ken Pitt, All Size Equipment Transport (ASET) Managing Director has moved away from a policy of buying new trucks as he says he hasn’t found a specification available in a new truck that can match what he can achieve in terms of configuration and mass. ASET are buying old Freightliner FLB trucks and rebuilding them to suit the tasks they are undertaking. According to Ken, the FLB has a number of advantages as a platform on which to build. It has a front axle set well forward, giving any combination good axle spread, helping the loads stay inside the restrictive oversize over-mass envelope. The tare weight of a finished FLB can be around seven tonnes, whereas a brand new equivalent, like a Freightliner Argosy or Kenworth K200 will come in around 10 tonnes. This three tonnes, again, helps ASET keep loads within the envelope.  “We can get the FLBs down below 7 tonnes tare, and they are still a 70 to 90 tonne GCM truck,” says Ken.  ASET have found a sweet spot where their combination will be able to handle a load on a normal semi, but many of their competitors will have to use a converter dolly to spread the weight from the front of the trailer.  However, Ken does admit to the necessity of bringing some new trucks into the fleet and is looking at the Argosy as the best alternative, with its dimensions more suited to the precise needs of the operation. Argosy models have been customised on arrival at the ASET yard. The suspensions are taken off and rearranged to suit the lower profile tyres the company fits on standard wheels. The business runs with five mechanics. They handle a varied workload, not only servicing trucks and trailers, but also working on building new equipment. One specialist rebuilds all of the engines, gearboxes and diffs.  There are two regulars working to manufacture trailers, but all of the team are multi-skilled. When work gets busy, those building trailers may be out driving trucks. When things are quiet, the trailer manufacturing team grows.  Learning from the US “I spent some time holidaying in the US and it was a real eye-opener,” says Ken. “I got a car, went on the road and had a look at everything. America make some very low stuff. Their infrastructure in the cities lets them get pretty low, in stuff like car carriers. I was taking photos underneath the trailers. Some you couldn’t get underneath.  “I came across a wrecker in Indianapolis and he had 30 acres of stuff. I spent a weekend hunting around in there. Looking at all the bits they fit there but doesn’t come to Australia. I have now persuaded Freightliner to bring these different suspension pedestals into Australia.” ASET do not use the 19 inch rims favoured by the Americans. Instead, Ken sticks with 22 inch rims but fits ultra low tyres sourced from Europe. The combination of the two actually allow the truck to sit lower than on 19 inch wheels. The trailers are fitted with 19 inch rims with low profile tyres. This allows room for conventional brake set ups to be used, but keeps trailer height low.  In terms of tyre wear, ASET have found the tyres don’t last as long as conventional ones. However, the ability of this gear to stay under the 4.9, 4.6 and 4.3 metre height thresholds when loaded is reckoned to pay-off in terms of cost.  The disadvantages of running with these adaptations include more wear and changing diff ratios, and having to carry spares at all times. Going to the lower profiles will change a 3.7:1 ratio to one of approximately 3.2:1. This means the carrier has to be changed to keep performance and fuel economy balanced. .

Diesel News Australia  /  June 2018 A presentation in Melbourne this week has confirmed the Freightliner Cascadia is in Australia to commence a comprehensive testing and evaluation program in the lead up to its launch in Australia in early 2020. Ever since the introduction of the Cascadia on the US market, back in 2009, there has been a lot of speculation about if and when the model would be introduced to Australia. There was talk of the truck being unsuitable for Australia. In North America it is sold as a mass-produced highway truck used as a generic prime mover to haul the standard trailers on smooth interstate highways at masses below 40 tonnes. Freightliner in Australia had persisted with the older model designs like the Argosy, Coronado and Columbia. These are based on a vehicle platform which predates the development of the Cascadia, a  design which integrates elements which are common across the Daimler truck family. The success of the Cascadia in North America has seen Freightliner regain number one status right across the heavier end of the market, as it continues to grow market share to over 40 per cent in the heavy duty prime mover market. US interstates are populated with processions of Cascadias with a few competitor brands sprinkled into the mix. Initially, the Cascadia is to be tested in its left hand drive form. This is an opportunity to test aspects like driveline and running gear while the right hand drive aspect can be developed and refined. The second wave of evaluation trucks will be right hand drive as Freightliner gets closer to the final specifications required to suit Aussie conditions. As we are so early in the process, Freightliner are unwilling to be tied down to the specifics of what will be offered to the Australian truck buyer in 2020. However, there are some concrete factors which the company is willing to divulge. The engines on offer will be the Detroit DD13 and DD16. Top power on the 16 litre is going to be over 600 hp, but how far over is yet to be decided. These engine choices match those available in the heavy end of the Mercedes Benz, which uses the 13 and 16 litre engines based on the same engine blocks. Gearboxes on the initial test models are the Detroit DT 12, the North American version. of the AMT used in the Benz models sold here. This will be supplemented by an Eaton option both in the form of the 13 and 18 speed Roadranger, but also the Ultrashift Plus AMT. One of the major selling points for the Cascadia in the US has been its frugal fuel consumption, something which Freightliner here hope to emulate in Australia. Its slippery streamlined shape is one of the factors, but this is complemented by the matching of the Detroit engine and AMT with a sophisticated electronic architecture, designed to wring out the maximum kilometres from each litre of fuel. These electronics also mean the truck will have the capability to be optioned with the latest in safety technologies, either fitted as standard or available as an optional; extra.This increased level of on board electronics means the Australian arm of the Freightliner business will be able to capitalise on the latest technologies as they are released across the global Daimler truck range. Current Freightliner ,models miss out on some innovations as their electronic architecture cannot support them. Talking to the Daimler executives at the recent unveiling it is clear the company is invigorated following the success of the release of the latest Mercedes Benz models and are hoping to get a corresponding lift in the fortunes of the flagging Freightliner brand at the point where the Argosy is phased out, also in early 2020. .

If you got a tub grinder, you could really do a good job getting rid of those grass clippings.  The R would hook right up! Could a borrow the grinder when you are done....?