INDIANAPOLIS. Three engine offerings power Western Star’s newest vocation truck, the Class 8 4700. The truck, introduced here at NTEA’s Work Truck Show, joins the company’s 4900 and 6900 models to offer a “full range of premium truck options to suit any need.”
Available in a set-forward or set-back configuration, the 4700 features a 110-in. BBC, the shortest in its class, with 55-deg. wheel cut for tight maneuverability, Western Star said. The truck will fit well in dump, mixer, crane, roll-off, sewer vac and plow applications, according to the company. It will be available for order in the third quarter with delivery set for early 2012.
“The Western Star 4700 broadens our product line-up to meet the growing needs of value-minded vocational customers who still demand the attributes found in a traditional Western Star truck,” said Mike Jackson, general manager. “Hand-built with unmatched attention to detail, the 4700 features the same durability, ruggedness and reliability our customers expect from Western Star.”
Three engine choices are available: a Detroit Diesel DD13, or Cummins ISC or ISL engines. There are also several transmission choices, including the Eaton UltraShift Plus and Alison 3000 and 4000 series transmissions.
The DD13 features a 6-cylinder, in-line configuration with 350-450 hp. and 1,250 to 1,650 lbs.-ft. of torque. It uses Daimler’s BlueTec selective catalytic reduction emissions technology and an amplified common rail system to offer up to 5% in fuel economy savings, the company said.
For customers who don’t need the power of a 13-liter, the Cummins ISC and ISL are offered as choices. The ISC features 260-350 hp. and 1,000 lbs.-ft. of torque while the ISL is slightly more powerful, providing 345 to 380 hp. and 1,100 to 1,300 lbs.-ft. of torque. Both use SCR technology.
“Both Detroit Diesel and Cummins engines are perfectly suited to meet the specific performance and efficiency needs of the vocational market,” Jackson said. “Together with the Allison and Eaton transmission options, we’re providing a premium powertrain package that will deliver every time.”
The truck was designed with strength in mind, offering a new half-inch, 3.2 million RBM single-channel frame rail option that reduces weight and maximizes payload in a single frame, Western Star said. It also has a single-channel rail custom-punched to eliminate unnecessary holes.
Body builders will find the vehicle includes a clean back-of-cab design featuring multiple mid-chassis packaging solutions. The 4700’s body-builder interface connectors and transmission control units are located in-cab to protect against the environment.
There is also a bolt-in pass-through plate in the cab floor to eliminate the need for drilling and a dedicated “body builder wiring raceway” that includes easy routing access, the company said, and point-to-point wiring with an add-on multiplex option. The routing and clipping of air and electrical lines down the chassis are suspended away from the frame rails to reduce the chance that the lines will rub against the rail.
“We know the 4700’s efficient and convenient wiring interface and access panels will set the benchmark for the way body builders connect their equipment,” Jackson said. “We’ve already received praise from those who have seen the new raceway, and are confident the positive feedback will continue.”
The company worked to increase available space for body builders. As such, DEF and air tanks can be placed under the cab to free up rail space.
“By utilizing Daimler Trucks’ industry-leading EPA 2010 one-box after treatment system design, we provide our customers with more customization and body capabilities over competitors who use a two-box system, which prevents clean back-of-cab,” Jackson said.
Also focused on safety, Western Star designed the cab with galvannealed steel and it is precision welded then dipped in a proprietary 17-stage e-coat process for long-lasting protection against corrosion.
Site lines are also improved with a newly designed sloped hood.
“We understand the unique needs of the vocational job sites, so we designed the truck to shine in tight urban spaces or busy construction sites,” Jackson said. “Drivers will feel at ease operating the 4700.”
Inside the cab, the truck includes materials that are easy to clean and lighter headliner colors to make the 72-in. wide cab look brighter. Marine-grade switches and a hinged dash with exposed fasteners for serviceability are included.
There is added storage in the door.
