Western Star Launches Off-Road Model That Swaps Truck Bodies
MOUNTVILLE, S.C. — Western Star has launched an off-road truck capable of swapping truck bodies within minutes, enabling operators to use the same chassis for multiple applications.
The truck maker’s versatile new MBT-40 Multi-Body Transformer is designed to replace multiple single-function trucks that can sit unused at a job site for long periods while not needed.
Western Star demonstrated the body-changing capability of its 6900XD Offroad MBT-40 during a May 12 ride and drive event here at the Michelin Laurens Proving Grounds.
The truck’s body transformer, supplied by Carco Industries, used its Palfinger hooklift to disconnect a Klein water tank from the chassis and then picked up and installed a J&J dump body, all in a span of about 10 minutes.
Another 6900XD model showed a third interchangeable truck body — a heavy-haul tractor-trailer configuration with side dump from Smith Co.
The MBT-40 is an open platform, so additional body builders could develop versions of their products that would be compatible with the truck, Western Star said.
“The MBT-40 package is a game changer in construction applications for its ability to be multiple pieces of equipment in one chassis,” said John Tomlinson, XD and vocational sales manager at Western Star. “The development of this platform was all about finding better economic ways of filling needs for our customers. Off-road chassis equipment can be expensive to buy and maintain and new emissions levels are making the investment even more costly.”
The 6900XD Offroad MBT-40 is the first product in Western Star’s new XD Offroad series for extremely rugged work environments.
Western Star currently offers the XD Offroad package on its 4900 and 6900 models and plans to extend it to other models in the future.
.@WstrnStarTrucks' MBT-40 Multi-Body Transformer interchanges water truck body with dump body in minutes. pic.twitter.com/3Rhu0knUch — Seth Clevenger (@SethClevenger) May 12, 2016
