Whether you are a fleet owner hoping to add a new Kenworth medium-duty truck to your fleet, or a dealer hoping to add some variety to your dealership lot, your decisions in regards to T270s and T370s just became much more varied.
The Default
Before we go into the new options for your truck, it is best to review what normally goes into a T270 and T370.
The T270, according to Kenworth, is a true Class 6 vehicle rated at 26,000 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). It is both available as a straight truck and as a non-CDL truck, increasing the available driver pool.
In contrast, the T370 cannot be configured as a non-CDL truck, but has a GVW ranging from 26,001 to 66,000 pounds, a Class 7 truck through and through. The T370 is also available in Class 8 models to handle even the toughest jobs.
Whether you, your driver, or your customer has a CDL or not, both trucks are built with the common man in mind. The hoods of the models can be lifted to be vertical, allowing full access to what is beneath. For simplicity’s sake, all fluid reservoirs are near each other, allowing a daily inspection for coolant, oil, and more to take little more than a minute.
The engines in both trucks, unless otherwise modified, tend to be either PACCAR PX-7 or PACCAR PX-9. For non-emergency vehicles, these range from 200 to 350 horsepower and torque up to 1,150 pound-feet.
New Options
If a truck needs specific tools to get the job done, here are the new available modifications from Kenworth
Roll-Back Flatbed
Combining a flatbed with the capabilities of a dump truck, a roll-back flatbed allows the driver to deliver machines with wheels much more seamlessly than before. Putting down the flatbed makes affixing a car or a piece of heavy equipment such as a forklift a breeze, and makes detaching it once reaching the delivery point almost just as easy.
According to Kenworth, the roll-back flatbed application is now an approved body type for use with the Kenworth AG201L single-axle rear suspension. Using two-bag, rear air suspension, the AG201L provides a smooth ride for trucks using the roll-back flatbed feature.
Bendix Blindspotter
While already an optional feature in T270 and T370 trucks, the Bendix Blindspotter feature has been upgraded. While the information on what it was before is sparse as Bendix has already updated its webpage, it now tracks 150 degrees on a single side, up to ten feet outward and twenty feet forward and backward.
Bendix states that its system is to complement safe driving practices, not replace them, and that the system does not hold Bendix liable for any side-collisions. Always check your sides when changing lanes and making turns to avoid any potential accidents from happening.
Convex Mirrors
To better help the driver see his truck’s sides in a lower technological solution than the Bendix Blindspotter, Kenworth also offers convex mirrors to be mounted on both the driver and passenger side of the hood. While the resulting image looks more bloated than use of a flat mirror, it provides a larger field of vision to see more of the truck’s immediate surroundings.
Conclusion
These features are available on Kenworth T270s and T370s by the time this article is published. If you are interested in driving one for your business, contact your closest dealer. If you are a dealer interested in selling a T270 or T370 with one or all of these features, contact Kenworth and place an order.
