Aussie contractor chooses Scania for traction

H & L Scheidl is a well-known Mount Gambier-based livestock and logging contractor.

Owner, Hans Scheidl has been running logging trucks for more than 45 years. He has recently switched to Scania V8-powered trucks to pull his new Elphinstone logging trailers through the loamy, boggy, crudely-cut logging tracks and along the deserted, unsealed roads that link the forests to major highways.

The Scania R 620 V8 trucks produce 3000Nm of torque, are exceptionally good on fuel, and have been engineered to cope with working in the frozen forests of northern Scandinavia, so Australia’s milder climate poses no problem. A typical load is 44.5 tonnes of logs for a 68-tonne gross combination mass.

Scania V8 trucks are also well regarded for their comfortable cabs with excellent vision, as well as fatigue-reducing automated gearchange and retarder auxiliary braking system.

Hans says one of his drivers, Jim Smith (pictured), said he felt fresher getting out of the Scania after a shift than when he got in.

“The Scanias have eliminated my downtime,” Hans says. “This is vital because this business is all about volume.

“The engines and gearboxes are good and the servicing has been great. One of the trucks has already done 120,000km. I need trucks that can work in the bush, and these work well there. They have given me no grief at all,” Hans says.

“The Scanias have provided excellent traction in the muddy and slippery forest roads, thanks to their hub-reduction axles on four-point air suspension. They are fitted with a 14-speed manual gearbox because they are easy to drive and the drivers like them,” he says.

“We specified the new Scania 4100Nm Retarder for the R 620s, which gives us plenty of braking performance. These are the first trucks in Australia with the new big retarder,” Hans says.

At present Scheidl’s has three Scania R 620s working in the forests. They’re delivering logs either to the Mount Gambier mill or to customers in Portland or Colac.

“The Scanias are the only trucks I am double-shifting at present,” Hans says. “They are good for this.

“The bottom line for us is that the Scanias deliver very high productivity,” Hans says.
Scania’s New Truck Account Manager, Paul Riddell says Hans had a firm view of what he wanted in a new truck.

“He wanted high productivity in terms of trip times, good tare weight, reliability, durability, and safety. High ground-clearance was also important.

“We have a special logging truck specification that includes a strong 6x4 chassis, straight nine-tonne front axle as well as important safety features such as roll stability, ESP, EBS and built-in load scales, all of which help the drivers do their jobs better and in greater safety,” Paul says.

“We also fitted hub reduction axles for outstanding take-off traction, and we added Goodyear super single tyres for increased stability on the rough roads.

“Scania’s logging specification vehicle is the ideal solution for forestry haulers because when you combine the Scandinavian logging expertise, Scania’s legendary V8 power and a full-house of safety features, there really is nothing better to do the job,” Paul says.