Kenworth T950 C15 Logger Used Review

A few years back, when Barney asked me if I’d like to join him on a run in one of his Kenworth T950s into a northeast forest for a used truck review, I jumped at the opportunity.

For many transport operators in Northeast Tasmania, the long dry season is a welcome change. However, knowing that many trucks are working now provides small consolation through the turmoil of rising interest rates and soaring diesel prices.

Barney Tulloch is the Transport Operations Manager for a Scottsdale-based logging operation, and his office is the cab of a Kenworth T950. His hands-on approach to the job commands a respect rarely given.

Barney’s day typically starts well before daybreak, and this day is no different. By first light, Barney was easing off the throttle at the outskirts of the old tin mining town of Pioneer at the end of the bitumen. Here, the log trucks turn right onto the corrugated dirt road onto Tebrakunna Road and wind their way up into the mountains.

Barney flicks the indicator wand and picks up the UHF radio’s handpiece, “Anyone coming out, Tebrakunna Road?,” he calls. There is no answer. The single-lane timber trestle bridge around the corner will be clear, and a prominent dust plume rises from behind the drive wheels as T950 bites into the dirt road.

Still, while the weather has been favourable this year, maintaining reasonable profitability through the economic turmoil associated with the falling dollar and rising diesel prices is entirely different. Barney admits having a fleet of Kenworth trucks is one step in maximising profitability.

Like most logging operators, Barney gets straight to the point and tells it like it is. While he notes some issues they’ve had with their equipment over the years, he’s also quick to highlight their strengths and benefits.

“A cheap price might sell the first truck, but if there isn’t any backup service to support the product, we definitely wouldn’t consider purchasing any more of that brand for our fleet,” Barney asserted. “I don’t believe that anyone has built the perfect truck yet, so it’s not just how well you can make a vehicle that determines if the product is any good or not.

“Although they [Kenworth] come pretty darn close to making the perfect truck,” Barney smiles. “That’s why we keep getting Kenworths.”

Barny’s logging operation primarily specialises in forest services that include harvesting and transporting hard and soft wood products for the paper industry and exporting quality wood residue products. In this market, quality service and assurance practices are not only valued but demanded by clients.

Contamination of high-grade wood products is a big issue. Care is taken through all stages of the transportation task ensuring the risk of contamination remains at zero, and this starts with the immaculate presentation of the vehicles.

Considering the environment these trucks operate in, it is a credit to Barney and his colleagues that they are immaculately maintained.

Barney concedes that the Kenworth T950 has many advantages for the bush work designed for these rough dirt roads.

“It’s just a tough truck,” Barney admits. “You only have to look at the corrugations in the road to see how rough the track is, and these trucks just keep coming back for load after load.

“All the plumbing on a Kenworth is fixed neatly to the chassis, so no hoses rub. A lot of consideration is given to keeping the design neat, which pays big dividends when it comes time to service the vehicle. Everything around a T950 is very accessible, saving time in the workshop,” he said.

Complementing the Kenworth trucks is the considerable amount of Caterpillar earthmoving equipment, from bulldozers and excavators to logging skidders, so it comes as no surprise that Caterpillar engines rate favourably in their forestry-equipment fleet.

Under the hood of Barney’s T950 is Cat’s C15, rated at 550hp. Striking a balance between sufficient power and fuel economy is becoming a demanding discipline, and it is one that Barney believes they’ve achieved with Caterpillar C15 engines.

“We’ve trialled different engines, and you talk to other operators running various specifications in similar applications, and the difference in the economy is marginal,” Barney admits. “But even so, a small margin certainly goes a long way to contribute a few cents to the bottom line at the end of each month. So that’s what it all comes down to, watching each cent.”

Barney is not on his own with this theory either. In fact, the high demand for Caterpillar engines in 2004 led to the astonishing statistic of one in every four Australian trucks over 350hp being Cat powered.

Other equipment on Barney’s T950 includes an Eaton 18-speed transmission and Meritor RT46-160 final drive with cross locks on Kenworth’s air glide rear suspension. The tri-axle jinker is locally built in Scottsdale, utilises Hendrickson Intrax-suspension, and is equipped with Tasmanian-made Elphinstone scales.

Today everybody in the supply chain is trying to get more for their dollar, which is passed along from supplier to supplier. Transport operators are arguably some of the hardest hit as their machinery generically incurs high operating costs and requires expensive consumables such as fuel and tyres.

As a result, maintaining a small margin for growth and profitability has increasingly become an exacting science with little tolerance for error. Barney openly acknowledges that purchase price rates very highly in their purchasing decisions but evidence of solid after-sales and intelligent specification are other areas of which he is mindful.

“What it all boils down to is a robust construction, practical design, aftersales service and how well the manufacturer provides it,” Barney told us.

“That’s why we buy Kenworths. They far exceed anybody else when it comes to looking after their customers. I can only speak of my own experience, but Kenworth has always looked after any problem we’ve had.

“At the end of the day, we are transport operators; we don’t want to deal with service, warranty or design issues. We just want our trucks on the road doing the job they were purchased for. That’s what this game is all about.”

Caterpillar-powered Kenworth T950 models were extremely popular during their long production run, and they’re still highly sought-after trucks today. Consequently, they don’t often come up for sale.

However, when they do, they’re quickly snapped up. The current asking price for a Kenworth T950 starts around $80,000 for a standard day cab and extends to $180,000 for a fully optioned road train version with a large sleeper.

But keep in mind that most original T950 models will have certainly covered almost two million kilometres. So do your due diligence, research the vehicle’s service and engine history, and then factor into your investment any repairs to bring the truck up to reliable working standards.

The good news is that parts for a T950 are plentiful, including all the cab bits and pieces that most Kenworth dealers will have on the shelf. Thankfully, not much has changed in the running gear design, as the driveline and brake components are still fitted in current models today.

If you’re fortunate enough to get a T650 with a Cat C15 or C16 engine, rest assured that Caterpillar still supports this engine.

And given the long production run and popularity of this engine, several aftermarket companies also supply components such as high-flow manifolds and piston skirts with a graphite coating that reduces friction in the cylinder. Also, tri-metal blend rod and main bearings to increase durability, to mention a few of the improvements you can add if you need to rebuild your C15 engine.

Specifications
Truck: Kenworth T950
Engine: Caterpillar C15
Power: 550hp (410kW) at 1500rpm
Torque: 1850lb/ft (2508Nm) at 1000rpm
Gearbox: Eaton RTLO20918B, 18-speed
Clutch: Eaton 2250lb/ft Easy Pedal Advantage
Front axle: Meritor MFS 7.3t
Front susp: Multi-leaf 7.5t
Rear axles: Meritor RT46-160GP with X-Locks
Rear axle ratio: 4.56:1
Rear susp: Kenworth Airglide 200
Main driveline: Meritor RPL25
Inter-axle driveline: Meritor RPL20
Electrics: Power distribution box under sleeper
Brakes: Bendix ABS with traction control
Fuel: Alloy tanks, 2 x 450L
Wheels: 10-stud alloy
Bumper: Polished alloy