Review: Western Star 4700

Name: Review: Western Star 4700
Brand: Western Star

Transpacific is one of Australia and New Zealand’s leading recycling, waste management and industrial services company, it has one of the nation’s largest fleets of specialist waste management vehicles and the latest 4700 Western Star vacuum trucks are delivering more than the waste they collect

Transpacific provides an essential service, yet it’s a service that is often taken for granted by the community, a service that demands environmental care and safety, a service that we – the public – are quick to criticise if it’s not done the way we want it done.

There’s virtually nothing in waste management that’s not addressed by Transpacific today. On a national level this means there’s a fleet of around 1900 trucks of various shapes and sizes along with a diverse range of equipment to perform domestic garbage, recycling, sanitary and green waste collection for local authorities, as well as industrial waste services for more than 65,000 commercial customers.

Behind the scenes at Transpacific’s Mackay (North Queensland) depot, a picture emerges of a business that is successful for a myriad of reasons – strategic planning, people programs, and the equipment it both designs and specifies itself to stay at the forefront in a fiercely competitive industry.

Western Star 4700 driver Adam Murray has been around the waste industry for more years than he cares to remember. He knows what works and what doesn’t. He also places huge emphasis on product support and building relationships with truck and equipment suppliers.

“You can have the best product in the world but if the support and relationships aren’t there you’re in trouble,” he says. “It’s almost better to have a bad product with good support than a good product with bad support.”

Today, with Transpacific operating around 600 Western Star trucks throughout their fleet it would appear that product suitability and support rate highly.

“Western Star’s support is very good,” says Adam. “Likewise, their trucks are well put together, durable and comfortable which is why we specified the new 4700 for our vacuum truck operation.”

Cooling the trucks operating in North Queensland and throughout the Bowen Basin coalfields in the hinterland areas to the west of Mackay has always been a challenge, especially if their task involves operating while stationary, such as the case with a vacuum truck.

The wide shiny grill of Western Star’s 4700 not only looks the part but allows plenty of air flow to keep the engine cool even the harshest Queensland heat.

The truck is also fitted with wide chromed air intakes mounted on either side of the bonnet for extra ventilation. The rectangular headlights are mounted low and come with standard halogen lights for improved vision. The hood easily tilts open to 90-degrees and is equipped with special springs to reduce effort.

Driver safety is one area Transpacific and the mine sites they service are extremely strict about and the 4700 cabin strength was one feature that could not be overlooked. Unlike other truck cabs in the segment, which are built using lightweight aluminum, the 4700’s cab is all made of steel.

Despite the fact that the steel cabins are significantly heavier than the aluminum units, Western Star engineers choose it because it is tougher and more resistant to accidents. Moreover, in order to be corrosion resistant, the steel-cabs have been galvannealed. The extra gussets and reinforcements were bonded, welded, dipped and then protected with a 17-stage e-coat process for long-lasting corrosion resistance and a superior paint finish.

Space inside the cabin is far from being a problem and the 183cm (72-inch) wide cab offers great flexibility with plenty of head and legroom. Combine that with a high driving position and excellent vision, and as Alan says, “you have one of the best working places on wheels available on today’s market. The side vision is equally impressive and provides a wide panoramic view to both sides of the truck.”

“Western Star has also fitted this model with plenty of useful storage spaces,” he continued. “Starting with the generous door pockets, and the big storage box between the seats and finishing with the big compartments fitted into the dash, everything is well placed and comfortable to use.”

The backbone of the Western Star 4700 is a 12.5 mm (half-inch-thick) single-channel frame rails, which also come custom drilled depending on the application.

Either Cummins or Detroit Diesel engines can power this model. The Cummins engines are also combined with SCR (selective catalytic reduction) technology, which is a simple and cost efficient solution to meet the latest emission requirements. Transpacific chose the new Cummins ISLe5 engine option rated at 400hp coupled to an Eaton RTLO14918B transmission. The final drive is DANA DSH44P axles riding in an Airliner suspension.

The truck also features a pretty smart wiring system. Unlike other trucks in the segment, Western Star put the body builder interface connectors and transmission control unit in the cab to protect them from the elements. There is also a convenient bolt-in pass-through plate in the cab floor, to eliminate unnecessary drilling, and a dedicated floor channel with an easy-to-remove top for easy access to the wires.

One of the innovations on this 4700 Western Star vacuum pumper that Alan and his team are extremely pleased about is the silent operation of the unit even while it is pumping, thanks in part to the new Euro-5 400hp Cummins ISLe5 and its under-slung exhaust system.

We’re told that the new ISLe5 has been designed with heavy-duty structural strength, and incorporates design features which are normally associated with larger Cummins engines. There’s an enhanced camshaft and roller cam followers, a viscous damper and high-capacity lube system that enable Cummins to maintain durability and reliability with a high power-to-weight ratio. Weighing in at just over 700kg, which is up to 150kg lighter than competitive engines. The ISLe5 offers significant benefits for payload critical and high bulk volume operations, with unrivalled levels of torque for an engine of this size.

The heart of the new Cummins ISLe5 is a new electronic control module (ECM), which has a higher processing capacity than the previous model. It maintains an optimum balance between load demands, fuel-efficiency and emissions control. The ECU is designed to be isolated from detrimental thermal and vibration loading for extreme reliability and durability.

The new high-pressure common-rail system works at higher pressure and provides more precise control of the combustion process. It is capable of generating up to 1600 bar injection pressures for refined and rapid power delivery, reduced noise, and improved cold start. The waste-gated turbocharger – developed by Cummins Turbo Technologies – to provide excellent performance across the rev range as well as improved response through higher low-end torque.

"We have to pump out in residential areas and as you can imagine when you open the lid on a septic tank or grease trap the aroma is often … not very pleasant, in fact it stinks," Alan smiles with a cheeky grin. "On this unit we have installed a specially designed water filter that the gases pass through as the pump sucks up the waste. The water in the filter removes any unpleasant odors which means clean fresh odorless air is exhausted into the atmosphere."

"What it all boils down to is after-sales service and how well the manufacturer provides it," Alan concluded. "That’s why we buy Western Stars, they far exceed anybody else when it comes to looking after their customers. I can only speak of my own experience of course, but Western Star has always looked after any problems we’ve had. At the end of the day we are transport operators, we don’t want to have to deal with service, warranty or design issues. We just want our trucks on the road doing the job they were bought for, that’s what this game is all about."

Truck Specs: Western Star 4700 6x4

Engine: Cummins ISLe5

Horsepower: 400hp (298kW) @1600 RPM

Torque: 1300lb/ft (1760Nm) @ 1100 RPM

Gearbox: Eaton 18-speed

Front Axle: Meritor FG-941 6.5T

Front Suspension: Taper leaf 6.6T

Rear Axles: Meritor RT-46-160GP R-Series (20.9t).

Rear Suspension: AirLiner 20.9T

Brakes: WABCO 4S/4M Antilock Braking System with traction control

Safety: Mine spec ROPS canopy

Fuel Tank: Brushed Alloy (2 x 378 litre)