Western Star has extended its purpose-built X-Series vocational truck lineup with the all-new 47X, targeting weight-sensitive applications like mixers and bulk haul. The truck complements the 49X that launched earlier this year and extends the platform’s reach into entirely new vocational applications. “The 47X not only looks similar to our 49X, but it’s got the same backbone – the same chassis, the same electrical system – which is great for upfit and great for familiarity,” said Samantha Parlier, VP of vocational market development at Daimler Trucks North America.

The 47X is 10 inches (254 mm) shorter than the 49X. With a standard 111.6-inch bumper-to-back-of-cab (BBC), the 47X is well suited to regions or applications that require a shorter overall vehicle length, such as drywall trucks. An optional 110.8-inch BBC also is available to meet federal or local bridge law requirements, such as mixers or super dumps.

The 47X’s hood reportedly offers industry-leading forward visibility of 24.8 feet (7.56 m) – an 11-inch (279-mm) improvement over the 49X. Its composite construction and ISO Tech suspension system resist bending and cracking by absorbing and dissipating vibrations from road inputs. With the shorter hood and a wheel cut up to 50 degrees, the 47X optimizes maneuverability for work on construction sites or operation in congested urban environments, according to Tracy Mack-Askew, chief engineer of chassis, propulsion and vocational engineering, DTNA.

“A key priority was to consider how to reduce mass without compromising strength,” Mack-Askew said. “From the cab to the frame rails, to powertrain and battery configurations, we examined all features to deliver weight savings to our customers for greater productivity and profitability.”

The 47X is approximately 200 lbs (90.7 kg) lighter than the 49X in like-for-like spec. All X-Series trucks have lighter, tougher single-channel frame rail options compared to legacy products. The platform offers frame rails with best-in-class RBM (resisting bending moment) of up to 3.8 million inch-lbs. A new 9.5-mm (0.37-in) single-channel rail option is available and has comparable strength to the current 11-mm (0.43-in) rail, Parlier said. 

“You can shave about 120 pounds on average out of a truck; the longer the truck gets, the bigger the weight savings because you save it per inch of rail,” she said. Standard high-strength aluminum forward, rear and end-of-frame crossmembers further reduce mass, as does a new two-battery option. “Our target was 16,100 pounds for a mixer chassis,” Parlier said. “We hit that target.”

Powertrain options
The 47X comes standard with the Detroit DD13 Gen 5 engine, which features higher compression ratios and a new swirl piston design to further improve combustion and efficiency. The Detroit Assurance suite of active safety systems, including active brake assist, side guard assist and adaptive cruise control, is standard with the DD13 Gen 5.

ThermoCoasting in the DD13 Gen 5 prevents aftertreatment cool-down during a driving regen to keep the system at its optimum temperature and significantly reduce the need for parked regens, company officials said.

For weight-sensitive applications, the Cummins L9 and X12 engines are available for the 47X. Optional front-engine power take-off (FEPTO) is offered on both Cummins engine offerings and the Detroit DD13 for applications such as snowplows. Similarly, rectangular fuel tanks and a raised aftertreatment system mounting are offered with Cummins engines for better clearance for belly plows.

The 47X also is offered with the all-new DT12-V transmission, which is built on the proven DT12 and has more than 35 million miles of vocational-specific testing. The DT12 includes three work-ready mode applications: Rock-free mode, Off-road mode, and Paver mode for the challenges of specific vocational applications.

Efficient upfitting
The X-Series steel-reinforced aluminum cab further reduces mass by up to 8% while offering 13% more space than competitors, Parlier said. An optional two-person bench seat is available, and a new in-cab battery box that is 3 inches (76 mm) shorter offers additional legroom to the operator. An optional roof-mounted condenser allows maximum airflow through the radiator for stationary applications such as construction and mining.

A wrap-around dash provides easy access to the driver command center and B-panel. On the B-panel, a flex panel can be prepped for a tablet or configured for an additional 12 switches or 10 gauges. The flex panel gives truck equipment manufacturers (TEMs) the ability to mount body controllers, making Western Star the only OEM that doesn’t compromise space between the seats to do so, Parlier said.

“Think about the upfit time and savings. TEMs don’t have to build a box [in between the seats], they don’t have to drill through the cab floor to get at it – just another small detail that quite frankly is industry-changing,” Parlier said. The flex panel also can accommodate additional gauges, switches or a RAM Mount prep, depending on customer needs.

Western Star partnered with leading TEMs to ensure the X-Series supports fast and efficient upfits. The 47X’s mid-chassis packaging has a number of clear back-of-cab configurations, and unobstructed frame rails enable efficient body integration. The QuickFit Interface System offers access to electrical architecture and was designed for easy TEM interface, programming and access to power.

The CHEC Tool from DTNA enables TEMs and dealers to view and modify electrical configurations, allowing them to customize inputs and outputs and change parameters within minutes, according to David Carson, senior vice president, sales and marketing, DTNA.

“With the power of QuickFit and CHEC, you can take things that were once considered to be complex, expensive or impossible to do and accomplish them more easily and efficiently,” he said. The all-new 47X is available for order and delivery to customers begins in early 2022.