Hitachi Construction Machinery Australia launches new Bell MkVII Articulated Dump Truck

Currently in its MkVII generation, the B40D and B50D models have been fitted with new engines to deliver increased power and better driveline tuning to keep these popular workhorses out in front as class leaders.
"The B40D MkVII truck will be fitted with a 335kW engine, which will effectively improve the power-toweight ratio by 6.5 percent," says ADT Marketing Manager for Bell Equipment, Trevor Musliah. "The knock-on benefits are quicker acceleration and lower optimal rpm range, thereby reducing fuel burn during normal operation."

The new MkVII generation ADTs have shown remarkable improvements during demonstrations at various customer sites. When conducting tests against a competitor's truck, the Bell B40D MkVII outperformed in terms of production by 6 percent and also used 13 percent less fuel. Similarly the B50D, which has a 9 percent power increase from 350kW to 380kW, has achieved significant fuel savings compared to competitor trucks working in a mining application where the Bell truck is currently on an extended demonstration.

According to Trevor, "The new MkVII is much faster and able to complete more cycles per hour due to its increased speed. In addition, operating engine rpm has been reduced by optimal tuning of the driveline. The Bell ADT still takes full advantage of its weight optimised design. The result is that the transmission moves into lock-up mode much faster. Apart from providing better fuel consumption, it has also improved the gradeability of the machine in almost all gear ranges."

The B40D has a net increase in power of 8.3 percent, as well as reduced driveline drag. This has been achieved through the introduction of a Bell- designed Wet Disk Brake (WDB), which has already been successfully incorporated on the B30D and B50D. "The Bell WDB reduces driveline drag with a measured saving of 1.5 kW per brake. The reduced driveline drag also assists to reduce fuel consumption," says Musliah.
Cooling for the axle oil now takes place in the axle and not in a separate cooler at the rear of the cab. The WDB system still has forced circulation, but now includes an inline filter on the B40D, which will improve service times and reduce oil change intervals. The present oil change interval is 2000 hours; however Bell is hoping to extend this value after further testing by the engineering division. Completing the upgrade on the B40D and B50D are software changes affecting the shift point of the transmission. The computer intuitively changes to the correct gear based on the dynamics of what the operator is currently doing to allow for smoother gear changes and less 'gear hunting'.

"Overall, we are confident that our customers will be extremely satisfied with the latest generation of ADTs and the performance and fuel benefits they will bring to their operations," says Musliah.
The B50D MkVII continues to be the flagship of the Bell truck range, guaranteeing the lowest cost per tonne solution due to its higher carrying capacity, as demonstrated by a significant machine population in Europe and Australia with many working effectively in large fleets for a number of major customers.