Elvis Presley's Original John Deere Tractor To Go On Display At Graceland

The John Deere homepage reports that a John Deere tractor regularly used by Elvis Presley on his Mississippi ranch and at his home at Graceland will be displayed at the Elvis Presley Automobile Museum. Elvis.com features a video about the tractor.

Photo Credit: Elvis.com

According to Elvis.com, the John Deere 4010 tractor was restored by students at Northwest Mississippi Community College in Senatobia, Mississippi, with guidance from John Deere. The 4010 tractor owned by Elvis was one of four models in John Deere's "New Generation of Power" – a four- and six-cylinder tractor line that the company introduced in 1961 and that helped John Deere become the world's leading manufacturer of agriculture equipment.

Photo Credit: Elvis.com

The Elvis Presley Automobile Museum is located at the national historic landmark Elvis Presley's Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee.

A special-edition, die-cast version of the tractor will go on sale in November at authorized John Deere dealers nationwide, on ShopElvis.com and at Graceland. This special model will include a 46A loader, an accessory rarely found on die-cast collectibles.

Source: John Deere and Elvis.com

Kenworth Trucks Play Pivotal Role in Construction of New Minneapolis Stadiums, I-35 Bridge

The Kenworth Truck homepage features a story on the pivotal role of Kenworth Trucks in the construction of the New Minneapolis Stadiums and I-35 Bridge.

“We have a fleet of more than 450 trucks, mostly Kenworth T800 and W900S models,” said Jim Dewall, Cemstone fleet manager, who has been with the company for 20 years. “We started buying T800s back in 1994 when Kenworth and Rihm Kenworth worked with us to build an all-wheel drive T800 mixer, which gave us a competitive edge in our market by handling well in mud, snow and sand. We did a lot of jobs then which required off-road concrete pours – we didn’t have the big concrete booms we have today. Traction was important and we were the first company in our area to run a 6x6.”

While Kenworth T800s are still stalwarts in the fleet, Cemstone has more recently specified Kenworth W900S mixers with set-forward axles. “The W900S is a great set up for our bridge laws and we can carry about 11 yards of concrete,” said Dewall. “And, with a recent change in our length laws (from 40 feet to 45 feet), we’ll be able to add another pusher axle in our future truck orders, which will allow us to haul up to 3,000 more pounds, or 11-3/4 yards, of payload. That will be a big boost to productivity.”

Dewall said his current fleet of Kenworth’s have withstood the test of time. “We still have many of our original Kenworth T800s,” he said. “They may have gone through a couple mixer barrels and feature a second coat of paint, but they still perform and are reliable. We put a lot of trust in these Kenworths and they’ve paid us back in reliability and consistency,” he said. “Kenworth trucks are easy to work on, and since the cabs are constructed of aluminum, we don’t have the rust problems other truck brands might have. Kenworth trucks remain our truck of choice based on how they hold up, their productivity, serviceability, and driver acceptance.”

Source: Kenworth Truck Company


RESOURCES

• Kenworth Trucks on Equipment Trader
• Kenworth Trucks Homepage

Caterpillar to Sell Articulated Truck Bare Chassis for Specialty Applications

Caterpillar has announced they will offer a family of articulated truck bare chassis to support specialty machines not included in the portfolio of Cat products.

According to Caterpillar, sales of the bare chassis without the dump bed will be targeted toward Caterpillar Dealers and original equipment manufactures (OEMs) who specialize in such applications as water trucks, high capacity waste, lube & fuel trucks, etc. Cat Articulated Dump Trucks will continue to be sold through Caterpillar Dealers around the world.

Caterpillar OEM Solutions Group will assume commercial responsibility for articulated truck bare chassis sold as custom machine solutions. This includes standard and long rear frame length configurations. Working with Caterpillar Dealers, OEMs and end-users, OEM Solutions Group can assist with application and integration issues, helping determine the best solutions for mounting a variety of tools and attachments.

The bare chassis product shares very high commonality with Cat Articulated Dump Trucks. Therefore, available Caterpillar information can address many questions related to the bare chassis product.

Service support and financing are available through the worldwide network of Caterpillar Dealers. A variety of genuine Cat parts are also available to make customizing the bare chassis easier, such as hoist cylinders and pivot pins.

The articulated truck bare chassis product will be available for Cat Dealer and OEM orders during the second quarter 2009.

Source: Caterpillar

Volvo Construction Equipment has Strong Start for Certified Refurbishment Program

The Volvo Construction Equipment homepage features details on Volvo's equipment refurbishment program.

According to Volvo, the program was started in 2008, based on the premise that a mid-life remake of the equipment is, many times, the best economical option for machine owners.

“During our months of investigation into a program of this type, we became convinced that a system built upon high standards of dealer certification, firm content, time committed agreements and backed by factory warranties would enhance the productivity and profitability of equipment and the businesses owning them,” said Kevin Stock, Product Manager, and developer and manager of the program. “We are now seeing the fruits of our labor – customers are seeing the benefits of “starting over”, if you will.”

The Volvo CE certified refurbishment program is extensive and comprehensive. It begins with a thorough project scope of parts to be rebuilt/replaced that has been determined through detailed analysis of the equipment.

Every stage of the refurbishment procedure – from the initial inspection through final reassembly to operational tests – follows strict and unrelenting guidelines and is thoroughly documented. Warranties are provided for specific rebuild/refurbishment actions, and follow-up inspections are made within a specified time frame of placing the “new” machine back into operation.

Source: Volvo Construction Equipment

Caterpillar Inc. Receives United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Excellence Award

Caterpillar Inc. announced they have been awarded the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Air Excellence Award for its D7E track-type tractor with electric drive. According to Caterpillar, the electric drive system is the first of its kind in this application, designed to maximize efficiency and productivity while conserving natural resources.

The diesel-electric drive technology uses a diesel engine to drive an electric generator that powers two AC electric drive motors. The D7E track-type tractor (bulldozer) increases dozing efficiency by 25 percent, reduces fuel consumption by 10 to 30 percent, and reduces criteria and greenhouse gas emissions. The total emissions reductions, from productivity increase and fuel savings, per hour are: 10 percent for CO, 20 percent for NOx and HC, 51 percent for PM and 23 percent for CO2.

"Caterpillar is committed to improving the sustainability of our customers, our industry and our shared environment,” said Tana Utley, Caterpillar’s Chief Technology Officer, who accepted the award at a ceremony in Washington, DC. “We are proud of the D7E and the significant improvements in fuel efficiency and productivity it will provide our customers, ultimately helping them cut costs and reduce emissions. This accomplishment proves technology can improve both customer value and sustainability. Technology unleashes the power of ‘and’, which makes sustainable progress possible."

Source: Caterpillar

John Deere's Skid Steer Smackdown Returns With Real Contractors Trying To Dethrone Deere

John Deere now features Episode Two, "Battle in Bowling Green," on John Deere's www.skidsteersmackdown.com Web site, where real contractors get in the cab of competitor equipment to take on a John Deere skid steer in a hill-climbing contest with Smackdown supremacy at stake.

The Hill Climb is the first of four battles filmed in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and just one of numerous battles in The Ultimate Skid Steer Smackdown's Season Two "Prove It Tour," which has Deere taking to the road to visit job sites, tradeshow lots and dealerships throughout the country, testing the skills of on-the-job skid steer operators in machine vs. machine competitions.

In this event, two contractors climb into their brand of skid steer to take on a John Deere 313 in front of a cheering crowd of 1,000 people. First, they had to negotiate two small moguls, but then they had to conquer a five-foot berm, grab a bucket of dirt and tackle the same obstacles on the way back to the starting line.

"These inclines are similar to what you might see on a jobsite," said Sam Norwood, manager, John Deere Commercial Worksite Products. "What's important here is a skid steer's weight distribution and stability. Let's just say we had a lot of fun – and not all skid steers are created equal."

Source: John Deere