Fontaine Modification has recently introduced auto hauler conversions for the Western Star 49X and the Kenworth T880 and W990 models.
The conversion lowers the overall height of the trucks to better accommodate a car carrier trailer.
The Western Star conversion lowers the roof of the 49X 60-inch sleeper to 100.75 inches.
“Western Star offered low cabs that were a great choice for auto hauler applications in the past, but not as part of the brand’s new X-Series,” said Harrison Letchworth, Fontaine Modification vocational sales manager. “That’s where we come in. Our team engineered a solution that gives customers the opportunity to take advantage of all the great new features of the Western Star 49X for car carrier applications.”
Fontaine said its team took more than 30 inches out of the cab height and designed all-new cab mounts, exhaust, side cowls and front axle bump stop, as well as a custom replacement roof cap.Fontaine Modification
The Kenworth conversions lower the 76-inch mid-roof sleepers of the T880 and W990 models to 105 inches.
The final cab height is dependent on other vehicle specifications, including wheel, tire and frame options, the company noted.
Fontaine has engineered car carrier modifications for truck manufacturers for more than 20 years, but this is the first auto hauler modification the company has developed for Kenworth models, Fontaine said.Fontaine Modification
For the Western Stars, Fontaine modifies the units at its Charlotte, North Carolina, modification center near the Cleveland, North Carolina, plant where they’re built. Thanks to a ship-thru agreement with Western Star, the process is seamless and cost-effective for customers, the company said.
Similarly with Kenworth, the modification process is performed on new trucks as part of a ship-thru agreement with Kenworth.
[Related: Car-haul configurations and costs: High-mount trailers v. stinger-steer setups]
