The Worlds Biggest Machines

Introduction | Biggest Engine | Biggest Aeroplane | Biggest Cargo Ship |
| Biggest Truck | Biggest Mobile Crane |
| Tunnel Boring Machine | Rolling Mill | Part Eight |
| Part Nine | Part Ten |

Trucks have been used to transport goods and raw materials since the early 1900s. Over the years they have gradually grown bigger and more efficient, following demands from owners for bigger payloads and increased fuel economy. The typical heavy goods vehicle (HGV) can carry a maximum load of 44 tonnes on UK roads, but some trucks are capable of carrying more - significantly more.

The Liebherr T 282 B

The T 282 B is the worlds' biggest truck comprising just two axles and six wheels. It was developed by German company Liebherr as a replacement for the hugely successful T 282. The T 282 had been launched as a mining truck in 1999 and quickly became favoured by the large mining corporations. They are built at Liebherr's mining equipment factory in New Haven, Virginia, USA.

The Liebherr company was formed in 1949 by Hans Liebherr to produce a mobile tower crane that he had designed. The business is now one of the worlds' leading construction companies employing a workforce of over 22,000 people in more than 100 countries. Group turnover in 2004 was €4,590 million. The holding company is Liebherr-International AG, based in Bulle, Switzerland and is entirely owned by Liebherr family members.

The 'B' version of the vehicle made its debut by being shown to the public for the first time in 2004. It was exhibited at the construction trade fair 'Bauma' in Munich, Germany. Over 200 improvements had been made to the new model including an increase in payload from 327 to 363 metric tons. It also had a bigger engine; 2,725kW (3,650hp) making it the worlds' most powerful commercial-vehicle engine.

The Diesel-Electro Power Train

The T 282 B is powered by a DDC/MTU 20V4000 engine. The engine alone weighs 10.4 tons. It has 20 cylinders mounted in a 'V' arrangement and a displacement¹ of 90 litres. The diesel engine drives an alternator which delivers electrical power to two huge AC motors, one for each of the rear wheels. This system has many advantages over mechanical transmissions including the removal of gearboxes and propeller shafts from the drive train. It also leads to significantly longer service intervals, since there are far less moving components.

Individual AC drive motors allow the truck greater manoeuvrability. When any vehicle turns in a curve, one wheel on the axle must travel a greater distance than the other. This is normally handled by a differential gearbox, but with the AC system one motor can be controlled to provide additional output to the 'outside' wheel when turning. If necessary power to the 'inside' wheel can be set to zero, allowing a significantly reduced turning circle than would otherwise be possible.

Speed Control

Braking is also achieved electronically via the AC motors. Giant resistor grids, cooled by fan, short the motors causing them to retard to 0.5kmph. Computer controlled service brakes bring the machine to a complete stop. The service brakes are five caliper single disk on the front and dual disk single caliper at the rear axle. Additional spring-operated parking brakes function on the rear disks and are capable of holding the machine fully loaded on a 15 degree incline.

Cruise control is standard and will automatically retard when traversing an incline keeping the vehicle speed constant. Automatic traction control will cut in if the terrain gets slippery. There are a host of other features, all computer controlled from the air-conditioned operator cab, such as speed settings that can be programmed and quickly recalled for empty and full loads.

Vital Statistics

The T 282 B is a big truck, yet it has the lowest operating costs per loaded ton in the mining industry. Theoretically, six British Chieftain tanks, each weighing 56 tons, could be loaded into the hopper and transported easily. There are no wing mirrors - a total of five video cameras relay information to the operator; two on each side and one on the rear axle.

The total combined weight of fluids on board, including oil, coolant, hydraulic fluids and fuel, exceeds five tons. At normal operating conditions the T 282 B's engine will consume between 35 and 45 gallons of diesel per hour.

• Engine Output: 2,725kW (3,650hp)
• Length: 14.5m
• Width: 8.8m
• Height (Body Raised): 13.3m
• Ground Clearance (Rear Axle): 1.1m
• Wheelbase: 6.6m
• Max Speed (Fully Laden): 64.4kmph (40mph)
• Fuel Tank Capacity: 4730ltr
• Maximum Payload: 363,000kg
• Maximum Operating Weight: 592,000kg
• Body Weight: 58,000kg
• Chassis Weight: 187,000kg
• Turning Circle: 16.8m
• Tyres: 56/80R63

Closest Competitors

The Terex Titan was long quoted as the worlds' biggest truck. With a payload of 350 tons it has been superceded by the T 282 B. The Titan was the only one built and was discovered to be far too expensive to operate. It is now a tourist attraction, parked at Sparwood, British Columbia, Canada.

Coming in second is the Caterpillar 797 series with a payload of 360 tons and an engine output of 3,224hp at the flywheel. Close, but no cigar.