International Truck’s new lightweight HV50B mixer package removes over 1,000 pounds of weight from the vehicle, with engineering optimizations that allow drivers to haul up to 9.75 cubic yards of concrete while staying under 66,000 pounds GVW.

These changes allow customers to increase their revenue by $750 per truck, per day, as well as increase safety with an improved line of sight for the driver. The new spec was designed to focus on the customer, an idea that stemmed from a conversation between International and a potential customer.

“A major concrete producer was excited about our HV series but had some constructive feedback regarding the chassis weight and line of sight for their application,” said Mark Stasell, vice president, vocational truck business at Navistar. “We took that challenge to heart and wanted to respond to these suggestions. We put together a small, passionate team and got creative from a design standpoint.”

The new configuration features an all-aluminum, lighter bumper that is used on the International HX series. The front suspension components have also been optimized, allowing for a lower hood height and increased visibility for the driver. The fuel water separator and air dryer were also mounted on the same bracket, saving the weight of multiple brackets and getting out of the way for concrete mixer hydraulics. The design team also optimized crossmember locations, further reducing the weight of the chassis and leading to reduce costs for the customer, as truck equipment manufacturers do not need to relocate crossmembers.

“With this spec, we were able to reduce the weight of our vehicle without compromising any job site performance,” said Stasell. “Reduced vehicle weight means heavier loads per trip and per truck, which directly improves our customers’ bottom lines.”