Kenworth has published a comprehensive, 132-page online body builder manual focused on Kenworth’s new medium conventional lineup ranging from Class 5 to light Class 8 models.

The 2021 Kenworth Medium Duty Body Builder Manual offers detailed sections on safety and compliance, dimensions, body mounting, frame modifications, CAN Communications, electrical, power take-off (PTO), exhaust and aftertreatment, and routing. The manual contains information and guidelines useful in the truck body planning and installation processes.

The Kenworth manual is especially useful when specifying a new medium-duty truck, particularly when the body builder is involved in the vehicle definition and ordering process. Early in that process, body builders can often contribute valuable information that may help reduce the total body installation cost. This key information helps to ensure the truck is specified correctly and set up appropriately for the body builder.

Kenworth’s new medium-duty conventional line features the Kenworth T180 (Class 5), T280 (Class 6), T380 (Class 7) and T480 (light Class 8). In addition, the new T380V and T480V models are for vocational applications. The Kenworth models are offered with the 6.9-liter Paccar PX-7, 8.9-liter Paccar PX-9 engines. The near-zero emission Cummins Westport 8.9-liter L9N natural gas engine also is available.

The new medium duty vehicles are designed to serve an expansive variety of applications, including cargo and reefer van, beverage, tow and recovery, utility, mechanic service, fuel oil and propane, landscaping, fire, dump, and mixer. The trucks may be specified with either a standard low roof or a raised roof option. The low roof is 63 inches tall, 4 inches shorter than the raised roof, making it ideal for height-restricted applications.

The new trucks offer three hood types to support the lineup’s application versatility – short aero hood (107.5-inch BBC) that accommodates front axles from 8,000 to 20,000 lbs., medium aero hood (109.5-inch BBC) for higher horsepower and AWD applications, and Kenworth’s vocational ‘sloped’ hood for the T380V and T480V.

The new, robust yet lightweight, Paccar TX-8 automatic 8-speed transmission is standard for the new Kenworth medium duty trucks. The transmission has a maximum torque rating of up to 1,000 lb.-ft. and 57,000-lb. GCWR.

The 2021 Kenworth Medium Duty Body Builder Manual is available for download from the Truck Resources section of Kenworth’s website.