Warner Bodies, a manufacturer of service bodies, crane trucks, haulers, fire/rescue trucks, brush trucks, and custom vehicles, announced the introduction of its new Select II service body.
The Select II features Warner’s radically new FlushFinish door system. The rugged doors look and function unlike anything else in the marketplace. The Select II concept is the result of extensive qualitative research conducted with end users and distribution channel partners who identified service body doors as the primary source of corrosion, theft and maintenance problems.
When closed, the doors on the new Select II are entirely flush with the body panels and don’t overlap. Recessed doorjambs, polymer seals, water management systems and drains have all been redesigned for optimal performance. The doors are constructed of A60 galvannealed steel with 50 percent greater corrosion-inhibiting properties than most service body doors.
All doors are mounted to the Select II’s body structure using removable Nut Zerts and a vertically slotted system that enables doors to be adjusted, serviced or replaced easily without welding. The tough, 5/16-inch, stainless steel, piano-style door hinges are 25 percent beefier than the industry standard and are intentionally left unpainted to prevent chipping paint from migrating from the hinges to the body and causing corrosion.
“In the past, a variety of problems have literally emanated from the doors of service bodies and Warner has set out to eradicate this at its source,” Richard Manasek, president of Warner Bodies, said. “We’ve methodically addressed the inherent weaknesses in traditional service body doors, and in the process have created a new breed of service body that is highly corrosion resistant, more secure and easier to maintain and repair.”
The doors system has been completely re-imagined and re-engineered. Most service body doors have lighter-weight steel outer skins that overlap the periphery of the door cavity. The outer skins of the new Select II’s FlushFinish doors are constructed of more robust, corrosion-resistant, 14-gauge A60 galvannealed steel. The outer door panel and 16-gauge inner door panels are pan-formed and spot-welded with a strong, central vertical reinforcing member. Warner’s new doors are specially constructed to remain watertight, and to resist denting and deformation even under the most adverse service conditions.
The sturdy, double-panel, FlushFinish doors on the Select II are difficult to breach even with a pry bar. Doors are available with standard locking hardware as well as compression T-style latches for added moisture resistance. Shelving systems are highly adjustable, and panels between compartments can be removed to accommodate longer equipment.
“As a truck dealer with a large fleet customers, vehicle durability, serviceability and cost of ownership are critical factors in our purchasing equation,” Nancy Schlagenhauf, operations manager for Badger Truck Center, said. “We’ve spec’d Warner’s new Select II bodies on recent vehicle builds because they have the best business case and ROI among all the offerings we explored.”
Marketplace feedback indicated that once a door is damaged, it can start a cascading sequence that may dramatically shorten a vehicle’s service life. Doors take a lot of abuse in the field, and door repair, adjustment and replacement are common activities. Service body doors are commonly welded in position, and when realignment or replacement become necessary, new weld locations can compromise corrosion resistance and emerge as a source of internal and external rust. In contrast, Warner’s new FlushFinish doors can be replaced and precisely adjusted in minutes with no loss of product integrity.
“As a Warner dealer, I see this as a perfect alignment of reliability, quality and affordability,” Larry Rose, president of Industrial Truck Equipment, said. “The unique look of the Select II sets it apart from everything else out there, but the ‘better mouse trap’ value proposition is what excites me and my fleet customers the most.”
Beginning in January 2014, the Select II will be manufactured in Warner’s new 240,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Elwood, Ind. The new plant has been designed using the latest lean principles and will feature CNC cutting, bending and forming equipment as well as powder, liquid and e-coating capabilities. Bodies will be constructed on a 600-foot-long linear assembly line, and completed bodies will be stored inside. The new facility is expected to exponentially increase Warner’s manufacturing speed, productivity and efficiency.
