EQUIPMENT changes for Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America Inc (MFTA) since the 2015MY include an Engine Protection System (EPS) and Idle Limit System (ILS).
According to Leighton Good, manager of product applications, the new EPS was developed at the request of its fleet customers, is now standard on all 2015 models, and available as a no-cost upgrade on all 2012–2014MY Canter FE and FG Series work trucks.
The new EPS will shut down the engine in the event of critically low oil pressure and regulate fuel flow to reduce engine heating upon sensing elevated coolant temperature. This system acts as an automatic back-up in the event that the driver fails to respond if the instrument cluster indicates low engine oil pressure or rising coolant temperature.
“New 2015 model Canters will come from the factory with the EPS installed,” Good said. “But now that we have this set of protections available, we want all of our FUSO Canter owners to take advantage of the benefits. So we will also be installing the EPS on all of the Canters in inventory at our ports-of-entry before they’re shipped to our dealer network, and we’ll retrofit this system for FUSO owners who request it from a local authorized Fuso dealer. This is a software upgrade that takes advantage of the sensors already installed on the truck. It can be performed easily during a normal maintenance visit and it requires no hardware changes.”
MFTA has developed an ILS option that can be applied to any of its 2012-2015MY FUSO Canter work trucks. The ILS programming can be activated at a port-of-entry or by any authorized Mitsubishi Fuso dealer. It can be set at the time of programming to shut the engine down after three, five or ten minutes of idle duration. Since the system employs existing switches and sensors, no additional hardware is required.
Good said more and more jurisdictions are enacting idle-limiting legislation, and MFTA realizes this puts a burden on the operators of its medium-duty trucks. The new ILS option will provide FUSO owners who operate in those jurisdictions with a simple solution. At the same time, many fleets may be interested in ILS to help them reduce fuel consumption and contain fuel costs. This is important to providing lower cost-of-ownership, which is the paramount goal of Canter FE/FG-series trucks.
The ILS will cancel engine shutdown if the truck is operating in any advanced-idle mode, as might be required by a transmission PTO, engine clutch pump or chassis-engine-driven refrigeration compressor. If no advanced-idle operation is detected, the ILS will shut the engine down after the prescribed duration, if the engine has reached normal operating temperature and the vehicle is in Park or Neutral.
For 2016 models, MFTA is concentrating on furthering its low cost-of-ownership position by focusing on driver operability.
MFTA has made a number of refinements to its trucks that are intended to make it easier for the driver to operate and maintain them.
Many of these features are aimed at enhancing the driver start-of-shift walk-around. For instance, new 2016 Canters feature a relocated oil sump dipstick that allows the operator to check engine oil level without tilting the cab and the oil sump itself also has a higher capacity. In addition, the transmission clutch fluid housing includes a direct-view sight plug that allows the driver to check transmission fluid with a quick glance, and a new filter helps to maintain the quality of that fluid, for enhanced durability.
An engine air filter restriction indicator also makes it easy for the driver to tell the condition of the air filter during his or her walk-around, without disassembling any part of the air filter housing or snorkel.
The optional Clarion Bluetooth radio provides not only the expected AM/FM/CD, MP3 and WPA playback, but also Pandora and Sirius XM compatibility, and its wireless Bluetooth connectivity allows hands-free calling with a properly equipped mobile device.
The Canter FE130 medium-duty work truck (13,200-lb GVWR) is now available with a Supreme FiberPanel (HC) HoneyComb dry van body. The Class 3 Canter FE130’s lightweight, rugged frame and design already give it a body/payload capacity of up to 7975 lbs—a 700-lb body/payload advantage over the 2014 Canter FE125 it replaces, as well as a 1308-lb advantage over its primary competitor.
When the new lightweight Supreme body is installed on the FE130, the total body/payload advantage jumps to nearly 1000 lbs, compared to the previous model and 1600 lbs compared to its primary competitor with a standard body.
According to Supreme, a 14-foot FiberPanel (HC) HoneyComb body with composite rear rollup door weighs 288 lbs less than a 14-foot box made of standard fiberglass-reinforced plywood (FRP). And that weight savings translates directly to more payload. Yet, while the new FiberPanel HC body is lightweight, its fiberglass-reinforced, gel-coated honeycomb construction gives it both strength and durability.
The FiberPanel (HC) HoneyComb body is available in 12´, 14´, and 16´ lengths, with 96˝ width and interior heights of 85˝, 91˝, or 97˝.
The Canter FE160 offers a GVWR of 15,995 lbs and a body/payload capacity more than 2200 lbs higher than competitive trucks. ♦
