The surge in building and construction projects and the high demand for concrete is clearly driving demand for concrete trucks and the truck makers are clamouring to deliver new product aimed at the agitator market.
Hot on the heels of new models aimed at the agi market from UD, Mack and a soon to be re4leased new 700 8×4 from Hino, Isuzu has made a timely upgrade to its FYJ 300-350 Auto Agitator which the market leader says comes as a result of “following the well-known theme of giving operators better bang for buck”.
As Isuzu says in its announcement concrete agitating is one of the toughest applications, testing a truck’s chassis day-in and day-out.
Isuzu says its improved FYJ 300-350 Auto Agitator ‘presents an attractive option with an impressive tranche of products now coming as standard, covering everything from major parts and componentry to in-cab technology’.
The upgraded agi model now includes outrigger body mounts, manufactured in Australia and smartly specified for the local market.
“Our customers wanted a safer, more robust chassis design that would stand the test of time,” said Isuzu’s chief engineer, product strategy, Simon Humphries.
“We’ve listened to their feedback, and the new FYJ Auto Agitator comes with Isuzu-designed and fitted outrigger style body mounts, which help to increase chassis integrity and durability under extreme pressure.
“Normally, these body mounts would be added during the aftermarket build process, with a significant labour cost to remove and reinstall various parts.
“Our customers will enjoy significant cost savings at the body builders, with the extra assurance that these integral components are covered by Isuzu’s standard factory warranty,” said Simon Humphries.
There is also an updated in-cab control panel with Kerb-and-Channel functionality, standard in both forward and reverse gears, which was previously an aftermarket addition.
The Kerb-and-Channel system is disabled should the driver remove their foot from the brake pedal ensuring safer operation.
The truck is fitted standard with the Allison 4430 automatic transmission with enhanced programming to improve control while also reducing service brake wear.
The Allison transmission now also has two industry required safety features including “Range inhibit” — where drivers must have their foot on the brake for gear selection and “Auto neutral” — where the transmission will automatically select neutral when the park brake is applied.
Other additions to the safety suite include a two-kilogram fire extinguisher with in-cab mounted bracket and a “quacker” style reverse alarm.
Further improvements include power divider and cross-locks protection, eliminating the risk of a driver engaging locks when the wheels are spinning—reducing both driver accidents and potential warranty issues.
Isuzu says the new FYJ 300-350 Auto Agitator also sports a combination of Dunlop SP160 steer tyres and SP431 drive tyres, reflecting industry requirements on construction sites.
The unique patterns now supplied for both steer and drive axles provide both superior traction and driver control under challenging conditions, while increasing lifespan according to the company. The selected Dunlop tyres remain light in mass, keeping the vehicle tare mass to a minimum, and so maximising payload.
Simon Humphries says it is “the non-stop evolution of the FY Series platform is what sets Isuzu’s FYJ Agitators apart from nearby competitors”.
“We are constantly looking at ways to improve the prospect for businesses in this segment, with refinements to specifications and model offering.
“I think our customers will notice a big difference in what comes standard with an Isuzu FY Series truck and with the FYJ Agitators in particular against comparable models in the market.”
