The shadows cast by high diesel prices, plummeting new truck sales, rampant driver attrition, a used truck glut and an awkward event date dimmed some of the luster of the second annual Great American Trucking Show (GATS) in Dallas, Nov. 16-18.

Held just before Thanksgiving and in the middle of the pre-Christmas freight rush because of construction at the Dallas Convention Center, the event drew a respectable 46,000-plus registered exhibitors and visitors. Organizers had hoped for more and predicted next year would be better when the event is held Sept.

But it will take more than a new show date to shake off the mood of caution now hanging over the trucking industry. Both Peterbilt GM? Nick Panza and Freightliner CEO Jim Hebe predicted further steep drops in new truck production in 2001; new builds in 2000 are down some ___ from last year's record pace.

The major equipment news announcements of the show came from Freightliner and its Sterling and Western Star divisions. Even the once- exuberant dot.com start-ups that seemed to be everywhere six months ago were muted in their news.

Freightliner Unveils New O/O Model to Replace FLD

Responding to soaring fuel prices and preparing to end production of the long-running FLD series, Freightliner Trucks has fielded the Coronado, a new conventional that combines traditional styling with money-saving aerodynamics. The long-nose, 132-inch-BBC model is built on the Century chassis with the Century cab and sleeper. Its fiberglass nose features a bold grill, round headlamps, squarish lines and detachable fenders, but corners and edges are smoothed and rounded to cut air drag. It thus departs from the all-or-nothing approach to aerodynamics on trucks up to now, according to Jim Hebe, the builder's president and CEO.

In the future, "there'll be fewer look-a-like aerodynamic trucks running up and down the highway and more distinctive trucks from each manufacturer," he declared while unveiling the new model. "Truck styling is back, at least from Freightliner."

The Coronado's liberal use of chrome and other bright-metal trim, plus the standard vertical dual stacks behind the doors, all add to the "large car" look favored by its target market: "discriminating owner/operator truckers."

The Coronado will be built, trimmed and priced as a premium conventional when it goes into production early this year, Hebe said. It is not intended as a high-volume fleet "reward" truck, as the FLD Classic has become. Freightliner will continue to build the Classic and other FLD models as long as there's sufficient demand, but will eventually phase them out.

At first the Coronado will come as a 70-inch-long SleeperCab with Mid-Roof or Raised-Roof heights, which are most popular among Freightliner customers, and as a daycab. The latter will be aimed at heavy haulers and other vocational operators who want a premium tractor, and of course at long-haulers who want to install a custom sleeper box.

The various styling details are coordinated for a unified theme, Hebe and others pointed out. The grill bars match those on the chromed air intakes and on the vented front bumper. Marker lights on the cab and sides match the lights on the chromed sun visor. A sculpted hood ornament resembles the winged one on the Classic.

Designers and managers spent a lot of time on getting the Coronado's styling right, Hebe said. An example is the shape of the bolt-on fenders, with their round headlights set into the leading face amid the hint of sculpted pods, and the gracefully tapered lower trailing edges where the fenders flow toward a long running board. Up near the cowl, there are no wind-grabbing air cleaner "cans"; instead, chromed air intakes lead to internal channels and an underhood cleaner.

Smoother lines should lead to better fuel economy than with the current Classic, but engineers said they have done no wind tunnel tests to prove it. The Century S/T and Columbia are of course more aerodynamic than the Coronado. Inside, the Coronado has its own massive, burlwood-trimmed dash and steering wheel, and other unique details. Most shelving and cabinetry comes from the Century, but they get special decorative facing on doors and other surfaces. A variety of furniture arrangements can be ordered, up to and including the Driver's Lounge option with fold-down table and fold-up bunk that turn into benches. Also available is Freightliner's unique and clever BackPack rear-wall closet.

A factory-installed AC power inverter and wiring for TV/VCR can be ordered. And of course there is ample space for other appliances. Chaparral interior trim with its "distressed leather" cloth on walls, headliner and door panels is standard. Seats are upholstered in Vinyl or leather.

An advanced heater/air conditioning system automatically maintains desired temperatures in cab and sleeper and filters outside air.

A forward-set axle is the only one offered, but its wheels cut as much as 52 degrees to provide a turning radius 17 feet shorter than the Classic's. Engine-wise, Detroit's 500-hp Series 60 is standard and other ratings are available. Caterpillar C-15 and C-16s and Cummins ISX and Signature diesels with up to 600 hp are optional. Buyers can likewise choose from a long list of drivetrain components.

The Coronado is scheduled for production in January ‘01. The first few hundred units will go to Freightliner dealers, where sales people are standing by to take your order.

Western Star Improves Interior Details

Western Star designers say they were at work on the interiors of their Constellation conventionals even before acquisition by Freightliner and integration with Sterling.

Many involve storage for papers and binders. A bigger pouch for the driver's door now holds 8.5-by-11-inch folders and paperwork (especially useful for hazmat bills of lading, which by law must be stashed there. Similar big pouches on seat backs of sleeper-cab models and on the back walls of daycabs; 9x9x3.5-inch beverage bins, with precautionary drainage holes, for driver and passenger doors; and an under-dash module. All are optional and some can be fitted to existing Constellations.

The SLS, SLX and SLG sleeper interiors get a variety of new cabinetry with enhanced trim and shelving for appliances and accessories. There are new storage compartments above the bunk on the back wall, and new open storage on the upper leading area, above the cab. Dashboards and cab interiors can now be had in black or tan in addition to the standard grey.

Webasto's ThermoCooler system is now optional to cool and heat sleepers and pre-warm engines. A pull-around curtain can close off the windshield and side windows to increase private living space during sleep breaks.

The linkup with Freightliner/Sterling gives Western Star access to two proprietary suspensions: AirLiner tandem air-ride for highway tractors, and the high-articulation, maintenance-free TufTrac tandem spring type for vocational trucks.

Hebe promised that the combination of Sterling and Western Star would boost 'Star's visibility and strength as a brand. "The future of Western Star - as a truck brand - is now secure and its promise for the future - I will assure you, never stronger," Hebe said.

Sterling Gets M-B Power, Acterra Get Sleepers

Sterling Trucks announced the availability of the 12.8-liter Mercedes-Benz MBE4000, shown off with Freightliner earlier this year. The electronically controlled, lightweight, inline-Six can be ordered in A and L series Sterlings, and claims exceptional fuel economy and long life, with a standard two-year/250,000-mile warranty.

The MBE4000 comes in six ratings for commercial trucks, with 350 to 435 hp and 1,350 to 1,550 pounds-feet of torque. A standard engine brake makes 350 retarding horsepower; an optional turbo brake boosts that to 550 rhp at 2,100 rpm. John Merrifield, the former Ford exec who heads Sterling, said technicians will be trained on the M-B diesel and Sterling dealers are stocking parts to be ready to support it.

Sterling's Class 7 Acterra trucks, meanwhile, are available with factory installed sleeper boxes, including this Aero Bullet model, for the expedited freight market. These are the first offerings of full-feature sleepers on medium-duty trucks, Sterling says.

Tire Maintenance System, Anti-Vibes Tandem from Dana Spicer

Trailer tires are assured of constant and correct air pressure with the Tire Maintenance System from Dana Spicer. It plumbs sensors into valve stems and connects those to an electronic monitor. This watches pressure and sends more air to a tire that is losing air, meanwhile alerting the driver with a warning light visible from the cab. Incidents of low pressure are remembered by the monitor's memory.

Tire on trailers are often neglected and this system will keep them healthy, more than paying for a system's $700 to $800 cost, said Product Manager Gary Schultz. Air lines are not pressurized until air is needed in one or more of the tires, so the lines are much less subject to leaks and breaks than "live" lines. This approach has proven reliable in more than 50,000 systems sold for military use since 1987.

A new Spicer "torsionally tuned" DST40 tandem prevents torsional vibrations by minimizing U-joint angles on driveshafts, said Steve Slesinski, a program manager at Spicer Heavy Axle. U-joint angles of more than a few degrees can cause torsionals, which can damage components and irritate drivers.

Angles can build as wheels articulate and axles move up and down. Engineering driveshafts so they're as parallel as possible to begin with minimizes those angles. The DST40 will go into production in July and is available through many truck builders with a variety of suspensions.

Vortex Oil Filter

Vortex International introduced an improved version of its cleanable spin-on full flow oil filter. It has a stainless steel screen with angled openings that impart a rotational motion, directing oil onto the canister wall at rotational speeds from 10 revolutions per second (rps) to two rps farther from the head. This rotational action forces soot out of the oil by centrifugal force. Soot particles agglomerate (join together) to form a large mass that can be cleaned out of the canister. Filtration is better than any other spin-on filter, according to the manufacturer. (1-888-286-7839)

The Associates Online

The Associates, already the largest financer of Class 8 trucks, leases or finances more than 30,000 trucks annually, an average of one every 18 minutes. The company announced "Bricks and Clicks" financing, combining Internet access to financing with the brick and mortar of truck dealerships. Financing through the Associates, the company claims, is more advantageous and makes dealerships more competitive. About 80% of all loan apps are approved (or rejected) within two hours, executives said. A loan done through the Internet costs Associates 0.5% to 4% less to process, so an owner/operator applying this way might get a quarter-point knocked his loan rate. Also, The Associates stated its desire to "do everything we can to keep truckers in their trucks." This includes evaluating each individual circumstance and, when appropriate, allowing drivers to skip payments or refinance. Information about on-line financing is at www.truckassociates.com.