Last September, Kenworth announced it would add a set-forward front axle configuration to its T880 and those trucks entered production early last month. I flew up to Kenworth’s assembly plant in Chillicothe, Ohio to watch one roll off the assembly line and to hop behind the wheel for a roughly 100 mile drive.
The T880S, at its core, is a T880 but with some added features that improve upon the W900S model it will likely replace. Kenworth’s venerable W900S was practically purpose built for mixer operations but adaptable enough to find itself in a variety of vocational applications.
The T880S was designed with more flexibility right off the assembly line, making upfitting easier, more customizable and more streamlined.
The truck is available with a 114-inch BBC—about 6 inches shorter than the W900S—and best-in-class 28-inch bumper setting. The bumper setting on the T880S is especially important in spec’ing a chassis that is compliant with the Federal Bridge Formula.
More typical for dump applications, a 29.5-inch bumper setting is also available as is a 31.5-inch sturdy box bumper.
Truck operators can spec mixer tapered (114-inch BBC), dump tapered (115.5-inch BBC) or straight box bumpers (117.5-inch BBC) in a variety of finishes and materials, and removable cast center-mounted tow hooks are available depending on bumper selection.
