While used extensively in mining and earthmoving applications on other continents, Italian truck brand Astra’s HHD9 extra heavy-duty, off-highway trucks are ideal for African operation, having been designed to operate in extremely adverse weather while traversing some of the most degraded off-road tracks.

Founded in 1946 in Italy, and part of Iveco since 1986, the Astra brand is represented locally by Autumn Star Trading, which this year celebrates 20 years since it registered in South Africa to help further establish the Astra brand in the Southern Africa region.

The company reports that while “robustness, reliability, high load capacity and ease of maintenance” have always been key features of Astra, the new generation of vehicles are designed to ensure the “highest productivity in extreme off-road conditions, regardless of adverse weather or impossible terrains”.

The HHD9 was first launched in Southern Africa in 2016. It is the “largest heavy-duty off-road vehicle” available in the Iveco product line-up, and features a significant ground clearance, 8 x 6 drive with lockable differentials on all axles, and a powerful 480 hp or 540 hp engine.

Its large-diameter wheels offer “maximum floatability, grip and manoeuvring on soft sand/desert surfaces”. Moreover, the trucks can be equipped with automatic inflation systems on request.

Astra notes that the robust chassis frame facilitates the fabrication of extra-long wheelbases that are suitable for transporting pipes and drilling shafts, for example, while snorkels and high-efficiency air filters allow operators to continue their work despite the presence of water, mud and/or sand.

Drive configurations up to and including 8 x 8 (also in the 2.9-m-wide HHD version) ensure full traction and control on irregular and slippery ground. Truck tractor versions are available on all models.

The 63 t trucks also boast ample radiator surfaces and additional heat exchangers which allow their engines to withstand temperatures up to 50 °C. Moreover, they can be equipped with larger radiators and additional cooling systems if needed.

The HHD9s have a payload capacity of 41 t at 70 km/h and 43 t at 40 km/h. Further, their 20 m3 rock body is a key upgrade on comparable 40-t ADTs.

Their 13 ℓ Iveco Cursor engines are paired with ZF Astronic 16-speed manual- automated gearboxes; however, Allison fully-automatic solutions are available as an option. The HHD9’s downhill performance is heightened through engine braking and a hydraulic transmission integrated retarder (intarder), which helps to reduce service brake wear.

The stabiliser bar underneath the HHD9’s tipper body provides lateral stability, while the optional roll-over protective structure frame extends over the cab to further enhance operator safety. Additionally, the cab is pressurised to protect the crew from both extreme temperatures and dust ingress.

In general, Astra states that the HHD9 offers lower total cost of ownership (TCOO), better fuel efficiency and lower maintenance costs when compared with comparable ADTs, with Autumn Star Trading citing productivity studies that demonstrate a potential TCOO saving of up to 50% depending on application.

The company points out that the purpose- built trucks, produced in a dedicated factory in Italy, support numerous applications, however the HHD product line seems particularly suited to earthmoving and materials handling applications in construction and mining operations.

The line can be fitted with bowsers up to 46 000 ℓ, concrete mixers up to 13 m3, pumps, tippers, drilling rigs and cranes up to 200 t capacity, and both Autumn Star Trading and Astra assert that the HHD line can “fulfil any transport need for the construction of dams, roads, bridges and power generation plants” in the most hostile and remote areas worldwide.

Meanwhile, Astra offers customised off-road trucks, dumpers and special vehicles for mining tasks.

Like Astra’s construction offering, the mining range comprises dumpers, crane-equipped service trucks, water tanks, off-road people transport, and off-road train combinations (with a maximum 400 t gross combined weight capability), besides others.