Bitumen Runner: Grant Moroney and his Kenworth T409 SAR

Mogas Regional subcontractor Grant Moroney is keen to keep his new Kenworth T409 SAR looking good, so staying clear of dirt roads is a priority

Grant Moroney was a Mack man through and through — the Macks of yesteryear, that is.

Now he’s the proud owner of a new Kenworth T409 SAR.

Grant previously owned an eight-year-old Super-Liner, which he bought off his good mate Matthew Hill, who was running tankers for Mogas Regional.

Since selling it and buying the Kenworth, however, Grant says he hasn’t looked back.

“The Mack was a beautiful truck, but I didn’t want to go to the ‘new breed’,” he says.

“If they still made the old-style Mack I would have stayed with them, but I didn’t want anything to do with Volvo.

“I couldn’t fault the old Mack, but it was getting long in the tooth.”

New wheels

When it came time to buy the Kenworth, Grant was in two minds whether to opt for the T409 SAR or a T909. In fact, he spent a couple of years looking at different models before going with the SAR.

“Weight was the main issue; I only need a 110-tonne rating,” he says.

However, Grant wasn’t keen on the Cummins EGR engine, preferring to wait for the e5 SCR.

“With the smaller radiator and the EGR, the truck would not have kept cool.”

According to him, it’s so far, so good with the Cummins e5, a verdict echoed by Matthew Hill and fellow Mogas operator Corey Chapman.

Like many Kenworth customers, Grant received the factory tour in Melbourne when he bought the SAR.

“I enjoyed going in the Cummins tour as well,” he says.

“They talk you through the differences between the EGR and the e5.”

Then it was off to Truck Art in Adelaide, who Grant says were invaluable.

“The rig now has a decent stereo with subwoofer, amplifier, microwave, TV and extra shelving,” he says.

“It wouldn’t have turned out this practical and good-looking if it wasn’t for Truck Art.”

The Icepack system has been slotted in behind the right-hand-side tanks.

On the other side is the battery box plus a Stoodley toolbox, while up front is a Stoodley bullbar.

Grant prefers plain-looking trucks and was content to have just his name on the door, without any pinstriping.

However he’s now pleased with the scrollwork on the truck, coming up with the idea after seeing a similar truck during his travels through Wagga Wagga.

Grant manages to keep the Kenworth off the dirt, and isn’t a big fan of constantly washing and polishing. Hence he had the truck’s fuel tanks powder-coated.

Two of Mogas’s subbies have blue tanks, while another has gunmetal grey, so Grant went for something different.

At first he was looking at maroon, but the powder-coater couldn’t match the chassis, so he chose Passion Red.

“I did consider powder-coating the ’bar, but the truck needs a bit of shine,” he says.

Good ride

Grant says the Kenworth has turned out better than he expected.

“I thought it might kick a bit in the front with its short bonnet, but this is smooth, as good as a six-oh or nine-oh,” he says.

“It has the longest chassis you can go without a double chassis rail. It’s 5,790mm long and gives a good ride.

“We don’t have any length restrictions; it’s only the weight that I needed to keep down.”

Grant says the truck’s fuel capacity is 2,000 litres, enough for him to go all the way to Mundrabilla once a fortnight, just for a bit of variety on the job.

The tankers behind the SAR are a pair of 2014 lightweight Tiemans.

At first, Grant was running them across to South Australia’s west coast.

“Now we share them around, but they never leave the bitumen,” he says.

“Our bush tankers are mainly Holmwoods, and do a great job on some pretty average roads.”

Moreover, Grant is determined to restrict the Kenworth to blacktop duties, regularly running between Port Augusta and Adelaide.

It’s very convenient, as he is based at Stirling North — located just east of Port Augusta — where he trades as Grant Moroney Trucking.

Varied career

All up, Grant has been with Mogas on and off as a casual for six years, and full time for two.

“Mogas are great to work for; very organised with everything set up well. Importantly, your money is there every week,” Grant says.

Before Mogas, he had a varied career in the industry.

Fourteen years ago he was a station hand, but he says that lifestyle didn’t suit.

So he ventured to Moomba to drive scrapers for a couple of years.

“I started doing runs on my break for a few people, then went full time,” he says.

“I ran to Brisbane for a while, and later to Alice Springs, and I ended up doing two and a half years running Sydney-Newcastle and back to the mines in South Australia.

“Unlike many others, I enjoyed the east coast work most of all.”

However, Grant is more than content subbying for Mogas Regional in his new Kenworth T409 SAR.

“I’m now working for a top company that looks after us well, and all our subbies are pretty good mates,” he admits.

“Mogas keeps it fair; I wouldn’t like to work anywhere else. And now with a new truck, life is good.”