All About the International LT Exterior: Part 2

Upgraded Headlights

The LT comes with standard LED headlights that deliver best-in-class brightness—40% brighter than ProStar®—with a long, wide, and even light pattern. Optional halogen headlights are also available, with improved optics for a more effective light pattern. Whether you equip your truck with LED or halogen headlights, the LT exterior has various design elements for better headlight function:

• By using separate filaments for daytime running lights and nighttime low beams, the International LT LED headlights effectively double bulb life over ProStar® in slip-seat operations.
• Tool-free bulb replacement for quick and easy service.
• Rigid mounting in the hood delivers a vibration-free light pattern, reducing driver fatigue at night.
• Polycarbonate lenses for robustness against stone chips and resistance to clouding over time.
• The isolated mounting design reduces vibration, extending halogen filament life.

LT fog lights are also mounted close to the middle of the vehicle. When the corner of a truck is involved in a collision, fog lights mounted in the middle of the vehicle are far less likely to require replacement, reducing repair cost and time.

Upgraded Doors & Door Handles

The new door design has doubled the stiffness—and even changed the geometry—of the LT door to add 1.5 mm more compression to the door seal. The result? A very quiet interior, free of wintertime draftiness.

The door handle is frequently the first part of the truck that the driver touches. The firm, ergonomically shaped handle provides a confident first impression, while the extra-deep pocket behind the handle makes it easy to open—even with heavy gloves on in the dead of winter. Before unlocking the truck, you’ll appreciate the security of the new key tumbler, making it far more difficult to break into your truck.

Redesigned Pedestal Mirrors

The standard heated, power, and breakaway pedestal mirror design delivers far more than aerodynamic and visibility benefits:

• Reduced defrost time gets you on the road faster and more safely.
• A seven-pound weight reduction makes it easier to open and close the door.
• Tool-free lens replacement in seconds keeps you on the road.
• A very stout mounting structure delivers a stable image to the driver.

And if you need to service wiring, servicing the power mirror electrical connector from the outside allows the interior door panel to remain in place, reducing service time and cost.

Lighter Fuel Tank

The International LT design also focuses on overall weight reduction. The fuel tank hangers have been redesigned as aluminum castings, delivering a 53-pound weight savings on dual tanks with dual hangers. IROS suspension brackets are now aluminum as well, saving 130 pounds per vehicle while maintaining the same load capacity. The aftertreatment system weight was also reduced by approximately 100 pounds.

Other International LT Exterior Upgrades

The clever grille design allows for quick and easy removal: simply take out the four hidden bolts located along the top of the grille. The shape of the grille is also designed to ensure consistent, high-quality chrome adhesion and appearance. Need to replace the bug screen? That is equally easy to service, thanks to the fasteners in the backside of the grille’s vertical bars.

Hood mirrors—passenger side only or both sides—come in black and bright finishes and offer tool-free lens replacement, and are easy to retrofit for secondary customers. The hood includes dimples inside that inside where to drill the holes.

The LT’s new side skirts are not only more aerodynamic, but easy to service with just four bolts. For your daily DOT battery inspection, lift the battery access panel and allow the magnets to hold it closed. Simple!

New on the back of the cab is CB antennae mounting. These improve aerodynamics compared to mirror-mounted designs, delivering 0.25% fuel economy improvement. Due to their higher mounting position, they also improve range by 10 to 15%. When you drive your truck under a low-hanging tree, the back-of-cab location is not as vulnerable to damage as it would be with a mirror-mounted design.

Learn More About the International Truck LT Series

That concludes our tour of the outside of the exciting new LT series! If you’re considering an upgrade for your fleet and would like a closer look, find the International Used Truck Center location nearest you. Be sure to check out the Driver’s Corner for more truck driving resources, or take a look at the International Used Truck Center blog for Part 1 of our look at the LT Series exterior.

Alan Hertzog

UTO Training Manager

Navistar Inc.-WHQ

2701 Navistar Drive.

Lisle, IL 60532