Features, Outback, Truckie Profiles

Steve Grahame keeps the wheels turning on his trusty C501

Outback trucking legend Steve Grahame has been behind the wheel of his beloved C501 for over 25 years. Now with a new engine under the hood, he revealed how it’s been tracking nearly 18 months on.

Steve, who became a familiar face on the trucking scene through popular television series Outback Truckers, originally purchased his 1994 Kenworth C501 Brute back in 1999.

He’s been honing his trucking skills for well over 50 years.

Travelling to some of the most remote locations in the country, he’s well and truly put the truck through its paces.

The C501 had clocked up 1.7 million kilometres when Steve bought it, most of those being hard kilometres hauling cattle for Alice Springs-based Tanami Transport.

Steve’s work extends from the Pitjantjatjara land in northern South Australia, up through the Northern Territory and across the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

He carts a lot of building supplies and equipment for indigenous communities and refers to his work as “old-fashioned, old-school trucking” which takes him into the remote parts of the outback.

Since the days he left school to become a field hand for mine exploration and drilling crews – jobs that required a truck license – to then carting livestock as he forged a place in the transport industry, Steve has been on an incredible journey.

With so many years of trucking and millions of kilometres now under his belt, he shows no signs of slowing down. “I think I’ve got another few years left. I’ve got no desire to retire,” he said.

Today, the Perth-based truckie estimates his 30-year-old Kenworth has done close to 4 million kilometres and he talks with a definite tone of pride about the condition of the truck – testimony to the rugged strength of the C501 and the way he looks after it.

In this era of electronic engines, the big banger Cummins Inc. K19 he had relied upon for many years is hardly a masterpiece of technology.

Yet this was the reason some of Australia’s best known road train operators preached the value of trucking’s biggest cubic capacity engine. Indeed, brute strength and simplicity of the 18.9-litre Cummins were considered its greatest assets.

Steve Grahame estimates his 30-year-old Kenworth has done close to 4 million kilometres. Image: Cummins

Steve says he had the greatest respect for the KTA600 in his 1994 Kenworth C501 Brute, a road train prime mover he has owned since 1999 and recently repowered with a new Cummins X15 Euro 3 engine.

With the KTA600 no longer sitting out in front, the focus is on the X15 which was slotted into the C501 chassis in a repower project in 2023.

“The KTA600 needed a rebuild due to a dropped valve and it was going to be costly, so when I looked at the economics I decided the X15 was the way to go,” he said.

“You could say I was dragged kicking and screaming into the current generation with the X15 Cummins.”

Steve put the repowered C501 into service in September 2023, with the X15 Euro 3 engine initially rated at 550 hp and peak torque of 1850 lb ft.

“Pulling three trailers, the X15 wasn’t quite there compared with the KTA600,” Steve revealed. “The KTA had less torque than the X15 (1650 versus 1850 lb ft) but its big lungs and long stroke gave it a better feel.

“However, with the X15 now uprated to 600 horsepower and 2050 lb ft of torque, it’s very impressive.

“I like the improvement in fuel consumption, too. I’m consistently saving between 100 and 150 litres per 1500 kilometres.”

The X15 Euro 3 engine is becoming a popular repower option. It shares the same base engine hardware as the X15 Euro 6 powerhouse but without SCR aftertreatment; it can only be installed in pre-2008 registered on-highway trucks.

3 Comments

  1. Like most semi drivers Steven grahame has done it hard I was discussing with a friend to drive a semi outback or just interstate on highway runs if one doesn’t love doing it don’t take it on just as a job one needs to love driving pushing hard to make deadlines dealing with breakdowns on your own at all hours day or night dealing with traffic on highways who have no idea how to drive with semis on the road pulling up exhausted but knowing you can’t relax until goods are delivered in one piece Steven is a gentleman trucker I have driven semis interstate and it’s a job you love irregardless if what happens it’s built into the blood or else one probably shouldn’t be driving long. Hauls sleepless nights keep on trucking Steven if you can and your wife is a very understanding woman who also deserves a medal

    1. Keep on trucking there’s a lot of life obviously left in your trucking travels and in you.from another oldie wish I could be out there. Linda.

  2. I know that feeling and love it .Ii compaare it to the life of a shearing team or outback old time drovers I’m 68 would love to be still doing it but my hips are bone on bone awaiting replacement and no one wants to employ you because you weigh to much or can’t run hundred yard dash even though I never played lot of footy cause even in school was better at tunnel ball to much B S attached these days employers take on Indians and league of nations who can’t drive for crap but that’s our governments and pension is not even survival
    Cheers Reg. RINTOJL

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Send this to a friend