ARVINMERITOR Inc, Troy, Michigan, presented information about its new global hub reduction axle family of single and tandem rear axles that are designed for the heavy haul and construction, refuse, logging, concrete, and mining vocational markets.
Other information presented at the Mid-America Trucking Show included the RideSentry trailer suspension with its new PinLoc slider locking mechanism.
The axles, offered first for the Asian market and available in North America in early summer 2007, have a wide ratio range to meet the needs of on-/off-highway application, as well as suspension adaptations and brake offerings.
The hub-reduction axles have ratios ranging from 3.61:1 to 7.21:1 to meet the higher road speed requirements that vocational customers require.
ArvinMeritor said the advantages come from several key features of the new fully-dressed axle assembly, including:
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Fabricated housing — for a lightweight, high-capacity design in both single and tandem configurations that can support a variety of suspension requirements.
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Weight savings — up to 600 pounds, depending on model selection.
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Streamlined carrier design — for increased ground clearance for improved mobility.
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Proven four-planet wheel-end hub-reduction gearing — for higher capacity ratings and superior performance. The single axle is rated at 26,000-35,000 pounds gross axle weight rating (GAWR), and the tandem is rated at 52,000-70,000 pounds GAWR.
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Needle-bearing design throughout the interaxle differential provides spinout protection and eliminates the need for a lube pump.
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Driver-controlled differential locks — standard in both the forward and rear axle for increased traction when needed.
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Optimized driveline angles — to reduce harsh driveline angle vibrations for longer axle life.
When combined with the Meritor MX-160 front-drive steer axle, the new hub-reduction axle (in either single or tandem configuration) provides maximum mobility.
Another product highlighted was the PinLoc suspension slider mechanism that ArvinMeritor said reduces the potential for incidents. It uses an angled pin design and an air assist with a parking brake interlock to securely engage the slider pins before the trailer is put in transit.
The new slider pin system will be in production in June 2007. The addition of the new locking mechanism provides a reliable method to ensure that drivers and yard jockeys don't accidentally leave slider pins disengaged after repositioning the trailer's slider mechanism, a condition that potentially can result in substantial damage to the slider and trailer, and could cause vehicle instability.
PinLoc combines an air assist, parking brake interlock, and angled pins. These features combine to compensate for operator error and ensure pins engage in body rails. If the trailer is operated without pins engaged and trailer brakes are applied, conventional pins will ratchet down body rails until the slide box impacts with the stop bar. Tests have shown that at speeds above four miles-per-hour conventional pins will not engage. PinLoc has been tested up to speeds of 70 mph with the pins engaging in the first body rail hole every time.
In addition to the added safety and security of the PinLoc slider locking system, the new RideSentry trailer suspension also was engineered for reliability and performance.
Key customer-focused features include:
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High-strength steel, contoured lateral plates, beaded center hanger brackets, and new profile side rails provide best in class buckling, racking, and curbing resistance.
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Bonded rubber upper control arm bushings with steel thrust washers have industry-leading warranty coverage of seven years parts/five years labor.
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Enhanced corrosion resistance and durability.
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Extra weight savings from lightweight 5000 series axles, axle brackets, and upper control arms for increased cargo hauling capacity.
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Equipped with premium shocks and long-life, lower pressure air springs. When equipped with Meritor MA series Q+ brake linings, fleets will enjoy significantly extended brake service intervals.
ArvinMeritor also announced the addition of Meritor WABCO-branded products to its Meritor All-Makes Air Systems Program. The new offering includes air valves and an AD-9 style air dryer cartridge. The All-Makes Program was launched earlier this year and provides a comprehensive portfolio of new, outright or core-free, and remanufactured all-makes air valves, air compressors, air dryers and cartridges, and air hose assemblies.
The Meritor WABCO-branded valves and cartridge are OE-quality aftermarket products and provide a direct replacement option without piping changes for tractor, truck, bus, and trailer applications, the company said.
The All-Makes Air Systems Program is supported by experienced district sales managers, XpresswayPlus.com online parts ordering system, customer service teams for quick/reliable answers, and a large array of supporting literature.
Also at the trucking show, ArvinMeritor announced a stronger focus on its remanufacturing business that includes an on-going growth plan of enlarging its portfolio of OEM-specification remanufactured components to its North American customers.
Components such as brake shoes, axle carriers, manual transmissions, wedge brake actuators, hydraulic brake cylinders, transfer cases, and trailer axles are remanufactured at the company's 270,000-square-foot Plainfield, Indiana, manufacturing plant.
ArvinMeritor's Commercial Vehicle Aftermarket group offers replacement parts for the company's braking systems, drive axles, trailer axles, and suspension products in North America and in Europe. Distributed under the Meritor and Euclid brands, ArvinMeritor's aftermarket parts are precision engineered to original equipment specifications and carry the industry's best aftermarket warranty.