This week at IAA Commercial Vehicles 2014, Dana Holding Corp. will exhibit a comprehensive lineup of advanced technologies specifically engineered to help fleets get more pay out of their loads through better performance, increased fuel economy and improved durability, the company reported, including:
• A new global family of single-reduction drive axles for vehicles with gross combination weight ratings of 35 to 45 tons;
• The Spicer Compact Plus Series driveshaft for trucks from 9 to 66 tons;
• New Long brand exhaust gas heat recovery (EGHR) technology, which helps vehicle manufacturers improve fuel economy by up to 3%;
• Numerous innovations for the light-commercial vehicle segment, including Spicer AdvanTEK axles, Spicer Life Series (SPL) driveshafts, and Spicer constant velocity joints (CVJ); and
• The Spicer optimized tire pressure system, engineered to automatically maintain proper inflation for drive and steer axles.
“Global fleets have a relentless focus on improving the performance of their fleets through improved fuel economy, lower vehicle weight, and reduced maintenance requirements,” said Pat D’Eramo, president of Dana Commercial Vehicle Driveline Technologies. “Propelled by 15 technical centers around the world dedicated to establishing new benchmarks in efficiency and productivity, Dana offers a comprehensive range of innovations throughout the truck designed to help fleet owners achieve these goals.”
New single-reduction drive axles
Dana introduced a new global family of single-reduction drive axles (pictured above) with the company’s leading technologies to serve multiple truck configurations.
These axles will be engineered on a flexible platform that supports production in North America, Western Europe, and emerging markets, this customizable family of axles leverages Dana’s AdvanTEK technology, a common head-assembly architecture, and other proven Spicer axle technologies to reduce weight, improve efficiency, and enhance durability.
This series of global axles for vehicles with gross combination weight ratings of 35 to 45 tons will meet accelerating demand for the most popular axle segment in the world. The global axle family will be locally sourced and manufactured to meet market needs and decrease time to market.
Spicer Compact Plus Series driveshafts
Designed for trucks from 9 to 66 tons, the Spicer Compact Plus Series driveshaft will help commercial vehicles meet increasingly stringent global environmental regulations through engineering advancements that reduce weight and increase the life of the driveshaft.
The Spicer Compact Plus Series driveshaft will weigh 10 percent less than competing driveshafts, contributing to better overall vehicle fuel economy. Through a new innovative sealing design and improved bearing life, this pioneering driveshaft is designed to last 25 percent longer than traditional driveshafts, significantly decreasing total ownership costs over the life of the vehicle.
Engineered to meet global market requirements, this line of driveshafts will be initially targeted for the European market.
Long exhaust gas heat recovery (EGHR) technology
By helping vehicle manufacturers improve fuel economy by up to 3% and reduce emissions, Long brand exhaust gas heat recovery (EGHR) technology enables customers to reduce friction in the engine, transmission, and axle by redirecting exhaust heat to rapidly warm powertrain fluids during cold start and ramp up.
Dana’s EGHR solution is more compact and up to 50% lighter than competing devices, enabling it to be installed immediately downstream of the catalyst to capture the gas at a higher temperature. When coupled with Dana’s Long active warm-up units, the system is able to significantly reduce the time it takes to achieve optimum operating temperatures in the powertrain.
Light commercial vehicle innovations
At IAA, Dana is showcasing its lineup of technology for the light-commercial-vehicle segment, including Spicer AdvanTEK axles, Spicer Life Series (SPL) driveshafts, and Spicer constant velocity joints (CVJ).
Dana’s latest AdvanTEK axle designs combine fuel-efficient bearings, expertly designed gears and refined manufacturing processes to deliver power density, efficiency and noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) performance in a smaller package. The featured axle models are ideal for trucks with a gross axle weight rating (GAWR) between 3,200 and 7,200 kilograms (7,000 to 16,000 lbs.) and can be customized to meet the demands of specific vehicle applications.
Dana’s powerful and efficient axles can be coupled with its SPL driveshafts, which are capable of handling torque capacities ranging from 700 to 7200 Nm. These driveshafts are designed to meet the needs of new, low-emission, high-efficiency light-commercial vehicles and are precision balanced for reduced NVH.
The company also will display its innovative Spicer CVJs, which utilize Rzeppa angular contact designs for high-speed driveshafts, capable of operating at high angles and at torques up to 6,000 Nm in light-commercial vehicle, pick-up truck, sport-utility vehicle, and van applications.
Spicer optimized tire pressure system
The first internal axle system of its kind for powered commercial vehicles, the Spicer optimized tire pressure system has been engineered to automatically maintain proper inflation for drive and steer axles, significantly increasing vehicle fuel efficiency and reducing maintenance. The Spicer optimized tire pressure system can improve fuel economy by up to 1 percent through periodic checks that ensure each tire is properly inflated to a pressure equalized with the other tires on the tractor.
Fleets can save approximately $1,600 per truck every year when improvements in fuel economy are coupled with the savings that result from avoiding catastrophic tire events, according to Dana.
