Meritor has introduced its new 14X HE high-efficiency line-haul tandem drive axle. Meritor said its engineering teams used the latest technologies to improve axle efficiency up to 1.5% while also reducing weight by 30 lbs. over its 14X design. The 14X HE comes standard with high-efficiency bearings, the Meritor Lube Management system and precision-finished gearing.

Meritor uses laser welding to manufacture components to reduce weight and drive efficiencies, Ken Hogan, vice president of rear drivetrain for Meritor said, adding that the 14X HE’s ring gear is laser-welded to the differential housing, offering a very robust joint that eliminates fasteners and reduces oil churning losses. The axle, which targets line-haul customers seeking fuel efficiency, has ratios down to 2.15 for downspeeding.

“With fuel being the largest operating cost to fleets, the 14X HE rounds out more of our portfolio with a product focused on improved fuel economy to save fleets money and reinforce Meritor’s leadership in axle efficiency,” Hogan said. “Meritor recognizes that fuel prices won’t stay low forever and that customers are always looking for solutions to reduce their operating costs.”