Leveraging lift axles in various vocations
Tough truck tasks require tough spec’ing choices. Picking the right lift axle to put to work is often one of the most complicated decisions. Driven by application, lift axles need to meet your expectations and adhere to stringent bridge laws. A quick refresher: The federal bridge formula aims to keep bridges from becoming overloaded, stating

What’s the right axle ratio for vocational trucks?
Carrying your vocational load means balancing the right axle ratio with the right axle weight rating. Just as advanced engine technology and deeper integration have enabled faster axle ratios on-highway, so too have those engine efficiencies translated to the vocational world. “Today’s engines are more advanced and efficient than ever,” said Kelly Gedert, director of

What vocational truck weight class is your axle working in?
Are you a heavy-haul roller or do you cube out before you weigh out? The load that’s riding on your axles shoulders will greatly determine the equipment you spec for your vocational truck application. “Selecting the proper weight rating for steer and drive axles allows the truck to haul the right amount of payload for

Executive interview outtakes: Kent Jones, SAF-Holland
Editing means that a lot of great info gets left on the cutting room floor. Maybe the story is too long. Maybe it doesn’t fit the narrative pace. Maybe there’s no good place to insert a cool factoid. That doesn’t mean that it’s not insightful. It just means that after writing a story I get

SAF-Holland’s Kent Jones on supporting customers, developing solutions and gaining market share
SAF-Holland President—Americas, Kent Jones, shares his view on the brand’s successes, the challenges it faces, and what it will take to continue growth.

Watch: Integrating your truck’s axles with the powertrain
While many truck OEMs today provide a fully-integrated powertrain that includes the axle, maybe you’re in a position where you want to fully customize your axles yourself. As a key part of the powertrain, it’s important the axle is spec’d to work with the truck’s engine and transmission if you want to maximize efficiency.

Meritor enhances 14X HE drive axle, launches two more high-efficiency solutions
Meritor, Inc. has made enhancements to the 14X HE linehaul tandem drive axle and added two more drive axles to its high-efficiency family of products.

Meritor announces MFS+ 14K front non-drive steer axle
Meritor, Inc. has launched its MFS+ 14K front non-drive steer axle, which the company says is the lightest 14,700-pound front non-drive steer axle in North America for linehaul and vocational applications.

Kenworth T880 now standard with PACCAR 20K front axle
The vocational-focused Kenworth T880 is now standard with the PACCAR 20K front axle. The PACCAR 20K front axle is available with ratings of 20,000 or 22,000 lbs, and uses a tapered kingpin roller bearing, which simplifies the design and delivers enhanced steering efficiency. The PACCAR front axle offers steering angles up to 50 degrees and

ZF announces that AxTrax electric axle is on the Freightliner Innovation Fleet eCascadia
ZF has announced that its AxTrax electric axle is being used on the eCascadia for Freightliner Trucks’ Innovation Fleet. “The ZF electric drive axle, AxTrax, offers zero-emission driving with maximized performance and minimal noise emission—ideal for battery electric vehicles, hybrid drives and fuel cell technology. It enables trucks the efficient entrance into zero-emission city zones,”

Dana expands training academy with new content for Spicer drive axles
Dana Inc. has expanded its training academy, which will now include two new modules covering component identification, maintenance and lubrication for Spicer drive axles.

International Truck introduces high-visibility HV Series
International Truck introduced a new configuration for its all-wheel drive International HV Series at the 2019 International Construction and Utility Equipment Exposition, featuring a high visibility hood and set-back axle that allows for improved visibility and maneuverability.
