Powertrain integration: Axle, driveline focus
The engine, transmission suppliers and OEMs work together to determine the ideal operating engine RPM for a desired road speed. This information is passed on to rear axle suppliers, like Meritor, to design and develop an axle ratio that best fits the engine and OEM’s needs, said Karl Mayer, Meritor director of product strategy, axles.
Powertrain integration: Transmission focus
While the engine supplies the power, the transmission puts the integration to work. “Integration allows the engine and transmission to streamline communications and decision making,” said John Moore, Volvo Trucks product marketing manager-powertrain. “The transmission is programmed to shift based on the peak torque of the engine and not specific RPM points. Trucks can maintain
Powertrain integration: Engine focus
Integration is not a new idea in the trucking industry, but the amount of efficiency OEs are pulling out of engine, transmission and axle combinations are reaching staggering new heights. One of the biggest talking points in today’s performance-packed powerplant arena is “downspeeding.” There are different levels of downspeeding and the experts at Detroit, which
Mitigating collisions with the latest in safety systems
At the 2015 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, Jack Van Steenburg, assistant administrator and chief safety officer at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), reported on trends in commercial motor vehicle safety. Citing 2013 data on crashes involving large trucks, Van Steenburg indicated that the increase from 2012 was less than half that in
Bold, meet efficiency: The Western Star 5700XE rolls out
“Bold,” “burly” and “workhorse” are just a few adjectives that often describe Western Star’s hard-working trucks. You can add “efficient” to that long list of superlatives as the Western Star 5700XE rolls off the line and onto roads across the country. The 5700XE is Western Star’s first fully aerodynamic truck, and it’s the marriage of
The latest transmission technology benefits shifting fleets
In many fleets, traditional manual transmissions are becoming a thing of the past. With more new drivers joining fleet ranks, easier to operate automated manual transmissions (AMTs), along with full automatics, are gaining in popularity. These transmissions also help all drivers—novice and veteran alike— improve fuel economy and safety. Full control Eaton’s newest automated transmission
Diving into engine downspeeding
To improve efficiency of the powertrain, engine downspeeding can be achieved with either a 6×4 or 6×2 axle configuration. However, all the driveline components must work in concert to ensure proper performance. “Regardless of axle configuration, customers should always work with their OEM, engine rep and or axle rep to specify the correct drivetrain configuration
Three ways 6x2s are winning over fleets
Often times, any topic filled with apprehension can be seen in a new light thanks to a bit of old fashion education. There’s no clearer example of that than the growing interest in 6×2 axle configurations from fleets across the country. In the past, fleets had three main concerns with 6×2 axle configurations: 1. Traction;
Watch: Detroit Assurance safety system demonstration
Detroit unveiled it’s new, proprietary safety system called Detroit Assurance, which combines Active Brake Assist (ABA) with Adaptive Cruise Control for collision mitigation and to reduce severity of accidents. Check out the video above of the Detroit Assurance system in action with Brad Williamson, manager, engine and component marketing for Daimler Trucks North America, behind
Detroit Assurance introduction focuses on safety
“If you look at some of the things that have been happening in our industry, safety is becoming more and more of an issue to make sure that drivers are safe, the public is safe and equipment is safe,” Brad Williamson, manager, engine and component marketing for Daimler Trucks North America, said to a room
Detroit announces new medium-duty engines
Photo caption: Martin Daum (center), president and chief executive officer of Daimler Trucks of North America, announced the Detroit DD5 and DD8 medium-duty engines. Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) announced that it will offer Detroit medium-duty engines beginning in 2016. The new engines, branded the Detroit DD5 and DD8, will allow DTNA to further expand
Daimler executives clarify, discuss strategies
At the IAA 2014 truck show in Hannover, Germany, this week, Dr. Wolfgang Bernard discussed Daimler‘s global market strategies for truck sales and company profitability. He noted that the NAFTA markets since 2013 to the present have had an 8% increase in truck sales. He predicted truck sales in this sector would likely top out
