Meritor ® (NYSE: MTOR) will showcase its 17X EVO™ axle for linehaul applications at the 65th IAA Commercial Vehicles 2014 show Sept. 25-Oct. 2 in Hannover, Germany.
Originally designed for 4×2 applications in Europe, the 17X EVO is built with advanced manufacturing technologies for greater durability and substantial reductions in fuel consumption. The axle will be available in South America and will be introduced in North America for the 6×2 segment.
“We engineered the 17X EVO to be compact and lightweight, but with expanded capacity for 50-ton payloads and superfast ratios to deliver further fuel economy,” said Marco Bassi, senior director, Engineering and Product Strategy for Meritor. “This natural evolution of our 17X axle offers the right solution to meet the evolving needs of customers in many vocations both in Europe and in North and South America.”
The 17X EVO’s high-density design for engines up to 540 horsepower and 2600 Nm torque includes a driver-controlled curvic differential lock that engages at varying speeds to achieve maximum traction in unfavorable driving conditions or on rough roads. It is also engineered to reduce power loss in axles due to gear and bearing friction and oil churning.
Advanced features include an electronically controlled differential lock as well as lube level control to further improve fuel efficiency.
The 17X EVO is available with a cast or stamped housing. Meritor uses industry-leading laser welding to join the axle’s drive gears with differentials to deliver higher torque, ensure the gears mesh better for a 30 percent increase in durability, and reduce oil splash.
“We design all of our axles to integrate with other components to meet driving, steering and trailering requirements for end-users in all kinds of driving environments,” said Joe Plomin, president, International for Meritor. “The 17X EVO demonstrates how Meritor’s products offer reliability for applications everywhere.”