Meritor debuts lighter weight tandem drive axle

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Updated Feb 28, 2017

Meritor on Sunday introduced its new 14X HE high-efficiency linehaul tandem drive axle at the 2017 Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tenn.

“Built upon our trusted and valued 14X platform that is specified by a large majority of fleets, the new 14X HE is an evolutionary axle that takes efficiency to a whole new level,” says Ken Hogan, vice president, Rear Drivetrain for Meritor. “Based on today’s diesel prices, a fleet with 1,000 trucks equipped with the 14X HE could realize $1 million per year in fuel savings.”

Meritor says the 14X HE targets linehaul customers seeking fuel efficiency and has superfast ratios down to 2.15 for aggressive downspeeding. It also offers an 1,850 lb.-ft. torque rating and 80,000 lb. GCW rating.

Developed over the past two years, Meritor also says new axle features high-efficiency bearings, the Meritor Lube Management system and precision-finished gearing. The company says these features help lead to efficiency gains of 1.5 percent over current industry leading 14X designs. The axle also is 30 lb. lighter than comparable 14X designs.

14X HE high-efficiency linehaul tandem drive axleAdditionally, Meritor says the new axle was built using laser welding to manufacture components to reduce weight and drive efficiencies. 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.

“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 says. “Meritor recognizes that fuel prices won’t stay low forever and that customers are always looking for solutions to reduce their operating costs.”

One of the 20 new global products Meritor plans to introduce as past of its M2019 strategic plan, the 14X HE is available now with one OEM, and three more are expected to begin offering the product in the next year.