An unladen EPA 2004 compliant Freightliner Columbia tips the scales at 18,530 pounds – 1,400 pounds less than a similarly equipped EPA 2010 complaint Cascadia.
In the span of six years, the front axle picked up about 1,000 pounds and the rear axles 400. David Hutto, product marketing manager for Frieghtliner on-highway, says that extra 7/10ths of a ton left some fleets and drivers to find other ways to stay under 80,000 pounds gross weight while maximizing payload.
“The result is that our customers have gone to shorter fifth wheel slides, 12 inch sliders down from 24 inch,” he says. “Wheelbases in the plus-230 inch range down to 224 inch. 13,200 pound front steer axles in lieu of 12,00 pound axles [for 72 inch raised roof sleeper cabs].”
Since 2010, Hutto says OEMs have worked hard to address weight increases by reducing weight from the factory or offering weight sensitive options.
“Aluminum frame rails and cross-members, new [and] lighter weight steering and drive axles, shift to horizontal exhaust from single and dual vertical exhaust,” Hutto says. “And light weight brake drums and wide based tire.”
But truck makers aren’t the only ones trying to lighten up. Aftermarket and OEM suppliers are also integrating lighter weight offerings into their product suites.
