Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/668965
2 0 | BULLDOG | 2 0 1 6 V 1 2 0 | BULLDOG | 2 0 1 6 V 1 I n a continuation of efforts to offer solu- tions for an expansive range of customer applications, Mack Trucks announced in March two additional versions of the mDRIVE™ HD automated manual transmis- sion and a new single-unit exhaust aftertreat- ment system called ClearTech™ One. Mack launched both the transmissions and EATS at The Work Truck Show in Indianapolis, and both will be available for order in August. Customers can spec the low-speed reduction gear transmissions with Mack's MP ® series engines in Pinnacle™, Granite ® and Titan by Mack trucks, while ClearTech One will be available in Pinnacle and Granite models. The new transmissions are the mDRIVE HD 13-speed and the mDRIVE HD 14-speed. The 13-speed option, available in direct or over- drive confi gurations, offers a low-speed reduction gear ratio designed for easier start- ing on steep grades and under heavy load, while the 14-speed option, offered in an over- drive confi guration, adds an ultra-low-speed reduction gear aimed at paving operations and low-speed, heavy-haul maneuvering. Both models provide three low-speed and one fast-speed reverse gear ratios. The new mDRIVE HD models share archi- tecture and gear ratios for 12 forward speeds with the standard mDRIVE HD, which Mack unveiled in February 2015. "We launched the original mDRIVE HD in response to customers looking for an AMT capable of withstanding tough vocational applications," says John Walsh, vice presi- dent of marketing for Mack. "Now, with the mDRIVE HD 13- and 14-speeds, we're taking the next step and combining low-speed capabilities with the performance and pro- ductivity benefi ts of our ground-breaking AMT." The new gears improve not only perfor- mance in off-road and construction applica- tions, but also on-road fuel economy through a faster rear-axle ratio, says Stu Russoli, highway and powertrain products marketing manager for Mack. "What we found was when people go into a pit or on a jobsite they were actually gearing their rear-axle ratio a little bit lower so they could do the work at the jobsite," Russoli says. "That's where the 13-speed comes in. Now we've added a 17:1 bottom gear, so after you hit fi rst gear you go down to a creeper gear. Now I can work in the pit and still have my faster rear-axle ratio, where I can get to my highway speeds … and get really good fuel economy, but still be able to do the work in my off-road situations." The 14-speed option adds two lower gears, allowing the operator to shift down to a creeper two and creeper one. "That brings you into your curb-pouring applications or your paving applications where you need to go at a walking speed, that half mile an hour or in that range," Russoli says. Without the 14-speed option, he says operators have to press on the brake all the time, which can lead to over- heating the clutch. "The mDRIVE HD is just as at home on the highway as it is on the jobsite," Russoli says. "Highway customers with challenging loads will appreciate the extra fl exibility pro- vided by the low reduction gear ratios." An extension on the transmission between the bell housing and the main case makes the additional gears possible. The new versions of the transmission are less than fi ve inches longer and only 90 pounds heavier than the standard mDRIVE HD, giving them a weight advantage of nearly 150 pounds compared with automatic transmissions. Mack also announced all mDRIVE trans- missions, including the standard mDRIVE and "Now I can work in the pit and still have my faster rear-axle ratio, where I can get to my highway speeds … and get really good fuel economy, but still be able to do the work in my off-road situations." Stu Russoli, highway and powertrain products marketing manager for Mack. reduction gear aimed at paving operations and low-speed, heavy-haul maneuvering. Both models provide three low-speed and DRIVE HD models share archi- tecture and gear ratios for 12 forward speeds "What we found was when people go into a pit or on a jobsite they were actually gearing their rear-axle ratio a little bit lower so they could do the work at the jobsite," Russoli says. "That's where the 13-speed comes in. Now we've added a 17:1 bottom gear, so ON EQUIPMENT Mack Trucks increases customer options with two new versions of the mDRIVE™ HD transmission and a single-unit exhaust aftertreatment system. Expanded options