The suspension offerings include the introduction of HAULMAAX EX and the expansion of ULTIMAAX and PRIMAAX EX on the new Western Star truck.
“When developing our trucks, we apply our vocationally-focused engineering and manufacturing expertise together with equipment from leading suppliers to create solutions that deliver the durability and dependability to benefit our customers’ operations,” says David Carson, senior vice president, vocational sales and marketing, Daimler Trucks North America.
“We’re deeply committed to the vocational market and are looking forward to adding the toughest Western Star yet to our portfolio,” says Carson.
With the new vehicle’s introduction, Hendrickson also will be debuting its next-generation heavy-duty rubber suspension, HAULMAAX EX. To address the growing demand for rubber suspensions across all vocational applications, the HAULMAAX EX suspension is optimized to provide increased site rating, expanded capacity ranges and improved durability, the company says.
“Customers today expect more out of their vocational suspensions and HAULMAAX EX exceeds those expectations by expanding on the capabilities of the current HAULMAAX design with up to a 70,000 lb. site rating for the 46,000 lb. capacity suspension. HAULMAAX EX is extremely rugged, supporting the most demanding vocational applications and offering capacities of 40,000 lb., 46,000 lb.and now 52,000 lb.,” says Ashley Dudding, director of engineering, Hendrickson Truck Commercial Vehicle Systems.
“Hendrickson utilized our industry leading analysis and validation techniques to ensure HAULMAAX EX would meet these rigorous demands, minimize maintenance requirements and deliver the lightest weight vocational suspension on the market,” says Dudding.
In addition to HAULMAAX EX, the 49X also will offer Hendrickson’s ULTIMAAX severe-duty rubber suspension for more extreme applications as well as PRIMAAX EX, Hendrickson’s severe-duty vocational air suspension for applications requiring the softer ride of an air suspension but still demanding rugged durability.
ULTIMAAX is available in capacities of 52,000, 60,000 and 70,000 lb. and delivers enhanced stability, handling and ride quality even in the most severe-duty environments where vehicles encounter harsh and unexpected ground conditions. The integration of Hendrickson’s proven walking (equalizing) beam technology, with its patented progressive rate spring, provides a balance of loaded stability and unloaded ride quality even in the most rugged environments, the company says.
PRIMAAX EX is designed specifically for the rigorous demands of vocational, severe-service and heavy-haul applications. The system features a robust structural design optimized for exceptional stability, handling and ride resulting in higher driver comfort and less premature wear on expensive truck and body equipment. Initially, the new vehicle will feature PRIMAAX EX in capacities of 46,000 and 52,000 lb. with expanded capacities coming soon, Hendrickson says.
