Mack, ArvinMeritor tighten relationship

ArvinMeritor announced a seven-year, $1-billion US contract to produce Meritor rear drive axles for Volvo Powertrain, the division of Volvo AB which supplies Volvo and Mack trucks with heavy-duty components. ArvinMeritor said it would produce proprietary Mack rear drive axles beginning in May 2004 and continue to be the standard rear drive axle supplier to Volvo Powertrain. ArvinMeritor currently produces axles for Volvo in Sweden.

Mack decided not to renew its 15-year supplier relationship with Dana, which has provided chassis assemblies and groomed axles for Mack’s on-highway and vocational trucks. The current chassis deal expires at the end of next year, and the axle agreements expire in May 2004.

In a separate announcement, ArvinMeritor said Mack will offer Meritor SteelLite X30 lightweight brake drums on its CH, CX, CL, RB, and RD600 series models. The one-piece drum is lighter than standard full-cast drums and is available on axles ranging from 34,000 pounds GAWR (gross axle weight rating) to 46,000 GAWR. The data code for the X30 brake drums for the CH, CX, CL, RB and RD600 series models for front axles is 248 2000/247 2202 and single rear axles and tandem rear axles is 264 2000/263 2202.