Mack’s new chassis

Mack Trucks announced a new chassis for its Mack Vision and CH highway tractors called Advantage, with new rail options and design details that promise better handling, a tighter wheel cut, and a quieter ride.

The chassis is available in four rail dimensions–6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, and 9.5 mm–all with greater resistance bending moment, or RBM. “The increased RBM provides greater strength,” notes Tom Davis, Mack marketing manager for highway products. “Weight-sensitive bulk haulers will be pleased with the addition of the 7-mm rail, which has a higher RBM than our current 8 mm, but, depending upon wheelbase, is up to 100 pounds lighter. Less chassis weight means more payload.” The 9.5-mm rail, for example, is a lighter alternative to a 6-mm frame with a channel reinforcement.

Advantage also provides up to 50-degree outside wheel cuts, dramatically improving turning diameter. For example, an Advantage-equipped vehicle with a 185-inch wheelbase could have an improvement of up to 15 feet in turning diameter–a big number if you have to manoeuvre in and out of tight spaces.

Mack says Advantage offers better ride and handling due to a standard front taper leaf suspension with springs spaced slightly apart to reduce friction, and that the spring rate has been reduced. An optional Hendrickson AIRTEK air-ride front axle-suspension combination not only provides a smooth ride, but additional weight savings as well.
A new engine support crossmember and new cab mounting system combined with new sound dampening material in the Vision and CH cabs cut down on noise and vibration. And the combination of the new engine mounts and new taper leaf front suspension lets the engine sit lower in the frame, reducing the overall centre of gravity and improving handling.

Other features of note: the wider front frame section allows for a 10-per-cent larger cooling system; the colour-coded lines and push-to-connect fittings make service easy; and charge air cooler piping has been re-routed to avoid potential damage from road debris.

There’s no upcharge associated with Advantage, meaning all of the aforementioned benefits come at no extra cost.