#MATS2014: New products for Hendrickson

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LOUISVILLE, Kentucky – Hendrickson rolled out three new products at the Mid-American Trucking Show (MATS) this year.

First on the list is the SOFTEK NXT.

“It’s our latest innovation providing a light-weight steer axle suspension system, combining the company’s STEERTEK NXT axle, said Matt Joy, vice-president and general manager, Hendrickson Truck Commercial Vehicle Systems.

The SOFTEK NXT combines Hendrickson’s STEERTEK NXT axle and SOFTRIDE monoleaf spring technology, and is designed for heavy-duty applications rated from 12,000 to 12,500lbs.

“It captures the characteristics of a traditional mechanical suspension and significantly reduces weight and helps improve fuel economy and payload capacity,” said Joy.

The company says it has reduced the weight in the SOFTEK NTX in two different areas: it gets 72lbs with the monoleaf springs, eliminating the inner leaf and 46lbs saved using a light-weight clamp group.

The box-shaped cross section design of the STEERTEK NTX axle helps improve handling and performance versus a traditional I-beam.

The second announcement of the day involved the OPTIMAAX. It’s a liftable forward tandem axle designed for 6×2 configurations. In the forward tandem position, the OPTIMAAX only makes use of the axle capacity when weight-sensing controls automatically determine the loads require extra support. By eliminating a second driver axle, Hendrickson predicts a fuel savings of up to 5%. The product has 20,000lb capacity and will be available in fall 2014.

The final announcement noted the introduction of the VANTRAAX ULTRAA-K slider system. It uses Hendrickson’s Zero-Maintenance Damping technology to pivot mudflap brackets and for suspension-damping air springs.

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