Top 10 of 17 — Meritor’s high-efficiency linehaul tandem
Keeping in the spirit of saving weight, Meritor’s new 14XE HE high-efficiency linehaul drive axle is 30 pounds lighter than the 14X models that came before it, but it has also improved efficiency by 1.5%.
This product announcement was not just about shedding pounds. The axle features high-efficiency bearings, the Meritor Lube Management system, precision-finished gearing, and ratios as low as 2.15 for aggressive downspeeding.
Many of the gains were realized through laser welding. This made it possible to connect the ring gear to the differential housing, creating a joint that eliminates fasteners and reduces oil-churning losses.
Other Top 10 picks for the year include:
Over the Air engine programming
Paccar’s 12-speed automated transmission
SAF-Holland’s lighter AeroBeam suspension
Truck-Lite’s smart trailer system
Thermo King power management tools
Bendix’s greener air dryer cartridge
PeopleNet’s wireless backup camera
FlowBelow’s removeable fairing
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