ArvinMeritor is entering the heavy-duty cargo restraints and air suspension seats arenas through two stategic alliances with major players in those markets.

The company has allied itself with ANCRA International and will offer ANCRA’s line of heavy-duty cargo restraints as part of its Euclid product line starting in April. Products distributed through Euclid will include winch and ratchet strap assemblies, cargo bars, decking beams and additional restraints on both flat beds and van trailers.

The ANCRA products will be supported by ArvinMeritor customer service, including 24/7 service response.

Cargo restraints are a $120 million market, according to Scott Ronan, director of business development for ArvinMeritor Commercial Vehicle Aftermarket.

ArvinMeritor is also partnering with GRA-MAG Truck Interior Systems to distribute that company’s line of air suspension seats. GRA-MAG offers four levels of seating, all of which incorporate ergo-form seating contours, air suspension that reduces topping or bottoming out, standard bellows covers and quiet operation.

The strategic alliance route is not new to ArvinMeritor. In fact the company has extensive alliance and distribution experience. It developed a number of successful alliances with various manufacturers, including FrasLe friction materials, Firestone Airsprings, and Pressure Systems International Tire Inflation Systems.

New ArvinMeritor suspension aimed at vocational trailers

ArvinMeritor is adding a second trailer air suspension system to its product line, a single axle/fabricated design for specialized vocational trailers.

The new suspension system, called the FS Series, joins the company’s RHP Series in the family of RideStar Suspension Systems, the new name for Meritor’s suspension product line.

The RideStar FS Series is aimed at trailers operating in specialized vocational markets, such as flatbeds, tankers, auto haulers, and lowboy trailers. It’s scheduled to finish field testing in coming months with sales scheduled to commence this fall.

The patent-pending design of the new suspension system uses interleaf shims for fore/aft stiffness versus other single bushing designs. Its narrower design also saves on total suspension system weight and bulk.

The suspension’s engineers also took advantage of the shock absorber technology being developed at ArvinMeritor’s Ride Control business, maker of Gabriel shock absorbers.

Borrowing from European technology, the shock absorbers have been specially developed to work with the FS suspension geometry. Increased damping force results in less fatigue damage, as well as improved braking performance and tire life, according to ArvinMeritor.

Western Star adds twin-steer option to Constellation 5800s

Western Star has come out with a new twin-steer option for the Constellation 5800 heavy-duty model truck.

The Constellation 5800 is typically used in concrete mixer, heavy dump, crane and utility applications as well as a concrete block truck. The new twin-steer option has a 40,000-lb combined rating for the twin front steer axles and provides a maximum GVW of 86,000 lb.

The configuration also has a 50-inch setback to the first axle with an 86-inch setback to the centre of the steer tandem. According to Western Star, this configuration, in combination with the 5800’s short BBC – provides exceptionally good weight transfer and allows more operator payload.

The company also says that the twin-steer option optimizes the steering geometry so the linkages of the steering arms match the suspension movement, which eliminates kick-back through the steering wheel and extends tire life by cutting down on bump steer and tire scrubbing.