Chassis
Actros

Chassis

Optimum ride comfort and driving safety combined.

In addition to its sturdy, durable and body-friendly construction and lightweight design, the Actros frame boasts two more outstanding features: it has an innovative integral rear end for 4x2 and 6x2 semitrailer tractors and a cleverly designed frame front end.

Bolted connections are used throughout, making it easy and inexpensive to replace parts when carrying out repairs. In addition, the front underride guard has been weight-optimised to reduce unladen weight. Another benefit is that the headlamps on the Actros are located above the areas of the front apron that are particularly vulnerable to stone chip impacts. The optionally available chassis underseal provides effective corrosion protection for the chassis and frame components. The protective film is transparent to allow metal surfaces to be visually inspected and model plates to be read.

 

Further advantages.

  • 9.5 mm side member thickness
  • 50 mm hole pattern for precise, efficient body planning
  • Or use of standardised bodies corrosion protection provided by cathodic dip priming
  • Wheelbase variants from 3,300 mm
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Sturdy, durable and body-friendly – the frame.

If it's volume rather than payload that's a determining factor for the profitability of your operations, then the Actros could be just the right vehicle for you. It has much more to offer than just a 3-metre loading height. There's the task-oriented drivetrain, for instance.

Our task was clear: to create greater flexibility for the attachment of tanks or other auxiliary units. And the result is pretty impressive: for Actros semitrailer tractors with air suspension, this concept has freed up almost the entire area on the left-hand side behind the cab. To achieve this, the batteries and compressed-air tank have been integrated into the area between the rear axle and the end cross member. The compressed-air drier, 4-circuit safety valve and trailer control valve were moved to the inside of the frame. This has created "installation space" which can be used for an additional fuel tank, for example. This would give an air-sprung 2-axle semitrailer tractor a tank volume of up to 1,430 l1, for example. The concept also makes it much easier to attach hydraulic pumps or compressors. So you see: the integral rear end2 doesn't just give you a lot of "installation space" but some major advantages too.

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More scope for attaching implements – the integral rear end.

With its two suspension variants – namely steel/steel or steel/air  – the Actros meets all the demands that you can make of a contemporary vehicle: high roll and driving stability, precise directional stability, discernible suspension comfort and maximum traction. The air suspension on the Actros features air spring bellows which are positioned at the lateral extremes to reduce roll tendency and thereby improve stability. The air suspension is combined as standard with Telligent® level control which is noted for its high raised heights. This is particularly advantageous when using demountable bodies with different ground clearances, for example.

In addition to the stabiliser link, which cuts the weight of each air-sprung rear axle by a good 90 kg, the 6x2 semitrailer tractors and platform vehicles have a further weight-reducing feature: 2-bellows air suspension. But the 30 kg weight reduction and 30 mm lower frame height are by far not the only benefits that this suspension concept has to offer. By dispensing with the rear air spring bellows, it has been possible to locate the shock absorbers directly behind the axle, thus bringing significant advantages in terms of driving dynamics and roll behaviour. In addition, the advantageous positioning of the spring bellows allows significantly higher raised heights and prevents the axle from distorting and affecting the angle of the propshaft. The lower number of bellows also means that replacing the bellows is quicker, saving you money in the event of a repair.

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4-bellows air suspension. Vehicles with more than one driven axle are equipped with the reliable 4-bellows air suspension. Full air suspension is also available as an option for platform vehicles.

On air-sprung rear axles, the stabiliser link performs two functions: axle location and stabilisation of roll tendency. And that's not all: the innovative stabiliser link replaces two control arms, two bearing brackets, two articulated rods and numerous fastening elements. This translates into optimum handling characteristics and weight savings of up to 90 kg on each air-sprung axle.

[1] In conjunction with a wheelbase of 3,900 mm.
[2] Standard on the 6x2 semitrailer tractors and 4x2 semitrailer tractors in conjunction with MegaSpace cab. Optional for 4x2 semitrailer tractors.

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