Meritor’s New Front Drive Steer and Tridem Rear-Drive Axles are Designed for Severe Duty

September 26, 2018 - Meritor, Inc., Troy, Michigan, has unveiled its new MX-610 front drive and MZ-610 tridem rear axle for severe-duty applications.

“The front-drive steer axle and tridem are the next-generation axle combinations from our award-winning 610/P600 series and two of many new products Meritor is bringing to market as part of the company’s M2019 growth initiative,” said Tony Nicol, vice president, Front & Rear Drivetrain, Europe for Meritor.

Built for extreme conditions, the MZ-610 tridem offers wide-ranging axle ratings and high ground clearance as well as gross axle weight rating (GAWR) of 60 tons and gross combination weight (GCW) of 210 tons.

The MX-610 is designed to fit ELSA disc brakes in a double-caliper configuration to offer high-rated torque in a compact package. Its small product envelope is capable of mounting 20” wheel rims and offers steering angles 42°. A detachable tandem is optional.

Meritor's new proportioning inter-axle differential splits torque evenly between the three axles for maximum traction, load capacity, and drivetrain life. With five differential locks and hardware for optional central tire inflation systems (CTIS), the MZ-610 is equipped for the most demanding applications.   

The MZ-610 tridem’s wide ratio coverage from 4.11 to 7.21 with standard drum or disc brakes delivers safety and performance for vehicles operating in extreme conditions. The faster ratios support downspeeding to reduce fuel consumption.

“High tractive force in all driving conditions increases vehicle productivity,” Nicol said. “An optimized design delivers high power density to handle greater payloads and offers durability and reliability that improves uptime.”

 As with previous P610 and P600 products, the MX- and MZ-610 were developed for global markets and validated at Meritor’s world-class technical center in Cameri, Italy.