Mercedes-Benz has taken a triple step forward in
Euro VI compliance. The brand has expanded its heavy-duty range with the addition of the Arocs construction chassis, featuring a three-point star on the grille. The logical completion of the lineup follows the mid-range Antos, which was introduced and the top-end Actros, with which Daimler entered the market in 2011. In addition to meeting the highest environmental standards, the new Arocs vehicles boast three outstanding qualities: power, efficiency and reliability.
Wide range
The range of the Arocs line is offered in an unprecedented variety of construction equipment models, precisely tailored to customer requirements. The new dump trucks, all-wheel drive trucks, concrete mixers, tractors and chassis are available as two, three and four-axle vehicles with 16 engine options available from 175 kW (238 hp) to 460 kW (625 hp). From the very beginning, all motors have been designed to meet Euro VI environmental standards.
The well-segmented construction industry requires vehicles that are ideally suited to their operating conditions. About half of all construction machines work directly on construction sites. About a third go for the supply of equipment, another 15 percent of construction vehicles involved in the transportation of ready-mixed concrete.
In addition, there is a wide range of requirements when it comes to vehicles used in the transport of non-standard cargo in the ultra-heavy transport industry. Then the operators make individual requirements for the newly purchased vehicles. That is why Arocs was created taking into account the solution of any non-standard tasks in the transport industry.
Variants: Loader and Grounder
With the new Arocs, transport tasks in the construction industry can be handled more efficiently than ever before. In order to meet the broad requirements, two versions have been developed, Loader and Grounder.
Every opportunity was used to reduce the curb weight of the car, without reducing the power characteristics. The Loader version is distinguished by its minimum unladen weight. As a result, the 4x2 two-axle tractor is the lightest in the construction sector. This is not a variant of the Actros or Antos, but a separate vehicle type. The range also includes concrete mixers with a total weight of up to 32 tons with a wheel arrangement of 8x4. The curb weight of such a mixer is only 9250 kg and they are able to supply 8 m3 of ready-mixed concrete on each trip.
The Arocs Grounder is designed for extremely demanding conditions such as quarries and construction sites. Thanks to the application of many technical measures, it has obtained a high level of reliability and a high bearing capacity. For example, the thickness of the longitudinal frame members has been increased to nine millimeters.
"Super Mixer": the first mixer capable of delivering 8 m³
When it comes to transporting 8 cubic meters of concrete in accordance with the law, a dilemma arises for the transporter, whether to disrupt or underload. The new Arocs is able to cope with this task, for this they created a four-axle chassis with a curb weight of 9250 kg.
To achieve the result, several non-standard solutions were applied. Starting with the introduction of the Loader a lightweight 10.7-liter OM 470 engine with a
ClassicSpace S-cab. But that alone would not have been enough, for the first time, the dual tire drive axles were replaced with 368/65 single tires.
The rear axles have been modified to keep the wheelbase wide enough, which is an important element of the vehicle's stability. To use single tire axles, the wheel rim seats have been changed. The result is wide, trailing drive axles specially made for the Mercedes-Benz Arocs.
Powerful Euro VI engines for the construction sector
The new Mercedes-Benz Arocs is available with a wide range of powerful, environmentally friendly diesel engines. Right from the start, Mercedes-Benz has been installing low-emission engines on the Arocs that meet the strict Euro VI standards. Customers have a choice of 16 power levels of Arocs motors. Six-cylinder in-line turbocharged and intercooled engines. With a maximum power level of up to 3000 Nm, volumes of 7.7, 10.7, 12.8 and 15.6 liters.
Arocs is also equipped with the most powerful engine from Daimler, the OM 473 series, with a volume of 15.6 liters and a power of 625 hp. and a maximum torque of 3000 Nm. It is characterized by maximum performance in difficult conditions. Even when it comes to the most demanding transport requirements: speed, traction and stability. High performance is provided off-road combined with maximum loads, on routes with difficult topography. To top it all off, Daimler describes it as the most durable engine possible.
When it comes to the toughest operating conditions, Mercedes-Benz Arocs may be confronted with how good the pulling forces of the new OM 473 engine are. Peak forces are known to be between 2,600 Nm and 3,000 Nm, but the question is how much they are. available?
On the test bench, the highest torque on all OM 473 engine variants was already available at 1100 rpm. In the real world, this means that almost all the tractive power is available in the operating range from 900 to 1400 rpm. This characteristic allows for excellent handling over a very wide engine speed range.
In addition, the new Mercedes-Benz OM 473 also impresses with its enormous economic efficiency. Even the most powerful engine of the new generation is designed for low fuel consumption. Depending on the version, consumption is 0.5 to 1.5 percent lower than in the previous Mercedes-Benz OM 502 V8 engine.
The new OM 473 is available in three power levels:
output power
Maximum torque
380 kW (517 hp) at 1600 rpm
2600 Nm at 1100 rpm
425 kW (578 hp) at 1600 rpm
2800 Nm at 1100 rpm
460 kW (625 hp) at 1600 rpm
3000 Nm at 1100 rpm
Effective engine braking
The engine brake is just as effective. Its performance, unique to this class of engines, improves safety and average vehicle speeds while minimizing brake pad wear due to less brake pedal use. Double synchronized brake decompression is used in the OM 470/471/473 series engines.
Fully automated transmission as standard
Regardless of the configuration of the power unit, the entire Arocs line is realized with an automatic transmission in the basic version. The automated, fast-acting
Mercedes PowerShift 3 is available in 8, 12 or 16 gears. Alternatively, for an additional fee, manual transmissions with 9 or 16 gears are available.
The improved "automatic" Mercedes PowerShift 3 compares favorably with modern automatic transmissions with fast gear changes. Change intervals are 20 percent shorter than the previous Mercedes PowerShift 2 and up to 50 percent shorter than the Telligent automatic transmission. Thanks to the sensitive sensor system, Mercedes PowerShift 3 provides precise gear shifting suitable for the respective driving mode and load. Mercedes PowerShift 3 is used in conjunction with a new generation of clutch with warning and overload protection. Truck services, including
tacomatruck.repair/, say that these gearboxes are very reliable and very rarely fail. And this is another plus of this truck.
Hydraulic drive
Arocs is the first to use a "hydraulic auxiliary drive" on a Mercedes-Benz truck. It is designed to cope with difficult road conditions where a significant increase in traction is required for a short time. A hydraulic motor located in the wheel hubs drives the wheelset, including the drive. This drive is designed to counterbalance the all-wheel drive versions, to save the car's own weight. Allows you to save up to five hundred kilograms on one axis.
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