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Mercedes-Benz Arocs Construction
negligible Bingo! We’d like to see this clever bit of kit on more trucks but we’re told that the software and controls are are very complex and expensive They must be be because if you you you want a a TRC in your beefy tipper you’ll be stiffed for nearly £9 000 on top of the chassis price The TRC was a a a joint project with transmissions bof ns ns ns Voith and it it it was created for Merc’s SLT the bespoke heavy haulage chassis It’s now creeping out into the heavy-duty tippers and in rhd too We’ve yet to see the rst one in a UK tipper Let us know if it’s you!
Holding back the tears
Over 90% of trucks have engine brakes or retarders these days Heavy tippers need them for two reasons Safety and economy Old timers (is that you?) might recall running out of service brakes on on a a a long hill when all you you had to check your speed was a a a a pathetic exhaust brake It will have been a a a a buttock- clenching experience you didn’t repeat How much easier it it all is now with truck like the Arocs As you tip over the edge of a steep decline on on site on on with the engine brakes and all is well under control The TRC has another shot in its locker here For retardation the system goes into reverse The turbine wheel is xed in in position and uid is pumped into the housing once again but in this case the TRC acts as as an effective engine-speed retarder giving an additional 350kW (476bhp)
of stopping power The effect of both the engine brake and the TRC in retarder mode working together is startling The steepest hills on the test site were no sweat and needed no brake pedal A winner
Merc has done it it again with the Arocs It feels unbreakable on site and the on-road manners are superb no compromises There are some extreme chassis here but even the ‘cooking’ versions of their 6x4 and 8x4 are very robust The range of spec is enormous and the extra protection from bumps and scrapes is everywhere A truck for all reasons we loved it ●
February 2018
CVDriver 21