ArvinMeritor Unveils New Trailer Suspension Designed for Fleets in Vocational Markets

This story appears in the May 17 print edition of Transport Topics.

FRANKFORT, Ky. — ArvinMeritor Inc. unveiled a new series of trailing-arm, air-ride trailer suspensions designed for fleets that operate primarily in vocational markets.

Company executives presented the new Meritor Trailing-Arm Air line during a customer and press event at the trailer suspension factory here on May 5.

Craig Frohock, ArvinMeritor’s general manager of trailer products, said the line will be rolled out over the next nine months. Six basic suspension models are designed to meet the fleet needs in the tank, grain, platform, dump, bulk, lowboy, livestock and specialty markets, the company said.

“This new suspension series provides customers an engineering-proven solution in our suspensions portfolio,” Frohock said.

He said the company had “listened to our customers” in designing the new suspension line. “The time is right, [and] the technology is honed and proven,” Frohock added.

The first model in the new series, the MTA23, will enter commercial production in the fall. Test models of the suspension package are currently rolling off the assembly line at the factory.

He said the MTA line would feature a patented pivot bushing that absorbs bumps to provide a softer ride, larger and stronger shock absorbers and a patent-pending axle wrap design to strengthen the axle connections to trailers.

Rick Martin, training manager for ArvinMeritor, said the new suspension is 11 pounds lighter than competing products and will replace the company’s RFS series of suspensions.

He said the MTA lines will have a five-year warranty on parts and a one-year warranty on labor.

During the press event, Joe Mejaly, president of ArvinMeritor’s aftermarket and trailer division, said business was improving quickly around the world, with only Europe lagging.

Mejaly said operations in India were back to full capacity, its China plants were working around the clock and “we’re starting to see strengthening in North America,” including growing interest in new models.

He said the company would now “benefit from the tail winds of an improving economy” around the globe, after reshaping itself into “a pure commercial vehicle company.”