Dana Debuts Two Drive Axles

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Drivetrain components supplier Dana Holding Corp. introduced two new drive axles at the Mid-America Trucking show here, a concept dual-range setup that automatically shifts from a lower range to a faster ratio, enhancing engine downspeeding, and a heavy-duty, high-performance single-reduction axle.

The concept dual-range axle employs a single gear mesh from engine to wheels by disconnecting the inter-axle drive shaft at highway speed, which allows a final axle drive ratio of about 2.26:1, enabling a substantial drop in engine speeds. The shift is automatic, requiring no driver input.

With both tandem axles connected in a typical 6x4 configuration, the final drive ratio is approximately 3:1, providing greater traction and driver control for slow operations such as hooking up to a trailer.

“Downspeeding is here to stay” as truck makers seek to increase fuel economy, said Steven Wesolowski, Dana’s senior director for global advanced engineering.

Wesolowski said downspeeding an engine adds stress to driveline components because of the higher torque required at lower engine revolutions. Dana’s dual-range axle reduces that stress by moving the torque multiplication closer to the tire patch. That enables the entire driveline to be lighter by several hundred pounds, although the dual-speed tandem axle weighs about 60 pounds more than a conventional unit.

Wesolowski said fleet testing of the dual-range model will begin next year.

Dana also introduced a new family of lighter-weight single-reduction drive axles. The axles are engineered for 6x2 and 4x2 configurations and feature a wide selection of ratios, from about 2:1 to 6:1, to support engine downspeeding. They will be available in 2016 for Classes 7-8 commercial vehicle applications.