Mack has added two versions of its mDRIVE HD automated manual transmission (AMT) to offer low-speed reduction gear options for MP series engines, adding versatility to the Pinnacle, Granite and Titan trucks.
Announced Wednewsday at the Work Truck Show in Indianapolis, the two versions include a 13-speed option designed for easier starting on steep grades and under heavy load, and a 14-speed ultra-low-speed reduction gear designed for paving operations and maneuvering under heavy hauls.
Both models offer three low-speed and one fast-speed reverse gear ratios and will be available for order in August.
“We’ve added on a front extension on the transmission between the bell housing and the main case of the transmission and with that we’ve added extra gears,” says Stu Russoli. highway and powertrain product manager.
The extension adds 4.75 inches to the length of the transmission and about 90 pounds to the weight. However the unit remains lighter than any of Mack’s competition in the vocational heavy-duty market, Russoli adds.
The versatility the transmission adds is the key point for the mDRIVE HD options.
“You can run your highway truck, run your construction truck in the heavy duty on the highway, get the reduction and still have your highway speeds,” Russoli explains. “What we found was when people go into a pit or on a jobsite they were actually gearing their rear axle ratio a little bit lower so they could do the work at the job site. So how do we fix that?
