Freightliner Trucks announced a new collaboration with McNeilus Companies in the development of a new bridge formula mixer chassis.
Ideal for the ready-mix market, Freightliner’s latest vocational product – a 114-inch BBC Severe Duty (SD) set-forward axle (SFA) – features a lightweight, yet durable aluminum cab with a 29.5-inch bumper-to-front axle setting that maximizes concrete hauling capacity for bridge formula mixer configurations.
Equipped with the McNeilus 10.5-cubic-yard Bridgemaster Transit Mixer – the most productive federal bridge formula mixer in the industry – the 114SD SFA mixer allows for 36-foot bridge with a 66,000 lb GVW, and a 9.5-to-9.7 cubic yard payload, dependent on concrete design density.
“We’re very excited to partner with McNeilus Companies to offer our vocational customers a new mixer chassis that meets the highest quality of performance and capability in the market,” said Richard Saward, general manager vocational sales, Freightliner Trucks. “Not only does the 114SD SFA chassis provide optimal operating performance by increasing productivity and payload, but has been designed to reduce body installation time and cost.
Said Tom Harris, vice president of sales, McNeilus Companies: “During the entire design process of the 114SD SFA, we worked closely with Freightliner engineers in order to facilitate the seamless installation and upfit of our mixer body. We’re very pleased with the results of the body integration and subsequent performance of the mixer, and hope to work with Freightliner again in the near future.”
In addition to the weight saving benefits of the 114SD SFA chassis, ease of body integration is a key component.
The all-important clean back-of-cab is achieved by an under step Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) after treatment system, and up to 70-gallon fuel tank with six-gallon DEF tank, all packaged under the cab. This maximizes front-axle loading, while providing a clear chassis-mounting envelope for lift axles and ancillary body equipment.
“There was significant attention given to optimizing the body upfit for mid-chassis packaging, which makes our job a lot easier,” said Harris. “This also includes the location and placement of the new after treatment systems, which have been strategically mounted in consideration of the body mounting area.”