Mack Trucks made available to members of the media its Granite and Titan models equipped with its mDrive HD automated manual transmission.
The mDrive HD Ride and Drive event at the Mack Customer Center in Allentown, Pa., gave press members an opportunity to get an up close look at the mDrive HD's features, including Grade Gripper, Power Launch, Rock Free and Performance Mode.
The 12-speed mDRIVE HD, which is integrated with the Mack powertrain, features an automated clutch, so no clutch pedal is needed. The two-pedal system is controlled through a dash-mounted shift pad, enabling the driver to select drive, neutral or reverse. For more demanding jobsite conditions, the shift pad can be operated manually to hold a gear, downshift or upshift.
"It's available with all our MP engines, the 11L, the 13L and the 16L - MP7, 8 and 10 - so across the board, all torque ranges" Stu Russoli, highway marketing manager, Mack Trucks, explained during Thursday's presentation.
The mDRIVE HD monitors changes in grade - both up and down, vehicle speed, throttle position, acceleration, torque demand and gross vehicle weight. It automatically chooses the best gear for the road condition, allowing drivers to focus on the terrain rather than shifting gears.
The mDRIVE HD is based on the innovative design of the standard duty mDRIVE, which was made standard in the Mack Pinnacle model in October 2014. The mDRIVE HD is serviceable at Mack’s coast-to-coast dealer network, elimiating the need for a third-part service location
Other features include:
- A lightweight design. Including transmission oil, the mDRIVE HD is more than 200 pounds lighter than other transmission offerings, according to the company, enabling customers to haul more payload.
- It features reinforced internal components.
- The mDRIVE HD uses a transmission-mounted oil cooler.
- Software packages, specific to customer application.
- The Rock Free feature, which, should the vehicle become stock, allows the driver to rock the truck back and forth simply by pumping the accelerator.
- The Grade Gripper feature, which works with the truck’s ABS system to allow the vehicle to momentarily hold a hill and give the driver time to move their foot from the brake to the accelerator pedal without rolling backward.
"We also have a performance mode, which gives additional control," said Curtis Dorwart, vocational marketing manager, Mack Trucks. "It's very similar to how, let's say, a conventional driver would more likely drive. He's going to run the RPMs up higher and take more advantage of the full torque capability of the engine. The economy, or the easy shift mode, is basically going to be applying strategies, which would be the best possible fuel mileage."
