As the infrastructure and housing industry continues to boom, in the face of increasing demand, trucks which service this sector of the economy need to develop to keep up with the demand for higher productivity, reliable equipment.
Not traditionally recognised as a major player in this industry sector, Mercedes-Benz has seen an increasing interest in its product as a solution for operators servicing different parts of the construction industry and its ancillary transport tasks.
SUBSCRIBE to the PowerTorque newsletter
When this generation of Mercedes-Benz heavy duty trucks first arrived in Australia, the models were differentiated by the numbers on the doors and the cabin size and were generally referred to as Actros.
Taking the brand further into the vocational world and the different specifications needed takes the models into the area designated as Arocs in Europe (and New Zealand), so Daimler has decided to introduce the model name here, even though it still doesn’t appear as a badge on the truck.
The model was tested over a number of varied routes around the Gold Coast and Brisbane for this article. This is an area which continues to have plenty of new road infrastructure and new residential construction on the go. It’s a natural habitat for a busy tipper and dog.
The first job was to get the combination loaded, in this case in a busy landscaping materials yard at Jacob’s Well. Muddy uneven surfaces like this are the home turf of the Arocs and the aspects of its design which differentiate the specification from the Actros come into play. It feels more robust and comfortable in these conditions, when compared to the interstate-ready Actros prime mover.
On the Arocs you always get a straight front axle making the truck sit a little higher off the ground so the front grille and bumper are set higher, changing the entry height. The front axle shocks are stiffer and there’s a rubber lower step to avoid damage.
Unlike the Actros, the air intake features cyclonic tops on the actual intake, which filter out the heavier dust at the top, taking a bit of the strain away from the air cleaners.
For vocational work, the Arocs gets a single rail all the way to the back of the chassis on a rigid truck, which is not available with the Actros. This model also has the front axle a bit further back than on its big brother.
The design allows for longer wheelbase and more overhang at the rear. These dimensional changes help to align the truck with Performance Based Standards (PBS) requirements.
There’s also a higher ground clearance by running a higher, longer fuel tank, keeping it up and out of the way. Also included is a stacked battery box and a 60 litre Adblue tank, plus air tanks on the right hand side, also set up higher and out of harm’s way.
This particular truck tested is aimed specifically at quarry work and consequently, only needs a 390 litre fuel tank. There is an option for an additional 290 litre for longer distance work.
The truck comes out of the Wörth plant in Germany with the air and electrics already plumbed to the rear, ready for the body builder to connect.
No modifications are needed in Australia, the PTO is already on the transmission with the switches already in place from the factory, and it’s pre wired for ancillaries like beacons and UHF. This leaves less opportunity for body builders to interfere with the sophisticated electronics and wiring.
Like the Actros, the Arocs still gets the full safety suite you would expect from a modern Mercedes-Benz. These are the kinds of specs large contracts require today and the design has to balance those safety requirements with minimising tare weight and improving, therefore, productivity.
When trying to adapt the original Actros product, all of these changes had to be made after the truck arrived at the dealership.
Negotiating with the factory in Germany and getting a different model and specification down the assembly line has improved the outcome and streamlined the process of getting a truck on the road with the right specs.
.jpg)
.png){kind=logo}
