Complete power

At this year's Intermat, Dana launched a new range of axles, designed for rough terrain cranes and forklift trucks.

The new additions to the Spicer range include three heavy-duty steer drive axles for rough terrain cranes with lift capacities from 30-90t, the Spicer 36S, 42S and 48S.

The three new rough terrain axles are currently under development and testing, and will be launched for sale in late 2015. At Intermat, Dana's director of planning, Rick Honeyager, explained these new axles will complement Dana's 40-year-old range of transmissions and driveshafts for rough terrains, allowing the company to offer crane manufacturers a complete drive train for the first time.

He said, "Dana has been producing transmissions for 30-120t cranes for a long time. What Dana will be offering is a full system solution for the drive train in the crane market.

"In a rough terrain crane, things are very tight in that upper structure. This is a remote transmission, with a separate converter assembly. That allows the engine to be placed lower in the vehicle. That's something that makes Dana unique in the market, making a remote transmission solution that makes for a more compact drive train profile." Other configurations are available as needed by OEMs.

Unline most construction equipment, like excavators or wheel loaders where the vehicle earns money while it's moving, Honeyager points out, cranes earn when the outriggers are down or during slow pick-and-carry travel.

"It's not that there's a lot of power going through the axle, but very high structural loads. When the boom is over one tyre, that might be 75% of the weight. So the structural integrity of that axle is the critical factor.

"This isn't our first entry. In the 1980s, our Clark division was a leader in the North American crane axle market. We exited that market, but we have all that know how. So we've taken axle designs, and updated them with our latest technology to enter the field." Buying a complete driveline will be more efficient for crane manufacturers. He says, "It costs OEMs money to have more suppliers. So, this allows them to reduce suppliers. One phone call, one visit, you're taking care of the transmission needs and the axle needs."

This will allow Dana to optimise the complete drivetrain package, and support end users with parts and service around the world, he adds.

The cranes will be engineered in Dana's facility in Wuxi, China. Honeyager explained, "These are not components just for the Chinese market." Currently, Dana transmissions are used by rough terrain manufacturers including Grove, Terex, Link-Belt and Locatelli