New Model 6 Drive Axles Now Available from Detroit

Contact: david.giroux@daimler.com

DETROIT, Mich. – Feb. 12, 2015 – Detroit Diesel Corporation (Detroit) today introduced new Model 6 Detroit^™ Drive Axles. Available in single drive 4x2 or tandem 6x2 configurations with ratios from 2.28 – 5.88, the new axles are designed with the latest features and technology, ultimately resulting in a smoother performance and better fuel economy.  

Model 6 Drive Axles include new features, such as weight-optimized housings, hollow axle shafts, and an internal baffle that reduces oil-churning inefficiencies while cruising. The 4x2 single drive axle, which is ideal for less-than-truckload (LTL) Freightliner Cascadia^® and Freightliner M2 112 trucks and tractors, has a weight rating of up to 23,000 pounds and a 1,750-lb torque capacity. 

Perfect for weight-sensitive applications, the 6x2 tandem with tag axle has weight ratings up to 40,000 pounds, with 1,750 lb-ft torque capacity. With a single drive and tag axle, it has the capacity of a tandem axle while shedding 431 pounds. And because it doesn’t have a rear carrier or inter-axle differential, its efficiency is further improved by reducing moving parts. Ratios range from 3.91 to the fastest 2.28, which is offered exclusively in the integrated Detroit Powertrain which also includes the Detroit DD15^® engine and Detroit DT12^™ automated manual transmission, further benefitting fuel efficiency.

“Our new Model 6 Drive Axles have the strength and performance customers expect from Detroit Axles,” said Brad Williamson, manager, powertrain marketing for Daimler Truck North America. “Our wide range of axle options means we have the solutions customers demand – solutions that are ideal for any application.”

Produced at Detroit’s manufacturing facility in Redford, Mich., all Detroit axles are available in a wide range of configuration options and are compatible with all braking systems offered by Daimler Truck, covering every trucking segment. Detroit axles are a key component of the overall Detroit powertrain offering, which includes Detroit engines and the DT12 automated manual transmission. 

Detroit axles are backed by Detroit’s unmatched network of more than 600 dealers and factory-trained technicians in the United States and Canada. 

For more information, go to www.DemandDetroit.com. 

Detroit offers a complete line of heavy-duty diesel engines, axles, transmissions, safety systems and telematics products for the commercial transportation industry in both the on-highway and vocational markets. Detroit^™ products are sold and serviced through a network of hundreds of locations throughout North America. For more information, or to locate the nearest Detroit location, visit DemandDetroit.com. Detroit™ is a brand of Detroit Diesel Corporation, a subsidiary of Daimler Truck North America.