Meritor Launches 79000 Axle for Transit Buses

Meritor’s new axle, which will be available to OEMs in early 2018, is designed to help municipal transit fleets meet federal and industry durability guidelines.

Axles for transit buses funded by Federal Transit Administration grant programs must meet the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) guideline for an axle lifetime of five years and 300,000 miles. By more than tripling the durability, fleets may only need to replace the axle’s carrier once instead of multiple times during the vehicle’s service life in this heavy stop-and-go segment.

“Our new 79000 axle was specifically developed and validated for the North America transit bus duty cycle and exceeds expectations for extended product durability,” said Joe Muscedere, general manager, Off Highway, Specialty & Defense, North America. “By extending the life of the carrier, we’re confident the 79000 is the most robust single reduction drive axle for 35-foot to 60-foot bus applications.”

Meritor incorporated OEM and end-user feedback into the development of the 79000 and custom-engineered every component in the carrier to exceed the requirements and expectations of the transit industry.

Because the 79000 axle is a direct replacement for Meritor’s 71000 axle, with the same packaging and suspension interfaces, wheel-ends, brakes and wear components, the 79000 can be retrofitted easily into buses that currently have a Meritor 71000 Series axle.

Fleets can use higher-capacity retarders to extend the service life and replacement interval of wearable brake components, significantly reducing maintenance and replacement costs for transit authorities. The robustness and durability of the 79000 can also be applied to all-electric powertrains featuring higher torques and rapid torque reversals.

With a gross axle weight rating of 28,660 pounds, the 79000 features a one-piece cast iron housing with integral suspension pads and bolt-on torque rod brackets for extra strength and durability. The carrier design includes a bolted differential case and gear for more efficient assembly and service.