Newly Equipped: New trucking developments from Accuride, Hendrickson, Prinoth

Accuride announces improvements to Steel Armor wheel protection

Accuride recently announced improvements to its Steel Armor wheel protection coating. The improvement to the coating technology involves an updated epoxy e-coat layer. Combined with a zinc phosphate surface preparation and a powder coat top layer, the new e-coat provides improved sharp edge protection.

The improved wheels began shipping from Accuride’s Henderson, Kentucky, facility on July 14. Steel Armor wheels manufactured in Accuride’s Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, plant will begin shipping August 14.

“Accuride is proud of Steel Armor’s performance over the last decade. We’re excited that we can offer a continuous improvement to our already excellent track record—at no cost to our customers,” Craig Kessler, SVP of engineering at Accuride, said.

All Accuride steel wheels in white, black, and gray come standard with enhanced Steel Armor wheel protection. Custom colors are supplied with standard powder coat.

See also: Newly Equipped: New trucking equipment announcements from Kenworth, GMC, Fontaine

Hendrickson launches the newest advancements in Steertek NXT at International

Hendrickson recently launched the newest advancements in Steertek NXT steer axles on International RH, LT, and MV Series trucks and IC Bus CE Series buses. Weight optimization was designed into every component, from axle seat and knuckle castings to axle beam refinements. Fabricated and assembled in the U.S., this axle design provides up to 25 lb. of additional weight savings compared to the previous generation while maintaining its advantages in serviceability, dependability, and maintenance for fleet operations.

With this launch, Hendrickson has expanded its limited warranty coverage for Steertek NXT axles with rated capacities of up to 14,600 lb. The existing 10-year, 1-million-mile limited structural warranty still covers the axle and kingpin assembly, steering arm assembly, and knuckle assemblies. Additional warranty coverage on kingpin bushings, kingpin wear, thrust bearings, tie rods, and tie rod ends is included for 5 years, or 750,000 miles.

“The expansion of our Steertek NXT advancements to International reinforces our commitment to delivering innovative solutions that provide value to fleets,” Sean Whitfield, director of marketing at Hendrickson, said. “This axle is built to go the distance while making service easier and less frequent, which is a win for both fleets and technicians.”

Norwegian Polar Institute selects Prinoth Panther XL for Antarctic deployment  

The Norwegian Polar Institute has selected Prinoth’s Panther XL tracked vehicles to support transport and logistics at the Troll Research Station in Antarctica. A contract was awarded to supply 10 units of the PXL with relevant spare parts and service packages. Built at Prinoth’s Granby, Québec, facility, the Panther XL combines expertise from across Prinoth’s divisions to create a machine designed for the world’s harshest environments.

From Prinoth’s Snow Grooming division, the Panther XL features a large, intuitive, and customizable touchscreen display adapted from snow groomers to meet the demands of Panther XL operations, heated windows and wipers designed to endure the most severe weather, and a high-comfort air suspension seat, intuitive steering wheel, and cruise control system, providing operators with comfort and control for long-haul missions.

From Prinoth’s Crawler Carrier expertise, the Panther XL benefits from Prinoth’s patented rubber track undercarriage, incorporating large wheels and automatic track tensioning for reliable performance in rugged terrain and an advanced powertrain integration, drawing on Prinoth’s experience with Caterpillar power pack systems.

Additionally, the Panther XL introduces innovations developed for polar operations, including a full-suspension cab design for superior ride quality and operator comfort, Prinoth’s patented 4-track drive dynamics system for optimized traction and stability, and a patent-pending operator assist drive function designed to support operators during long-distance hauls in extreme conditions.

“Antarctica demands the very best technology,” Klaus Tonhäuser, president of Prinoth, said. “By bringing together the strengths of our Snow Grooming and Crawler Carrier teams, and adding targeted innovations, we’ve built a vehicle that’s made to perform well in the toughest conditions and underlines our groupwide leading engineering capabilities and our focus on customer needs.”