Freightliner Trucks announced a new heavy-duty mixer chassis, the 114SD with forward-set steer axle, and representatives said it is among a new line of severe-duty trucks that they will use to seek more sales in vocational markets

A pre-production model with a McNeilus 10.5-cubic-yard Bridgemaster body is on display at Freightliner's booth at the World of Concrete show at the Las Vegas Convention Center this week.

The 114SD "fills a gap in our product line between the M2-V and the Coronado SD," said Richard Saward, Daimler Trucks North America's general manager for vocational sales. "And it takes the place of the Sterling vocational models" which are no longer built since the Sterling brand was discontinued.

The new model sits on a strong chassis similar to that used on the existing Coronado SD, uses an aluminum cab from the M2 series, and has a unique hood that's 2 inches longer than the M2-112's. The nose has a satin-black grille that can be ordered with chrome accents for appearance conscious operators.

The SD name has been used for many years by Freightliner, principally in its FLD-SD variants which went out of production more than a year ago, Saward explained. SD is now a product line that includes the premium Coronado SD as well as the 114 series that will be gradually expanded, Saward said. An axle-back version is due out in a couple of months, and more are planned beyond that.

The 114 denotes the truck's bumper-to-back-of-cab dimension, and the extra 2 inches under the hood accommodates the standard engine, a Detroit Diesel DD13, and helps place the steer axle sufficiently forward to meet bridge-law requirements in many states. The display truck's steer axle is 29.5 inches behind the bumper; a 31-inch setting is also available.

The display truck is spec'd for California, with a 36-foot bridge between the steer axle and swing-down booster axle; on four axles it can legally gross 66,000 pounds while carrying 9.5-to-9.7 cubic yards of payload, dependent on the concrete's density, the company said.

The DD13's standard rating is 350 horsepower and 1,350 pounds-feet, and ratings to 450 hp are optional. Available toward the end of this this year is the 8.9-liter Cummins ISL, a midrange-size heavy duty diesel with up to 350 hp. Cummis' 8.3-liter ISC will be available later for customers wanting lighter weight.

Freightliner and McNeilus engineers worked to fit the Bridgemaster Transit Mixer body onto the initial 114SD's frame, the companies said. The integration was eased because of the truck's clear back-of-cab area, made possible by locating Blue Tec exhaust aftertreatment equipment and tanks under the truck's cab.

"There was significant attention given to optimizing the body upfit for mid-chassis packaging, which makes our job a lot easier," said Tom Harris, McNeilus's vice president of sales. "This also includes the location and placement of the new after treatment systems, which have been strategically mounted in consideration of the body mounting area."

The 114-inch BBC dimension and contoured hood slope provides superior job site visibility. And the tight turning radius - due to an up to 45 degree wheel cut depending on wheel equipment - provides useful maneuverability on cramped job sites.

"By offering Detroit Diesel engines with BlueTec emissions technology, Freightliner is saving its customers time and money," said Brad Williamson, manager, engine and component marketing, Daimler Trucks North America. "Detroit Diesel BlueTec SCR all but eliminates the need for parked regeneration in most mixer applications. In fact, a typical mixer operation may never need to do another parked regeneration, which not only wastes fuel, but is not acceptable when hauling with a perishable product such as concrete."

Mixer hydraulics are powered by the DD13's flywheel-mounted rear engine PTO, which allows for a cleaner installation behind the cab while providing consistent and maximum power output for barrel rotation. And the three-stage integrated Jake Brake provides retarding power and quiet operation in residential areas.

"From weight distribution to payload to body integration, the 114SD SFA mixer chassis will provide our vocational customer with an efficient solution to keep them on the road and working smarter," said Saward.