ContiTech News

February 2008Rubber Technology Shapes Driving Culture and Engine Performance in Europe’s Mightiest Production Trucks. Charge air hoses, air springs, engine mounts and surface materials from ContiTech.

MAN has developed an elegant and comfortable powerhouse in the 680-HP TGX V8, the most powerful production truck ever made in Europe. The V-shaped front with its gleaming radiator trim, huge headlights with integrated blinkers and chrome appliqué work on the radiator grille is heftier than its predecessor. A very roomy cab outfitted with highest-quality standard features gives the TGX V8 a grandiose appearance. The elegant five-square-meter-plus cockpit contains a dashboard in carbon-fiber look, leather seats, two comfortable beds with plenty of room to stretch out on, lots of space for stashing things away, and headroom of more than two meters throughout. Used as a surface material for the storage compartments above the windshield, PVC foam laminate from Benecke-Kaliko adds further refinement to the cab.

Outfitted with a newly developed eight-cylinder “V” common rail engine that boasts 680HP and a torque rating of 3,000Nm, the TGX V8 leaves the competition trailing at least 20HP behind. Carrying a full load of 40-tonnes, the engine provides a convincing display of its top output characteristics, sprinting past other vehicles on the road without even breaking into a sweat.

Its two turbochargers allow for precise control at all settings and reliable adjustment of the drive force to the respective driving requirements. ContiTech charge-air hoses feed the engine the air needed to unleash its full fury. “We are the sole supplier, so we provide the complete hose system between the raw-air intake tube, air filter, turbocharger and charge-air cooler to the engine intake tube,” explains product manager Gerhard Blume from Mündener Gummiwerke, a ContiTech AG company. The hoses are heat-resistant to 250°C and withstand a pressure of 3.5 bar. Integrated folds provide the requisite pliability in compact designs and in flexible vehicle parts like the tiltable cab. Alongside the lines for the charge air systems, ContiTech Fluid Technology supplies AC, clutch, power steering, diesel fuel, cab tilt and compressor lines for oil and hydraulic systems as well as for the TGX’s hydraulic transmission control.

Each TGX is equipped with four engine mounts and an intelligent air suspension system from ContiTech. Installed in the front and rear axles of both the TGS and TGX model lines, the air springs from ContiTech distribute the axle load evenly and ensure running smoothness and the right driving level at all times. “Tight dimensions, high operating pressure and generous lifting and lowering lengths are what MAN stipulated in the performance specs submitted to us as sole supplier,” explains Dieter Offermann, product developer at ContiTech Air Spring Systems. “Axle suspension is regulated via two or four air spring systems that allow for total spring travel of up to 270 millimeters. This flexibility pays off, above all during loading or unloading operations. The air springs are designed for an operating pressure of up to 8.5 bar.”

An air spring-damper module (ASDM) developed in collaboration with ZF Sachs is part of air-sprung front axles available on request. The ASDM combines the air spring and shock absorber in one intelligent unit. “It is more compact than the conventional arrangement of separate shock absorber and air spring, making it ideal where space is at a premium,” notes Offermann.