Mack offers Granite with more clearance for underbody scrapers
INDIANAPOLIS. Mack Trucks showed its new Granite Axle Forward model with increased ground clearance for underbody scrapers, which the OEM said makes it ideal for snow removal. Mack made the announcement at the 2018 Work Truck Show.
The Granite is available with a 6-in. increase in chassis ride height to provide additional clearance for an underbody scraper. This allows the scraper a full range of motion to articulate in excess of 45 degrees in both directions, Mack noted, enhancing the ability to remove snow in the winter and to grade roads in the offseason.
The additional chassis clearance "allows for easier plow installation without the need to move other chassis components like fuel tanks and exhaust aftertreatment systems, saving the customer both time and money," said Tim Wrinkle, construction product manager for Mack Trucks. "The new configuration also allows for a shorter wheelbase for greater maneuverability and decreased weight, offering customers a cost savings without compromising performance."
The Granite is available with the Mack MP7 and MP8 engines and mDRIVE HD 14-speed automated manual transmission with creeper gears. That transmission weighs approximately 150 lbs. less than an automatic transmission, Mack noted, providing a lighter-weight option.
Granite models come standard with Mack's ClearTech One exhaust aftertreatment system, which combines a diesel particulate filter (DPF), selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) into one unit. According to Mack, the ClearTech One saves another 17 lbs. vs. other systems and frees up frame rail space with its single-unit design.