The new Arocs – consummate specialist for the construction industry

• Arocs – like the Actros – enjoys many new features

• Wide range of cabs, engines and transmissions

• Various drive system solutions and many useful sophistications

• Arocs SLT and Actros SLT for the most arduous operations

Mercedes-Benz developed the Arocs series specifically for the construction industry and presented it to the public for the first time in 2013. Since then, this heavy-duty construction truck from Mercedes-Benz Trucks has established itself on the market as a true specialist and covers the construction sector as a whole. Both on the road and off the beaten track, the Arocs has truly proven itself through its power, ruggedness and efficiency. Whether as a heavy tipper, concrete mixer, construction materials transporter, semi-trailer tractor unit or special purpose vehicle – the Arocs, with its sturdy frame construction, robust chassis and powerful engines, cuts a fine figure everywhere and is at home on the construction site as well as in the construction materials supply business.

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When developing the new Actros, the development engineers at Mercedes-Benz Trucks also extensively renewed the Arocs. Almost all product highlights from the Actros are also optionally available for the new Arocs generation. Each Arocs – but not the mixer - for example, is equipped as standard with an improved version of the Predictive Powertrain Control (PPC). PPC can display its strengths especially in construction-site applications which entail many, often only short, inter-city journeys. Here, the system relieves drivers and helps them save fuel sustainably.

In addition, MirrorCam, Active Brake Assist 5 (only in conjunction with front underride protection for two-axle and three-axle vehicles) and the multimedia cockpit are also available for the Arocs (optional). Arocs and Actros models can optionally be equipped with a tyre pressure monitoring system including a new display concept. Here the real and the specified pressure in the tyre is displayed precisely as a function of the outside temperature.

Construction specialist from head to toe

The Mercedes-Benz Arocs is pre-destined for use as a specialist in construction-site applications. With a large range of cabs, engines, drive variants and wheel formulas, the highly specialised all-rounder is up to any challenge. Since its premiere six years ago, the Arocs has been available in a broad and constantly growing line-up. With seven vehicles at the 2019 Bauma trade fair, the Arocs will be demonstrating its capabilities in terms of practicality, comfort, efficiency and safety.

The Arocs is available as both chassis and semitrailer tractor variants with all conceivable wheel formulas. The range includes: two-axle trucks with 4x2 or 4x4; three-axle vehicles with 6x2 and trailing or leading axle, 6x4 and 6x6 variants; and four-axle trucks with 8x2 and trailing axle, 8x4 (also with trailing axle), 8x6 and 8x8 variants. Included in the model line-up are special variants such as four-axle trucks with three rear axles or four-axle platform trucks with one driven and one steered rear axle. The range includes various cabs, different frames depending on use, whether mainly on the road or principally off-road, numerous wheelbases, steel or air suspension and three all-wheel drive systems.

Pre-configured vehicles make it easier for customers to make their choice. The "Arocs Loader" aims at low unladen weight and high payload, which makes it a favourite for two-axle semi-trailer tractors and concrete mixers. This concerns, among other things, the cab, chassis, engine, axles and tyres. The "Arocs Grounder" is the robust counterpart for particularly arduous tasks. To this end it is provided with a highly stable frame, multi-leaf parabolic springs with hard spring characteristics, specially tuned shock absorbers, planetary axles and particularly durable rims and tyres with high load-bearing capacity.

Many variants – including for the cabs

A brief glance is all it takes to discover that the Arocs is the tough guy for the hardest jobs in the construction business. Its striking radiator grille in excavator bucket teeth look, pendulum cab access steps and the three-part bumper with steel corners are external testimony to its talent.

From the compact S-cab ClassicSpace to the slightly longer M-cab and even the spacious L-cab BigSpace, the Arocs fulfils every customer and driver wish. This applies likewise for special cases such as, for instance, cabs with a lowered roof height. When the Arocs has to make itself small on construction sites and "squeeze" through low entrances, the 2.30-m-wide ClassicSpace cab in M and L version with low-roof is the ideal choice. It is 100 mm lower than the standard version.

The customer can choose between the two optional equipment lines "StyleLine" and "TrendLine". The "StyleLine" optional equipment lends the interior an even more stylish, modern character with an aluminium-look trim. The optional "TrendLine" package, on the other hand, gives the driver decorative elements in wood look, giving the cab a warm and extremely homely atmosphere. In addition there are chrome applications on the leather steering wheel, the steering column levers and the parking brake for both equipment variants. The chrome bezels on the instrument cluster and the secondary multi-touch-display set further brilliant highlights.

Four engines with 18 output levels for the Arocs

The Arocs drive power is provided by four advanced in-line six cylinder engines with displacements of 7.7 litres, 10.7 litres, 12.8 litres and 15.6 litres, respectively. A total of 18 output levels ranging from 175 kW (238 hp) to 460 kW (625 hp) and from 1000 Nm to 3000 Nm are available. The top version of the OM 470 with an output of 335 kW (456 hp) and a powerful maximum torque of 2200 Nm deserves special mention here.

8, 12 and 16-speed transmissions

As standard, fully automated transmissions of the Mercedes PowerShift 3 series with 8, 12 or 16 gears take care of the power transmission. Three drive programs are available: Economy/Standard, Power and Offroad. The "Offroad" or "Power" drive programs, each with several driving modes, adjust to the driving characteristics. Additional functions such as the rocking-free mode assist the driver with traction problems in off-road conditions. Direct shifting from first gear to reverse also enables swift, agile manoeuvring. Manual transmissions are also available as an option.

Two all-wheel drive systems and hydraulic starting aid HAD

Mercedes-Benz offers three different variants for the off-road environment. If the focus is on payload and fuel consumption, engageable all-wheel drive is the right choice. When maximum traction is required, the solution is permanent all-wheel drive including a low-range gearbox. The third variant for Arocs and Actros with 2 and 3 axles is the "Hydraulic Auxiliary Drive" (HAD) engageable hydraulic starting aid with comparatively low additional weight. With engageable wheel hub motors on the front axle, HAD covers road-oriented applications with occasionally increased traction requirements.

Turbo retarder clutch for wear-free starts

If you have to pull away with high weights in a particularly sensitive and wear-free manner or have to manoeuvre at very low speeds, you should choose the turbo retarder clutch. It combines a hydraulic start-off clutch and a retarder in a single component. The turbo retarder clutch can be combined with all Arocs 6x4 to 8x8 chassis. In the four-wheel-drive four-axle tipper with a permissible gross vehicle weight of 41 t, such a clutch also pays off on rough terrain. As a primary retarder, the turbo retarder clutch develops a braking power of 350 kW (476 hp). Together with the up to 475 kW (646 hp) output of the powerful High Performance Engine Brake, the turbo retarder clutch ensures maximum safety.

Arocs SLT and Actros SLT for the most arduous operations

The Mercedes-Benz Actros SLT and Arocs SLT heavy-haulage tractor units are also predestined to use the turbo retarder clutch. Equipped with three or four axles, these spectacular giants are capable of a gross combination weight of up to 250 t. Two driven axles or all-wheel drive, powerful engines with an output of up to 460 kW (625 hp) and 3000 Nm of torque as well as finely graduated 16-speed Mercedes PowerShift transmissions are all present in the SLT technical data. An elegantly clad cooling tower behind the cab combines cooling system, hydraulic system, a 900-litre fuel tank, a compressed air tank and other components.

Steel-sprung Arocs SLT

Unlike the Actros SLT with air suspension, the Arocs SLT is steel-sprung. The basis of the vehicle is formed by the extremely robust Arocs Grounder with either a 2.3-m-wide StreamSpace cab or the 2.5-m-wide BigSpace cab (not all wheel drive). The building industry relies on the Arocs Semi-SLT for the transport of heavy construction machinery. Here, the gross combination weight is limited to a maximum of 120 t on the three-axle vehicle or 180 t in the case of the four-axle vehicle.