Mack Trucks announced Wednesday at the Work Truck Show in Indianapolis several new enhancements to its Mack Granite Medium Heavy Duty (MHD) model, including a new horsepower rating, a new under-frame exhaust system, a shorter wheelbase 42 configuration and a tractor configuration.
Outfitted with the Cummins L9 engine, the MHD now features a lower option of 330 horsepower and up to 1,000 lb.-ft. of torque paired with the Allison 3500 transmission. Thats down from a standard 350 horsepower and 1,150 lb.-ft. of torque.
A new under-frame exhaust offers more options for body adaptation, potentially unlocking new applications like tankers, flatbeds, box trucks, cranes and certain municipal applications.
Its totally up under the frame and the rails are totally clean, says Tim Wrinkle, Macks construction product manager.
The MHD model can be specd as a Class 7 or Class 8 vehicle, is offered in either an axle back or axle forward configuration, and is available as a 42 or 64. An axle back tractor option meets the needs of light tractor applications requiring maneuverability, flexibility and durability without extra weight.
A shorter wheelbase is also available for the MHD model in the 42 configuration, ideal for 10-foot dump bodies commonly found in municipal applications.
Mack also announced Wednesday it is adding ground clearance for underbody scrapers to its Granite model, making it more appealing for snow removal.
Mack says the extra six-inch increase in chassis ride height enables the underbody scraper to articulate in excess of 45 degrees in both directions, enhancing the ability to remove snow and grade roads.
Wrinkle says the up to 21 inches of ground clearance allows for easier plow installation without the need to move chassis components like fuel tanks and exhaust aftertreatment systems. The new configuration, he adds, also allows for a shorter wheelbase allowing for better maneuverability and decreased weight.
The Mack Granite is available with both the Mack MP7 and Mack MP8 engine and the mDrive HD 14-speed automated manual transmission with creeper gears, which weighs approximately 150 pounds less than an automatic transmission.
