MAN HydroDrive®: More traction
in every situation
Ultimately, all haulage companies are concerned about is arriving safely, on time and the condition of the road. Between the conventional rear-wheel drive and classic all-wheel drive; the innovative MAN HydroDrive® provides more traction in road vehicles that are sometimes need to travel offroad. When compared to a vehicle with conventional all-wheel drive, the HydroDrive® system is up to 400 kilograms lighter and uses less fuel. In addition, a powered front axle also provides lateral guidance – an important safety aspect to consider in winter.
Instant traction
MAN HydroDrive® is the perfect drive for applications with occasional offroad sections and situations where increased traction at the front axle is required. Vehicles with MAN HydroDrive® are essentially road vehicles that are equipped with a hydrostatic front drive to extend their scope of use in terms of available functions.
Examples of typical driving situations where MAN HydroDrive® can be switched in are:
- Unsurfaced roads such as country lanes and road works
- Slippery surfaces such as mud, ice and snow
- Routes with a hilly terrain
The hydrostatic front drive can also be switched in under load when the vehicle is in motion via the rotary switch. It switches off automatically once the vehicle reaches a speed of approx. 30 km/h, and switches automatically back in if the speed falls below 22 km/h. If MAN HydroDrive® is active, an indicator lamp lights up in the driver's display.
With MAN HydroDrive®, a hydropump at the gearbox output supplies the wheel hub drives on the front axle. This ingenious yet simple, robust and maintenance-friendly technology compares extremely favourably with the conventional rear-wheel drive in terms of fuel consumption and wear, and offers a range of advantages over the classic all-wheel drive.The distributor gearbox, a typical feature of the classic all-wheel drive, is no longer required where hydrostatic wheel drives are used. In addition, with MAN HydroDrive® only the rear wheels are powered in road traffic, and no friction is produced by the hydropumps and wheel motors. With all-wheel drive on the other hand, the transmission elements of the front drive continue to turn even when they are switched off.
The benefits of the MAN HydroDrive®
- More favourable fuel consumption
- Weight or payload benefit of roughly 400 kg when compared to the classic all-wheel drive
- A high model is not required; the silhouette and centre of gravity of the road vehicle are retained
- Greater driving safety due to improved traction and directional stability on unsurfaced roads and in wintery road conditions
- Transfer of engine braking action to the front axle during coasting which leads to improved distribution of braking forces
