Cross-country trucks for fast off-highway negotiation

摘要

In December 1976 the first series of second-generation vehicles for 5 - 10 t payload were delivered to the Deutsche Bundeswehr. By the end of 1977 2.500 vehicles with two, three and four axles had left the assembly plant. For the construction of this type new methods have been developed for the frame and chassis construction, since the specification demanded high cross-country properties and careful transportation of sensitive goods at possibly high speed under off-road conditions. Based on theoretical considerations the paper analyses the suitability of rigid axles and independent wheel suspension, leaf springs and coil springs, soft and rigid torsioned frame to meed the demands of the specification. Prototypes of several executions are compared on obstacle tracks and cross-country and their different driving behaviours are shown in a film. The film is followed by explanations about the solutions choosen for axles, springs and frame and a presentation of the entire body showing the logistical uniformity of the main types of the series. Finally the practical application for the civil market is presented based on the series shown by M.A.N, at the Automotive Show 1977 in Frankfurt, in which the experiences gained during the development of the second generation are utilized.