JOST Group displays numerous innovations at IAA

IAAAlongside its diverse product range of components and systems for trucks and trailers, Jost Group will be presenting new innovations and developments at this year’s commercial vehicles show. Highlights of JOST’s presentation at IAA will also include trailer axles engineered by Mercedes-Benz, which will be displayed for the first time under the JOST brand. The JSK 34 sensor coupling version of the ultralight JSK 34 fifth wheel coupling, which was especially developed for tankers and silo trucks, is presented for the first time at IAA in Hanover. Along with axles and fifth wheel couplings, JOST offers one of the world’s most comprehensive product ranges for landing gears, including the electrical Modul E-Drive landing gear, which debuts at the JOST stand in Hall 26.

JOST stand will also display the proven, multi-award-winning towing hitches available under the ROCKINGER brand. TRIDEC, JOST World’s brand for trailer axle steering systems and single wheel suspensions, presents the new EF-S steering system for trailers, which offers entirely new options for driving, manoeuvring and safety. Thanks to the sophisticated sensor technology and remote control. The lightweight CS 17-5 tipping hoist cylinder for semi-trailers is the highlight among the hydraulic systems presented at IAA by Edbro, part of the JOST Group.

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JOST is displaying its innovations and provena041_jsk34-58329 products for truck and trailer at the show in Hall 26, stand D34. The company also participates in the “Guided Tour” which will take place at stands of chosen exhibitors.

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At the innovation area “New Mobility World”, the KKS, the automatic comfort coupling system and the automatic steering system EF-S is presented live.

JOST trailer axles  

Located in Kassel-Calden, JOST Trailer Achsen Systeme GmbH began manufacturing and distributing trailer axles engineered by Mercedes-Benz in January 2015. The product range includes disc-braked trailer and semi-trailer axles for standard, mega and distribution vehicle applications, as well as steered axles. JOST trailer axles are especially known for their unique durable compact axle, which gives the DCA axle series its name. The DCA axle beam incorporates the axle tube, trailing arm, brake flange and axle journal in a single unit. This innovative design makes for an extremely light yet robust construction. In combination with the maintenance-free compact bearing and the wheel heads for 19.5-inch or 22.5-inch wheels, which have been tried and tested millions of times, this results in a very long product life with a minimum of required maintenance. A broad spectrum of add-on parts allows a wide variety of applications to be covered with just one axle – from tankers and silo trucks to standard and mega curtain-siders and even dump trucks.

All axles are permanently protected against corrosion by e-coating. Thanks to their optimum topology and material selection, the use of brake disks whose use has been proven around the world guarantees the highest level of safety. Special ventilation ducts in the brake disks help to maintain the ideal temperature, protecting brake disks and all adjacent components, especially bearings, from premature wear and tear. Brake disks and brake linings are matched perfectly to achieve the best possible braking effect. JOST trailer axles can be equipped or retrofitted with a brake wear indicator to aid inspection and improve safety.

JOST now also manufactures axles in its customary high quality at its brand new axle plant in Nowa Sol, Poland.

DCA WEIGHTMASTER: the standard trailer axle

The DCA WEIGHTMASTER forms the basis of the DCA series. Thanks to the integral axle and weight-optimised components, such as wheel head, brake and air bellows, the DCA WEIGHTMASTER is characterised by a particularly low weight, starting at 381 kilograms, thus allowing maximum payloads at minimum maintenance and life cycle costs. It can be configured for wheels with a diameter of 19.5 inches or 22.5 inches. With its modular structure, the DCA WEIGHTMASTER is suitable for many trailer applications, from platform semi-trailers to silo trucks.

DCA AIRMASTER: Axle and compressed air storage in one

At IAA, JOST is presenting the only axle in the world whose housing stores compressed air for the brake system and pneumatic suspension – the DCA AIRMASTER. The storage capacity for compressed air is up to 40 litres per axle. The DCA AIRMASTER replaces the conventional compressed-air tanks used on semi-trailers, thereby reducing weight by up to 50 kilograms and freeing up space beneath the trailer. Thus the DCA AIRMASTER paves the way for the introduction of trailblazing vehicle concepts with innovative frame and superstructure constructions. Like all axles in the DCA series, the DCA AIRMASTER can be installed in all common vehicle types. Needless to say, this version can also be equipped with a brake wear indicator.

DCA STEERMASTER: Trailer steering axle for reduced tyre wear

The DCA STEERMASTER trailer steering axle is ideal in combination with other DCA axles. It features a steering angle of up to 21 degrees, making the trailer much easier to manoeuvre around narrow bends. The steering axle also reduces tyre wear and the truck’s fuel consumption. Like all DCA axles, the DCA STEERMASTER uses tried-and-tested components from the DCA axle construction set – for great versatility and reliability.

DCA RAILMASTER: for combined transport

The DCA RAILMASTER is designed for use in combined road-rail-sea traffic. In order to prevent the air bellows being damaged when the semi-trailer is lifted by crane, JOST uses a separated air bellows system with two interlocking components in the DCA RAILMASTER. The two parts separate when the semi-trailer is lifted and return to their original position when it is set down. The DCA RAILMASTER is available in the usual wide range of versions.

DCA PAVEMASTER: the roadworks professional

The DCA PAVEMASTER has a special feature: an optimised air bellows support topography especially for tippers in road finisher applications. The resulting positioning of the air bellows helps to prevent damage that can occur during road finishing work. Thanks to the ride heights it can achieve, the DCA PAVEMASTER is suitable for all tipper applications. The axle is designed to be extremely robust, allowing it to cope with the difficult challenges posed by road construction.

Now available: original spare parts for all JOST and Mercedes-Benz trailer axles

Following last year’s acquisition of DCA trailer axles from Mercedes-Benz, JOST Achsen GmbH has now also taken over production and sales of all original spare parts. This means that, for the first time, original spare parts for Mercedes-Benz trailer axles manufactured before 2015 are available from all JOST service partners and as original JOST spare parts from the independent aftermarket.

Unlike in the past, the spare parts are no longer exclusively available from the Mercedes-Benz workshop or spare parts network. As a globally active manufacturer of truck and trailer components, JOST sells all spare parts for JOST and Mercedes-Benz axles through its own global and proven spare parts sales network. Norbert Rehbein: “This means that, for the first time ever, original spare parts for Mercedes-Benz trailer axles are available on the independent aftermarket and throughout Europe.”

JOST original spare parts can be identified by their blue packaging with the JOST logo and a counterfeit-proof hologram seal. In addition to spare parts, JOST’s product portfolio also includes a range of practical spare parts kits. Recoding Mercedes-Benz trailer axles to corresponding JOST spare parts numbers is very straightforward, as JOST offers freely accessible and clear documentation.

“JOST has decades of experience with the Europe-wide supply of spare parts for safety-relevant truck and trailer components. From now on, operators of vehicles with trailer axles from Mercedes-Benz and JOST can also rely on this experience and the proven sales channels,” Rehbein emphasised. “As the manufacturer of the axles, we can guarantee that the original spare parts meet the same quality standards as the original axles.” 

Ultralight fifth wheel coupling JSK 34 with LubeTronic1Point

The new, ultralight JSK 34 fifth wheel coupling is now also available in a low-maintenance version featuring JOST’s own LubeTronic1Point for automatic lockjaw lubrication, which has proven itself time and time again. With this automatic system, reliable lubrication is guaranteed for three years.

The ultra-light JSK 34 cast fifth wheel coupling is designed for two-inch king pins and can reduce the system weight by up to 40 kg in some series. It is especially suitable for all weight-sensitive transports, such as tanker and silo transports. JOST has equipped the JSK 34 with a newly-developed hybrid bearing to increase driving comfort and service life while also reducing the dynamic load on the vehicle’s frame. This type of bearing combines the robustness and shock absorbing performance of a rubber bearing with the frame-friendly properties of a plastic bearing.

The JOST JSK 34 fifth wheel coupling is displayed for the first time by MAN at IAA 2016 and will go into series production in April 2017.

VOLVO has been integrating the JSK 34 successfully in its series production since June 2016.

JOST Modul E-Drive: the electric landing gear for increased comfort and safety

With the Modul E-Drive electric landing gear, JOST sets new standards in comfort, workplace safety and efficiency. The landing gear eliminates annoying and strenuous manual cranking and makes coupling and decoupling the semi-trailer easier. The Modul E-Drive is particularly useful when access to the landing gear is restricted and when the trailer needs to be coupled or decoupled frequently. Easy to operate at the touch of a button, the Modul E-Drive also shuts down automatically in the event of ground contact or when the landing gear is fully retracted. Differences in height between the trailer and the tractor can be compensated using the vehicle’s pneumatic suspension or manual cranking in a low gear. The electrical landing gear operates effortlessly at outside temperatures as low as -20°C. It incorporates the highly-reliable Modul components and is available in various mounting heights. The Modul E-Drive’s internal drive requires no maintenance. Thanks to the long-term lubrication applied in the factory and the wear-resistant design, life-cycle costs are very low.

JOST Modul: the perfect landing gear for every application

JOST landing gears are extremely versatile and have proven themselves time and again in daily use. Virtually any customer specification can be satisfied thanks to the flexible and modular design of the Modul series. The range includes landing gears both for standard applications (Modul B) and for special applications (Modul C). All landing gears in the Modul series have a patented drive whose internal design provides optimum protection, eliminates the need for maintenance and offers many other advantages during operation. For example, the large lift by one turn of the crank with a low cranking force makes operation easy and convenient. Switching between high and low gear is quick, easy and safe. The modular design also allows a variety of versions with different mounting and bolting heights, crank and connection shaft lengths, and foot types. All Modul landing gears are protected against environmental influences and falling rocks by a high-quality powder coating. JOST regularly tests the high stability and safety of the landing gears during series production based on the strict AAR standard.

Modul B: the standard landing gear

Modul B is the proven standard landing gear that can be designed according to customer-specific requirements and is suitable for universal use. It is available with four different foot types and can be adapted to various frame widths and designs using a range of cranks and connection shafts.

JOST Modul C: Special landing gears for special applications

Based on the highly-reliable Modul components, the Modul C special landing gears have been developed especially for special applications such as heavy duty vehicles, tipper trailers and silo trucks.

JOST has developed the particularly lightweight Modul CA aluminium landing gear for use in especially weight-sensitive vehicles such as tankers and silo vehicles. With an intrinsic weight starting at just 57.5 kg, it is the lightest two-gear landing gear on the market. The Modul CA offers universal mounting options thanks to the weight-optimised, semi-round A foot with its large contact area and particularly long drift.

Silo trucks require stabilising landing gears in the rear for support during unloading – Modul CS. An additional locking nut protects the landing gear from being in the case of impact loads, for example caused by sliding loads. Tank and silo vehicles with low superstructures are ideal candidates for the Modul CT, in which the connection shaft has been moved downwards.

The Modul CB is designed for two-sided operation; it can be used by two people at the same time or from either the left or right side alone, for example when space at the set-down position is limited.

Along with especially compact landing gears with large ground clearance (Modul CC), which are ideal for supporting the rear of the truck during loading with a forklift, JOST also offers the Modul CD drawbar jack with optional pivot bearing for use on central axis trailers and dollies.

With its Modul CF, JOST adds a drop leg with telescopic lift to its product range. It achieves a very large ground clearance and is ideal for critical areas such as ramp ends. JOST’s Modul CH is a heavy-duty landing gear for special loads. It features optimum bending resistance, particular impact resistance and an increased static test load of 66 tonnes.

JOST and its Modul CI landing gear offer the perfect solution for special constructions such as semi-trailers with exterior frames or self-supporting superstructures. Last but not least, with its Modul CW and Modul CY, JOST also offers landing gears for trailers in RoRo transport that feature rollers instead of a foot. Modul CY is the heavy-duty version.

ROCKINGER – Multi-purpose safety towing hitches

The traditional ROCKINGER brand offers commercial vehicle operators a wide range of towing hitches for various different mounting points and for every type of use. No wonder that ROCKINGER has been named “Best Brand” in the towing hitches category by German trade press readers for the twelfth time in a row. Safety is also given top priority with the towing hitches: the drawbar turn angle warning system specially developed by ROCKINGER, with its display in the driver’s cabin, offers reliable protection from shunting damage to couplings, drawbars and the rear of the vehicle. RO*40 E, the newest coupling for highest demands, will be on display at the JOST stand in Hall 26. The coupling for 40-millimetre drawbar eyes has an intrinsic weight of 30 to 33 kilograms, which makes it especially lightweight. The proven ROCKINGER release lever technology ensures that the bolt is triggered safely and precisely; the coupling is always ready to engage, and coupling and decoupling is simple and trouble-free even at difficult drawbar eye angles.

At IAA 2016, ROCKINGER is presenting the proven towing hitch RO*50E, which distinguishes itself by its robust,

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RO 50 E

low-maintenance design and its simple and safe operation. All ROCKINGER towing hitches can be retrofitted with a wide variety of options for remote displays and remote controls. ROCKINGER is displaying the RO*50E as a sensor coupling, equipped with a remote display and pivoting angle warning display.

The RO*40 E can also be equipped with a remote control and a dual-sensor-controlled display. The display in the driver’s cabin shows whether the locking is correct.

An additional highlight presented by ROCKINGER at IAA Commercial Vehicles 2016 is the unique RO*430 comfort coupling. This towing hitch for 40-millimetre drawbar eyes is not only slack-free, it is also equipped with rubber suspension and hydraulic shock absorption, which ensure that possible impact stress between the truck and trailer is absorbed by the coupling. The RO*430 thus ensures the greatest driving comfort with minimal wear and tear.

TRIDEC

TRIDEC, a specialist in trailer axle steering systems and hydraulic suspensions in the JOST Group, is presenting its latest development, the EF-S steering system at the IAA Commercial Vehicles. EF-S enables trailers with an extremely low trailer neck, such as milk and bulk tankers or trailers with monocoque-constructions, to be equipped with a steering system for kingpin axles. This lightweight kingpin steering system can steer a maximum of three kingpin steered axles. It allows the trailer to turning more than usual in tight bends or minimising the swing-out radius of the rear in confined space conditions. Manual steering by wireless remote-control makes the axles steer in ratio or at equal steering angles (“crab steering”). EF-S thus guarantees extra manoeuvrability and savings on time, fuel consumption and tyre wear. The EF-S steering system is simple and easy to install without enormous adapting to the frame, therefore the steering angle adapts to the present mounting space easily.

The combination of EF-S with electronic systems offers even more future potential. While traditional trailer axle steering systems turn the wheels depending on the angle between tractor and trailer, the electronic controller is able to control the hydraulic trailer axle steering system independently of the tractor position. The Pathfollowing Steering System (PFSS) is currently being developed, which integrates sensor data used by the electronic controller, so that the trailer follows the path of the tractor exactly. It would not only ensure minimum space requirements for negotiating curves but also prevent the trailer from veering out. Other possible applications would be the precise and safe steering of long trucks both when driving in tight circles and during manoeuvring. Backward docking on a ramp and parking in a gap, for example on ferries, becomes a child’s play with the support of EF-S. This steering system will not only minimise the space required for negotiating curves but also enhance safety, for example via the integration of blind spot sensors, the CAS (Collision Avoidance System). If the sensor detects, for example, an obstacle or a person in the driver’s blind spot, the electronic control can steer the trailer automatically around the obstacle and avoid a collision.

TRIDEC presents the future possibilities offered by this new development in driving demonstrations accompanied with commentary on the innovation stage behind Hall 26.

TRIDEC LV-O for 60% more loading volume

JOST is placing the LV-O single wheel suspension, which was engineered for inloaders and double-deck trailers and

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TRIDEC LV-O

is distinguished by its space-saving construction and the particularly low-maintenance design of the bearings and brake levers, at the heart of its presentation of TRIDEC branded products. Thanks to the construction specially developed by TRIDEC, the LV-O single wheel suspension allows up to 1,62 m of space between the wheels and thus additional loading space. For a total vehicle height of 4.0 metres, this permits double-deck loads with a height of 1.83 metres at each level with over 110 cubic metres of loading volume and 54 euro pallet spaces. In addition, the LV-O is suitable for use on inloaders for glass and concrete transportation where floor-level loading with consistent loading heights of 3.80 metres and more are required. The amount of transports are minimised thanks volume of two double-deck trailers in comparison to usual trailers.  Vehicle manufacturers benefit from the particularly easy installation of the LV-O, as TRIDEC delivers the single wheel suspension as a ready-to-install mounting kit, including wheel houses and frame interfaces.

Edbro CS 17: the light and robust front lifting cylinder

EDBRO is exhibiting its CS series of hydraulic front lifting systems at the JOST Group stand. They are characterised not only by their particularly low maintenance construction with the “Fit & Forget” promise, but mainly by their low intrinsic weight, fast lifting and very high lifting forces. Both series are available with cover as well as with eye.

The topic of payloads is a particularly sensitive one when it comes to bulk material transport. For this reason, Edbro focussed specifically on the reduction of intrinsic weight when developing the CS series further. Today, the cylinders in Edbro’s CS series are among the lightest on the market. Thanks to the one-piece cylinder construction and increased stop contact faces, Edbro has succeeded in giving the CS series a very high tipping speed without sacrificing reliability, safety or fuel consumption – even after many years of service. The use of the highest-quality materials and special production expertise, such as laser welding technology for the cylinders, also allows extremely high lifting forces with maximum load safety. A CS15-type cylinder for tipping weights up to 45 tonnes is displayed at the IAA stand in Hall 26 along with the CS17-5, an especially lightweight cylinder for tipping weights up to 60 tonnes.