Not what Janis Joplin had in mind, back in 1970, but today’s collection of Benzes certainly does belong to a Sonderklasse/Special Class. The segment of dedicated, factory heavy haul tractors. As compact and super-heavy-duty as possible, powered by a massive turbodiesel and capable of handling gross weights up to 250 tonnes (550,000 lbs) or even more.
In Europe, Volvo, Scania, Mercedes-Benz and MAN are playing in that premier league of on-highway trucking. Those are the manufacturers that can supply a set of wheels with more than 600 hp, delivered by an in-house engine that goes beyond 15 liter displacement.
Let’s start calmly though, with a 2019 Mercedes-Benz Actros 3358 6×4 tractor. It’s powered by the 15.6 liter OM 473 alright, yet owner BKV thought 580 hp was enough for their jobs.
A tandem with planetary drive axles, rated at a total axle weight of 26 tonnes (57,320 lbs), never mind the legal limit of 19 tonnes. At the front, a 9 tonnes (19,841 lbs) steering axle, which is equal to the legal number. That’s a grand total of 35 tonnes, even more than the number 33 in the tractor’s model designation indicates.
This is a quintessential European 6×4 tractor, all manufacturers can offer an equally heavy chassis. These are never used for middle-of-the-road trucking, like towing a tridem axle curtainsider or refrigerated semi-trailer. They are built for tough ‘n rough jobs only.
Like towing a 2016 Nooteboom MCO-109-07 (109 tonnes factory GVWR, 07 axles), carrying a Liebherr crawler crane. The main part of it, anyway.
Stepping up now with Kahl’s fairly new Actros SLT 4163 8×4/4 tractor. SLT stands for Schwerlasttransporter, a heavyhaultractor. The most powerful version of the OM 473 engine (460 kW/625 DIN-hp) is purring underneath the GigaSpace, the biggest cab of the Actros-series.
The starting point for such an SLT is a 33 tonnes 6×4 chassis-cab, built in the German Wörth am Rhein truck factory. The next station is Mercedes-Benz CTT (Custom Tailored Trucks) in Molsheim, France. A steering pusher axle is added, the chassis is reinforced, and many components are stacked directly behind the cab. Think fuel tank, air tanks, hydraulic reservoir, batteries, and an auxiliary cooling system.
Mercedes-Benz is one of the few truck manufacturers that builds a full range of powertrain components. Engines, transmissions, transfer cases, and axles are all in-house products.
Another SLT, Westdijk’s 2020 Actros 8×4/4. No Mercedes-Benz weight and power designation on the doors, but this must be an Actros 4153 (a 41 tonnes chassis with a 530 DIN-hp, 12.8 liter OM 471 turbodiesel).
The GigaSpace has a flat floor and four steps to get there.
Air suspension, Michelin tires, a retractable step ladder, and many other small and big items are in plain sight.
A 2019 Mercedes-Benz Actros Arocs SLT 4163 8×4/4 ballast tractor in the world famous, black and red Mammoet (Mammoth, if you wish) livery. On the right side, the auxiliary cooling system.
Compared with the Actros SLT, the Arocs comes with more ground clearance and a front axle that is positioned 10 cm further forward. A 32 tonnes (70,548 lbs) rear tandem with steel springs is optional. The bumper with the headlamp units and the grille are also noticeably different.
The last of today’s Big Benz collection, a 2019 Arocs 5053 10×4*6 tractor with a Palfinger knuckle boom crane. It has two telescopic stabilizers at the front, indicating that the crane is capable of a lot more than putting a pallet of bricks in your driveway. I can’t tell if the tractor is a Mercedes-Benz CTT job or a conversion done by an independent specialist, as no further information can be found on the web.
And this is how a 100 tonnes Mercedes-Benz and Nooteboom combination rolls these days. With grace, space and pace.
Related articles:
Truck Show Outtakes: The Mercedes-Benz Actros – The S-Class Of Their Heavy Vehicle Product Line
CC Global: 2021 Mercedes-Benz Actros And 2022 Stas Agrostar – Grains Of Common Sense
Interesting article. As a Straight Truck driver and occasional Equipment Operator in the US it’s fascinating to see the rigs available around the world.
WOW! What we call “Heavy Haulers.” I never cease to marvel at the European system to accomplish management of great weight. Thanks.
Maximizing weight while minimizing both overall length and turning radius. That’s the motto, heavy haulage included.
The BKV rig (first three pictures) is a prime example. It’s impossible to transport that Liebherr lump on anything shorter and with better maneuverability.
We bought a Liebherr refrigerator a few years ago. One 200th the weight of the crane from the same manufacturer, but still pretty heavy to bring into our kitchen which is up a flight of wooden stairs. The delivery company used a dolly with an electric lift which was engaged to raise it up each step, rather than dragging it over the edge of the step on slides like most appliance dollies. Quite ingenious; I’d never seen anything like it and should have taken a picture. It left no marks on our painted softwood steps.
Something like this?
A real feast for the eyes! No copyright infringement on the logo for the Mammoth? Looks a lot like Hiab’s beast.. On a tangent – has anyone watched the lasted episode of The Grand Tour? Their trip through Mauritania revealed a vast quantity of Mercedes 190s still on the road, all held together with baling wire, rope, duct tape and hope. A few Renaults and Peugeots as well.
‘No copyright infringement on the logo for the Mammoth?’
Why? The logo is on one of their own tractors. Mammoet is the Dutch company name. Fully correct, after all, it is a Dutch company.
These are interesting! My recent experience has been at the opposite end of the weight spectrum in big trucks, with loads that are quite lightweight. These heavy setups are interesting to look at.
No pressure 😀 but we want to hear more.
These make the B-doubles hauling wheat bales through my town look like lightweights! Amazing.
Not a bad truck to drive either though Merc trucks do have their problems all our had the retarders disabled to preserve the transmissions from being cooked rebuilt trans is very very expensive, logging grade Benz trucks tend to crack the frames badly there are too many for it to be a fluke, but being one of the few brands with no supply issues they sell ok