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
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MAN HydroDrive® indicator in the central display  |
Rotary switch for MAN HydroDrive® |
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.
The principle of operation
MAN HydroDrive® wheel hub
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
