Mercedes-Benz
Page 32
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Actros Titan
This fat boy did not start life at the Mercedes Wörth plant in Karlsruhe, but on a nondescript German industrial estate.
Specialist constructor Juergen Knoeller took his regular chassis for bumper-to-crossmember re-working. With 6x4, 8x4, 6x6, 8x6 and 8x8/4 versions, a lot of large components came off the chassis. His re-packaging solution was to put them on the rear of the cab. It was a busy place.
The high-volume air tanks, a two-cylinder high-delivery air compressor, the hydraulic oil tank, radiator, oil/air heat exchanger with hydrostatic fan drive, the brake, electrical and semi-trailer steering hydraulics connections and the batteries all live there, alongside a 900 litre diesel tank.
When Knoeller retired, the Titan came in from the cold and today the model is built at Mercedes-Benz Custom Tailored Trucks at Molsheim, France. Among UK fans are Lanarkshire based Cadzow Heavy Haulage.
Ian Norwell (freelance journalist)