The JOST Group expanded its product range for systems and components in early 2015. For the first time, the world's leading manufacturer of vehicle connection systems, modules and components for trucks & trailers will be presenting Mercedes-Benz TrailerAxleSystems, which has been part of JOST since January. Other highlights include the most important products for the British commercial vehicle market from the extensive range of the JOST Group: fifth wheel couplings and landing gears from the JOST brand, towing hitches from the ROCKINGER brand, steering systems from the TRIDEC brand as well as hydraulic lifting systems from the Edbro brand.

JOST

Mercedes-Benz TrailerAxleSystems Mercedes-Benz TrailerAxleSystems has been part of the JOST Group since January 2015. The newly founded JOST Trailer Achsen Systeme GmbH, located in Kassel-Calden, manufactures and distributes the trailer axles of the Mercedes-Benz brand. The range of products includes disc-braked semi-trailer axles for standard, mega and distribution vehicle applications as well as steered trailer axles. All of them have one thing in common: the DCA (Durable Compact Axle) compact axle body which integrates axle tube, trailing arm, brake flange and axle journal in one unit. This innovative design makes for an extremely light but nevertheless robust construction. In combination with the maintenance-free cartridge bearing and the wheel hubs for 19.5-inch or 22.5-inch wheels, which have been tried and tested millions of times, resulting in a very long product life with a minimum of required maintenance. Thanks to the fact that tail ends are available in a standard, weight-optimised or application-specific design, as well as three different hanger bracket versions, the axles of the DCA Family are suitable for a great variety of fields of application ? from tankers or silo tankers to standard or mega curtain-siders all the way to tipping trailers. All axles of the DCA Family are permanently protected against corrosion thanks to cathodic dip priming and have ventilated disc brakes with a particularly weight-saving design which can be equipped and retrofitted with a brake wear indicator.

DCA Weightmaster: the standard trailer axle
The DCA Weightmaster forms the basis for the Mercedes-Benz trailer axle family. Thanks to the integral axle housing and weight-optimized components, such as wheel head, brake and tail end, the DCA Weightmaster is characterized 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 as well as for 22.5-inch wheels. With its modular structure, the DCA Weightmaster is suitable for most trailer applications ranging from platform semitrailers to silo tankers.

DCA Airmaster: axle and compressed air storage in one
With DCA Airmaster, JOST Trailer Achsen Systeme presents an axle at the CV Show 2015 in Birmingham that is unique in the world as its housing stores compressed air for the brake system and suspension at the same time. 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 of the DCA Family, the DCA Airmaster can be specified with axle hubs for 19.5-inch or 22.5-inch wheels and with different tail ends as well as hanger brackets for ride heights from 225 to 535 millimetres. It is suitable for rims with a wheel offset of 120 millimetres. The axles can not only be pre-equipped for a tyre inflating system but also can be equipped with a brake wear indicator.

JOST sensor couplings: increased safety during coupling and decoupling
The improved safety is one of the central parts of JOST's product development. At the CV Show 2015, JOST will be exhibiting its proven sensor coupling. It has a remote display in the cab, thus reliably ensuring a correct and complete coupling procedure and helps the driver to avoid incorrect coupling. Three sensors monitor the coupling procedure. The first measures the correct coupling height and switches the system on during the procedure. Two other sensors monitor the position of the kingpin and the locking status. The display in the cab is both visual and acoustic. At the show, the sensor coupling is presented in the weight-optimised plate steel coupling JSK 36.

LubeTronic 5Point: hand-lubrication is a thing of the past
The JOST LubeTronic 5Point is an integrated lubrication system for standard fifth wheel couplings from the JSK 37, 38 and 42 series that provides grease not only to the lock jaw but also to the fifth wheel coupling plate. An electronic control device supplies the grease in precise doses at regular intervals. This ensures that there is always enough, but not too much, grease on the fifth wheel plate and lockjaw. That saves grease and is environmentally friendly. The lubricant in the lubrication cartridge on the fifth wheel coupling will last for around twelve months. An easy-to-read LED display shows the level of the grease reserves at all times.

For the annual refilling of the LubeTronic 5Point, JOST provides the fully synthetic JOST high-performance lubricant both in cartridges for one-off filling and in a 30kg barrel, sufficient for 35 fillings. The special grease is temperature-resistant, adheres particularly well to all metal surfaces and is therefore ideally suited to the manual lubrication of all fifth wheel couplings. JOST specifies the use of the JOST high performance lubricant for refilling the LubeTronic 5Point.

Pro Tech Slider: JOST's safe slider
Pro Tech Slider is a slider for standard fifth wheel couplings. At the CV Show 2015, JOST will exhibit the Pro Tech Slider in combination with a fifth wheel coupling in pressed steel design: the JSK 36. With sliders, fifth wheel couplings can be easily and quickly moved on the vehicle frame, thus allowing the position of the fifth wheel coupling to be adapted to different trailers. Sliders are mainly used in Great Britain and markets outside of Europe. The Pro Tech Slider from JOST offers an enormous weight advantage of up to 55 kilograms in comparison to conventional sliders. Furthermore, the Pro Tech Slider is especially safe thanks to its self-locking mechanism. It is impossible for the blocking pieces to come loose, regardless of the circumstances, which reliably prevents inadvertent sliding. The profile of the slide rails is also surrounded on both sides, which significantly increases the safety and stability. The Pro Tech Slider is available in both an inboard version, where it is screwed directly on to the side of the frame, and a classic outboard version, where it is screwed on vertically.

JOST Fleet Master Handle: operation made even safer
To complement its JSK 36-type fifth wheel couplings, both fixed and slider design, JOST offers an unlocking handle for particularly safe and user-friendly operation ? the Fleet Master Handle. In mega and tri axle tractors, access to the unlocking handle of the fifth wheel coupling is often limited. JOST's Fleet Master Handle is 250 millimetres longer than a standard unlocking handle. This makes the handle easier to reach ? the driver no longer has to squeeze in between the wheel and the trailer. At the same time, the Fleet Master Handle makes it easy to spot whether locking is complete and the locking bar of the fifth wheel coupling is engaged, even in small installation spaces. The Fleet Master Handle can be ordered directly from the factory or as a retrofitting kit for existing JOST JSK 36 fifth wheel couplings.

ROCKINGER
ROCKINGER RO*57: towing hitch for heavy-duty use
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. ROCKINGER will be presenting the RO*57 ? an extremely robust, especially low-maintenance and easy-to-repair towing hitch for challenging uses ? at the CV Show 2015. With its 56.8 millimetre thick bolt, the RO*57 is suitable for drawbar eyes with an eye diameter of 57.5 millimetres. The coupling has a D-value of up to 300 kN and a V-value of up to 95 kN. Its grease filling with special grease ensures that it functions perfectly at all times, even in the most difficult of conditions.

The ROCKINGER RO*57 is characterised by its particularly robust design ? guaranteeing a long life span and high level of reliability. The divided funnel and ROCKINGER modular system make repairs quick and easy in the event of damage. The optional pneumatic remote operation ensures simple and particularly safe operation. This is especially recommended for low-coupled trailers. The pneumatic remote operation for the RO*57 is available both directly from the factory and for retrofitting on existing couplings.

LubeTronic AK: perfect lubrication for all towing hitches
With the LubeTronic AK, ROCKINGER offers a lubrication system for towing hitches that will reduce the required maintenance to an absolute minimum. Thanks to its built-in battery, the LubeTronic AK is fully self-sustaining. It requires neither power from the vehicle, nor other connections. It is therefore ideally suited to be retrofitted. The LubeTronic AK provides the towing hitch with up to 18 months of lubrication, at regular intervals and a consistent quantity of special oil; this oil is balanced with the grease present in the coupling, thus complementing it. The lubrication is suitable for all temperature ranges between -30?C and +60?C.

TRIDEC
TRIDEC LV-O for significantly greater loading volume
JOST is placing the LV-O single wheel suspension, which was engineered for low and double-deck trailers and which 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 1,620 millimetres 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 100 cubic metres of loading volume and 55 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. 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.

TRIDEC TD: reliable mechanical steering
The TRIDEC TD mechanical trailer steering is known for being compact, extremely reliable and distinctly low maintenance. It is mainly used in distribution transport to steer the rear axle of a one to three axle trailer. The system consists of a turntable, which replaces the normal coupling plate, a axle mounting frame with onto the suspension is attached and able to pivot. The two parts are connected to one another via the steering rod. The TD turntable plate is equipped with a king pin and a steering wedge. During coupling, the steering wedge moves into the recess of the fifth wheel tail in order to guide the king pin onto the truck's fifth wheel coupling. As the truck turns in relation to the trailer, the turntable pivots and transmits the steering movement to the steering rod and thus to the shaft's mounting frame. The steering movement is transmitted very directly and without play. The TRIDEC steering system works both when driving forwards and in reverse, giving the vehicle optimum manoeuvrability at all times.

Its unique construction gives the TD system a very low intrinsic weight. In addition, the TRIDEC TD has a very compact form. A mounting height of just 95 millimetres is needed for the fifth wheel plate. This allows large loading heights in the body. TRIDEC's TD system has been developed in such a way that it can be used for any trailer, as long as there is sufficient space for the steering rod.

Edbro
Edbro lifting technology: lighter, faster, stronger
Edbro is exhibiting its CS and CX series of hydraulic lifting systems for tipping trucks & trailers 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 and fast lifting of loads. Both series are available with outer cover as well as with eye end fixings.

The topic of payloads is a particularly sensitive one when it comes to bulk material transport. For this reason, Edbro focused specifically on the reduction of intrinsic weight in its further development of the CS series. Thus, Edbro will present the new, even lighter CS 17/18 Ultra front mount cylinders at the CV Show 2015 in Birmingham. By using high-quality materials and state-of-the-art production technologies, Edbro engineers have succeeded in reducing the weight of the outer cylinder by 29 kilograms and that of the eye ended cylinder by up to 21 kilograms. Thus the new CS 17/18 Ultra are up to 100 kilograms lighter than comparable cylinders in the class of tipping weights up to 60 tonnes. Newly developed, especially low-friction guides allow for an even smoother lowering of the CS 17/18 Ultra, which in turn provides greater comfort and safety.

Thanks to the one-piece cylinder construction and increased stop contact faces, the Edbro has succeeded in ensuring that the CS series has a very high tipping speed without sacrificing reliability, safety or fuel consumption ? even after many years of service. The use of 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.