Dana has been selected by Daimler AG to supply front and rear propshafts to the all-new Mercedes-Benz X-Class pickup truck and the latest generation Sprinter van. Dana was awarded the propshaft business for the Sprinter’s all-wheel-drive offerings in North America and Europe, as well as rear-wheel-drive offerings in North America and Argentina.
Dana says it customized its Spicer propshaft to address these vehicles’ unique packaging constraints, while ensuring it met the high durability, reliability and noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) requirements of the luxury vehicle segment.
“Dana delivers innovative driveline solutions that meet the individual needs of our customers – helping them launch new vehicles and improve upon global best-sellers,” said Bob Pyle, president of Dana Light Vehicle Driveline Technologies. “We are honored to work with Mercedes-Benz on the new X-Class pickup truck and Sprinter van, which have been recognized in the industry for connectivity, safety and design.”
To accommodate the three different wheelbase configurations of the Sprinter, Dana engineered both two- and three-piece rear propshaft assemblies. In the three-piece assembly for the longer wheelbase model, Dana designed a new direct pinion mount, which makes assembly and service easier and reduces weight, according to the company.
Dana says it was selected by Mercedes-Benz to deliver two-piece propshaft assemblies for the all-new X-Class – an all-terrain pickup – based on its experience in advanced driveline technologies for pickup trucks. Dana says this new Mercedes-Benz business demonstrates its focus on supporting OEMs in producing next-generation vehicles equipped with the latest technologies for driving performance, comfort, safety and connectivity.
