Volvo Construction Equipment was the first manufacturer to introduce an articulated hauler to the industry. Today, Volvo E-Series articulated haulers are the world’s first hauler to offer a suspension system with automatic leveling and stability control on all wheels.

Volvo Construction Equipment continues its domination in the design of articulated haulers. The Volvo E-Series features more power and more capacity. The line includes seven models, ranging in capacity from the 26.5-ton A25E to the 43-ton A40E. All are equipped with Tier 3-certified V-ACT (Volvo Advanced Combustion Technology) Volvo engines that offer high torque at low revolutions to maintain fuel efficiency and reduce noise levels and increase engine life. Power and torque have been increased in the Volvo-designed-and-built D16D engines of the A40E and A40E FS with a power increase of 12 percent and torque increase of 19 percent. The Volvo A35E and Volvo A35E FS generate the equivalent power and torque of the now-replaced Volvo A40D articulated hauler.

Volvo E-Series designed for power and fuel efficiency

The Volvo A35E, Volvo 35E FS, Volvo A40E, and Volvo A40E FS are also equipped with a fully automatic nine-speed fast adaptive transmission. Shafts, planetary gears and bearings are all engineered to handle the high torque produced by larger engines. An optimized gear-shifting pattern has a precise overlap of ratios to provide constant power transfer. These models also have new frames, axles, and a new single-speed drop box with longitudinal differential and 100 percent lockup to reduce power losses and improve traction and fuel efficiency. Automatic Traction Control is equipped as standard. They are also fitted with more powerful exhaust brakes and retarders, and the cooling systems have been improved to eliminate the need for additional supplemental cooling in hot climates.

The Volvo A35E and Volvo A40E are equipped with all-wheel wet disc brakes for improved stopping power and longer service life, and both carry larger body designs for easier loading and more capacity. A high dumping joint and long overhand gives the operator the ability to dump into hoppers or over an edge.

Several body advancements are also available on the Volvo A25E and Volvo A30E haulers — and are also available on the larger platform machines. These include a bolt-on light materials kit that increases hauler body volume, suitable when hauling low density materials. Heavy-duty wear plates are also offered as are linkage-operated overhung tailgates.

Full suspension, first in industry

The Volvo-engineered full suspension (FS) machine provides extraordinary off-road performance, empty or full, allowing the hauler to travel at much higher speeds — increasing productivity. When traveling empty, return trips are substantially faster due to the smooth ride and the ability to traverse the toughest conditions.

Even when fully loaded, the Volvo E-Series haulers’ ability to float over rough ground without bouncing and rolling improves operator comfort and safety.

The Volvo FS system is not your normal hydro-pneumatic system that frequents the market. This innovation incorporates automatic leveling and stability control that is computer-controlled and then corrected by each hydraulic cylinder fitted to each wheel. The Volvo FS system has automatic leveling and stability control on all wheels and, instead of traditional rubber suspension, a hydraulic cylinder is fitted to each wheel. The system constantly monitors the load and ground conditions, adapting the suspension to fit prevailing conditions, absorbing rough spots and giving a smooth and stable ride with minimal bouncing, rolling or shaking.

This design also improves safety by providing significantly more ground contact. Vibration levels are considerably lower than in conventional machines, and because of the smoother ride, operators experience less fatigue, and efficiency and productivity increase exponentially.

The operator environment

Volvo E-Series articulated haulers are built with a world-class operator environment. Simplified retarder controls and exhaust brakes require less operator input; combined with easier-to-read Contronics information, this allows the operator more time to concentrate on what is going on outside the cab. Automatic traction control is standard on the Volvo A25E and the Volvo A30E for even more simplified operation. Longitudinal differential locks are applied automatically depending on conditions at hand; this allows the operator to focus even more on material delivery.

CareTrack telematics standard

CareTrack is Volvo Construction Equipment’s state-of-the-art telematics system used to manage a machine’s productivity and maximize its availability for work. Using GPRS (mobile network) or satellite technology to send information, data is available securely and instantaneously to any remote online connection. CareTrack is now standard on all machines 12 tons and over. In addition, Volvo provides a 36-month CareTrack service subscription at no additional cost.