Whether it’s moving wind turbine blades, concrete bridges, or even entire drilling platforms, making the impossible transportable is part of the daily routine for the engineers of axle and running gear specialist BPW.
The significantly more compact swing axle generation, which is suitable for many applications, will be presented for the first time at Bauma in Munich this year.
As the world’s leading trade fair for construction machinery, Bauma in Munich is a festival of fascinating engineering achievements that captivate not only industry professionals. Challenges such as the energy transition, the backlog in bridge and highway renovations, cost pressures in the construction industry, and the globally rising demand for raw materials call for the innovative spirit of the commercial vehicle industry.
As a system partner of leading special vehicle manufacturers, BPW Bergische Achsen KG ensures that special transport goods are transported reliably and economically. Swing axles are often used for such transports.
They are integrated into pendle axle units (swing suspensions), which enable the transport of heavy goods in difficult terrain due to their high lifting capacity in combination with axle load compensation. However, not all vehicles are built for extreme applications: To transport excavators, cranes and other construction machinery to the site, low-loaders with swing axles are required that are as reliable as they are economical – the cost pressure in the construction industry is also becoming increasingly noticeable in commercial vehicles.
In order to meet these market requirements, BPW has further developed its 7-tonne swing axle. The new universal swing axle, which will be presented to industry professionals for the first time at Bauma (Stand FN 821/9), combines maximum flexibility, maximum load capacity and compact design at an attractive market price. State-of-the-art manufacturing technologies, smart design principles and the targeted use of proven large-scale production technology make this possible.
Thanks to its variable application options, the new swing axle can be used with 17.5-inch or 19.5-inch single tyres. Depending on country and approval regulations, the universal swing axle can be used either as a 6- or 7-tonne axle, which corresponds to an axle line of 12 or 14 tonnes. The compact design fully meets the current design requirements for low-loader vehicles and ensures optimum utilisation of installation space. The proven BPW ECO Drum drum brake is used, featuring a large lining volume for long service life and the well-known C-clamp technology for excellent maintenance.
Adapted to the requirements of the swing axle market, the brake is combined with the drum in front of the hub principle. The wheel bearings are maintenance-free. The use of the latest high-volume technology results in a weight saving of up to 15 kilos per axle body, which leads to a higher payload and thus contributes to increased economic efficiency.
“With the new 7-tonne swing axle, BPW once again sets benchmarks in terms of load capacity, maintenance-friendliness, and efficiency – all at an extremely competitive price,” said BPW Product Manager, Ziya Albayrak. “Customers benefit from a very compact design, higher payload, lower maintenance costs, and long service life. The market launch of the new 7-tonne swing axle is planned for the end of November 2025.”
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