Mercedes know how to make a tractor unit. They have been selling tractor units across the world for longer than any other company. At Truckpages we list all types of Mercedes tractor units, from the smallest Axor to the largest Arocs and Actros examples right up to the Actros SLT for heavy haulage (although these are few and far between). The mainstay of the Mercedes tractor unit range is, of course, the Actros. Modern looking and well-engineered, the Actros tractor unit sets the standard for others to be judged by. Older models in the early 2000’s had not quite such a good reputation, but Mercedes have spent millions on R&D to make sure that their tractor units are as good as they can be.
The most popular configuration for Mercedes tractor units in the UK is in 6×2 form – the 4×2 versions are only for low GTW operation in urban environments or for trucks that spend a lot of time on the continent where the extra axle is not needed. You can also specify a 6×4 Mercedes tractor unit – these will usually be for heavy haulage or for a truck operating in building sites or other uneven surfaces.
Mercedes do know how to make their range confusing as far as cab size naming is concerned over the years.
The Actros range has two cab widths (2.3 and 2.5 metres). This makes up two ranges of cabs (Actros and Actros L)
These come in a choice of three height variants, StreamSpace, ClassicSpace and CompactSpace. Each of these has a choice of tunnel height inside the cab of 170mm or 320mm tunnels, (note there is no flat floor option in this range).
So, here is the list of cabs in height order:
The largest Mercedes tractor unit cab available in the UK, this has been designed for long distance work with a crew of two drivers. There is a huge 2.130 metres of headroom in this flat floored tractor unit cab. That’s almost seven feet of standing headroom – that’s enough for yoga, let alone simply standing!
The flat-floored Mercedes BigSpace cab is similar to the GigaSpace variant with the exception of a slightly lower ‘hat’ on the top. This still gives you almost 6′ 6″ of standing room. You might need to put the yoga mat away, but it is certainly enough for the height of the majority of the UK population.
So, just to confuse things there are two StreamSpace cabs – the wide and narrow versions. The wider L cab version has a flat floor, (unlike the narrow version below that has a choice of two tunnel heights). The flat floor means that the wider L-cab version can accommodate a six footer standing up with the 1.970 metres of clearance between the seats.
The StreamSpace is the tallest and roomiest of the Mercedes tractor unit cabs and has headroom in front of the seas of 1840mm. If you choose the lower engine tunnel then only people sized feet tall and over would need to bend over when standing on it with 1.785 metres available.
These are the middle-height tractor unit cabs which Mercedes offer in their narrow-cab range. they are essentially the same as the StreamSpace cabs, but without the ‘hat’ on the top giving extra height. This means that their head height by the driver’s seat is 250mm lower than the StreamSpace at 1590mm.
This is one for the car transporter operators and similar. A very low cab that looks more suited to a rigid than a tractor unit. The headroom in front of the seats is down nearly 20cm from 1590mm to 1397mm compared to the ClassicSpace and nearly 18 inches lower than the StreamSpace version.
Mercedes fans will like this week's front cover truck - it's an Actros 2545 - nothing unusual abou that - except this one has a huge three pointed star on the side of the cab. The 2014 truck is a 6x2 midlift, looks well maintained and is available from Plantmaster - see the full contact details on their advert on the inside front cover. Click to Read Page Turn Magazine Click Image to Read Use the form at the bottom of the page to add your email address to be advised every time the page-turn is published. Please contact us…
The keen-eyed amongst our truck buyers will see that the pair of Mercedes trucks on this week's front cover are not Actros units, but the beefed-up construction versions, the Arocs. Both 2546 models with 460hp, these are 6x2 models from 2015 with day cabs. This type of configuration doesn't appear every day, but are ideal for high payload operation for bulk work. They are available at G. C. Rickards - all the contact details are available on Page 14. Click to Read Page Turn Magazine Click Image to Read Use the form at the bottom of the page to add…
If you are wondering what the ‘L’ means in the Actros L, it now applies to all four- and six-wheeled tractor units with single or double drive axles, and 18- and 26-tonne rigid chassis, that have flat-floored GigaSpace, BigSpace or Stream Space cabs in the wider (2.5m) of the two widths available. Devon haulier Wains Transport has just added an Actros ‘L’ onto their fleet, joining another Actros at Wains and both are comfortably ahead of any other vehicles on fuel consumption on the operator’s 25-strong fleet. “We don’t measure mpg obsessively, because there’s a lot of variation in the…
If the dealer workshop is next door to your site, then it would be foolish to not even consider a truck from that manufacturer. Location made sales consultant Ryan Lockett’s life easier when attempting to get a demo tractor unit into the Browns Distribution fleet. Soon afterwards, three Actros tractor units were supplied by eStar Truck & Van, whose site on Chemical Lane, Stoke-on-Trent, is just metres away from Browns’ own premises. They have joined a fleet dominated by two rival brands but, says Managing Director David Brown, an approach from eStar’s Truck Sales Consultant Ryan Lockett came at the…
There's a 2018 Mercedes 2545 tractor unit on this week's front cover. It has a StreamSpace cab and is heading for the Euro Auctions sale on 25th October where it will be joined by a 2014 Volvo FH540 6x4 heavy haulage tractor unit plus tractor units from MAN, Renault and DAF. The sale is unreserved, so you have the chance to grab a bargain. If you can't wait until the end of the months, CVA have a sale on the 17th October and Malcolm Harrison on the 21st. As usual, all of the auction inventory is listed online at www.truckpages.co.uk…
