1920's thru 1970's

Truck Components Operations is Eaton’s oldest business unit. Its roots are based in two proud companies founded in the earliest years of the previous century.   

Eaton’s Truck Components business unit was the founding business of Eaton Corporation in 1911, when Joseph Eaton and Viggo Torbensen began building axles for the fledgling commercial trucking industry. Likewise, Fuller Transmissions date back to the earliest years of the 20^th century, when Frank and Charlie Fuller began building transmissions and clutches in Kalamazoo for a number of commercial truck manufacturers. 

In 1911, Joseph O.Eaton and Viggo V. Torbensen formed the Torbensen Gear and     Axle Company - later to become Eaton Corporation.  They built all of seven truck axles – by hand – in that first year. By 1917, they were the world’s largest builders of rear axles for trucks in the world.

The Fuller Manufacturing Company traces its beginnings to the Michigan Automobile Company, founded in Kalamazoo, Michigan by Frank and Charlie Fuller in 1902. By 1923, Fuller and Sons Manufacturing Company was making only transmissions for the rapidly growing  commercial truck industry. Bert Hubbell joined the company as a mechanic in the mid-1920's, was an International Salesman by the mid-1930's.

In the early 1950’s the Fuller Roadranger transmission revolutionized the trucking industry, and provided Fuller with market leadership that the product line continues to enjoy today.   Bert Hubbell, drove the company's sales world-wide, traveling several million miles for Eaton!

Many commercial trucks of the 1920s, 30’s and 40’s and 50’s came equipped with Fuller transmissions and Eaton axles.  So many, in fact, that Eaton Corporation saw the opportunity for increased synergy by acquiring Fuller, and did so in 1958. The marriage of industry-leading transmissions and axles was immediately successful, and continues today – beyond the divestiture of Eaton’s axle and brake business to Dana Corporation. 

Bert Hubbell spent World War Two working for Eaton on the Alcan Highway, helping the U.S. Army keep its fleet of  trucks rolling to build the highway to Alaska!  As the senior representative, he both kept communication lines open and trained U.S. Army mechanics.

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