BUMPER BAG FOR BACKSTAGE BOYS
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Trucks tend to take centre stage, but the IRTE show included plenty of goodies to interest the fleet and service manager.
There's no doubt that the IRTE show is flourishing, and much of that success is due to the range of aftermarket products and services it attracts.
Cost control has never been more importants. and recycling constunables offers obvious potential. Rozone is marketing an anti-freeze recycling system which could have a direct effect on the balance sheet. Most trucks require around 30 litres of new anti-freeze every two years and it is illegal to throw used coolant down the drain.
According to Rozone, coolant has to be changed because it becomes acidic during use and dissolves soft metals like lead, copper and aluminium. The Glyclean ASR18/68 recycler is said to correct pH balance and frost protection levels, making the coolant fit for further use.
The coolant can be drained for recycling or taken from the heater connection to the bottom hose, passed through the machine and returned to the header tank.
On its route through the recycler, coolant passes through three filters which remove particles down to five microns. A sample is taken for pH and frost protection testing and the required chemicals are added to restore its balance and frost protection levels. Processing takes about 30 minutes.
The system can also handle pressure testing and reverse flushing, and warns if its filters become blocked. Used filters can legally be dumped in landfill sites, says Rozone. Prices start from £2,70: for more information circle Turbo number 65.
A retro-fit centrifugal oil filter was shown on the Glacier stand (Turbo 66). It is the standard equipment on Scania, Renault and Gardner engines and costs £200-250. According to Glacia, it can remove particles smaller than one micron from engine oil and can be fitted to most engines.
A new spring brake chamber, the Black Max. was displayed by IMS (Turbo 67). By using powder-coated steel for the main construction, stainless steel for the pushrod and what it claims is a unique guide system, the spring housing can be permanently sealed. However, the foundation brake diaphragm can be changed as the front end can be stripped down. Prices are said to be competitive and the unit comes with a two year warranty . hich is expected to be extended.
Other braking system products on show included two from Westmid Air Brakes (Turbo 68): a combined pressure tester and brake lag/release timer, and a device for listening to air leaks THRESHOLD To operate the lag timer, the threshold pressure is dialed in, a micro-switch placed on the brake pedal and a pressure sensor is put into the chanibt.T. The timer than measures the delay between depressing the brake pedal and the threshold pressure being reached in the chamber; it also records the release delay. It costs £738 (ex-VAT) and can also be used as a digital pressure meter.
The redesigned L Itrasonic Leak Detector now incorporates electronic filters to prevent other noises triggering the unit. According to Westmid, apart from a windy gun being used in close proximity, only an air leak will trigger the unit, which costs £264 (ex-VAT).
VL Test (Turbo 69) was showing its new one-man-operated rolling road brake tester which, it says, has just gained approval from the Vehide Inspectorate. Analogue
dials and a digital display are large enoug for the unit to be operated at distances of u to 10.6m by an infrared remote contrc Prices start from .C24,000.
Proline is the new name of Frictic Products Uli.; its products were displayed ; the IRTE show by exclusive distribuu Motec (Turbo 70). The range covers boi asbestos-free and organic linings with mo; than 300 applications over 3.5 tonnes.
Truck-Lite (Turbo 71) showed its ne light-emitting diode (LED) stop/tail ligh An electronic chip operates the banks LEDs on reduced power to serve as ta lights until the brakes are applied, when ft: power is allowed through and the ligh brighten. The LEDs are due to be launch( in November. They are packaged in Trucl Lite's usual polycarbonate casing and a; said to use only 5°0 of the power of incat descent bulbs. The cost is expected to about 10 times more than convention; lights but they come with a lifetime guara; tee and are said to give a faster response.
Woodhead RSR (Turbo 72) display( its extended range of axle and suspensic parts. It is now offering to make up dedica ed parts lists for operators to suit the fleets.