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/ am an owner-driver of a 1969 Bedford VA M70
Page 93
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45-seater coach. After the running-in period I find that maximum speed of the vehicle is 68 mph.
This coming season I have been hired by a local company for express work, and as this includes a lot of motorway running around maximum speed my question is this: Would fitting a higher ratio axle reduce engine wear?
A By fitting a higher ratio differential you
would certainly reduce the speed at which the engine would be turning for a given road speed. However, as the corresponding engine loads would be increased, it is unlikely that there would be a vast reduction in the overall wear factors experienced during the life of the power unit.
If your machine is not equipped with an overdrive gearbox it would be a much better proposition to fit one rather than change the differential because it would not alter the hill climbing ability of the vehicle but would permit the higher ratio to be brought into operation only under ideal conditions.
If, however, your vehicle is equipped with an overdrive box then it would appear that the axle ratio which it has at present is rather on the low side and could justifiably be raised, although your maximum speed matches very closely that which we obtained during the last road test of the VAM and stepping up the ratio might well increase fuel consumption by a small amount.