efeets can mean spell off the road
Page 51
Page 52
Page 53
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
EE INC the cab of a vehicle go d order may seem an )vi us if somewhat un ce task. However, it's oil bearing in mind that rta n cab defects can mean fail re at the test station or lossi le GV9 on the road.
In addition, the Health and ifet at Work Act places the ius in an operator to provide a fe •lace for a driver to do his b.
If, for example, he cuts his ind iii a sharp piece of rusted ng ir body panel his employer in i mediate trouble. From a irel financial point of view, a ive who can't drive isn't earng he firm anything — rather sting money.
So then how do you keep a lb i good order without conanti having the vehicle off the ad nd spending a fortune? To id -°me of the answers CM site Courage Central at its aadi g Brewery and spoke to e fireman of the transport ork hops, Ken Gibbons.
Co rage runs a fleet of 300 hic es from this depot and ese range from light vans to axi urn-weight trunkers, ow ver, the vast majority are e a tual dray vehicles which r direct to pubs and these o the urban artic type with a w t o-axle rigids.
Most are D-Series Fords, but Dur ge is due to move to its .3w 74m Berkshire Brewery ithi the next few years, and so will be setting up a new fleet.
The move will ease the problems of narrow streets and tight loading bays and may cut down the amount of accident damage caused by tight parking.
We asked Ken Gibbons "How do you keep the cabs of the D-Series in order when the vehicles are being used for such short journey stop start work with a two or three-man crew?" Early on, the Ds had suffered from some inexplicable alternator faults, Ken told us, and these were finally traced to the loca tion of the regulator. This is positioned behind the passenger seat glove-box just above the foot rest. Courage found that the crew were kicking the regulator with their feet, thus causing the problems.
Courage works on a schedule involving a service every eight weeks with monthly inspections between. Vehicles are examined and necessary repairs carried out. The cab is examined for accident damage, broken lamps, rust and general internal condition.
The degree of rust which is acceptable is, Ken believes, a matter of common sense.
Obviously, it's important not to let it get too much of a hold, but by the same token continually taking the truck off the road for cosmetic treatment is unacceptable.
During our visit to Courage, we saw how its workshops body department deals with rust. The vehicle being attended to was a D tractive unit which was get ting mouldy around the front wings and wheel arches. Jack Smith, one of the panel beaters, had cut away the affected area and welded on a new inner section.
It's worth bearing in mind that if the rust has started to show on the outside, it will be a lot worse than it looks below the surface.
To ensure that the rust is prevented from returning too quickly, the only real solution is to replace panels or part of panels. Filling will temporarily slow the process, but it can never be a permanent solution.
To make sure that the vehicle won't collect a GV9 or fail its test, all external panels must be free from splits or rusted sharp edges which could injure pedestrians. This applies to bumpers too and it's these that are often in the worst condition having been used as an anchor point for tow ropes and otherwise generally abused.
A simple, quick weld — if it's done in time — will avoid the need to replace the bumper and will prevent further damage by vibration or metal fatigue. Make sure too that the bumper bolts are tight.
Cab steps are an important safety point and these mustn't be allowed to deteriorate or accidents can happen. If they are rubber covered and the covering has fallen off early replacement is advisable or the metal surface beneath will quickly become shiny and therefore slippery.
While on the subject of rubber covering, a quick check on pedal rubbers is well worth while. They are cheap to buy and could save the driver's foot slipping off a smooth rubber. Again, it's a goods vehicle test failure point.
Cab doors, especially on the sort of urban delivery work Courage does, get a lot of use, and some components on them are therefore subject to excessive, premature wear. Door hinges are a case in point. Regular attention with an oil-can will certainly help reduce the wear and make the doors easier to open and close.
Striker plates and the lock mechanism itself benefit too from regular lubrication. It's also a good tip to check the tightness of the screws retaining all door equipment as the vibration of the vehicle and constant opening and closing tends to loosen these off.
Although it's easy enough to refit loose components, all too often their slackness has caused other problems. Take door check straps for example. A loose or broken strap lets the door swing open against the cab body panels thus denting or scratching them.
Door window regulators are greased when the truck is assembled, but never see lubrication again. It's not a long job just to take off the door trim and stick some grease on the toothed mechanisms. While this is being done a squirt of oil or WD 40 (penetrating fluid) on other moving parts in the door itself won't come amiss. If the cab has quarter lights keep the hinges well oiled as replacement quarter lights are very costly.
So much for the bodywork of the cab which is easy enough to keep up to scratch provided regular maintenance is carried out and minor repairs are done before they become major problems.
Other areas of the cab which it is equally important to look after include seats. Operators like Courage used to keep a trimmer just to deal with these, but like many firms finds this is no longer a viable proposition.
Instead split seats are repaired by an outside contractor.
Again, with seats, like bodywork, it's cheaper to have the repair done before it gets too large. If a simple split in the material is left unattended it can general well being are important considerations, so too is the driving equipment within the cab. Park brake levers must work properly as must auxiliary equipment such as wipers, washers and so on.
Checking these is a minute's work before setting out on a run, but it can save a lot of time and trouble later.
It's worth remembering too that worn wiper blades not only impede forward vision in the rain, but if left will eventually allow the metal part of the blade to come into contact with the windscreen glass, so scratching it.
Rear-view mirrors are an important fixture on any com mercial vehicle and one that is very vulnerable. Cracked glasses are easy enough to replace, but it's well worth fitting the latest type of mirrors which have a very firm fixing, can be pulled in for tight spots and put back to exactly the same spot and are generally more robust.
These can be fitted to most modern vehicles.
With regard to mechanics on cabs there are, in fact, very few moving parts other than those already mentioned. However, with tilt cabs it's very important to maintain the hinges and release mechanisms in good order. Courage checks the D Series hinges — which are of metal to metal construction using a lever bar.
This shows up how much slop there is in the hinge.
Most tilt cab hinges have a grease nipple or some form of lubrication device so regular attention here will cut wear. Tilt cab release mechanisms vary considerably — see Graham Montgomerie's article elsewhere in this issue — but most have a mechanical safety release catch.
Ensuring that this is oiled and working properly and any broken springs are replaced prevents damage to the cab mountings which can occur if the cab bounces about.
Finally, from both a safety and looks point of view, jacks and other equipment should be stored in their proper places not left strewn around the cab floor where they can roll under the driver's feet. This applies to coke cans and sandwich boxes too.
It must also be remembered that rubbish in the cab can constitute a failure for a vehicle at the test station.