BY FITTING an exhaust brake to his diesel-powered Transit minicoaches,
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Midlands-based operator G. B. Hirst has increased the period between brake relines from nine to 43 weeks (2,336 miles-16,403 miles).
Mr Hirst uses his vehicles mainly on school contract work and operates in and around Holmfirth, near Huddersfield. The area is noted for its hilly terrain with gradients of up to 1 in 5 being common.
The exhaust brake was fitted and supplied by Retro Exhaust Brake (sales and service) Ltd of Knutsford, Cheshire. Pro duced on a virtually one-off basis the 50.8mm (2in) valve brake is designed to meet impending EEC brake performance requirements. It is electrically actuated when the throttle is shut, the slide valve mounted on the exhaust down pipe being mechanically shifted by a Bowden cable linked to a specially adapted heavyduty windscreen wiper motor. There is an in-built control to prevent the brake working when the engine is at idle.
The installation has been approved by Perkins who make the 4.1008 engine fitted to the Transit coaches.