Eastern promise

13th May 2004, Page 77

13th May 2004

Page 77

Page 77, 13th May 2004 — Eastern promise

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If you're going to SED make a point of checking out the Valley Trucks stand — this well established dealer will

be majoring on some productive Hinos and lsuzus.

Established Isuzu Truck and Hino dealer Valley Trucks of Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire will be at SED with a range of vehicles from the Isuzu range and a Hino 8x4 tipper from the recently launched Super F Series. Valley Trucks has been a Hino main agent since 1988 and an Isuzu Truck sales, service and parts dealer since 1996, when Isuzu Truck UK first opened its doors.

The company offers a wide range of services, including round-the-clock servicing, which it pioneered in 1986. Other specialities include brake testing, 24-hour tachograph calibration, steam cleaning, a body shop and a paint shop. The business has grown steadily since it was established 30 years ago and now incorporates sister companies Dolphin Truck Rental and bodybuilder Bingley Bodies.

It's a Bingley beavertail plant body that's fitted to the Isuzu NQR 7.5-tonner on Valley's SED stand. Power comes from Isuzu's 4.8-litre four-cylinder charge-cooled turbo-diesel, delivering 143hp (107kW) and 471Nm (3471bft) of torque, driving through a six-speed manual Isuzu gearbox. The NQR's compact cab width is more urban friendly than larger 7.5-tonner cabs — particularly useful where access is tight. The NQR 7.5-tonner is popular among

payload-conscious 7.5-tonne operators as it has a body/payload allowance of 4,815kg on the shortest wheelbase option. That's combined with an industry-leading front-axle load tolerance of 1,400kg. The rear-axle design weight is six tonnes, giving customers excellent loading flexibility and a reduced risk of axle overload. The NQR comes with a steel bumper as standard, with lights and indicators out of harm's way and a 42.5° steering angle offering superb manoeuvrability to complement that narrow cab.

The Grafter NKR-T twin-wheeled rearaxle tipper makes its debut at SED. It joins the NKR-S single-wheeled rear-axle Grafter that was launched last year by Isuzu Truck UK to provide an off-the-shelf 3.5-tonner complete with a tipper or dropside body. The latest Grafter replaces the previous twin-wheeled tipper and now offers a payload of 1,200kg — an increase of 166kg on the old model. It also means that the NKR-T tipper can now carry 20kg more than the NICR-S tipper. Innovative re-engineering of the all-steel tipper body is responsible for the payload

increase; the lighter vehicle retains its predecessor's rugged construction.

The Grafter NKR-S dropside on display features a steel frame and aluminium dropside body with a one-piece 15mm Wisadeck floor.

All Grafters are powered by the same charge-cooled four-cylinder, 3.0-litre turbodiesel producing 129hp (92kW) and 280Nm (2071bft) of torque, driving the rear wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox. Customers have a choice of two or three-year unlimited-mileage warranties and 24-hour RAC breakdown and recovery cover. If their annual mileage will be relatively low there's an option of four years/120,000 miles. Warranties do not include bodywork or tipping gear; these areas are covered by a one-year warranty. In-cab comfort now includes a Clarion RDS radio and CD player as standard on all vehicles.

Similar models to the Isuzus on display on the Valley Truck stand will be working in the Tipper Live! demonstration area.

Hino launched its latest Super-F Series of 6x4 and 8x4 tippers last year and you'll find a steel-bodied FY 8x4 tipper displayed on the Valley Trucks stand. Powered by Hino's 10.5litre Euro-3 common-rail P Series engines delivering 330hp (246kW) and 1,411Nm (1,0411bft) of torque, the truck delivers the right blend of performance and economy for just about any tipper operation. it