Smooth changing Army rig
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THE SCAMMELL Commander tank transporter was available for driving impressions at the MVEE last week, and I was able to take it for a brief run round both the main circuits and the smoke circuit, writes Steve Gray.
It was hard to believe that the vehicle and trailer — with a Chieftain tank on board — grossed a massive 90 tons.
The Commander was like driving a very well equipped road-going vehicle with automatic transmission. Only the height from the road and the enormously long bonnet dispelled the feeling.
Power for the Commander comes, from a Rolls-Royce V12 turbocharged and chargecooled engine developing 466kW (625bhp) at 2,10Orpm.
This is coupled to an Allison CLBT 6061 six-speed epicyclic box with built-in retarder and torque converter.
I found the ZF power steering particularly nice to handle, making light work of controlling what is indeed a very big vehicle.
Some care was needed though when negotiating uneven surfaces, as the Scammell has a fully articulating fifth wheel. Thus the trailer may be going in one direction without the driver knowing.
Crane Fruehauf was heavily involved with Scammell in the project, as the MoD wanted a complete rig rather than just a tractive unit.
The trailer — a completely new design called Class 86 — has a capacity of 60 tons and an overall length of 13.35m.
To keep the wheel size of the trailer up, thus allowing faster road speeds, the bed of the trailer is lower in front of the bogie. The trailer has a design life of 20 years and weighs 14.2 tonnes.
Driving the outfit was easy although care was obviously needed.
Gearchanges were best made with power kept partly on, but even so it was a little jumpy when changing up to down to fourth.
The converter alloy tremendous flexibility with each gear and has a warnir light which, when it goes ou indicates that the converter locked up.
An oil temperature guage also supplied. The inside of t1 Commander's cab is very WE equipped and luxurious.
A crew of four can be ca red, complete with their ki and two bunks are fitted k standard. The Command( and its trailer are current] being evaluated by the MO but there is, Leyland hopes, a export potential for th vehicle.