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A NEW OILER FOR LEG

21st April 1933, Page 38
21st April 1933
Page 38
Page 39
Page 40
Page 38, 21st April 1933 — A NEW OILER FOR LEG
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LOADS OF 7-8 TONS

ANEW model, introducing to the trade a novel class of vehicle, has been placed upon the market by Pagefield Commercial Vehicles, Ltd., Pagefield Works, Wigan, and we have taken an early Opportunity to examine and'%test it. The Pegasix is intended for those users who want to carry a load of 7-8 tons and whose loads do not call for a vehicle so large as a maximum legal-load six-wheeler.

Apart from haulage contractors, there are many ancillary users who need to shift loads of about this size and, generally speaking, the four-wheeled vehicle cannot carry 7-8 tons without exceeding the legal gross weight of 12 tons (8 tons on the rear axle).

The Pegasix is definitely not meant for maximum legal sixwheeler loads (19 tons gross). Any unwise haulier attempting so to overload it would soon find the fiirecylindered engine insufficiently powerful ; in fact, that is, perhaps, the main reason why the Gardner six-cylinder unit is not fitted.

Lightness of chassis weight has been the aim, and to this end singleaxle drive has been chosen, the interesting new Kirkstall bogie being employed. This bogie was described in The Commercial Motor on December 2, and is notable for its simplicity, ease of maintenance and light weight and for the fact that it allows a wide frame and a low floor.

An inverted semi-elliptic spring is employed at each side, the top leaves being of full length so as to provide upper and lower anchorages for the axles: these anchorages are sufficiently wide apart to enable the drive and braking torque reaction and thrust to be taken by the springs„4 David Brown worm and phosphor-bronze wheel are used for

the drive to the bogie axle.

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On the Pegasix frame strength has been obtained by depth of member rather than by metal thickness, the maximum section being 10 ins. by 3 ins. by i in. All the crossmembers are tubular and are fitted in strong cast-steel brackets, whilst, additionally, the frame is crossbraced to prevent rhomboidal distortion.

The Meadows type-10 gearbox, which, by means of an aluminium bell-housing, is coupled to the Gardner engine, is of• special construction, giving an abnormally low bottom gear. This is useful for starting on 'steep gradients or bad road surfaces, also when drawing a trailer, for which purpose the Pegasix is recommended.

The brake system has the simplest possible layout and, we believe because of this simplicity, it has not been necessary to fit the Pagefield electric-servo, except as an extra to be specified in cases where the purchaser requires a particularly light4brakeapplication effort. All the six wheels are braked from a single cross-shaft, actuated from the off side by either hand or foot. This cross-shaft is tubular, but is reinforced by a solid rod for about one-third of its length from the off side, and supported by a safety bracket at a position where it is reinforced, so that, in the event of a failure, the brakes would remain operative on at least three wheels.

To prevent interference due to spring flexing, the final stage from the frame to the brake-cam levers is by flexibly enclosed cable, and adjustment is by a left and right-hand screw with a knurled flange, which is reached with a screwdriver through a hole in each cover plate. Bendix Duo-servo shoes are used. An important feature of the vehicle is the engine mounting. The unit is suspended on four Silentbloc bushes mounted vertically, so that there is no metallic connection between engine and chassis. The object of this is to allow for the unbalanced torque reaction of the oil engine when running slowly, and, to judge by our test, •this object has been attained.

The actual chassis tested had dual driving-wheel tyres, to the special order of the purchaser, A. Lewis and Son, Ltd., haulage contractor, Culcheth, near Warrington. Alternatively to the standard tyre equipment, 10.50-in. by 20-in. tyres can be fitted.

With the Gardner direct-injection engine, no heater coils are necessary and an electric starter is supplied only as an extra. A starter was fitted to the chassis tested and starting was instantaneous. The engine, however, was not deed cold when first started up in our presence. The power of the Pegasix under full load seems adequate and, in this respect, we should mention that the average speed of 17.5 m.p.h., recorded in connection with our fuelconsumption test, could have been bettered, except that we desired not to exceed the legal speed limit of 20 m.p.h. The machine is capable of about 29.5 m.p.h.

We must confess having wrongly anticipated that three service gears, plus a very low first gear, would hardly be adequate for the load and power of this new model. We found on the road, however, that even the big difference in ratio between third and top gear is not excessive.

After changing at 144 m.p.h. from third to top gear, the engine speed is only 850 r.p.m., but as the torque curve of this engine is almost flat, a' reading of about 286 lb.-ft. is obtained at this low speed. That accounts for the satisfactory acceleration from 14 m.p.h. on top gear. The maximum torque of the 5LW engine (290 lb.-ft.) is registered at about 1,100 r.p.m., and varies but little between 850 r.p.m. and 1,150 r.p.m. The ratio gap between first and second and between second and third gears is not so marked.

In practice, second, third an& top gears proved to be satisfactory for all ordinary work with a full load tin our case 7i tons), leaving first gear for use in exceptional circumstances.

As regards hill-climbing, we made use of a hill that is familiar to us, namely, Parbold Hill, which has a maximum gradient of 1 in 7 and is fro& long. Starting from rest in second gear, we covered tbe first half-mile without having to change down to first gear. The change brought the vehicle to a standstill, but it got away easily and maintained 4-5 m.p.h. up the steepest Section. The climb took 7i minutes, giving an average speed of 6.2 m.p.h. and the cooling-water temperature at the crest was only 154 degrees F. No fan is fitted, and the radiator has hand-operated shutters; there is an engine-temperature indicator. The radiator, by the way, is of a new type, and handsome in appearance.

The results of our braking tests are singularly interesting. Due to the simple linkage system, a high measure of efficiency is ob,ained without power assistance, and, actually, the best readings are obtained by hand application of the six-wheel brakes. Foot application is nearly as efficient, whilst the use of hand and foot together merely results in wheel lock and skidding. it is a lesson in what can be done by simplicity of design and the avoidance of wasted effort in brake linkage;

also it speaks well for the Bendix Duo-servo shoes. We did not find any weakness in braking effect at either high or low speeds.

Our fuelconsumption reading Speaks for itself ; the course was a fair one, although a better figure

might be obtained on a long mainroad run.

As regards springing, the action of the bogie seems to be excellent, and only on the roughest stone setts of Wigan streets could we find the least objection to the front suspen sion, which, therefore, we regard as quite up to the average of modern vehicles. The Bishop camand-roller steering is quite good under such severe conditions, and evidently thelinkage layout is sound.

The central ball type gear change, actuating through a single rod, was found light and positive, the right-hand push-on brake lever being uncommonly comfortable and effective, whilst the clutch and other controls proved easy to use.

Accessibility is a feature of the layout. Lowering the gearbox off the bell-housing is a straightforward job, whilst the Borg and Beck clutch calls for no adjustment or lubrication, having a graphite-faced withdrawal thrust bearing. Chassis lubrication is by nipples that are not

grouped. The cast-aluminium instrument board is bolted to the steering column. Removal of the off-side engine cover reveals the water pump, the starter (where fitted) and the exhaust manifold, the remainder of the auxiliaries being grouped accessibly on the near side.

The new model is introduced at an opportune time and is representative of a class that is, in the near future, likely to attract considerable attention in this country. The Pagefield concern has done well to avoid features such as a more powerful engine, which would encourage people to overload the Pegasix. Finally, in addition to satisfactory performance, the machine appeals on the score, of its simplicity.

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