Nearly 10 Tons on New Seddon
Page 51
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EXTERNALLY similar to the Mark 15 74-tanner, the new Seddon Mark 15/10 chassis announced in last week's issue of The Commercial Motor, has the same basic frame and cab layout as the Mark 15 but the running components have been changed to allow it to run at 14 tons gross.
Being a lightweight chassis, the taxation weight of the Mark 15110 is little more than 4 tons, thus a payload of nearly 10 tons can be carried without exceeding the legal maximum limit of 14 tons.
Only one version of the chassis is being produced and this has a 14-ft. 6-in. wheelbase, the overall chassis length being 24 ft. 101in. A maximum body length of 19 ft, is recommended in order not to overibad the rear axle beyond the legal maximum of 9 tons.
104-b.h.p. Oil Engine
A Perkins R6 (Series 2) six-cylindered indirect-injection oil cngine is employed in conjunction with a Meadows 250 C5 fivespeed constant-mesh gearbox. The engine has a net output of 104 b.h.p. at 2,500 r.p.m., whilst the torque rating is 240 lb.-ft., developed at 1,600 r.p.m.
A 13-in, diameter single-dry-plate clutch is employed and it has hydraulic actuation. The gearbox hasjorward ratios of 6.52, 3.73, 2.48, 1.59 and 1 to 1, whilst the reverse ratio is 6.41 to 1. The -engine-gearbox unit is mounted at four points with Metalastik sandwich mountings in compression and shear at the front and two Metaconc units at the clutch housing.
A large oil-bath air cleaner is mounted at the front on the right frame member so that it lies beneath the cab floor, and the exhaust silencer is carried transversely beneath the rear of the gearbox so that the Complete exhaust system moves with the engine independently of the chassis frame. A 30-gallon fuel tank is provided. This is on the left of the frame.
The drive is taken from the gearbox through a two-piece propeller shaft to a Moss 10-ton spiral-bevel fully floating rear axle. The front axle is the same as that employed on the heavier Mark 14.14-ton gross chassis. Marks cam and double roller steering is used.
The same semi-elliptic springs as are used on the Mark 15 chassis are employed on the Mark 15/10. These include helper leaves at the rear axle, but to cope with the additional weight" Aeon rubber helper springs are used at both axles. Telescopic dampers are fitted on the front axle.
The Girling hydraulic brakes work in conjunction with •a Clayton-Dewandre Bendix Twin Atlas tandem hydrovac, this consisting of two narrnal Atlas hydrovacs mounted together. The front brakes are 151in. x 41 in. units and the rear brakes are 154 in. x 7 in. units, two-leading-shoe assemblies being employed at both axles.
The chassis frame is the same as that employed in the Mark 15 and the side members, which are of 1-in, material, have 2f-in. flanges and a maximum depth of 81 in. The frame layout differs from that of the Mark 15 only in that the spare • wheel is carried under the right frame member immediately behind the cab.
Nylon. Ply Tyres The standard tyres offered with the Mark 15/10 are Goodyear 9.00-20 in. (Nylon) equipment, these being mounted on 6.00T rims and being equivalent to 14-ply conventional tyres. The laden frame height is 341 in.
The Mark 15 cab is employed, this being an attractive and convertible design, using a large portion of plastics panels carried on a timber frame. A two-man passenger seat is provided and heating and de-misting equipment is available at extra cost.
The engine cowl consists -of two light plastics mouldings, each secured by two simple spring clips. Good engine accessibility is given with the cowlings removed. The single 12-v. battery is stowed beneath the passenger seat and is housed in a plastics box, ventilation being provided by a hose leading to outside the cab. The passenger seat is quickly detachable.
The driving seat is adjustable vertically and longitudinally and has a shaped squab to give lateral support.
The Mark 15/10 has -a basic price of £1,825 and the cab is £210 extra. The purchase tax on the chassis price is £436 2s. 7d.