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A SITE TO SEE A good place to work aving
Page 37
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a clear site at Washfold Farm with which to erect a workshop was an ideal opportunity to get the framework 'just so', rather than be constrained by an existing building design and its limitations. It meant Truck Technics' Ken Tyrala could maximise floor space and create an area long enough to comfortably accommodate a tractor and lowloader outfit and still shut the doors.
"Space is essential," he comments. "We've split the floor area into three full-length bays, each accessed through its own door.'
"One bay has the brake test rollers and pit, while the other two are simply open-floor spaces," he continues. "And the brake tester has remote indicators that can be seen from the cab by the vehicle tester. It's no longer a task that needs to be done by two technicians, and that's reflected in the costs."
"My business partners really would have preferred two pits, but I believe we have gained more operational flexibility by adding a set of vehicle lifts that can be used anywhere on the open floor."
"And pits can be dark, dingy places to spend a day, too, which is why we've fitted wall-to-wall lighting inside ours," he says. "The next phase will be to paint the inside of
the pit with a brilliant white finish to reflect yet more light in order to assist inspections."
Maximising floor space for any number of vehicles tractors, rigids, 4x4s or LCVs, means portable vehicle lifting equipment is now installed.
His four, 7.5-tonne capacity lifts, complete with axle stands and lifting beams represent an investment of around £15,000, and can be used to raise lowloader trailers and tractor units to a convenient working height to service and inspect axles, suspension and under bodies.
Although the lifting equipment isn't the only specialist gear the firm has invested in.
A Josam laser alignment kit enables the firm to check wheel alignment on any vehicle axle.
"It's surprising how far out truck and trailer axles can be," he says. "Operators are often mistaken in thinking commercial vehicles are big enough and rugged enough to withstand a few bumps and knocks here and there. But scrubbing tyres does cost thousands in fuel economy and increased tyre wear."
"And with trailers, even fixed axles can be shunted slightly out of alignment," he says. "We can get them back on track, so they pull easier and the tyres last longer."