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'quiet 200'
IN SOME WAYS I found the two 200 Series trucks very unusual vehicles to drive. The absence of noise except when pulling really hard was .almost uncanny. In fact on tick-over the International unit was almost as quiet as a petrol engine. For such a high revving engine—no less than 3,000rpm—it would hang on well in the gears especially when on the hills.
The first model I drove was a short-wheelbase (3.8Im or 12ft Gin) tipper laden with sand to gross the full 16 tons. For a short wheelbase the ride was exceptionally good with very little trace of choppiness. On one of the long hills out of Oldham up into the Pennines, it was necessary to go right down into bottom gear, but much of the climb was rated at 1 in 9. The easy gear change —again with a reversed pattern like the 400 Series—made rapid changes possible, which is always a help on hills.
Seddon Atkinson claims that a two-speed axle is not necessary for the 200 range as the flat torque curve of the International engine should enable it to pull over a wider rev range than usual, but I am not sure that I agree with this after driving the trucks.
The engine does pull extremely well and I have already commented on its ability to hang on low down in the speed range, but there were several occasions when I was stuck in second gear with the engine on the governor being 'totally unable to pull third gear.
Although I think the specification will be more than adequate for most operators there will be a few who will require a two-speed axle.
At 40mph on the level with the engine on part throttle the in-cab noise level was commendably low. It •sounded as though the engine was working hard up the hills, but the noise level was still perfectly acceptable.
Visibility from the new cab was good and the rear view mirrors that SA fits must be the best on the market for letting the driver know what's going on behind.
The second truck I tried was a 4.47m (14ft gin) wheelbase model which was without a body but had concrete test weights secured to the chassis so it still made 16 tons gross. This one had covered a. few more miles than the tipper so the steering was freer in operation and the whole vehicle felt more "run-in." Considering it had the same power unit I was surprised at the variation in engine noise—not the level• of the noise but in the char acter. This one had a far harsher note, but it was not at any time obtrusive.
I was impressed with the 200 Series—by the price as much as the specification, both Of which are more than ownpetitive. Minor grouses included a very uncomfortable pedal layout, a gear lever which hit the steering wheel when in top gear and a park brake control which trapped the driver's fingers against the engine cowl.