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David Knight (left) and Graham Wilkes CW Knight is a
Page 44
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fourth-generation family business that began trading in 1886. The present incumbent, David Knight, runs a fleet of 12 bulk tippers out of Fenny Compton, Warwickshire delivering sand and gravel to the surrounding area. In recent years he has operated a mix of Scania, Daf, Foden. Mercedes and Renault trucks but has now settled on an all-Voivo fleet. "I have been impressed by other makes, which in some cases may be better for some jobs, but I just like the whole Volvo package best,' he says. "This FM9 is not really suited to our operation; the high chassis and steel body is aimed at construction or muckaway work.
"Working out of quarries we don't need the extra ground clearance; instead we want to maximize payload. Our FM12.340s, equipped with Clearspan roll-over sheeting and alloy bodies, give us 20.5 tonnes and the FM9 would need to match that and our fleet average of 8.3mpg. We choose to use frontend hydraulics under-floor systems have too many moving parts. They may be a bit more stable but that can encourage drivers to tip at more dangerous angles. With drivers in mind air conditioning has to be there but we have a concern about how much more fuel it consumes. Reversing cameras are a recent addition but roost quarries now stipulate them, along with sheeting systems operated from ground level."
Driver Graham Wilkes took the FM9 for a drive and compared it with his FM12: The cab is higher than mine but it's no problem getting in and out. I can't see the bottom step lasting long though. Mid-range pulling power is on a par with my FM12.340. I seemed to use the same gears at the same places on the same hills, probably due to the similar peak torque levels, but spread isn't the same and engine speed drops away more quickly below 1,200rpm. The gearing's a bit wide in the top half of the box and sometimes the drive would benefit from half gear increments. Mine is noisier.
"This air-con system controls the temperature better than mine, which either runs too hot or too cold. My cab also gets very dusty which doesn't seem to be a problem here. The overhead compartments aren't much good for paperwork but the box on the engine cowl is the right size and in the right place. I like the way the reversing camera's screen pops up out of the dash but you still need some indication how far the back of the truck is from an obstuction. The electric mirrors are good, especially if you can't see properly at a difficult junction, but I don't like the wind deflector around the window: it distorts vision and it's not needed anyway with air-con.
"Making trucks pedestrian friendly is an ideal but the mirror forward of the screen does not give a clear view of the area in front. I like the appearance of the front of the truck with the powerful headlights but items like the indicator repeaters look vulnerable. Overall I'd say it is a nice truck."