Doors open for the demounts
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ABOLISHING the 3 tons unladen weight category in favour of 7.5 tonnes (7.38 tons) gvw for non-hgv drivers opens the door for demountable bodybuilders, according to Ray Smith Demountables Ltd, of Peterborough.
To prove the point, Ray Smith has unveiled a range of demountable sub assemblies to suit this class of vehicle, There are three body lengths available, 4.3m, 4.9m and 5.5m (14ft, 16ft and 18ft), and they can be fitted to any popular chassis.
Developed from the established self-aligning guide-rail design, the seven-five system is said to be light in weight, yet versatile enough to be fitted to various chassis.
A single hydraulic ram, driven by an electro-hydraulic power pack, is used to lift the rear of the body.
The top of the ram, which is rounded, mates with a vee section in the centre of the body at the rear.
Once it is raised to its full height, drop down legs are lowered to support the rear.
Next, the ram is lowered and the vehicle driven forward until the front support legs can be lowered behind the rear wheels.
Refitting is a reversal of the procedure, the rear of the body being held in place on the chassis by two 150 type twist locks.
During demounting and mounting, it is impossible for the body to move forward because the front track rollers run down a slight slope to rest up against stops at the front of the chassis. Misalignment between the body and chassis during refitting is corrected by the guide rails.
The body base frame supplied, by Ray Smith is a complete unit able to accept floor boards or any type of bodywork.
Box sections of steel ensure complete rigidity, and the body frame is a sealed down version of that used for large demountables.
The new system, says Ray Smith, will enable operators to standardise their fleet without standardising on vehicles.
A weight penalty of between 203 and 254kg (4 to 5 cwt) exists, compared to a standard body when the Ray Smith demount is fitted.