From 30-cwt. to 3 Tons A PPRECIATION is being shown
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.t1daily of the merits of the principles of the rigid six-wheeler, judging by the number of chassis which is being converted to that type. Among the latest concerns to undertake this class of. work is Baico Patents, Ltd., 115, Fulham Road, London, S.W,3.. That company has had a very extensive experience in the adaptation of Ford and other chassis to carry greater loads .than the normal. 'After considerable preliminary work .it has now marketed the patented conversion set for AA-type Fords and new --Chevrolets, which is here described. We refer in the following • paragraphs to the former chassis, but the re, marks apply in general / to both machines; except 'where specifically mentioned -otherwise. 'The load capacity of the' vehicle in the re
• vised form 'is "doubled, namely, to three tons.
Dealing " -first with the extension of the frame. In the ' case Of. the Ford the last 2 ft. of 'each main. member is cut off and the standard springs and 'mounting brackets are 'removed. The 'Baico extension is then fixed to the Ford frame, an overlap of 4. ft. 11 in. -being 'allowed. • The added channel'steel. girders . being 6 ins.deep and 21 ins. Wide on the flanges. • Machined .bolts passing through reaniered holest
hold together the old and new chan
nels. The Ford transmission is unaffected, because the drive is taken through the standard torque tube. '
A pair of semi-elliptic springs is fitted to the driven, or original, rear. axle ; the forward mounting points take the form of swinging shackles carried upon bolted-on plates. The rear ends ,of these springs are shackled to inclined balance beams, which are carried upon the extremities of a 11-in. tubular cross
member supported by two dependent brackets. To the lower ends of the two 'balance beams are connected the undersiting' semi-elliptic springs for the additional dead axle carrying the fhird pair of wheels—of standard Ford type and size. It will be realized that the weight upon the rear portion of the extended frame is thus distributed over six points in all.
• All four Springs used for the bogie have 14 leaves, of 21' ins, width; the eyes are bushed. Fibre -pads are used on both sides of the balance beams to take the side thrust. The dead axle is of 21-in.' square steel and the springs are carried below it, being clipped there
to by U-bolts. Timken bearings are used for the wheels on that axle.
' Standard, braking arrangements are relied upon for each make of chassis. ' Three stout channel-section crossmembers are used to tie together the two main longitudinal, members of the Baico extension ; one is just to, the rear .of the end of the cut-off Ford frame, another is 3 ft. farther back, whilst the third closes the end of the 6hassis. The
body space is 16 ft. 4 ins., as opposed to the standard 11 ft. A frame height of 2 ft. 4 ins. (laden) is obtained. If desired the frame can be lengthened yet more by the method described in our issue dated March 7th, 1929, page 127. The same applies to the Chevrolet. Those who wish to have semi-elliptic springs fitted to the front of the Ford caii have this carried out under the system described in the article to which we have referred. The bogie wheelbase is approximately 3 ft., whilst the distance from the rear axle to the end of the frame is about 6 ft.
The overall width of the Bairn frame, as applied to the Ford ,chassis, is 3.ft., the rear-wheel tract is 4 ft. 8 ins., and the distance between the centre lines of the springs is 3 ft. 6i. ins.
When the Chevrolet chassis is used the front ends of the forward springs of the bogie are carried upon shackle pins mounted upon the frame, as the drive is taken through the springs in that case.
Either of the converted six-wheelers can be purchased complete in chassis form for £283 10s. The conversion sets may be bought through recognized Ford or Chevrolet agents, as has been the general practice with other Baico products in past years.