REPORT
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AMSTERDAV
Front axle clearance is 430mm and it has approach and departure angles of 30 and 55°. There is a choice of power (210kW/285hp or 239kW/320hp) and the design weight is 42 tonnes with nine-tonne front axles and a 26-tonne bogie.
Volvo started work on its lowdeck tractive unit 18 months ago in response to a request from Cargo Care, which was hauling GM car parts between the UK and the Continent.
The critical dimension is 950mm at the fifth wheel to allow a 3m internal trailer height and an 118m" volume within the constraints of the 4m height.
Front and rear modified air suspension from the L10 coach chassis gives a constant running height of 850mm for the chassis, which is relieved and flitched over the drive axle. But low height would not be possible without the tyre equipment under development by Continental, the only tyre company to have produced a 60 aspect tyre which is due to become generally available next year.
At a restricted speed of 90km/h (56mph) they reportedly took 113,000km to wear down to the 3mm tread depth. The same size tyre is used front and rear, allowing axle weights of 6.3 and 11.6 tonnes.
Tyres have been made available for evaluation to Scania, Iveco and Daf in addition to Volvo, and tests are continuing at the rated speed of 110km/h (68mph). Once in production there will be steering and traction tread patterns.