1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204 
Innovations in the Rootes Range
Page 105
Page 106
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
New Tractors, Modifications to the Passenger Chassis and Braking and Steering Improvements
COINCIDING with the announcement of the new Rootes 2.26-litre oil engine, Comtner Cars, Ltd., release details of modifications to their existing range. These concern the Avenger passenger chassis; a new series of tractors; the introduction of powerassisted steering and air-hydraulic brakes as optional equipment on certain models; a de luxe alb •for Superpoise -1-ton models; and the restyling of the forward-control cab. All these innovations will be seen at Earls Court next Friday.
The Avenger 17-ft. 6-in.-wheelbasc chassis has been modified principally to give a better performance with 30-It. by 8-ft. 41-seat bodies. Larger front brakes, a high-capacity front axle and stronger front springs have been fitted.
The front brakes have been changed from 16-1-in. by 3-in, units to 15-1-in. by 4i-in. This gives an increase in total frictional area of 70 sq. in., the new area being 617 sq. in. The smaller front drums will give better cooling and reduced fade risk. The increased area at the front wheels also gives a braking ratio more suitable for passenger work.
Air-hydraulic brakes are offered as optional on the new Avenger. This is Clayton Dewandre-Girling equipment in which a single-cylindered air come pressor is mounted on the Rootes oil engine in place of the exhauster fitted when a vacuum-servo braking system is used.
A 1,300-cu.-in. reservoir is incorporated in the system and the pedal valve gives three-stage braking pressure, 'The emergency pressure is low, however, being only 75 lb. at the pedal for full braking at the wheels. This emergency pressure occurs over the last in. of pedal travel, starting at 55 lb. foot pressure.
The air-hydraulic actuator has a 9-in.diameter power cylinder and works in conjunction with a 11-in.-diameter maker cylinder. There is no mechanical connection between the brake pedal and the master cylinder.
The steering-column rake angle has been altered slightly to give a more comfortable driving position, and a tachometer is now included in the instrument panel. The recommended gross vehicle weight is 9 tons on 9.00 by 20-in, (10-ply) tyres and the unladen chassis weight is 3 tons 21 cwt. The latest Avenger is available only with the Rootes 105 b.h.p. oil engine, but the 17-ft. 6-in.-wheelbase petrol-engined chassis will continue in production for the time being.
Three new forward-control tractors are announced, one of these having Scarnmell automatic coupling gear suitable for use with semi-trailers of 10-ton capacity. The other two models are available with S.A.E.-S.M.M.T. fifthwheel couplings, one being rated for 10-ton semi-trailers and the other for 12-ton units. All three are 7-ft. 10-in.wheelbase chassis and the Rootes 105 b.h.p. two-stroke oil engine is fitted without option.
Power-assisted steering is offered on the I2-ton vehicle and, as with the Avenger, air-hydraulic brakes, instead of vacuum-servo-hydraulic systems, are available on all models. Because of the short wheelbase, the two Burgess silencers necessarY in the exhaust system are mounted transversely below the front of the cab: this makes the standard vehicles suitable for use with spiritcarrying semi-trailer tanks.
Optional Overdrive Gear
Other optional equipment offered with these vehicles includes an overdrive fifth gear on the 10-tonners, powertake-off gear and telescopic dampers at the front axle. An Eaton 18,500 twospeed axle is standard equipment on the 12-ton chassis. The fuel-tank capacity has been increased to 30 gallons.
Standard tyres on the 10-ton prime movers are 7.50-20-in. (10-ply), but 8.25-20-in. (12-ply) may be specified if a Scammell coupling is not fitted. The I2-ton unit has 8.25-20-in. (12-ply) tyres as standard, with 9.00-20-in. (12-ply) equipment optional. The 10-ton motive units are rated for a gross train weight of 15 tons 1 cwt., and the equivalent rating for the 12-ton tractor is 18 tons.
Hydrosteer power-assisted steering is now available as a factory-fitted optional extra on all Rootes oilengined 5-ton and 7-ton forward-control chassis, as well as on the 12-ton prime mover. It consists essentially of a valve block on the drag link, a power cylinder located between the chassis frame and the front-axle steering arm. and an engine-driven hydraulic pump.
The hydraulic pump is mounted on the frame and driven by twin V-belts from a pulley on the fan driving shaft. Relatively, movement between the two pulleys must, therefore, be small despite the flexible engine mountings, otherwise belt wear would be excessive.
Air-hydraulic braking is offered as optional equipment on the oil-engined 7-ton chassis, and the system is standard on all Commer vehicles which will he sold for high-altitude operation in tropical countries.
A de-luxe cab is now offered on Superpoise normal-control 4--ton pickups. This has two-tone seat trimming. armrests and map pockets on the doors. sun visors, pedal rubbers and feltbacked rubber floor covering.
These modifications to the pick-up cab should appeal to overseas users. particularly in countries such as Australia, where the pick-up counts as a family maid-of-all-work. For such areas, also, a special 'Version of the model is available with modified suspension.
The Karrier Bantam .1 and BK prime movers,are re-introduced as from today in response to demands from operators of these vehicles. They will have fourcylindered 54 b.h.p. o.h.v: petrol engines as standard power units, with the new Rootes 2.26-litre oil engine as alternative equipment. The recommended gross weight of both vehicles is 7+ tons, and the turning circle of the 6-ft. 3-in.wheelbase tractor is 25 ft.
John C. Beadle (Coachbuilders), Ltd., have introduced a new 29-seat coach, called the Canterbury. This is based on a modified Karrier Gamecock chassis with a 14-ft. 10-in. wheelbase. It is powered by a six-cylindered petrol engine mounted below the floor adjacent to the front axle.
The Canterbury is 26 ft. long and 7 ft. 6 in, wide, and has a steel-framed body. The Rootes three-cylindered oil engine is offered as an alternative power unit.
New Beadle Bus A bus—the Thanet—is being developed, but this will not be at the Show. The Thanet is also based on the Gamecock chassis and is a 32-seater. Both vehicles have four-speed synchromesh gearboxes, and the Canterbury weighs 4 tons 8 cwt. unladen, whilst the Thanet is 4-cwt. lighter.
The latest Beadle 41-seat coach is the light-alloy-bodied Rochester. This is an integral design with the Rootes three-cylindered oil engine and fivespeed synchromesh gearbox. It has a front entrance and 90-cu.-ft. rear locker The unladen weight is 5 tons 18 cwt.
"Chatham" is the new name of the Beadle 45-seat ,bus, which weighs 5: tons unladen. It has a similar ,mechanical specification to the -Rochester. and the front entrance has jack-knife doors.