Unwins' Dartford drawbar
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by Bryan Jarvis • Dartford-based Unwins Distribution Services, the transport arm of Britain's biggest independent off-licence company, has added eight new lveco Ford rigids to its 41-strong allIveco fleet.
Seven are 23-tonne Super Cargo 6x2s with a single 345hp EuroTech 180E34 6x2 capable of drawbar work at 38 tonnes or running solo at 26 tonnes GVW.
Unwins was faced with having to establish another depot near Bristol due to the expansion of its drinks business: the added flexibility of these additional vehicles have allowed it to handle the extra work with its existing network.
The fleet was formerly made up of 12/14-tonne GVW Bedfords; it now comprises 7.5, 14.0 and 17.0-tonne Cargo and Super Cargo 4x2s; 23-tonne 6x2 Super Cargos with pusher axles and the new 38-tonne GCW wagon and drag which plays a central part in a reorganised delivery operation. It trunks 22tonne loads of drinks to its parent Unwins Wines' wholesale subsidiary Philips Newman or runs twice a day between Dartford and Bristol delivering to shops.
The outfit has 7.3m demountable bodies, carrying 12 onetonne pallets on the unit and 10 on the trailer but Unwins also appreciates its ability to run solo as a 26-tonne rigid.
To uprate the EuroTech 180E34 to a 6x2, Chassis Conversions added a trailing/lifting axle with Granning air suspension. It also converted the seven Super Cargo 170E23 4x2s to 23 tonnes GVW by fitting Granning pusher axles.
Supplied by the KT Group Iveco dealership in Dartford, the drawbar was packaged by Ray Smith using its Air-Swop system for the truck and StraightLift frame on the King centreaxled trailer.
The outfit uses a VBG Duomatic coupling and dismounts the ASzA Bodies' curtainsider boxes by using the Air-Swops front lifting air bag and chassis air suspension. Switches on the nearside of each chassis enable the driver to inflate the front lift and suspension to the appropriate height. The retractable support legs are then lowered to the ground and the air bags deflated allowing the vehicle to be driven out from underneath.
Uncoupling the trailer is relatively straight forward. There are simple controls for the VBG hitch at the side of the tailend; air couplings and electrical connections are mounted nearby.
Because the two vehicles may be uncoupled when dismounting or remounting takes place, Ray Smith fitted an auxiliary shunting hitch at the front to help with manoeuvering. A large mirror is fitted low down on the front of the trailer body to help the driver check that the eye of the drawbar has located in the hitch.
Used as a rigid delivery truck, the EuroTech 6x2 with its curtainsided body will deliver its 12-pallet loads. If empty, it returns to base on two axles. The rear is raised via a switch in the cab.
Driving impressions
CM has driven the rig and found it to be a powerful, capable performer.
The drawbar is 59fr (18in) long and 12ft 10in (6.06m) high when empty, according to the large sign in the cab. The inevitable trailer cut-in demands care when running through town but it handles easily and follows the line of the truck on curves fairly closely.
The prime mover rides on 22.5in tyres while the trailer has low-profile 17.5in twins but the outfit looks and feels well balanced.
With 345hp on tap it feels powerful too, allowing us to pull out with little delay at roundabouts and junctions.
On the motorway it pulls easily if a little noisily when empty but, according to the regular driver Adrian Crowley, it rides and performs even better with 22 tonnes up and seems quieter too.
lveco offers a £6,041 Voith R133 retarder with this EuroTech and it might have been a useful addition.
However, the 180E34's standard ABS brakes are never short of stopping power and the standard exhaust brake does its bit on motorway descents. The new £100,000 EuroTech drawbar, which is one of the first of its type, has taken over most of Unwins' former third-party contractor work and covers around 10,000km a month.
According to deputy managing director David Harold: "It's a sound investment that looks like paying for itself quite quickly. If business continues to expand who knows, we may need another."