keeping them running
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by Trevor Longcroft
r is unnecessary for me to say )o much about losses incurred wough down-time. They are too 'ell known. Accident /damage ipairs must account for a major art of down-time, in particular le period required and labour larges incurred in order to raighten chassis; usually all the )dywork has to be removed fen if it is not damaged.
So the news that equipment signed to reduce truck chassis id suspension correction time, is been introduced into the UK Bee Line, is welcome. This iuipment can correct chassis isalignment in vehicles ranging )rn the smallest pick-up to
3ht-wheelers and artics thout the need to remove any ,dywork or chassis component. I visited the Leicester depot of rd & Slater, the first firm to ;tall this apparatus in England, d was told that, dependent on body damage, cost savings up to one-quarter may be Dected over present methods.
To effect a repair the damaged vehicle is driven on to what can effectively be called runway ramps which are in removable sections for vehicle access.
Within the runners is a rigid frame or chassis press from which all distorted chassis sections can be pulled or pushed, in any direction, with a variety of attachments powered by as many as four 60-ton-capacity hydraulic rams operating at the same time.
No floor anchorage is needed for the straightening process, all loads being taken by the chassis press. Therefore the runway ramps take very little loading.
Sighting gauges are positioned at specific, known points along the chassis enabling the operator to judge the effect when applying the corrective forces.
Tasks such as wheel and axle alignment, adjustment, and repairs to sagging and twisted trailer-members, can be done on a drive-in, drive-out basis. And in order to improve the repair turnround time and reduce downtime Ford & Slater is stock-piling service cabs.
The equipment is available for outside repairers' use at a charge varying between £15 to E20 an hour.