Stud mystery solved?
Page 19
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by Charles Young • A haulage firm from Bath. which lost more than 38 wheel studs from an ERF tipper over three years, thinks its problems are finally over. The truck has not lost a stud in the couple of weeks since it was returned by ERF with a complete new set of wheels and studs.
While the company, AJ Champion, is confident that whatever the problem was it has been resolved, ERF says it has not necessarily found the solution. A spokesman says the company is still looking into the problem and is working with AJ Champion to find a solution.
Assuming the problem does not recur the question of compensation remains. Steve Champion says the company has lost £4,000 in stud replacements and lost earnings while the truck has been off the road. ERE has said it will look into the question of costs once the root of the problem has been found.
Meanwhile, other operators have come forward to report similar problems since the original story appeared (CM 25 June-1 July 1998). Three owner-operators with Tarmac Roadstone, Maltby, bought similar spec ERF tippers (including aluminium wheels) at the same time as AJ Champion. Their stories are almost identical, with studs breaking just before the warranty ran out and at regular intervals thereafter.
Since writing to ERF managing director John Bryant, at least one of the operators has had a satisfactory conclusion with no studs breaking since ERF changed all the hubs and studs. However, it took more than a year to sort the problem out and the haulier estimates he has lost around £1,000.
John Whitfield, from Stoke-on-Trent based John Whitfield & Son, says the problem is common with aluminium wheels on tippers and his problems on vehicles of different makes were solved only after switching back to steel wheels.