OPINIONS
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UERIES
SPEED AND WEIGHT ANOMALIES.
[5141] Looking at some issues of The Commercial Motor on my return from holiday, I have noticed the leading article, entitled " Speed and Weight Anomalies," in your issue dated August 6.
The writer appears to have overlooked what I think is an extremely mischievous effect of the varying speed regulations, in omitting a reference to the greatly increased congestion on the roads thereby brought about.
As is pointed out in the article, practically 42 per cent. of new registrations. in 1931 were for vehicles of more than 2i tons unladen weight It would be interesting to calculate by how many the 22,269 registrations of the lighter vehicles in 1936 would have been reduced if the same. types of vehicle had been placed upon the roads as in 1931, so as to demonstrate the effect this would have had on road congestion. W. E. HOBBS,
Guildford. for Dennis Bros., Ltd.
STEERING-ARM BREAKAGES.
[5142] Being a regular reader of The Commercial Motor, I wondered if you would be kind enough to give me any information as to the cause of the continual breaking of track-rod arms on a Manchester 05-cwt. cattle truck. They all break clean off in the shoulder where it joins the stub axle.
We have had the wagon two years and never had this trouble until the past fortnight, during which four have broken. First one side would break, then the other. There is no wear in the stub-axle bushes, king pins or ball joints, and each time I have fitted a new arm I have used a track gauge to see that it was right.
I have been giving a toe-in of Fin. at the back. Should it have been toe-in at the front?
Garforth. W. WOOD.
[The toe-in of the front wheels of a commercial vehicle should be at the front. That is, the distance between the front parts of the wheels should be about I in. less than the distance between the back parts. Are the joints at the ends of the track rod neither too tight nor too loose? Have the drop arm and steering box excessive back lash? Is there marked kick on the steering wheel? Any of the foregoing might cause failure of the trackrod arms, but we would be inclined to suspect that the material of which they are composed is faulty, in view of the fact that you have had repeated trouble after a long period without failure.—En.]
MAINTAINING A MODERATE FLEET.
[5143] I am employed by a concern having no garage of its owirr and have assisted in the maintenance of its transport fleet of six vehicles, also with the company's private cars.
The company is about to build its own garage, and have all overhauls done on the premises. Hitherto these have been sent to a local garage.
I have been 15 years as driver with three large firms and although I have not served my time as a motor engineer I have a good practical knowledge of both oil and petrol engines, and possess a fairly decent workshop of my own where I do quite a tot of spare time work, both on private and commercial vehicles. I have not held a similar position to the one now being offered and I would like your advice and any information that would help me to make the job a success. I want to put up a good show, not so much from the financial side, but to indicate my appreciation and so justify the trust the managers have put in me.
If you can help me in any way and recommend publications that might be of assistance I shall be grateful.
Can you inform me to whom I should write for the handbooks and spares lists tor various vehicles?
What equipment is required for fitting out the garage?
We already have a good machine shop with lathes and drilling machines, and we employ welders. I have a power-driven 3-in, lathe of my own ; do you think a
larger one will be necessary? MAINTENANCE. Derby.
If you apply direct to the manufacturers at the vehicles concerned at the addresses which you will find in the advertisement pages of The. Commercial Motor, telling them what you propose to do, *you will find that they will .bepl4sed to let you have the necessary instruction manuals and spare-parts lists. I should advise you to go slowly in the purchase of equipment at first, adding to it as time goes on and when you and fe what extent you are required to carry out complete overhauls. In the beginning, I would suggest an engine kit with electric drill, valve-truing equipment, an air compressor for tyre inflation, etc., a one-gun highpressure washing plant, battery-charging equipment. and a small vulcanizer for repairing inner tubes; one heavy jack capable of lifting an axle of the heaviest vehicle when it is loaded, one jack of somewhat smaller capacity and one or, possibly, two pairs of axle supports on which to rest the axles of a vehicle after it has been jacked up. In addition, a complete set of box spanners will be useful and, of course, I assume that you appreciate that you will need a vice, bench, and bench tools. Your question about obtaining a lathe bigger than the 3-in, type you have is answered by your own earlier statement, in which you say that you have a mechanics' shop with lathes, etc.—S.T.R.]
MORE ABOUT TON-MILEAGE COSTS.
[5144] About a week ago we wrote asking you to explain the exact significance of ton-mile cost, also how to obtain it. You told us how to work it out, but the result appears to be such an extremely low price that we wonder if we have done it correctly.
We shall be glad if you can give us the average figures for 30-cwt. and 4-ton lorries. Perhaps at the same time you could let us know of a book which explains road transport costings. , MILLERS. Hailsham.
[In calculating the cost per ton-mile, you must be careful to ascertain the actual figure for ton-mileage. This can be found only by actually recording the point-to-point loading and mileage of the vehicle concerned and is a complicated process if each journey involves a number of " pick-ups " and "drops." If, however, all the work consists of straight runs, from one terminal to another, with no distucbance of the load between, the task is easier. Take the case of a 4-ton lorry covering 400 miles per week and carrying n tons each load from point to point, as above described. The total cost of operation per week will approximate £11; the ton-mileage, assuming that the journeys with a load are equal in length to those without, is 3i multiplied by 200, which is 700 tonmiles. The cost per ton-mile is £11 divided by 700; that, is, 3.77d. On the other hand, if the vehicle be consistently loaded with 34 tons in both directions, the ton. mileage is 34 multiplied by 400, which is 1,400 ton-miles and the cost per ton-mile is then 1.89d. I know of no publications other than that issued by The Commercial Motor which deal adequately with vehicle costing.— S.T.R.1
OPERATING COSTS OF TWO LIGHT VEHICLES.
[5145] I have two 45-cwt. forward-control vehicles with float bodies the unladen weight of each being 2 tons 6 cwt, The drivers' wages are based on a 48-hour week, for which they are paid 70s., according to a trade-union agreement.
What I want to know is what you consider the total cost of operating these vehicles would come to per week, also what amount I should charge my customers for their hire.
If the figures be based on your Tables of Operating Costs I shall be pleased to hear how they have been compiled in order that I can reconcile them.
Waltham Cross. S. C. ROWELL. [The operating cost of a 45-cwt. vehicle of the type to which you refer—a modern lightweight chassis—is probably about the same as that of a 2-tonner in the Tables. I reckon that you will obtain 13 m.p.g. at is. 4d. per gallon, which is 1.22d. per mile; about 800 m.p.g. of oil at 4s., which is 0.07d. ; a set of tyres costing £30 will last 18,000 miles, which is 0.36d.; inclusive maintenance, covering washing and polishing and all essentials and providing for major overhauls as and when they are needed, 0.77d.; and depreciation, a life of approximately 160,000 miles, 0.55d. Total, 2.97d. The standing charges are the same as those in the Tables, except as regards wages. The foregoing are equivalent to 2s. per hour and 3d. per mile. The minimum charges ought to be calculated on the basis of 3s, per hour and 3fd. per mile.—S.T.R.] WHEN A SPEEDOMETER IS REQUIRED.
[5146] We are using a commercial vehicle which is not capable of attaining 30 m.p.h. and is normally driven at about 20 m.p.h.
Is it necessary to fit a speedometer to this vehicle to
comply with the regulations? L. MITCHELL.
Cambuslang.
[A speed-indicating device is required only on motor vehicles registered for the first time on or after October 1, 1937, on any vehicle which may lawfully be driven at a speed exceeding 12 m.p.h. Such an instrument will not be required on your vehicle, which is already in service.—En.]