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Q I want to fit axle-load equipment to a number of
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I6-tonners in my fleet. Could you supply details of manufacturers and give some idea on prices and whether such equipment is in wide use in the tipper industry? A From five companies making axle-load equipment five years ago it seems that only one, Smiths Industries, is still actively engaged in the market, fitting devices to about 2,500 vehicles a year. Smiths use a sensor or transducer unit per axle or per bogie to monitor the change of chassis-to-axle clearance with load. This change is represented as an axle-load reading on a dial in the cab. Two transducer kits are suitable for most chassis and typical cost is around £100.
It appears that the threat of heavy fines, considered harsh by many operators, and the risk of suspension or revocation of the driver's hgv licence or indeed the operator's licence, have not provided the expected impetus for really large-scale fitting of the devices.
The DoE is widening the scope of its roadside checks with the use of portable weighbridges, so it may be just a matter of time before fitting axle-load devices will become commonplace.