Atkinson Leader

18th September 1970, Page 132

18th September 1970

Page 132

Page 132, 18th September 1970 — Atkinson Leader

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We would like to draw your attention to pages 108 and 109 of Commercial Motor dated September 11 covering our new 38-ton rear-steer Leader chassis with the Gardner 8LXB engine.

On page 109 you state that when the 8LXB is fitted the standard wheelbase is 12ft 9in, and that the 11ft 6in. wheelbase is optional, but the 38-ton rear steer at 11ft 6in. will not couple to 40ft trailers at 38 tons. In fact the lift 6in. wheelbase model is the standard wheelbase for this chassis and has been designed to accept a 40ft semi-trailer; 40ft trailers with a maximum kingpin-toheadboard dimension of 4ft 3in. can be accommodated and the maximum imposed load of 12 tons can be taken through the fifthwheel coupling.

The 12ft 9in, model has basically been designed to cope with the larger-type semitrailers which will be used for 40 and 44 tons. It is expected that these will have a front overhang of 5ft or 5ft 3in. and as such will need a longer wheelbase rear steer if these are to be coupled.

Another important feature of the 11ft 6in. rear steer is that apart from being able to operate at 38 tons with 40ft semi-trailers it can also couple to a wide range of existing semi-trailers.

S. OXLEY, Assistant Chief Engineer, Atkinson Vehicles Ltd, Preston.