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WORK IN PROGRESS • Amongst the 'work in progress' when
Page 15
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Commercial Motor visited Inter UK was the conversion of a 3.8m wheelbase Ivaco 400E38 EureTech 4x2 tractor into a 6.4m rigid. "But we can go up to 7.0m—the furniture removals people want that kind of length," reports Ruffles. "We put in an extended inner flitch and a full-length chassis rail so it stays nice and straight, and we take the axle completely to bits before relocating it."
Some converters will cut a section out of the chassis with the axle still attached, and then weld it back In between a wheelbase extension
and a new rear overhang. However. Ruffles reckons the extra joins create a chassis that's hard to 'straighten out'.
"We take it off completely and that's the best way of working." says Ruffles. "Our chassis rails are specially made high-strength carbon steel—we've got a punch and drill press which we can use to get all the holes in the right places. We make sure we run the hitching well past the rear axle for maximum rigidity and then laser align it all up afterwards. We also make all our own cross members and brackets."
Inter currently employs 12 full-time engineers at Bardwell. "These guys have been doing it for so long, they've all got the expertise," says Ruffles.
All wiring joints are soldered together, before being heat shrunk-wrapped. "Some people just crimp them together—but they can corrode," says Ruffles who also insists on using high-spec air connectors. "I don't want to be called out at lam for an air leak!"
Likewise, Inter UK does not use second-hand or recycled parts except where a customer specifically asks for them, such as a crane. However, it doesn't only work on used trucks. In the yard was a brand new 1831 Actros 4x2 rigid scheduled for a wheelbase extension to 6.7m: "Because this Is all drive-bywire, we have to get permission from Mercedes," says Ruffles. 'They'll send an engineer to see what we're doing is correct. We'll slide back the bogie along the chassis and then add extra hitched rails at the rear—we think that's the best way to do it." The job will cost around 11,500. The cost of converting a basic 4x2 tractor to a rigid or drawbar is approximately 13,000, while a 6x2 conversion nests around 16,500.