77 ERF

20th September 1968, Page 129

20th September 1968

Page 129

Page 130

Page 129, 20th September 1968 — 77 ERF

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ERF Limited, Sun Works, Sandbach, Cheshire.

SUSPENSIONS are a feature of the exhibits by ER F. There is a rear-steer tractive unit with an air-suspension system for the rear bogie, a two-axle tractive unit with air suspension for the driving axle and an eight-wheeler with a four-spring bogie having taper leaf springs. As well as these there is a new lightweight 1B-ton-gross model with plastics cab and a 48 tons gross combination weight six-wheel tractor which is one of a big order for Jordan.

The three-axle rear-steer tractive unit has a Cummins NHK 200 engine driving through a David Brown 10-speed gearbox. The setback second steering axle is mounted with the driving axle at the ends of rocking beams which pivot in trailing arms. Each arm carries a pair of Dunlop air-suspension bellows and location of the pivot point results in the 16-ton designed bogie load being distributed 10 tons on the driving axle and 6 tons on the forward axle. At the Show the second axle is steered but a self-steered axle or a fixed axle can be fitted if necessary.

The lightweight four-wheeler has a chassis weight of about 4 tons and various components have been selected to get to as light a weight as possible. The engine is a Gardner 5LW which drives through an Eaton 542 SMA five-speed gearbox and the rear axle is an Eaton two-speed unit with a new lighter casing. Rockwell Standard Stopmaster brakes are fitted all round and the cab is a development of that used by ERF on its fire engines. Forward entrance steps give easy access to the cab and there is good all-round visibility.

In the case of the two-axle tractor with air suspension, this model is designed for 30/32 tons gross combination weight and it has a Gardner 6LXB engine driving through a David Brown gearbox to an Eaton two-speed axle. The rear suspension is again by Dunlop air springs which are mounted at the front and rear of fabricated beams which carry the axle, And above the axle there is a two-leaf semi-elliptic spring at each side to locate the unit.

The eight-wheeler with taper leaf suspension is ER F's standard design now for 24 tons gross. It has a Gardner 6LX engine and a David Brown gearbox with Kirkstall double-drive rear axles. As well as eight-wheelers, the taper-leaf springs will become standard on ERF six-wheelers where a four-spring balance-beam layout is used.

The cab used on the 6 x 4 tractive unit for the Jordan order is made by Motor Panels. It is an all-steel sleeper cab and the model is designed for use overseas at a gross combination weight of 47.8 tons; a Roils-Royce Eagle 220 bhp diesel drives through a Fuller 15-speed gearbox.

Other cab news on the ERF stand is that the LV cab fitted on two of the chassis--the eight-wheeler and the two-axle air-suspension tractive unit—has been the subject of a number of interior modifications. The seat, gear lever and steering wheel positions have been altered, the clutch and brake pedal designs have been changed and an organ-type accelerator pedal is used with a new linkage. In addition, a new facia panel is used and the interior lining in front of the driver has been cleaned up.