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Two bags full for Foden
Page 14
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• Foden has extended the availability of air-suspension on its middleweight and heavy truck ranges with the launch of a two-bag, drive axle, system for two-axle tractors and its recently launched 17-tonne rigid.
The Sandbach-based truck maker is also planning to add new engines to its tractor lineup before the end of the year with the adoption of a 298kW (400hp) version of the Perkins Eagle Tx and a 205kW (275hp) 8.3-litre Cummins C Series power unit.
The FA12 air-suspension is Foden's own design. It adds £1,600 to the list price and is offered as an option on 3000 and 4000 Series 4x2 tractors as well as 2000 Series middleweights.
The FA12 consists of a conventional quarter semi-elliptic spring with the air bag located behind the drive axle, along with an anti-roll bar. It has a design capacity of 11.5 tonnes and can be used on artics with a gross combination weight of up to 48 tonnes. Specifying the FA12 adds about 130kg to the chassis kerbweight.
Until now Foden has only offered the Paccar Air-Trac airsuspension on its double-drive tractors and rigids. The twinsteer 4000 Series, however, stays with a steel-suspended drive axle with air on its second steered axle, although Foden says that an all-air 6x2 tractor "is in the development programme".
Foden reports that a 4000 Series tractor powered by a 298kW (400hp) version of the 12-litre Eagle Tx engine is also being worked on.
According to the company, it will offer the Tx 400 as soon as Perkins makes it generally available. Foden already fits the Tx 325, 350 and 375 Eagle engines.
Last month Commercial Motor exclusively revealed that a number of Tx 400 engines were running in field trials with UK operators, in a mixture of chassis makes, including Seddon Atkinson.
Foden is also looking at fitting a 205kW (275hp) version of the Cummins 8.3-litre C Series in the 3000 Series and says that a 2000 Series tractive unit for 24 tonne GCW operation is "under review — we will respond to any demand for it".