AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

WHAT NEW ZEALAND WANTS.

21st October 1919
Page 17
Page 18
Page 17, 21st October 1919 — WHAT NEW ZEALAND WANTS.
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

A Clear Exposition of the Conditions to be met by the British Manufacturer in Supplying Transport Vehicles to the Colony.

By G. if Scott, Chairman of the Motor Section of the New Zealand Association of British Manufacturers andAgents. •

I N COMPLIANCE with the invitation of the '

Editor of The Commercial Motor to 'outline My '

_ ..

views in regard to commercial-motor vehicles for New Zealand, I consider it necessary to preface my remarks with a general statement. New Zealand is a small market and its requirements, even if cal.-rib-hied with the markets of all the, colonies in the Southern Hemisphere, cannot warrant manufacturers making variations in their models which Would, even to a small degree, interfere with the rhythmic continuity of mass production in a standardized typ-e, if both home and export markets are to receive the minimum price benefits from simplified and quantity production.

In view of the position acknowledged above, I confine myself to a few items of specification not requiring change of design, , and a general statement that may be of use to manufacturers when the details of specifications are before them in regard to a new series.

The New Zealand market has, unfortunately, been entirely in the hands of the American manufacturer since 1914 and, his trade having been firmly established, he will not be easily displaced. The success of the American in either commercial or pleasure vehicles in New Zealand is not traceable to the production of any special models, but to the fact that he produces a vehicle which is a compromise between' the demands of the users in the almost roadless mountains of western American territory and those of the good roads of the east. It is this et:on:Tian-Use that has produced a vehicle saleable in the Colonies without alteration. No really substantial reasons have been given me in England for preventing the production! of British vehicles embodying the compromises adopted by the American with a view to the : elimination of the ' Special Colonial Model "(about ' which nobody is so tired of hearing as the Colonial himself) and the production of a vehicle suitable to home and overseas buyers.

The heavier type commercial vehicles are largely used for the transport of heavy produce in towns and districts not served by railways (of whia there are comparatively few) traversing the populated lower levels, leaving the mountainous and difficult country to be served by heavy commercial vehicles. Except some localities, in the highlands of Scotland and Wales, there are no mountainous roads in Great Britain which impose such continuous and heavy straiiis on vehicles as do a large proportion of the inland roads and -heavy gradients of New Zealand, over which heavy service vehieles serve as feeders to railways in the delivery of heavy farm produce, such as wool, butter, cheese, cream, flax. The country roads referred to are not oF the macadam type familiar to readers of The Commercial Motor, laid by experts andirolled hard with stOana rollers, but, generally,speaking, consist of a foundation of soil buileto forma crown with water-channels, afterwards coated with 12 ins, of loose metal which, in 'course of time, is worn to a hard surface by traffic. Repairs to such roads are'made by filling the ruts and broken : places with quantities of loose metal ; ' consequently, loose stones are never 'absent from the wheel tracks. Again, almost the whole of the gradients are formed on hillsides following the course of -a-stream towards its source in highercoun

try and, consecieently, there are endless turns and _ . .

always a sheer drop to the stnea.inehed. This is not a: description' of-the average New Zealand road, but of those roads where heavy type commercial 'vehicles are a necessity and are now in service for. the reason that such country could scarcely be served by .railways, owing to its mountainous nature.”' All country roads in New Zealand have more or less loose stones lying on the vehicle track and, generally, are more hilly than any English highways; consequently, no variation is required in the general specification of vehicles for them to give reasonable results on all roads if designed for the worst.

Thdabove remarks clear the way for a few suggestions I have to put forward, and which mainly cover the compromises referred to by me and embodied in the American vehicle.

Gear Ratios.

I place this item first in importance and deal more fully with it, because it has been responsible in many cases for the non-success of some British cars in comparison with their American competitors. Manufacturers on this side do not appear to favour low gear ratios. A comparison of the ratios in use by British and American manufacturers of commercial and touring vehicles is very instructive.. It will be found that many British firms can reduce their gear ratios considerably and still not reach the American figure. It is my view that the low gear ratios used on American vehicles contribute more thau anything else to the measure of success they have on our markets -in the Antipodes, and accounts for the erroneous idea in the lay user's mind that American engines.develop more power than British engines, whereas quite the contrary is the ease. My description of them:iacl and gradients is sufficient-to showthe necessity for lower gear ratios than those in common use on this side. Again, the question of gear ratio is hot treated in exact proportiorOto the details of weight, etc.; combined with horse-power : for instanceeour experience shows it to be insufficient that all three-ton-capacity vehicles, having engines of equal size: should use exactly the same ratio. The variations in the speeds of gearbox shafts of the various makers, when running on any gear ether than -the direct drive, the varying weights of chassis and the 'diverse characteristics of the design of different makers' engines and the pover they develop all go to prove the necessity of getting away from acceOted and orthodox practices in this matter, many of,whigh, generally, mean a predetermined geanratioi-when the chassis is originally designed, no room being left in the back axle housing to make the variation in the size of crown wheel that future experience may dictate_ It frequently happens that a refusal to fit a lower gear ratio is given because to comply would necessitate redesigning the back axle housing. Finally, some British support is given my view on this question by the fact that American vehicles with standard ratio ,are readily saleable throughout the British Isles.

Wheel Track.

The wheel track for berse-drawn vehicles is about GO ins. Horse-drawn vehicles are chiefly instrumental in breaking up the rough and newly-made road surn4.3 face's.; consequently, tracks which are narrower than those which form, or beat down, the wheel ruts are certainly very awkward to -use. American heavy vehicles rarely have a track less than 60 ins'., whereas in the case of British vehicles There seems to be a varying track according to the h.p. and carrying capacity of the vehicle. A compromise in this matter could surely be adopted. There hardly seems to be any necessity to have a difference of .12 ins, in the width of the wheel track as between a 2-ton and a 34ton vehicle, nor does there appear to be any reason for the fact that there is no accepted standard in regard to wheel tracks, or why a compromise as arranged by the American manufacturers should not be adopted. Taking four well-known manufacturers of vehicles in England, the following variations are shown in wheel tracks of their two-ton wagons-4 ft. 64 ins., 5 ft. 3 ins., 4 ft. 11 ins., 5 ft. 6 ins. The variations in the same makes of three and five-ton vehicles are infinitely greater.

• Ground Clearance.

A clearance of 10 ins. is sufficient to cover our average road conditions. " Special colonial clearance" is unnecessary. Larger diameter wheels are sometimes fitted with a view to giving clearance above the standard. This is quite a mistake without a correaponding reduction in gear ratio.

Centre of Gravity.

If there is any failure on the part of American vehicles to meet all requirements, it is in the fact of the load line being too high.. British vehicles, generally, have a 'ewer load line. Bearing in mind the carriage of wool and furniture (both bulky loads), and taking into account other very obvious reasons, a low load line is favoured.

Wheels and Tyres.

• The widest section oversize tyre is highly advisable. In regard to twin tyres for rear wheels; if there is a type with little or no spacebetween the rubber bands when mounted, then such would be very advantageous. Most types of twin tyres usually fitted piek up and carry in the spaces between the bands numbers of loose stones lying in the wheel track on the roads. These stones, alter a few revolutions of the wheel, are broken, a section remaining permanently wedged between the tyre bands. The effect on both tyres and vehicles, whilst the stone is in processsof.being reduced and bedded in, I leave to your imagination.

Body-Building Space. Length of Chassis.

The transport of bulky materials, such as wool, farm produce and furniture, rank first in importance in the work dernandecl.of our heavy vehicles. The body space allotted to the chassis is therefore of great impottanee. It must be pointed out that bodies for lorry chassis are not supplied by the manufacturers of the chassis, and that the manufacturer has no control over, nor does he ever know, except in isolated cases, the type of body fitted. He would no doubt be able to trace the reason for claims made in respect of chassis and transmission if Ins learnt the size of body fitted and the amount of -overhang. It is not an uncommon sight to see an overhang so out of reason as to make the position of the wheels in • relation to the position of the load both an absurdity and a danger. Bodies are built in this way to enable the vehicle to carry its weight load of bulky goods such as wool and furniture without building the load high on a short body. The-danger of taking a lull load of wool or furniture stacked high on -a short body can be imagined when one thinks of the lurching and swinging that must inevitably take place during the negotiation of the tortuous mountainous roads described by me earlier. The building of bodies with

B44 disproportionate overhang is the alternative adopted by the user of the vehicle. Another danger in this type of bodywork is the overloading that takes place when carrying less bulky materials. It takes 25 bales of wool to equal the carrying capacity in weight of a five-ton vehicle. This probably constitutes the bulkiest load next to furniture.A very simpleCalculation would enable one to understand what 25 bales of wool would appear like when stacked on a commercial vehicle.

Many motor importers share with me the view that frames should be made of maximum lengths and sufficiently long to enforce the condition that each chassis is sold for use only when the body added to it shall not have overhang of more than the number of inches stated by the manufacturer. The load would then be placed in the position in relation both to wheelbase and other detail's as foreseen by the designer, for it is inconceivable that the user of a vehicle world defy a condition of the kind laid down by the manufacturer and indicated by a plate on the dashboard.

Brake Drums and Shoes.

Aadescription of the roads would be sufficient to emphasize the necessity for maximum areas in brake drums and shoes, the amount of work and effitiency required from both being tremendous.

Types of Vehicles.

Five-ton and three-and-a-half-ton are the popular types for heavy work. One-ton and 25-cwt. vehicles are popular for lighter and faster work. The highpriced one-tori vehicle will have little or no sale while it is possible to purchase three cheap American oneton lorries for nearly the value of one English chassis. Unfortunately, this is the position at. the moment.

'The suggestions which I have here Put forward are advanced in the generalinterest of British trade abroad, particularly in New Zealand, where there is a sentiment distinctly in favour of British 'manufactures of all kinds. Given prices aria marketing terms nearly equal, the goods of the British manufacturer will have preference by .lciew Zealand buyers. At the same time, it Is necessary for manufacturers to realize that Americans have held undisputed control_ of the-New Zealand market for five years and are now making every effort to solidify that position They are given additional opportunity in the high prices, and the careless indifference of some British manufacturers to overseas markets. The buying public in New Zealand have built up a great expectancy in regard to improved methods on the part. of British manufacturers and increased output as a result of factory extensions during the war. If this expectancy is disappointed it will be because too large a proportion of British manufacturers fail to take advantage of present opportunities which will not exist later.

Organizations have been created for the assistance of British trade in New Zealand. As chairman of the Motor Section of the New Zealand Association of 'British manufacturers and Agents, I am in. a position to state that, so far, the lack of support Wen our association by British manufacturers and their present attitude to overseas markets compel: the' be-1 either that they are not alive to the position: and dangers, or they do not warit to bother with' them. We have constantly with us England's ,eompetitors. We know their manufacturing difficulties to -.be not much less than those of England : nevertheless they continue active and aggressive. • We fear that the hands held out in„ New Zealand for British goods will, if taidefinitely overlooked and disappointed, be clasped by,Atnerica. To:obviate, so far as possible, such. a nesition arisin;g arid while preKent manufacturing diffieultieS exist; I 'wotild.reSpectfully suggest that )3ritish nianufacturers give their whole-hearted support to organizations 'created at home and abroad tei.-the benefit of Empire trade.


comments powered by Disqus