Spec that truck ...
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SPECIFYING or tailoring vehicles for particular jobs is not easy, but is vital in order to get the best results.
Ideally, the operation of the vehicle should be studied in detail to arrive at the exact requirement. Basic questions are: • What is the payload weight?
• Is it bulky or dense?
• How will it be loaded and unloaded?
• Is the vehicle operation intensive over two shifts or is it one man, one truck?
• Is it to be used predominantly for distribution or trunking?
Only when these and many other questions have been answered can the ideal specification be drawn up. The DSeries range is comprehensive enough to cover virtually all operator needs between 5.8 and 28 tons gross.
Every D-Series is available with a long list of factory options or RPOs (regular production options) as they are known to the Ford computer. Before an operator decides which particular model will suit his needs it would be well worth his while to study the RPO list as he may find that this would influence his choice considerably.
Choice of engine size is a case in point. The up to 7.5tonne-gross D-Series models are available with a fourcylinder engine of 4.2 litres (254cuin) capacity developing 57kW (76bhp) or a 6.0litre (363cuin) six-cylinder unit which produces 79kW (106bhp).
The smaller engine is fine for most applications, but the operator must ask himself is it the best for the type of running he has in mind.
For example, will it be used in very hilly country or will it spend most of its life up and down on motorways? Will it be fitted with a box or Luton body which has a large frontal area ?
If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then the larger engine would be a wise choice.
The same applies to the
transmission specification. Only the operator—be he an owner-driver or a transport manager of a large fleet—
knows the type of work his trucks will be required to do, so who better to spend some time looking at the alternative specifications available to suit his particular needs.
On the 7.5-tonne-gross models there is a choice of transmissions. The Ford 4-310 gearbox is a light box with no synchro on first gear whereas the heavier duty four and sixspeed units have synchromesh on all the forward gears.
The choice of axle ratio is of paramount importance too because of its effect on gradeability and top speed. Obviously it is no good having high gearing if the truck will spend its working day in hilly country and the same comment applies to low gearing for a vehicle intended for motorway runs.
The bigger engine will also be the best choice if the vehicle is destined for a high mileage.
Other RPOs cover the size and make of tyres which you may want to standardise with existing vehicles and even such things as cab paint. All D-Series are available in primer, but it would appear logical to take the factory paint finish if the colour you want is available. It is impossible to paint a cab as well as it can be done in the building stage at the plant, and the factory job is invariably cheaper too.
The heavier D-Series models are powered by Ford's own turbocharged 6.0-litre engine, which produces 140bhp net (104.5kW) at 2,400rpm, and two V8 engines. The "Ford" V8 (which is built by Perkins) is a direct injection 8.8-litre design which produces 168bhp net (125.2kW) at 2,600rpm. Ford also buys the other V8, the Cummins 504. This engine has a capacity of 8.3 litres and produces 170bhp net (126kW) at 3,00Orpm.
All three engines, the Ford 6.0-litre turbo and the two V8s, are available in a 16-tongross chassis with Ford sixor eight-speed fully synchromesh transmissions. A variety of rear axles is also available with each engine.
Ford emphasises the need to get the right truck for the job and spends a lot of time training its truck salesmen in this field. The most senior salesmen who have successfully passed courses at Ford's own Bower House "technical college" and passed their hgv Class 1 driving test are known as Truck Consultants.
As wide as the total D Series range is, bearing in mind all the RPOs that are available, Ford has for some years now offered a range of specially engineered options through its SVO (Special Vehicle Orders) operation based at the Langley plant that extends the range still further. The list of SVOs available for the D -Series is
The D-Series is available with three different engines at 16 tons gross. The lightweight but powerful Ford 6.0-litre turbo is the favourite with most operators, but the Ford and Cummins V8s are preferred for drawbar use.
extensive and includes, for example: Auxiliary fog and spot lamps, heavy-duty alternator, transverse exhaust for tanker operations, power take-offs, automatic drain valves, hand throttle, heavy-duty cyclopac air cleaner, scuff plates, captive oil and water caps, seat belts, automatic chassis lubrication, laminated windscreen, noise insulation package, alternative fifth-wheel couplings, tanker package, drawbar package and long-range fuel tanks.
The advantages of a factory supplied SVO over a one-off change made by a. dealer or an operator are important.
The SVO options are engineered by Ford as an integral part of the complete vehicle and are fitted at the factory. Thus they receive the same quality control checks as the rest of the vehicle and—most important of all—they are covered by the same warranty assurance as the rest of the vehicle. Also the SVO options are covered by the same spare parts network as the trucks. If ordered together with the chassis. SVOs are usually available within the standard building period which can save time compared with fitment at a later date.
As an example of how the operator can use the option system to advantage, consider the case of a haulier who solved an awkward problem by calling up a single SVO option. The company had started a new delivery run and was experiencing an operational problem. Although the vehicles were starting out with a full fuel tank from the company's pumps at 8am (the company's official starting time) they were not returning until 5pm and as the official finishing time was 5.30pm the vehicle had to be loaded on overtime for the next trip.
The problem was caused by the driver having to stop for fuel twice on the motorway, and it occurred to him that by fitting a larger tank the company could save in three ways. First, the driver would be on the road only for eight hours, the legal limit in the proposed new drivers' hours bill. Secondly, the truck could be loaded in normal working hours thus saving on the overtime payments, and thirdly, the company could use its own fuel instead of paying full pump prices.
The vehicle in question was a D0910 which has a standard fuel tank capacity of 85 litres (18.7gal.). The Ford dealer's recommendation to enable the operator to get the mileage he wanted was a minimum capacity of around 180 litres (40gal). The problem was solved by calling up SVO option number 2562—a 215litre (47.4gal) tank which gave the required capacity plus a few gallons in reserve.
Another problem solved by careful specification was faced by Newbury District Council. The council had found that the fitting of lorry-mounted cranes to tippers presented problems, particularly for vehicles under the hgv limit of 7.5 tonnes (7.38 tons) gvw. Quite often there is insufficient integral strength to support the moment exerted by the crane if it is fitted within the body area, and for this reason it is necessary to mount the equipment between the body and the cab.
With heavier vehicles this can be done with little loss in payload capacity as the sides of the body can usually be raised to give an equivalent cubic area. However, this cannot be done with lighter bodies as the result could overload the back axle.
Faced with the dual requirements of a crane/tipper on the one hand and a non-hgv licence on the other, the Newbury Council got around the difficulty by using a D-Series 0710 with a 3.4m (11 ft 2in) wheelbase in place of the more usual tipper wheelbase of 3.05m (10ft). Edbro gear and body were fitted and the crane was a Challenger Handling 1100 with a lift capacity of 1,100kg (2,420Ib) at 1.5m (5ft).
The moral of the story is that an extra day or two involved in getting the right vehicle in the first place can save days or even weeks of frustration throughout the life of the vehicle.