The right body can make the difference between profit and
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loss—the CV show Is packed with examples of innovative engineering to boost your productivity.
• ANDOVER TRAILERS is displaying a semi-sloping step-frame built for Spadeoak Construction and featuring Andover's new hydraulic fold-forward ramp with hydraulic locking pins. Also on show is a rigid Volvo FM7 with a low-profile plant body built for Nationwide Access. Andover specialises in producing lowloaders, step-frames and low-profile plant bodies among other products for a customer base including plant hire companies and local authorities.
• CARTWRIGHT GROUP has its Safeside semi-trailer at Birmingham. Designed in conjunction with TNT, it has powered sides which open vertically.
Littlewoods Retail operates another of Cartwright's exhibits—a big-capacity tapered-wedge semi-trailer. It employs a TransDek system, an internal loading platform which moves both horizontally and vertically.
Exhibit number three is a command-steer single-axle City Trailer Designed and built for furniture maker Earlybird, it features TransDek and a specially developed Cartwright load restraint system. It makes use of multi-position keyhole internal panels with load-carrying bars.
The fourth semi-trailer is an aerodynamic model which is one of 300 built for Transrent. It features aluminium side raves and disc brakes.
• CARVER TECHNOLOGY has an unusual folding trailer to offer at the show. It can carry up to 500kg, expands to 1.65m long by 1.22m wide, but can fold to operate at half this width if required.
It's no wider than its wheels and suspension units when fully folded, says Carver, so it can be stored inside the towing vehicle when not in use.
The company is also displaying its single or twin-axle Utility trailers equipped wfth cranes which are capable of lifting up to 2.5 tonnes. • DENNISON TRAILERS is promoting a curtainsider in the livery of Benton Brothers Transport and a straightframe Arrowhead tank carrier; one of 10 bought by lsotank.
The 13.7m-long, 4.2m-high curtainsided semi-trailer weighs just under 6.5 tonnes and is one of four in service with the operator. It features Dennison's own bolt-on body with a flush-front bulkhead, a single piece integral alloy cant rail, flush doors with internallymounted furniture and GRP side skirts.
The sliding posts are removable and rear-mounted ratchet tensioners plus internal restraint rails have been fitted. The running gear comprises Mentor LM9000 axles with disc brakes, FL9000 air suspension and includes a Haldex Colas raisedower capability.
Dennison started building its own curtainsider bodies only last spring. although it has supplied chassis for curtainsider applications to other bodybuilders for several years. It's best-known for skeletals, including the Arrowhead range.
Produced in drop and straightframe versions, Arrowhead has no front bolster and a chassis that tapers to the front and rear to cut weight and lower the centre of gravity. The straight-frame model on display will carry ISO tanks up to 7.15m long and weighs only 3,660kg.
• The major feature on DON-BURS stand is the Palletmaster Evolution curtainsider semi-trailer, which has a
new horizontal tensioning device for its air-operated curtains. It's actuated by a pneumatic cylinder mounted inside the front bulkhead.
A shackle at the end of this cylinder attaches to a rigid curtain pole. When the device is operated, the cylinder retracts, pulling the curtain tight horizontally before it is vertically tensioned.
Also on show is a John Lewis Partnership double-deck semi-trailer with Don-Bur's SELECT (Supervised Electronic Logging Equipment Controlling Trailers) system. It includes three basic components—a two-core cable, coupling modules and an electromechanical interface.
The coupling modules are clipped onto the cable where electrical power is required on the trailer: the electromechanical interface, which incorporates input and output sockets, is screwed onto the coupling module. As it is screwed on it forces two pins in the coupling module to penetrate the two-core cable.
The coupling modules and accompanying interfaces can be moved simply by pulling them off the cable. The holes made in the cable by the pins disappear thanks to material displacement and the wire becomes solid again. The step-frame doubledeck box van John Lewis trailer has an eight-tonne capacity, internal 9.05mlong lifting deck, with a 3.05m-long one-tonne-capacity lifting deck over the gooseneck. • GENERAL TRAILERS has five trailers on its stand. The roster includes a curtainsider Speediner a dry freight Expressliner an alloy-bodied LoadRunner tipping semi-trailer with a steel chassis; an IceLiner refrigerated van; and an extendible MultiLiner skeletal.
• KING TRAILERS is known as a specialist builder and it is living up to its reputation at the NEC. It is exhibiting an elevating bolster beavertail trombone trailer developed to the requirements of Berkeley Leisure Group. The trailer. which is designed to carry mobile homes, is one of three supplied to Berkeley through Ryder Truck Rental's contract hire division.
The triaxle trailer can be extended in length from 12.5m to 15.25m and is fitted with Gigant air suspension. Unladen weight is approximately nine tonnes, including detachable loading ramps and front and rear electric winches. Deck height has been kept down to 780mm.
The trailer is equipped with 205/65 R17.5 low-profile tyres.
• MERCERON is showing its range of tanker trailers for the first time in the UK. The French manufacturer is launching a 41,500-litre capacity fuel tanker on this side of the Channel together with a 36m3 bulk tanker and a 12,000-litre capacity aircraft refueller.
• One of the key items of interest on the SDC TRAILERS stand is a new load transfer system. Exhibited on an extendible skeletal trailer, it discharges air from the suspension on the • CUMMINS is at the NEC with Its latest family of Euro-3 mid-range engines. Most of the design work was completed in the UK and the engines will be supplied from the company's Darlington factory.
• ALLISON IS displaying its fully automatic transmissions. They include the Allison 1000 Series and the MD 3060PR, a medium-duty, sixspeed box with an integral retarder, and are designed for refuse collection, fire and other specialist applications.
This auto box features two rotating clutches, three grounded clutches and three planetary gears. These gears are helical with quieter operation in mind and the rotating clutches are pressure-balanced on _ • both sides.
The aim is to achieve longer clutch life and more precise control over the entire transmission speed range.
• AS-Ironic is, Inevitably, the main focus of the ZF stand. A fully automated lay-shaft transmission on sale In both 12 and 16-speed guise, it's on offer in both fully automatic and semi-automatic versions—the latter is fitted by Iveco.
Also on show is a working model of the Ecosplit manual synchromesh transmission, complete with Servoshift. If's pneumatically assisted gearshift system, and the Intarder, This is the company's endurance braking package which is designed to provide controlled downhill descents and prolong the life of the service brakes. Also present is a box can semitrailer with an airlift roller bed floor to ease the loading and unloading of airfreight containers.
Involved in both the rigid and the trailer market, SOUTHFIELD has a Renault Midlum on Its stand fitted with lightweight Busy Body bodywork. Among the other exhibits is a curtainsider trailer with a system which allows you to change the vehicle's signwriting whenever you please.
The banner on which the livery is displayed is attached to the curtains with heavy-duty zippers.
m With more trailer buyers specifying disc brakes, a small-rotor version of SAF's Intradisc Plus integrated axle/air suspension is displayed on the IMS stand. It's designed for use with the 19.5in wheels fitted to mega-trailers, but can also be used with 22.5in offset wheels.
It weighs in at a slimline 425kg. including brake cylinders and air connections. IMS is also promoting the Haacon S 200 Series trailer landing leg, Hosta hydraulic-powered steering for trailers, Carlisle spring brakes, Dist-Lock safety wheel nuts and Georg Fischer fifth wheel couplings.
0 Talking about fifth wheels, fit; is launching a pressed-steel model with what it describes as a "no-effort" release handle.
It will be offered as a production option—a development of the extended interlock handle incorporates an integral trigger device to release the locking mechanism. This system does away with the need to reach under the trailer to access the safety clip, but still requires physical effort to pull the handle.
With the new model, squeezing the trigger
releases air from an Integral air cylinder mounted beneath the fifth wheel top plate. This allows the handle to be pulled out with only minimal effort. says VBG.
• Specialist rigid bodybuilders at Birmingham include WHALE TANKERS, which is showing the latest Whale Blazer gritter. mounted on a Mercedes-Benz 1823AK chassis.
Data logging and digital control systems have been fitted to Blazer gritters for some time and it's now possible to add positioning and data exchange systems which can either continuously transmit data in real time or store it for later retrieval.
• There's plenty of refrigerated bodywork at the NEC, with GRP among the exhibitors. It has an lune Daily van conversion for examination, alongside a Mercedes
Sprinter 3.5-tonner chassis-cab with a temperature-controlled box body.
a Reefer unit producer CARRIER TRANSICOLD Is displaying its Vector trailer systems among other products, while rival Thermo King is launching an expanded range of engine-driven systems. The VM-400, V-280 and V-200 are suitable for load compartment capacities from 8m3 to 33m3. and temperatures from 10C down to -25"0.
The company is also introducing a new range of eutectic units aimed at operators who tackle a lot of multiple-drop, deep-frozen work and will be demonstrating its latest SL300. This features a new evaporator blower which is said to deliver 113% more airflow in a fully laden trailer.
• Many exhibitors with a particular interest in temperature control are grouped in the Cool Pavillion in Hall 4. Among them are Cambridge Refrigeration Technology, which is promoting its test, consultancy and training services.