SHOP TALK
Page 81
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
I The debate about wheel nut fastenigs looks set to run for some considerbile time yet. The preliminary findings f research conducted under the Instiite of Road Transport Engineers (as escribed in detail in November Workhop) have not met with universal pproval.
In particular, representatives of three iajor trailer axle manufacturers — Rubry Owen-Rockwell, York, and Crane ruehauf — have joined forces to publicdispute the recommendations of the RTE report (Dear Sir, CM 27 °ewer). Their main quarrel was with the RTE's suggestion that a uniform tightfling torque (of 800Nm) should be dopted for all wheel nuts.
It was thought that this year's Euroean Transport Maintenance Council onference (held in Holland on 6-9 lovember) would provide the forum for le two parties to discuss their differnces. Unfortunately, it seems that this pportunity has been missed.
At the conference, John Dicksonimpson, representing the IRTE, repeted once more the findings of the reearch. In response, Alan Dixon of Rubry Owen-Rockwell argued that it was enseless to make a common torque tandard for the three different types of 'heel fixing (ISO, DIN and British Stanard). He described the IRTE's move to pecify a single torque as "to some deree irresponsible".
The stage, therefore, was set. Such as the passion of both speakers, owever, that the time allocated for uestions had already been used The elegates were left to draw their own onclusions.
What is clear is that more research is eeded, and that all concerned parties including the manufacturers and the tandards organisations — should contriute to this process. It is to be hoped aat the energies of all involved can be hanneled into producing a single pan:uropean standard, with the result being ae "fit and forget" wheel that everyone esires.