Telling the work with a CM traile
Page 16
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COMMERCIAL MOTOR now has its own test railer.
Thanks to the kind co-operation of Crane Fruehauf, CM will, in future, test all tractive units — whatever the make — coupled to this trailer.
In past years, we have always tested the various tractive units complete with whatever trailer the vehicle manufacturer provided. This was never very satisfactory for a number of reasons.
On several occasions, a CM test was wrecked or, at best, delayed by problems associated with the trailer — usually the brakes. This was doubly infuriating because it was not the trailer we were testing but the tractive unit. With the co-operation of Crane Fruehauf, the braking system maintenance will now be under our control.
The other major variables that have been eliminated are those of trailer weight and rolling resistance. In the past, we have used trailers varying in weight between 21/2 and 6 tons. Although we still obviously tested the vehicles at their full gross weight, it made life difficult when calculating productivity factors based on the individual payload.
All the vehicle manufacturers competing in the UK market have welcomed the idea of a 'standard' CM trailer, so we can now improve still further, the accuracy and dependability of CM road test results by testing every tractive unit with the same trailer.
The trailer is a Crane Fruehauf flat platform model in the PB 80 series to the full 12.2m (40ft) deck length.
Because, like any normal operator, we needed the facility to couple to any tractive unit on the market from an F86 to a Transcontinental, Crane Fruehauf has provided a dual kingpin position at and 1200mm (35.4 and 47.2i• Our trailer is fitted with optional high density pc thene rear panel which he the full complement of ligl reflectors, signs, etc, to corn with all the current regt tions.
Crane Fruehauf claims t. the panel is resilient to mii accidents, and is able to bE and return to shape with damage. But as far as • Technical Editor is concern this is one claim we will N be testing!
It is also fitted with a Cc of Practice headboard e nylon piping while the s pension features single 1 springs for weight reduction We hope that the n CM/CF trailer will ena Commercial Motor to imprc our road test service to 1 operator — and, after all, h the person we're writing for