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Used Seddon Atkinson Strato multi-wheelers tend to cost less than
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the equivalent ERF or Foden, which makes them good value for arduous site work, but they're not easy to find.
• Following a succession of different owners over the past decade, Seddon Atkinson's future finally seems secure. With the takeover of its former parent, Pegaso, the Oldham truck builder became part of the Iveco group.
When it was decided that a lighter version of the Iveco Etn-oTrakker eight-wheeler was needed for the UK. Seddons's experience in the heavy end of the market paid off. It was given the job of building the multi-wheeler for Iveco Ford ahead of the Langley plant, which has never produced an eight-legger.
All chassis now carry the latest Iveco cab, either badged as an Iveco product with a Fiat Iveco engine, or as a Seddon Atkinson with Perkins or Cummins power.
But eight years ago it was adding a Spanish-built Cahtec cab to its tractive unit range, shared at the time by the Pegaso Troner and Daf 95 Series.
EVOLUTION.
The Strati TC32, introduced in September 1990, was preceded by the R30 401 and the 1110 smaller cabbed 3.11 Series which date back to 1984. They pioneered the combination of a ninespeed range-change gearbox, 14in twin-plate clutch and the L10 engine, rated in this case at up to 276hp (206k'W).
Three engines were offered with the TC32 range, all driving through an Eaton RTX 11609 transmission to a Rockwell rear bogie equipped with cross-lock differentials. Cummins' 10-litre LTA unit started at 275hp but air-to-air charge-cooling boosted it to 325hp. Perkins' 12-litre Eagle 325Tx engine came on line at the start of 1992.
Initially the 5.9m and 6.4m wheelbase options were metricated equivalents of the imperial dimensions offered on earlier models; in January 1992 they were reduced slightly to 5.8m and 6.3m.
With the availability of the new, lighter Iveco cab the TC range was replaced in May 1994 by the new Strato multi-wheelers Seddon Atkinson-badged models continue to offer Perkins engines and improved, lower revving versions of Cummins' L10 power units with the option of Eaton's nine-speed RT 11609 or 12-speed TS-12612 Twin Splitter transmissions to match the increased torque outputs. Final-drive ratios have been changed so that the engines will work within their most economical range at the lower limited speeds.
OPERATORS
Phillip Walsh, workshop manager for haulier J and M Collinson at Garstang, has looked after the company's fleet for the past 21 years. The mixed fleet of 23, smartly liveried in blue and white, includes 10 eight-wheelers, six tractive units and seven 4x2 rigids. Some of the Seddon Atkinson multiwheelers are equipped to carry bricks; others have tipping bodies.
The most recent addition: to the fleet were two Strato TC32.33s running at 32 tonnes and a TC32.28 running at 31 tonnes, both specified with day cabs. They will all be expected to run out for 10 to 15 years before replacement, covering up to 75,000 miles a year throughout the UK. Average consumption is 7.2mpg with payloads up to 2126 tonnes on tipper operations.
"The reason we use Seddon Atkinsons is largely historical," said Walsh. "Fuel consumption doesn't vary much across the fleet with either use or age. We keep them a long time and they have been reliable for us. We get the occasional vehicle from other manufacturers to fry out but they have to be equipped for our use. When I told one rep that we need rough and ready toys for rough, and ready boys he didn't bother to come back—we tried the rest and kept the best." "The Seddon Atkinsons are as cheap as any in their class," he added, "and probably the cheapest on spares. We uprated the 32.33s to 32 tonnes and left the 3228 at 31 tonnes, mainly because of the power difference and the cost of uprating the front wheels. I reckon it will cost an extra £120 a year on tyres alone."
Although the later vehicles are generally thought to be an improvement on earlier models they have needed some modifications. One driver complained that the gear change was so heavy it caused him to seek medical attention for a strained shoulder. It was difficult to engage gear starting from rest and sometimes two hands were needed to get it out of gear. After some deliberation Seddon Atkinson's field engineer solved the problem by fitting an extension to the Cablecraft linkage: the lever
movement was increased but operation was greatly improved.
On delivery all three vehicles had a problem with the steering alignment of the front axles which accelerated tyre wear. When checked in the straight ahead position the second axle was found to be 13mm out—the tolerance is 2mm. Rubber suspension at the rear end is expected to save on maintenance costs as well as being more reliable than the alternative parabolic steel springs. "We wont know if they are working out to be more economical until they are four years old but we hope to save some money," said Walsh. "Brake life is OK. The 32.28 has just clocked up 230,000km before needing a reline on the front axles; the drums are fine. It's very rare that we need to change drums. I can only rate the service our local dealer gives us as average because they should carry a better stock. Run-of-the mill parts are OK, and they deliver daily, but when we want something out of the ordinary, like a recent problem with a differential, they don't always have it. Warranty on Cummins engines and Eaton transmissions has been good for us".
The fleet's smart appearance is helped by the high plastic content at the front of the TC cab: "When they stone chip they don't rust," says Walsh. "It's a good cab. The drivers say there is plenty of room inside and it's quiet. The dust on our type of work makes it harder to keep clean—the trim on the inside is dimpled and not the easiest to wipe down. It would be better if it was smooth."
The brick carrier was equipped with an Atlas loader and tippers had either Edbro or Hytec tipping gear. "Front-end tipping gear is easier to reach if it has to be worked on," he said. "We use 22.5ft bodies and axle weights are not a problem we have to worry about. I expect we will continue to buy Seddon Atkinson so long as most of the major parts are sourced in the UK."
We visited Dyson's Waste Management back in May 1994 when chairman Peter Saunders claimed to have established the company as the number one in commercial waste transfer after only six years of operation. Later that year he sold out to UK Waste of Bradford. "We clear 1,000 tonnes a day," Saunders told us. In addition to seven 17-tanners (five Mercedes-Benz, an Iveco and a Seddon Atkinson) he ran seven 8x4s with bulk tipping bodies. Three are G-registered Iveco Magirus vehicles; the other four are Seddon Atkinsons.
"Under-bumper clearance is a problem for us when the trucks go on to soft land fill sites," he said. The Strata's suspension is a bit soft at the front end and over rough ground it tends to bounce a bit. The bottom water pipe for the radiator gets ripped off and its very easy to damage the plastic valance. When we started up in business we looked at Seddon Atkinson and placed it alongside the Foden and ERF at the top end of the range which we thought was a good driver's vehicle
but a bit too glamorous for the waste business. A salesman from the main distributor, Knottingley Trucks , bought one along for us to try out and I think we were the first in our area to operate one.
"We specified TC32.33s with Econocruise and they have got plenty of power," Saunders added. "We like the rubber suspension on the back end as well. They are strong and will pull all day. I'll use them on front line work for about five years but we are also into recycling so they may go into lighter work later. I've not got much choice with the Ivecos—we've had to repair the chassis so who will want them secondhand?
"The Stratos are better priced than either Volvo or Scania and they are better for the job than the Iveco eight-wheelers." he added. "We haven't had many problems. The gears grate and stick a bit, and tyre wear was a bit heavy on the second axle. We don't do a big mileage but we have just had a differential go at 120,000km. Up to now Seddon has been right on the ball if we have had any trouble.
"We get our bodies from Townsend at Hudderfield and use Harsh under floor tipping gear," he said. "I'm not keen on having the tipping controls on the side of the chassis as well as in the cab. If the body has to be tipped in the workshop the fitter blocks it out but I think there is a risk of the controls getting a knock when the driver is steam-cleaning the vehicle.
"I'd like to see Seddon Atkinson upgrade the front suspension, relocate the water pipe, and fit a sump guard and steel front bumper as standard," he concluded. "Although the cab is a bit over specified for our type of work I think the Stratos are ideal for the job.
Owner-driver Duncan Slater is on contract to Tarmac Roadstone, working out of
Shrewsbury He had just sold his Seddon Atkinson 32.33 eight-wheel tipper after 18 months and has moved onto an articulated outfit with one of the last of the old Strato tractors. "There is a big advantam in the tax," he explained. He found the cab of the eightlegger "a bit tall for operating around the lanes, but it was OK on the motorway. It's got plenty of room and the ride is fine. Mine had the nine-speed Fuller box hut it might have been a bit better with the 12-speed. The Volvo FLU) 320 had the edge on it on the banks but that might be down to the gearing. On the flat
there was nothing in it. Being on Tarmac my only problem was in keeping it clean.
It was virtually trouble free—it ran for 175,000 on one set of linings," he added. "Spares are cheap and easy to get hold of. Fuel consumption varied from 7.5mpg on stopstart work to over 9.0mpg on the motorway. I had no trouble selling it; I had a lot of enquiries and got the price I wanted."
DEALERS Malcolm Harrison, based to the south of Stoke on Trent, usually has two or three Seddon Atkinsons among a stock of 200 vehicles and trailers. "Even though they use the same engines. gearboxes and axles as Foden and ERF eightwheelers Seddon Atkinson doesn't have the same penetration with new vehicles so you won't see as many on the secondhand market," he said. "There's nothing wrong with the TC range; it has a much better cab and wider appeal than the earlier 411s and 311s which really only had much of a following in the North-West. There are not many of the Strato range about but there is a good demand from tipping men. If they were there, they would buy them.
"Most preference is for the lighter Cummins LIO 325engined 32.33 Strato," Harrison explained. "Price depends on age and condition but they can be up to 10% less than the equivalent Sandbachbuilt model, which possibly reflects the price when new. For a good example you should look at one that has MODEL Seddon Atkinson Strata IC 32.28 tipper chassis,
GVW: 30.49 tonnes.
Manufacturer: Seddon Atkinson Vehicles, Woodstock Factory, Oldham, 012 611P, ENGINE: Cummins charge-cooled LTA10-275 Cylinders: Six, in-line.
Capacity: 10 00 litres.
Maximum net power: 205kW (275hp) at 2,10Orpm. Maximum net torque: 1 ,166Nm (860Ibftl at 1.30Orpm TRANSMISSION: Eaton RTX 11609A nine-speed, constant-mesh with 356mm-diameter twin-ceramic plate clutch Final drive ratio: 5.57:1. BRAKING SYSTE Full-air, dual-line with load sensing on rear ie.
Parking: Spring b •ke on axles two and three. Exhaust brake: Be fly type on manifold.
STEERING: ZE 8097 recirculating ball with integral power assistance, I
CHASSIS: Pressed steel frame with bolted cross members.
Suspension: Front, parabolic springs; rear, rubber Wheelbase: 5.8m Wheels and tyres: 11R 22.5s on 7.5x22.5 sleet rims. Fuel tank: 340 litres ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 24V, 2x1 2V 135Ah batteries. Generator: 55A alternator.
WORKSHOP TIMES
Manufacturer's standard workshop hour
Replace clutch assembly
Replace injector set Replace head gaskets Replace brakes, front and rear Remove and replace engine Remove and replace gearbox
Renew engine oil and filter(s)