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NEW MIDDLEWEIGHT BOXERS

28th May 1971, Page 48
28th May 1971
Page 48
Page 49
Page 48, 28th May 1971 — NEW MIDDLEWEIGHT BOXERS
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Leyland Redline range is rationalized

by Gibb Grace, MIMechE

ON the British market as a whole 56.0 per cent of the total trucks sold are it the 9.6to 16-ton-gross range but only 34.6 per cent of Leyland Redline output sold is in this range. There is, therefore, growth potential in this field for the Redline models. It is this group of the market in which a new Boxer range, announced today, is designed to sell.

The Boxer has become a range of five trucks through the introduction of three extra models below and one above the existing Boxer BX1425. The three smaller trucks are developments of the Laird and the larger one is a development of the Mastiff. The overall effect from the purchaser's point of view is that the Redline range has become rationalized with the Terrier bottom of the class, the Boxer in the middle and the Mastiff at the top.

A condensed specification of the existing BX1425 and the four new models is shown in the accompanying table, the main points of interest being as follows; Three models, the BX1000, BX1200 and BX1300, replace the old Laird models LR950, LR1000, LR1200 and LR1300 which are now discontinued. Laird LR1800 and LR1825 tractive units remain in production for sale in the UK and all Laird models stay in production for export. Boxer models BX1000, BX1200 and BX1300 are based on the old Laird chassis and have basically similar specifications; detail changes include a revised cooling system for the vertically mounted engines and the introduction of spring-type parking brakes. The BX1425 is unchanged from the current specification.

The cab used throughout the range is the G Series all-steel tilt cab but it is available in two standards of trim; standard and GX. t he GX specification varies in several important respects. A large ,rilphasis is placed on seating; the driver's seat incorporates an tdjustable back-rest and is trimmed in plastics and black Ambla tnd the passenger seat to match. A single passenger seat is ;tandard on 9ft 3in. and 10ft 1 lin.-wheelbase chassis and a dual ;eat on 12ft 7in., 14ft 3M. and 16ft 4in. chassis, the alternative ;eat being an option in each case. Also intended to aid driver :omfort and acceptability is the 5kW heater, ashtray and coat look. From the safety point of view the facia is more heavily ,added and large dual mirrors on substantial D brackets with Kays and dual sun-visors are fitted. , Top of the Boxer range is now the BX1600 which is an mtirely new model combining the Mastiff-type chassis with mgine, clutch and gearbox package as fitted in the Boxer 3X1425. The engine is the Perkins 126 bhp BS gross, 6.354 which irives through a 13in. single-plate hydraulic actuated clutch and turner five-speed direct-top gearbox. Singleand two-speed axles ire offered. Brake design follows the Mastiff with full air operation ind cam-actuated brake units-through spring-brake chambers at le driving axle. Power steering is standard.

The three smallest models use the Leyland 5.1and 5.7-litre !ngines hut mounted vertically instead of inclined as in the Laird. En the Laird these engines had gained something of a reputation or blowing head gaskets and a subsequent study of the problem thowed a design fault in the internal cooling system. Originally the water gallery supplied the head and the two end cylinders directly, the middle four cylinders being very poorly served and getting unnecessarily hot.

In the modified system the water gallery has ports which direct water forcibly at those areas under the deck and around the top of the liners where temperatures are highest. The effect has been to obtain a maximum temperature difference end to end of 2 deg. F. The gasket design has also been revised.

Many thousands of miles in service have now been run on these redesigned engines without any head gasket problems. The engines in all cases are mounted upright. The engines will all give 6 bhp per ton laden under the BS AU141 rating conditions.

• Behind either engine comes an Eaton Yale and Towne 475 Mk 4 (SMA) five-speed synchromesh gearbox. As an alternative, when a single-speed rear axle is fitted an overdrive version of this box is available. Singleor two-speed rear axles are available, one of 7 tons capacity being specified for the BX1000 and 9 tons for the BX1200 and BX1300.

Brakes are air-assisted hydraulic having a dual air actuator and tandem master cylinder as on the Laird. New to this size of vehicle is the parking system; this is of the spring-type operated by a lever to the right of the driver's seat. Power-steering is standard on the BX1300 and an option on the two smaller models when the ratio is reduced from 28 to 1 to 20 to 1.

Prices for the revised models range from £1830 for the BX1000 to £2245 for the BX1300. For the existing BX1425 the prices range from £2595 to £2610 while the new heavy BX1600 will cost from £2850 for the 145in.-wheelbase model to £2900 for the 201in.-wheelbase model.

At the time of going to press CM's technical staff were road-testing the Boxer on the long-distance test route. A full CM road-test report will appear in next week's issue.

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Organisations: Yale

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