Volvo six-wheeler at the Show
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by Tony Wilding
• An additional Volvo model is to be introduced into Britain by Ailsa Trucks Ltd. This is the FB86 six-wheeler and an example will be featured by the company at the forthcoming Commercial Motor Show.
Ailsa has had a fair amount of success with the F86 four-wheel 32-ton-gross tractive unit that has been its main import from Sweden and the FB86 is based on this chassis with the addition of a trailing rear axle. Wheelbase is 18ft lin. and the 22-ton-gross six-wheeler is suitable for platforms up to 27 ft-long .
The trailing axle is carried on the trailing ends of beams pivoted under the -Chassis
frame, the forward ends of which are shackled to the rear ends of the driving axle springs. A feature of the design is said to be that load on the driving axle is increased when starting from a standstill and this gives improved traction. The rear springs are 5ft 5in-long as against 4ft 11 in. on the F86 but apart from this the fourand six-wheelers have the same basic specification.
The engine in the F886 that will be imported into Britain will be the Volvo TD 70 A turbocharged diesel which gives an output of 185 bhp (DIN net) at 2,400 rpm and the drive is taken through a Volvo R50 eight-speed range-change synchromesh gearbox.
The Show exhibit will have a single reduction hypoid-bevel rear axle (differential lock is standard with a ratio of 5.4 to 1. A 4.9 to 1 axle is an option in the model and an alternative is the double-reduction unit standardized for F86 tractors sold in Britain and this is available with ratios of 5.4 or 6.1 to 1.