rhe lighter side of tipping
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INN AT the lower end of the ght scale, the law has a divid line of 3.5 tonnes below ch tachographs are not rered and, in certain circumices, neither are plating and :ing.
mall tippers have found quite Iche in this market sector, be ideal for local municipal horities and builders. It is ler misleading to talk about current size of the market to the severity of the reces1, but in happier times it runs about 2,000 units per year h Tipmaster having the lion's 'he market is well-served with nufacturers who provide gear body kits and here we look iquipment offered by some of se companies.
'he 3.5-tonne category has the introduction of the scis'-type tipping gear where litionally the front ram has :ninated. Also the underbody 1 is more popular than in, say, six-wheeler market. Though the underbody rams need more effort to raise the body and do not equate to the front end ram from the support point of view, they do have the great advantage of not taking up load space behind the cab.
Linktip Ltd is based at Unit Al, Stafford Park, Telford, Shropshire, supplying tipping systems for most chassis in the 3.5-tonne category. (In fact, the company caters for most vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes gross.) The company claims that the underbody tipping gear enables full use of body space by removing the need to have the gear behind the cab. With all Linktip equipment, a full-length chassis subframe is supplied which allows the stresses to be transferred throughout the full length of the chassis so eliminating point loading.
The tipping gear is powered through an electrically operated hydraulic power pack. According to Linktip, the high efficiency of this unit, tailored to the cylinders used, reduces battery drain to a minimum.
The standard arrangement is for tipping to be controlled from the cab through a simple toggle switch connected to the vehicle's electrics.
The Linktip equipment is available for the Bedford CF in three nominal body lengths — 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5m (8ft 3in, 10ft and lift 9in). The shortest is also available for the Sherpa and Transit with the latter also coping with the 3m body if required.
For the Datsun Cabstar and Toyota Niece models, Linktip offers a tipping conversion kit which enables the standard factory body supplied with these chassis to be converted for tipper operation.
This type of conversion can be carried out by Linktip or the kit supplied complete for the vehicle distributor or bodybuilder to fit.
Complete purpose-built gear and subframe assemblies can be supplied to bodybuilders to enable them to use their own bodywork.
Linktip equipment is also available for certain models in the Mercedes, MAN-VW, Dodge and Fiat ranges.
Also marketed by Linktip is the Mini-Lift which is a ground-level demountable container system aimed at the lighter end of the market. Linktip claims that the system can mount or demount a fully laden body in less than a minute, or, alternatively, it can tip fully to discharge the load in a conventional manner.
A 3.5-tonne chassis, when fitted with the Mini-Lift, has a kerb weight of approximately 1,500kg (30cwt). The system is controlled from two switches located in the cab. These activate an electro-hydraulic pump which in turn energises the body lock cylinder or master cylinder control valve.
The Tipit, from Acoma (Bilston) Ltd of Dale Street, Bilston, West Midlands, is manufactured to fit all 3.5-tonne gross vehicles with the full list being Ford Transit and A-series, Leyland FG 320 and Sherpa, Bedford CF, Dodge 50-Series, Fiat Daily, Mercedes-Benz 307, Volkswagen LT3 5, Datsun Cabstar and one-ton pickup, Mazda, Tudor and Toyota Hiace.
Claimed to be the manufacturers of the first lightweight scissor hoist in the UK, Acoma offer bodies ranging from 2.4 to 3.05m (8ft to 10ft) with removable 380mm (15in) sides and top and bottom tailgate. Within the 3.5 tonne gross weight limit the payload potential is 2000kg.
The electro-hydraulic power unit is controlled from inside the cab and gives a tipping cycle of around ten seconds.
Acoma offers the Tipit in gear and lift frame form for bodybuilders or complete with steel, alloy or composite body. On the popular makes of chassis (for example, Ford, Bedford and Ley land) the company offers a dropon service with a same day turnaround.
Not surprisingly Edbro is involved in the small tipper market with its range of mini hoists. The ME20 has a two-stage bore seal ram with a 50mm (2in) bore base ram diameter and a 1,676mm (5ft 6in) stroke.
Edbro claims that this is sufficient to elevate a 2.45m (8ft) body to an angle of 450 with a payload of three tonnes.
It is suitable for bodies ranging in length from 2 to 2.75m (6ft Gin to 9ft) and can be supplied to bodybuilders as a kit complete with tank, hinge equipment and lifting brackets.
The total weight of a typical package is around 23kg (50 lb) and with an installed telescoped height of 1,040mm (41in) it requires a fitting depth of under five inches.
The ME26 from Edbro is capable of lifting loads of up to six tons which might seem out of place when we are talking about the 3.5-tonne gross category.
However, at the lower end of the weight scale, most tipping applications have an excess of lifting capacity as the gear is required to support as well as provide pure thrust.
Hence the ME26 and the 1E being included in this survey.
As with the ME20, the ME2 an upside-down mount which dispenses with the oi cover. It is a two-stage bore ram suitable for body lenc ranging from 2.59 to 3.2m Gin to 10ft 61n) with a maxim tipping angle of 48°.
The 1E has a two-stage b seal ram and outer cover an capable of lifting payloads of fween 5 and 7.5 tonnes. Suitz for body lengths of up to 3. (10ft 6in), the Edbro 1E come a package complete with cry der, tank, hinge equipment .
lifting brackets.
The hydraulic pressure for mini hoist is normally supp by an Edbro electro-hydra power pack but versions usir standard pto/purnp unit available. The electro-hydrai