Accent on Bodywork i ew Commers
Page 40
Page 41
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
SEVEN years have elapsed since any major alteration has been made to the Commer Superpoise range of 2-, 3-, 4and 5-ton goods chassis The announcement last Tuesday of a completely new series of Superpoise vehicles—Mark IV in chronological sequence—is therefore of special interest.
More outstanding features of the new models include an entirely new cab; the greater use of steel in the standard dropsided bodies; the introduction of an all-steel welded 4 1/7-cu.-yd. tipping body; and the availability of an overdrive unit as an optional 'extra.
' The chassis and running components have been modified in the frame. suspension, braking, engine cooling and mounting, and the steering. There are no new additions to the range as a whole, but the Commer-Hands 8-, 10and 12-ton tractor units have been discontinued.
Except for the 2-3-ton vehieles, the choice of Commer petrol or Perkins oil engines is available, and the 2-3-ton and 3:4-ton models are offered in two wheelbases.
The engine is the basically unchanged six-cylindered overhead-valve 4.139-litre petrol engine of the previous range. it has a net power output of 85 b.h.p. at 3.100 r.p.m., and a gross output of 91 b.h.p is now quoted by the manufacturers. Externally, the engine has been modified to the extent of lowering the fan and water pump so as to afford a low bonnet line.
An improved type of Metacone mounting is used at each side of the clutch housing (which has been modified accordingly) and two Firestone mountings are fitted at the front of the engine. By employing a squatter radiator block, hence increasing the frontal area, and pressurizing the system to 4 p.s.i., all cooling problems in hot or mountainous countries should be eliminated.
The four-speed synchromesh gearbox is retained and is unaltered except when the optional overdrive unit is fitted. This overdrive, which is a constantmesh unit with a ratio of 0.822 to I, bolts on to the back face of the main box and uses the same tayshaft, mainshaft and selector mechanism.
It is not recommended that the additional gear be used with a standard gearbox, as this would entail fitting longer gearshafts. As an example of the effect of the overdrive, the engine speed of a petrol-engined 5-ton vehicle at 40 m.p.h. is said to be reduced from 2480 r.p.m. to 2,050 r.p.m. There is no change in the specification of the axles, but the springs are now more lightly stressed and • the anchor brackets strengthened to avoid trouble on unmade surfaces. The frame has been partly redesigned, crossmembers being placed in different positions to minimize the risk of permanent distortion. Cold-squeeze riveting Is used throughout.
Worm-and-sector steering gear, made in the Commer factory, .replaces the former worm-and-wheel gear. The ratio of the new gear is 21 to 1, as. opposed to 16 to 1, and this has been done to reduce the steering effort necessary overseas, especially when 9.0020-in. lyres are fitted.
The braking system is essentially similar to the previous design, but simplified linkage between the pedal and the servo motor is now possible because the pedal is mounted outside the frame.
The new cab is an all-steel welded assembly. The interior width at the waist-rail has been increased from 4 ft. 6 in. to 5 ft. 01 in„ and this, in conjunction with the smaller engine cowl, will make seating for three more comfort There arc a two-piece windscreen with nonopening panels and large twin rear windows, instead of the single rear window and corner lights of the old model. The squab and cushion of the bench scat are mounted on one frame and the whole assembly is adjustable for reach and height.
Twin windscreen wipers are cable-driven from a motor placed centrally above the screen, thus shortening the drive-cable length. There is a central freshair intake under the instrument panel, this :icing fed from the front at the vehicle by a large flexible pipe passing through the engine compartment. An alligatortYlle bonnet has two
external screw catches at its front end.
As before, the cab and front-end assembly are welded to a sub-frame, which is flexibly mounted on the main chassis frame. Six rubber mountings are now used insteadof four, there being double units at front and rear. The wings and front grille panel are bolted for ease of replacement.
Standard drop-sided body lengths are 12 ft., 14 ft. and 15 ft. 6 in. These bodies all have the new type of weldedsteel underframe, 9-in-deep raves, pillars and front board. Special African hardwoods are used for the floor, side and tailboards, the floorboards being clamped into place by steel wearing irons.
The side and tailboards have rigid P-section pressed-steel cappings. The
two-piece "wrap-panel" rear wings are bolted to the appropriate crossmembers and raves.
The all-steel welded U-shaped tipping body is fabricated from two 10 s.w.g. sheets joined on the centre line. The tail-gate is also constructed from 10-gauge steel and the body has an 8-gauge tap rail all around it. There
are no side pillars in the assembly, which gives clean lines to the body internally and externally.
A neat remote-control mechanism is used for Joking the tail-gate. The handle for this control is at' the front of the body on the near side, and locking is effected by the over-centre member with spring assistance.
All standard tippers are fitted with Edbro 2L.N. gear, which gives a 50° tipping angle, and an Edbro sixeylindered wobble-plate pump and power take-off are mounted on the offside gearbox power-take-off flange.
Production optional extras offered for the new range include dampers, a vacuum reservoir tank, an Eaton twospeed axle (this being fitted only when the overdrive unit is not specified) and chromed cylinder bores for the petrol engine.
Various accessories are also offered
for operators wishing to add to their vehicles after delivery. Listed arc: an additional 16-gal. fuel tank, a 24-gal. fuel tank, front towing eyes, twin dualtone horns, Neate towing attachment, rear towing eyes, drawbar fitting, Amal petrol filter, thermostat (on oil engines only), heating equipment, flashing direction indicators, sun visors and a ventilating kit for the near-side foot well.
Representative prices of the models in the new range are as follow: 2-3ton drop sided truck, .954 5s. lid.; 3-4-ton drop-sided truck (petrol engine), £1,022 13s. 8d.; 3-4-ton drop-sided truck (Perkins P6), £1,330 16s. 2d.; 5-ton tipper (petrol engine), £1.199 5s. 7d.; 5-ton tipper (Perkins P6), £1,507 8s. Id. All the above prices include purchase tax.