IHING IN
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uring a recent visit to prominent manufacturer Andover Trailers the conversation turned to the standard of maintenance on heavy haulage trailers and truck bodywork. Judging by the state of a number of three-to-fivear-old trailers taken in part exchange cently, it seems that the industry has nothg to be proud of. AT sales director Ivan Ens makes no bones about it: if the authores were to blitz the plant and ballast trailer ctor, he reckons that quite a few operators )uld be looking for other jobs.
On the evidence of a visit to Andover's partchange park, such a purge is long overdue. Collins believes that many problems stem im the way operators buy their trucks, !cause they are failing to insist on mainteince contracts that cover complete vehicles, ith plant carriers for example, c truck is usually covered by dealer service contract, but Ins like the hydraulics, body its, operating controls, pivots winch cable are rarely chided—and they are regurly overlooked.
In many cases a financially rapped operator might not en know that his bargain-baseent deal excludes these areas. )11ins adds that many operawill bargain like fury over a .ed trailer and then cut corners essential maintenance.
ight weeks
one recent case Andover took Ised trailer from a customer as rt of a new trailer deal—but 0 to wait eight weeks until he uld scrape together another ,000 towards the deposit. And is was an operator who had st splashed out on a top-of-thenge tractive unit, with an extra ,500 for a fancy paint job, ght additional lamps and air )nis. It seems he hadn't spared hought for the semi-trailer, let 3ne a retarder.
Another low-loader taken in part-exchange was found to ! running on defective shock rsorbers with damaged brake ms. It even had different sized res on the same axle. When the shock started to break up the previous owner had bodged them with jubilee clips and tin plate, when it would have been far easier to fit new ones. This is the sort of neglect that inspired the phrase "an accident waiting to happen". Collins even recalls one operator suggesting that wrapping cardboard around the brake cam bushes would get a trailer through its test.
"Naturally we need to sell new trailers," he says, "but when we agree to accept secondhand ones in part exchange we become rather nervous. These used trailers have to be inspected thoroughly and repaired to a very high standard before we can even think about selling them back to the industry.
"It's often costly but it's also extremely necessary if we're to protect our new trailer manufacturing reputation."
It seems that some cowboys buy new trail ers with a 12-month warranty, then run them into the ground for three years or more before trading in for another new one. They're rarely serviced and whoever takes them on is likely to encounter some expensive problems. AT took in one triaxle step-frame with hydraulic ramps, a self-steering lifting rear axle and air suspension. It looked pretty good...except that the rear axle was so badly bent that the outer wheels wouldn't touch the ground.
Another trailer was a tyre fitter's nightmare, sporting a random mix of 235/7oRs, 245/75Rs, 215/7oRs and 215/75R17.5s. When the air suspension was lowered for loading every tyre scrubbed the outer rave and most of the outer casings had exposed steel cords. No wonder he has strong views on the sort of operators who misuse their trailers in this way.
High standards
Thankfully most operators maintain high standards—but they're the ones who work for the right sort of customers and refuse to accept cut-throat rates.
One of Andover's newest recruits, former Faymonville UK sales director Peter England, points out that many operators simply don't know their running or maintenance costs, which helps explain why many are only too ready to work for silly money. It doesn't help that many contractors are not paid until after plant actually arrives on site, so the trailers are regarded as a necessary evil. Perhaps the most frightening example of continual abuse ever seen by the AT team was recently lugged into Andover's yard on the back of an even bigger trailer. According to the owner, this To-year old sixaxled ballast trailer had been treated to L20,000 of refurbishment work at a Continental manufacturer only last year.
But last month it picked up a prohibition notice, and the boys from the VI must have had a field day. The list of faults included loose wheels, damaged hydraulic steering, faulty electrics and defective ram mountings. A brake chamber was smashed while manoeuvring at the checkpoint.
With each axle rated at 15 tonnes, with a Too-tonne payload this trailer could legally travel at okm/h (31mph) at 143 tonnes GCW, but at night, it would be more likely to be doing 64-72km/h (40-45mph) on the motorway. It must have been in active service while the crumpled steel decking was squeezing the hydraulic steering arms, positioned down the centre, and restricting the steering mechanism. Before much longer something would have blown or broken and the consequences could have been horrendous. Many of the road wheels had a mix of spig and none-spigot nuts, some with cones rail ing, others loose; the holes were more li! slots and the studs were severely waisted. At if the squared-off landing leg wheels hinted driver and owner neglect, the sight of re hydraulic suspension rams either sheared detached from the pendular arms confirm the really dangerous state of this vehicle.
There were even extra live wires hangir from behind the tail lights, evidently to let tl operator clip on a loose beacon.
According to Collins it cost a cool /25,oc to make this disaster area roadworthy—b these Zno,000 ballast trailers are potential high earners, so it would be money well spet He adds that one common area of neglect the rear loading ramps. Each ram pivot co tains a spacer and, with an 8.8 grade b( through the entire pivot, it should be tig while still able to pivot free Allow it to work loose and ti hole elongates, the spacer wea into the lug and it can never secured properly again. Tight( the bolt and you pinch the rat leave it loose and it will sheer.
Most ramp rams conta hydraulic lock valves so if a ho bursts the ramp assembly jarr But if a bolt shears off th( down come the ramps, flatte ing anyone who happens to in the way.
Inspections
AT is continually remindit operators of the dangers, b reports a disappointingly lc take-up on its offer of free s: monthly or annual inspectio: at the factory. Mind you : mobile repair unit is kept bm travelling around the UK han ling maintenance, repairs at warranty work on all low-loads or specialist bodywork.
The big question is, are ti trailers seen at Andover ju extreme cases, or is there reall■ severe lack of maintenance the plant and heavy haula industry? Collins sums up view with a simple question:' anyone looking after ther With so very few fleet engines left, maybe its time for t accountants to pull on overall!