Gariord Chassis.
Page 13
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Particulars Now to Hand of the Three-ton and Five-ton Models.
It may be remembered that we recently (on the 4th November last, to be precise) referred to a new range of commercial vehicles being marketed in this country by WillysOverland, Ltd., these being made in America, and rejoicing in the name of "Garford." They are made in four capacities, of 1, 1N, 3
and 5 tons net respectively, and, on that occasion, although we gave rough particulars of all four sizes, we were only able to deal in detail, from first-hand knowledge, with the smallest model. We nevertheless included one or two illustrations showing the general design of tile larger ones. We now supplement those few rough notes by a detailed illustrated description of the three-tonner.
The construction of this differs in many respects from that of the one we saw in November last. The principal departure lies in the arrangement of the final drive to the road wheels. On the one-ton Garford our readers may remember the transmission in by means of a worm and wheel driving directly to the road wheels vict the customary differential gear and live axles. On the 3 and 5 tonners, however, the longer-established method of driving by means of aide sprockets and roller chains is used, the tension of these being adjustable, as is customary, by lengthening or shortening the radius rods.
Another respect in which a considerable difference is noticed as between the design of the smallest and of the largest models is in the position of the driver. The one-ton and 30-cwt. machines are bonneted, and the driver takes up the customary position behind tbe bonnet. On the two large machines, however, that arrangement
is adopted which has occasionally been described in tins country as " overtype," the driver's seat beings° placed that he sits by the side of the engine. The advantages of this arrangement are that it furnishes a much longer body space available for a given wheelbase, or, in the alternative, where ease of manoeuvring in narrow passages is Important, it is possi.-ble considerably to shorten the wheelbase whilst maintaining the standard body capacity.
Turning now to discuss the construction of the chassis in detail— the machine examined was the threestonner—sand commencing in the customary way with the power unit, a four-cylinder, of 41 ins, by
in. stroke respectively, the R.A.C. rating being 28,9 h.p. The four cylinders are cast en bloc, all the valves being ranged along one side and operated by one camshaft. The crankcase is of aluminium and so arranged that the lower half may be removed without disturbing the crankshaft bearings. The lubrication system may be described as a "combined forced feed and splash," the oil pump being of the plunger type ; it forces the lubricant through a sight feed on the dashboard to the main bearings. Troughs are arranged beneath the connecting rods for the lubrication of the big-ends, and the remainder of the moving parts are oiled by splash. An accessible filter is provided and the arrangement of the oil-ways is such that all oil must pass through this filter before reentering the pump,
From the engine, transmission is by means of a multiple dry-disc clutch, completely housed by a casing which also covers the engine fly-wheel. The gearbox provides three speeds forward and a reverse. Like the engine, this unit is threepoint suspended. The differential gear is fitted on to the cross-shaft, to the ends of which are fixed the. sprockets, whence the drive is taken by means of roller chains to the chain wheels bolted to brake drums on the rear
road wheels. Two brake sets are provided, one of which takes effect on the drums on rear wheels, the other operating on others on the cross-shaft ; the former is the hand brake, the latter the foot brake. The engine is controlled in the customary manner by means of levers on the steering wheels. An unusual provision is that the throttle is automatically closed when the eluteh is disengaged. No accelerator pedilis fitted. •
The equipment provided includes a mileage recorder in addition to the usual lamps, horn, tools, etc. The price with tires, delivered in London, is £775.