Trailing Axles Gain More Ground
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Dodge Six-wheelers with Perkins Oil Engines Giving Good Results to Midland Operators THE conversion of a standard fourwheeled chassis to a six-wheeler with trailing axle is a major modification that is not always officially approved by the vehicle manufacturers. It is of particular interest, therefore,
.. that more than 12 Dodge 146A/R6 7-ton chassis, powered by Perkins R6 oil engines and equipped with Eaton two-speed axles, have been supplied to Midland operators by Barker and Williams, Ltd., 18-40 Cherrywood Lane, Bordesley Green, Birmingham, 9, with the full approval of the makers. They are the first to be supplied out of a large number on order.
Messrs. H. Boys and Son, Walsall, Staffs, have undertaken the conversions. Swinging-beam suspension is used. Most of the vehicles have wooden bodies built by Messrs. F. Corner, Bilston, Staffs. The chassis length has been increased from 10 ft. 3 in. to 15 ft. 6 in. and the payload to about 13 tons.
The width and height of the wooden bodies are 7 ft. 6 in. and 5 ft. respectively.
Light Alloy Bodies
An operator who has purchased a number of the six-wheelers, Harry Holmes, Ltd., Rubery, has built lightalloy bodies for the vehicles, which. reduce their unladen weight from 54 tons to 4/ tons and increase the payload proportionately.
Operated by Edbro 4LNX twin-ram triple-telescopic end-tipping gear, mounted on a 5-in. by 24-in, rolled-steel sub-frame, the body has a tipping angle of 45 degrees. The lifting gear is supplied and fitted by Messrs. Tipper Conversions, Tipton, Staffs.
A favourable report on the performance and economy of the vehicles is given by Mr. W. J. Sands, transport director of the Samuel Barlow Coal Co., Ltd., Exchange Buildings, Birmingham, 2. One of the four six-wheelers employed has covered 20,000 miles running regularly to colliery stacking grounds and so on, and no trouble has been experienced from lack of traction.
Compared with a six-wheeler of another make, with two-axle drive, but fitted with a similar power unit, the payload is 25 per cent, greater and the fuel' consumption rate is 12-13 m.p.g. instead of about 104 m.p.g. According to results so far, tyre wear is less than that of the two-axle-drive vehicles and Mr. Sands is confident that engine life will be increased. The use of trailingaxle six-wheelers will be extended, the present fleet strength being 40 vehicles.
Over 50 Dodge 7-tonners fitted with trailing axles are in use throughout the country, including 145/R6 and 146/R6 models. Some of the former have been fitted with 18-ft. tipping bodies and a. number' of the latter with 21-ft. plat form bodies. The first cost of . the 144A/116 with a standard wooden body is £2.700.