Customising for dummies
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Fancy a new Look? Read CM’s tips on how to customise your fleet – without going bankrupt
Words: George Barrow and Will Shiers / Main image: Tom Cunningham Having at least one lagship tractor unit on the leet is becoming an increasing trend for many operators. Whether last month’s most economical driver gets to run it, or it is simply wheeled-out on special occasions, owning a customised truck tells your clients, and the world, that you’re serious about the work you do.
Creating a lagship vehicle doesn’t, however, require a mammoth budget, and many UK hauliers customise their entire leet to some extent just to elevate themselves above the masses.
CM has scoured the country for experts in everything from air-brushing to alloys, to help you add a touch of character to your lagship. ■ Wheels: £300-£400 per wheel
Adding alloy wheels to your truck not only provides an immediate visual improvement, but they can also reduce the GVW. Mirror-polished wheels like Alcoa’s DuraBright alloys provide the greatest impact, but brushed aluminium finish wheels have the same effect and are marginally cheaper. A simple switch from steel to alloy will save you around 15kg per wheel, and if you don’t use the extra payload capacity, you’ll be cutting your fuel bills too.
What the expert says
Chris Hopton, www.tyretracks.com: “In the early days [of alloy wheels], it was purely for saving weight, which is why brewery and tipper trucks would use them. Now 40% of our customers are looking for weight saving, 40% are after the looks, and the rest want both. Apart from maybe light bars, wheels are really the first step to customising as they can just be put on.”