1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136 
VOLVOS UP TO 70 TONS FOR UK
Page 55
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
EIOR just under one year now Ailsa Trucks Ltd., of Glasgow, has been sole concessionaire for Volvo trucks in the UK. In this time sales have been limited to the F86 30/32 tons gross train weight tractive unit but now the company is planning to add the heavier Volvo F88 and FB88 chassis for the British market.
Although both rigid and tractive unit versions of these chassis are made by Volvo it is likely that only the tractive units will be marketed. And, while the F88 is a two-axle chassis, the FB88 is a 6 x2 design which as a tractive unit is rated for 70 tons g.t.w. The two chassis have many features in common, including a 9.6-litre diesel engine which in naturally-aspirated form produces 185 bhp gross at 2,200 rpm or in turbocharged form 270 bhp gross at 2,200 rpm.
It seems likely that the turbocharged diesel will be considered more suitable for the British market—particularly if it is possible to use these vehicles at their high designed gross weights.
In considering these models it is possible that Ailsa Trucks is looking to an increase in the UK gross weight limit for articulated vehicles—about which there have been rumours for some time. It now seems unlikely that big changes will be made within the next two years or so but, even so, 32 tons will be a very practicable proposition on a fouraxle artic when the proposals to increase the overall length to 15 metres (49ft 5.25in.) are put into effect in the near future.
Two-range box
Both the four-wheeler and the six-wheeler will be featured by Ailsa at Kelvin Hall and, while the F88 will be plated for 48 tons gross train weight the six-wheel rigid will be plated for 22 tons gross solo—the limit in this country. Both will have the 270 bhp diesel which drives through the standard eight speed full-synchro gearbox.
This is a two-range box, the eight forward ratios being engaged in two stages with only one change for the two-speed auxiliary section in the process. In both cases the rear axle is a doublereduction design with differential lock, steering is power assisted and the full air-pressure split-circuit brakes have load-proportioning valves at the rear axles. Spring-brakes fulfil the parking requirement Like the Volvo F86, the 88 has a tilt cab— hut this is a much more square-cut design and much higher from the ground. Two steps are provided for cab entry but an advantage is that the engine cover is fairly low. The cab interior is finished to a very high standard.
Total braking area for the four-wheeler is 727 sq.in. and for the six-wheeler 1,039 sq.in.
The four-wheeler is made in three wheelbases, the tractive unit version measuring 10ft 6i n. whilst the six-wheeler tractive unit has a wheelbase (centreline front axle to centreline bogie) of 1211 4in; for FB88 is made with a wheelbase of 1311 10in. also.