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A GREAT GUY!

3rd September 1954
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Page 61, 3rd September 1954 — A GREAT GUY!
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Six-wheeled Goliath in New -Guy Range of Heavies Puts Up an Impressive Performance on a 100-mile Route Chosen for its Severity, with a Payload of Over 131Tons

by John F. Moon

THE re-entry-a .Guy Motors, Ltd., into the heavy-vehicle market is marked not by one model but by a complete and comprehensive series of maximum capacity four-, sixand eight-wheelers all of which combine tried and tested components of simple and robust design. I was privileged to be the first journalist to put a representative machine of this new range through its paces and I found it Jacking in nothing and abounding in plenty.

It may be said that I abused this privilege by electing to take the Goliath round a 100-mile course involving the worst conditions to be found in trunk haulage, but the performance of the chassis confirmed my belief that this vehicle was built for tough work.

A fuel consumption rate of 9.3 m.p.g. may not sound flattering at first, but my aim was not to flatter. That was the reason for choosing the hills of Salop and the towns of Staffs for a maximum-speed run. Knowing the worst that can be expected, it is easy to visualize what good results would be forthcoming on a recognized trunk route.

A six-wheeled long-wheelbase model was used for the test, this having double rear-axle drive and a Gardner 6LW engine. The engine is standard in most respects, developing 112 b.h.p. at 1,700 r.p.m. and 358 lb.-ft, torque at 1,300 r.p.m.

Although compressed-air braking is used, no compressor was to be seen on the engine. The sump also was new to me, its nomenclature being the Type 8A. With this pattern, a deeper sump and a scavenge pump are used, thus ensuring a full oil flow even when descending hills of 1 in 3 severity. Twin swinging links at the front and a rear flexible mounting support the engine and gearbox unit, transference of engine vibration to the frame being at a minimum.

Five-speed Gearbox A single-plate clutch, with clutch stop, transfers the drive to the David Brown gearbox. This is the 557 model, having five ratios, with direct top and constant-mesh engagement

of the close-ratio gear. With this box the reverse shaft rotates with the layshaft, and Guys have used this feature to provide the drive for the 6-cu.-ft. compressor, The shaft is splined internally at its trailing end and the pump crankshaft-extension mates with these splines, the pump being bolted to the rear of the box itself. This arrangement ensures that the compressor is working at a speed directly proportional to the engine speed, and at the same time the bugbear of belt drives is removed. The layshaft can still be used for a power take-off if required.

Overhead-worm-drive axles with an inter-axle differential on the first axle are driven through two Hardy Spicer heavy-duty propeller shafts. The rear suspension on the model tested consisted of four semi-elliptic springs and two balance beams, these absorbing driving and braking torques in addition to road shocks. Spiral-bevel, double-reduction singleaxle drive is an alternative with this suspension. A fully. articulated, twin-spring bogie is also obtainable, this having trunnion-mounted springs and wormor bevel-drive axles.

Westinghouse air-pressure braking is employed, a large air reservoir being mounted on the off-side frame member. Individual cylinders are carried on the front-brake backplates, whilst each rear brake is linked to its frame-mounted cylinder. The multi-pull hand brake acts through these linkages on to the rear wheels only.

Vertical Diaphragm Pump

Primary and secondary fuel filters are adjacent to the 40-gallon fuel tank on the near side of the frame, a vertical diaphragm lift-pump providing the feed. A four-gallon test tank was used during the trials and this was bolted to the frame just forward of the main tank.

The all-steel cab has deep, opening windscreens which provide optimum driver visibility. Ventilation is catered for by winding door windows, hinged quarter lights and an extractor roof vent, and a heater can be fitted if requested_ The large central rear light is convenient for reversing, and other equipment includes a fully adjustable driving seat and complete set of instruments. The large steering wheel and conveniently placed gear lever help considerably to relieve driver fatigue.

The day of the test was warm and sunny and a start was made by checking the gross vehicle weight. This was 71 cwt. above the legal limit, the front-axle loading being slightly over five tons. The load consisted of rows of iron bars clamped in a wooden cradle in such a way as to raise the centre of E28 gravity to the height it would be with a bodied vehicle.

After topping-up the test tank we headed for Wolverhampton, there to encounter several traffic blocks which caused delays totalling 4/ minutes. The first three miles were thus .covered in 15 minutes, during which time the water temperature rose to 137° F., the ambient being 70° F.

Once clear of the town and on to the Newport road, it was possible to settle down to a steady 30 m.p.h., the maximum speed of the Goliath with 6.4-to-l-ratio axles being 32 m.p.h. Shifnal, on the Shrewsbury road, was reached in 45 minutes, by which time the temperature.had levelled at 135° F. One hour out from the works saw 22 miles on the odometer, the next 10 miles to the outskirts of Shrewsbury taking a further 25 minutes.

Up to this point, after Wolver hampton, the roads had been wide and fairly level, only one hill requiring use of third gear for one minute, but by turning off towards Church Stretton we started on a hilly section iequiring repeated use of the gearbox.

After 38 miles had been covered a halt was made to top-up the tank, 3i gallons being added, and then I took the wheel, to be immediately struck by the easy handling of the vehicle through winding roads. The steering was not unduly heavy, except when sharp corners necessitated speed reduction, and this is to be expected with any single-frontaxle six-wheeler.

Coolness in Cab

I found that the accelerator pedal required a heavy foot, but all other controls were light and the gearbox was simplicity itself to use. The cab was cool, but the driver's side of the engine cowl got rather warm owing to the proximity of the exhaust system.

A steady two-mile climb required repeated use of fourth gear, the water temperature rising to 145° F. temporarily, but Craven Arms, a distance of 55 miles from the works, was reached in 2 hours 10 minutes running time. The engine was not stopped during a 1k-minute hold-up at a level-crossing, and shortly after this a steep, climb demanded the use of second and third gears for one minute.

Three gallons of fuel were added between Ludlow and Bridgnorth, this road being very undulating and heavy on the consumption rate, quite apart from the fact that the speedometer needle was kept on the 30 mark when conditions allowed.

Bridgnorth was reached after 31 hours had been spent on the road md -further traffic delays were :xperienced. Hermitage Hill, with in average grade of 1 in 10, was then 4aled, the 51-minute climb bringing iecond gear into use for 4/ minutes.

While in second, peak engine .evolutions were used, but the delay n changing gear caused by the slow "all-off of engine speed precluded the 3ossibility of keeping the road speed ip to enable a higher gear to be Bed. The water temperature rose )37 15° F. to 150° F. during the 'scent, this proving that engine cooing has been well considered for all :onditions.

The chassis was then reversed lown the hill for a stop-start trial on he 1-in-7 section, and for this low ;ear was necessary. There was lower to spare, however, and a iecond-gear attempt almost suc;ceded. No allowance Was made in he final figure for the fuel used luring this test.

Before arriving at Wolverhampon, Red Hill had to be surmounted, ind this also is a long climb which -equired second gear for over a minute and third gear for more than two minutes. Further delays were caused by traffic in the town, but the works were reached after a total running time of 4 hours 311 minutes, the fuel used totalling 11 gallons 0.15 pint for the 102.5 miles.

The consumption rate of 9.3 m.p.g. is excellent for such a course at an average speed of 22.6 m.p.h. With the engine working hard all the time, it is noteworthy that the normal radiator temperature was rarely above 135° F. An oil cooler was positioned immediately in front of the radiator block, being standard on export models, but this was not connected to the engine lubricating-oil circuit. The bogie-axle temperatures were front, 170° F. and rear, 180° F. at the completion of the run.

The Stafford road was used for the short-distance tests, and again the Guy showed itself to be up to standard. From a standing start in second gear, 20 m.p.h. was reached in 23 sec. and 30 m.p.h. in double that time. From 10 m.p.h. in direct drive only 14.5 sec. were required to attain 20 m.p.h., and 30 m.p.h. took a further 17.5 sec.

With compressed air braking systems there is an inevitable slight delay, but this was not serious in the case of the Goliath and the figures of 38 ft. from 20 m.p.h. and 69 ft. from 30 m.p.h. were obtained after three tests at each speed. The Tapley meter gave an average reading of 55 per cent. efficiency, equivalent to 17.75 ft. per sec. per sec. retardation.

During the consumption run I descended one hill while jabbing at the foot brake and succeeded in heating the drums to the point of inducing slight fade. Recuperation was rapid, full use of the brakes returning within a quarter of a mile, and no trouble from fade should be experienced during normal working.

A short-distance consumption run was made over a level Circuit between Cannock and Penkridge and exactly one gallon of fuel was used over the 11 miles, for an average speed •of 27.5 m.p.h., showing economy at speed.

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Locations: Wolverhampton, Newport

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