Tanker for 21st century
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by Brian Weatherley • Crane Fruehauf's new stateof-the-art "Millennium" spirit tanker not only offers operators more payload and the promise of a longer service life—but also early compliance with the yetto-be-finalised ADR regs due to be adopted in the UK next January.
The UK trailer giant has spent some £3.5m bringing its latest all-alloy triaxle tank trailer to the market, including investing in precision cutting and robotic welding equipment at its Toftwood assembly plant.
Tare weight
By using the latest 5186 and 6005 alloy extrusions in the barrel, Fruehauf has shaved 300kg off the new tanker's tare weight compared with the old, nonADR model. However, business support manager Brian Manton says the total net saving is closer to 450kg as the old model would have needed at least 150kg worth of extra material to make it ADR acceptable.
The new alloys are not only lighter, but also offer greater impact resistance. Compared with the old tank the new model's barrel skin can absorb up to 60% more energy before fracturing.
Head of tank sales Ken Dowding describes the latest spirit tanker as a clean-sheet design. Out goes the old "stepped" barrel profile with its narrow throat. In comes a straight neck tapered barrel which has been the subject of an aerodynamic study by Lotus Engineering. Among the windcheating devices adopted are an unusual moulding on the top leading edge of the barrel and smoother, more rounded corners on the equipment boxes. Much of the ancillary equipment has also been redesigned for greater durability right down to the hinges on the outlet valve cover.
Two models will be offered: a 41,400-litre version anticipating operations at up to 44 tonnes; and a 39,200-litre version for 38/40 tonne work (see fact box). Fruehauf has opted for 8.0-tonne capacity air-suspended ROR (Mentor) axles as standard but with a slightly wider track than before, taking advantage of the full 2.55m vehicle width limit.
The wider track helps improve stability, while other changes have lowered the latest model's centre of gravity by around 50mm. On the tilt table at Chobham it reached just under 25° at 44 tonnes.
Although the new model has Drum equipment with a bottom loading and discharge layout, it also retains conventional manlids for top loading product but with full-length valance overturn protection around the top tank fittings.
Durability
Fruehauf has invested heavily in finite element analysis of the barrel design and arduous chassis testing, including a fully laden 700-hour pave cycle, as a result of which it is offering a 10-year warranty on the tank barrel and any equipment welded to it. However, Manton says that as durability testing has been based on the ROR bogie, Fruehauf cannot offer the same warranty if an operator wants to spec different axles.
Much attention has been paid to keep in-service costs to a minimum. Hoses are now stored in a long, extruded-alloy side tray which will prevent accidental damage to the barrel through careless stowing.
The top and bottom rear underrun bars can be quickly removed by undoing four bolts while the rear light connectors have snap fittings. There is also an interchangeable toolbox and toolbox door while individual, easy-to-replace mudwings have been retained.
Manton says that depending on specification, a typical price for the new tanker is £60,000 without pump.
• Model: 421/40-tonne, triaxle, six-compartment alloy spirit tanker.
• Capacity:
41,400/39,200 litres (9,108/8,624 gallons).
• Kerbweight: 5,100kg (typical tare quoted for 44tonne model).
• Construction: Tapered barrel made up of 4.7mmthick 5186/6005 alloy extrusions. Rear subframe with integral hangers; bolton alloy coupier with steel kingpin and retained lubeliner.
• Standard configuration: 4)(7,60014; 1x6,0001it; and 1x5,000-litre capacity compartments.
• Running gear and equipment: ROR (Mentor) air-suspended triaxle bogie with alloy wheels, ABS, load sensing, spring park brakes and auto slack adjusters. Drum pump bottom loading/discharge equipment with vapour recovery.
• Overall length: 12m.
• Ken Dowding, Fruehauf's head of tank sales, says Fruehauf currently holds around 60% of the spirit tanker market which has averaged at between 150-200 units a year over the past decade with Thompson, recently bought out by the US manufacturer Heil, in second place. "We intend to hold on to that share and increase it with the new model," he says. The advent of UK alignment with ADR regs in 1999 is not, however, likely to result in a major sales boom for new tank equipment as bulk operators are expected to be granted "grandfather rights" to run out existing pet reg vehicles. Fruehauf reports that it has already received its first major manufacturer order for the new tanker. NEW FRUEHAUF TANKER FACTS