TIPPERMEN NO LONGER OUT IN THE COLD
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• The weather at Harrogate was a fitting reflection of the mood at TipCon this year: bright, warm and sunny summed up the feeling on most stands. No less than three manufacturers used the annual show as a launching pad for new vehicles.
Hino made its long-awaited return to the multi-wheeler market with its Euro-1 Super F range (CM 31 March-6 April). Sales of 8x4s were up 64% in the first three months of the year and Harris UK's stand was devoted exclusively to eight-leggers.
All five show vehicles were powered by Hino's 8.8-litre 295hp (220kW) engine but there was a wide variety of bodies and tipping gear.
The 32-tonne Super F in John Wade livery was fitted with one of Wade's own bodies, complete with Autogate cab-operated tailgate, Edbro under-floor tipping gear and Flex-Con "pram cover" sheeting system.
Neither the more powerful 345hp (257kW) model nor the 295hp six-wheeler were at Harrogate, although both are now available in the UK.
Seddon-Atkinson took 64 advance orders for its new Iveco-cabbed multi-wheelers before the company even issued full specifications: the new 10litre Cummins-powered 6x4 and 8x4 chassis made their debut at Harrogate. Seddon has standardised on a five-piece steel bumper for its multi-wheelers, but the 6x4 Strato 26.275L chassis on display in RW Edwards and Sons livery was fitted with the optional plastic bumper.
Equipped with Wisbech Bulk Systems bodywork and Edbro front-end tipping gear, the chassis tares at 9.2 tonnes with a full fuel tank. Power comes from Cummins' L275 engine producing 275hp (205kW) at 1 ,90Orpm and 9501bft (1,288Nm) at 1,200rpm.
The eight-legger Strato 32.325L in James Lewis and Son livery was the first Strato 8x4 chassis off the Oldham assembly line and the first of three ordered by the Motherwellbased haulier. Like the 6x4 model on the stand it was fitted
with Wisbech Bulk Systems bodywork and Harsh underfloor tip gear. The Lewis Strati-) is plated at 32-tonnes; with a full tank it tares at 11.1 tonnes. Power comes from the Cummins L325 engine producing 325hp (242kW) at 1,900rpm and 1,1541bft (1,565Nm) of torque at 1,200rpm.
Not on display but also new from Seddon-Atkinson is a lightweight 6x4 chassis. Weight saving measures include the lighter SuperCargo cab instead of the EuroTech used on the show models. Power comes from the Cummins C240 8.3-litre engine driving through an Eaton 6109 range-change ninespeed synchromesh gearbox.
Sharing the Seddon 8x4 chassis and EuroTech cab is the Iveco Ford EuroTrakker 320E34, making its TipCon debut alongside the heavier, Madrid-built EuroTrakker 340E34. The two lighter chassis are built side-by-side at Oldham but the 320E34 is fitted with Iveco's 9.5-litre engine developing 340hp (254kW) at 2,200rprn and 1,0691bft (1,450Nm) of torque at 1,200rpm. Like the Seddon, the 320E34 is fitted with Eaton's Twin Splitter gearbox driving a Rockwell RT153 Hypoid double-drive bogie. Both chassis use HendricksonNorde rubber suspension as standard.
The model on display was the first EuroTrakker off the Oldham lines, liveried for Alan Price of Bargoed and fitted with a Withey bulk body using Edbro front-end tipping gear. The 320E34 is designed for mainly on-road use. For a higher proportion of off-road use the 340E34's higher design weight should offer greater resilience.
The Madrid-built chassis adds 930kg to the weight of the Seddon-built 320E34. It is offered with the same Iveco engine as its lighter stablemate or Iveco's 13.8-litre engine, developing 370hp (276kW) at 1,900rpm and 1,2681bft (1,720Nm) at 1,100rpm.
There's a choice of Eaton Twin Splitter or ZF 16-speed gearboxes, driving an 1veco spiral-bevel hub-reduction doubledrive bogie. Wedge-type drum brakes replace the cam brakes of the lighter chassis. The model on display sported a Withey body in Shillibier colours with Stallion underfloor tipping gear.
Limited stand space kept the SuperCargo 6x4 chassis out of Harrogate this year. Outside, among other 7.5-tonne IFT Cargo tippers, was a 75E15 fitted with a Brookside "Tipping Tilt" body. The curtain sided tipping conversion was carried out for Tnikvan Rentals in Manchester.
Volvo's stand featured TipCon debuts for the FH tractor and Volvo Powertronic fully automatic gearbox. Powertronic is offered as standard on the FL10 8x4 chassis with T-ride rear bogie and as an option on other FL10 rigids. There is a choice of five or six speeds with "unladen", "economy" and "laden" modes. The show model was fitted with Mackworth Maclite body and Harsh underfloor tipping gear.
Sharing the stand with the Powertronic FL10 was an FH12 380 6x2 pusher-axle tractor in the livery of Carlisle operator Peter Hinchcliffe. The big Volvo featured a Volvo PTO and hydraulic pump with a Napper on-board weighing system.
At the lighter end of the market LDV, formerly Leyland Daf Vans, displayed two 400 Series 3.5-tonne tippers carrying the company's new logo. One of them was fitted with LDV's factory built crew-cab.
Tipping work gives tyres a much tougher life than most other haulage sectors: Michelin unveiled a specialist tipper tyre at Harrogate. The XDY driveaxle with directional tread has been on operational trials in South Wales for the past six months. Compared with conventional 11R 22.5 tyres Michelin claims a 20% increase in tread mileage for on-road use and a 40% increase for mixed on/off road running. The directional tread pattern is said to increase off-road traction by 50%. The XDY will be available only as a 295/80R 22.5 tubeless tyre; Michelin points out that tippers are the only UK CVs still running on 11R 22.5s.
No launch date has been fixed yet, but the XDY will retail at £332.35 (ex-VAT).
Among the 7.5-tonne tipper chassis on display Renault was showing its four-cylinder
Perkins Phaser-powered Midliner 135 for the first time. The 7.5-tonne chassis was fitted with a Brade Leigh double-dropside body and Edbro tipping gear. The vehicle will join the fleet of VIA Countryside Truck Rentals.
It was also the first TipCon outing for the MAN L2000 7.5tonne tipper chassis. The German manufacturer's stand featured a four-cylinder 8.153FK in Murphy livery. The 4.6-litre MAN engine produces 153hp (114kW) at 2,400rpm with 420Ibft (570Nm) of torque at 1,500rpm. Bodywork is by Commercial Bodywork East Anglia with Edbro front-end tipping gear.
The Mercedes-Benz stand featured the full Mercedes tipper range, from the 1820K 17-tormer to the latest 3234 eight-legger. The 3234 on display featured a Grisdale alloy body and Edbro front-end tipping gear.
ERF's multi-wheeler range was launched last year: its Harrogate debut featured the EC10.32 32-tonne 8x4 with a PPG Fabrications aluminium body and Edbro underfloor tipping gear. The body was fitted with a new Hytec tarpaulin which can roll forwards or backwards.
Having raised operator awareness of the inherent stability of underfloor tipgear Harsh now finds itself surrounded by other makes, all jostling for business.
There were many exhibits from the Harsh range, from 7.5-tonne rigids up to triple-ram 38-tonne artic systems and its latest offering: greasing of all bearing surfaces from a single point on the chassis. Harsh is fitting this system as standard.
Edbro's latest TS26 underbody hoist for six-wheelers was shown on a Volvo FL7 with 15.8m3 Wilcox aluminium body for Waterbeach haulier M Dickerson. It suits body lengths of 5.8-6.4m with lifting capacities of 22-26 tonnes. To accommodate these underfloor lifts Wilcox uses a new extruded subframe with a revised integral rear cross-member.
Drum has developed a narrow version of its Cobra underbody tipgear for eight-leggers which, like the Harsh system, is based on a US design. An example of the Cobra hoist was shown beneath the Thompson muckaway body on BP Mitchell's 32-tonne Hino Super F 8x4 tipper.
In partnership with US onboard weighing system maker Structural Instrumentation, Drum now offers a single pack.
age with an integral weighing device. Yet another sub-floor hoist, Stallion's Star-Tip, was shown on one of MAN's new 8x4 rigids under a George Neville heavy-duty alloy Samsonlite body. It features a single nine-stage ram and combined stabiliser/oil tank.
TipCon was not reserved for underfloor rams, however. Edbro showed a slim DT16 version of its front-end ram which enables operators to bring bodies as close as 13in (330mm) to the cab. Oil is stored in a remote tank on the frame. Drum, Hytec and Nurnmi (which is marketed by Cargotec UK) also exhibited examples of their front-enders.
One of the great success stories of tipper bodybuilding is Wisbech-based WBS, which was launched three years ago with a handful of ex-Wilcox employees and now employs 72.
Its wide ranging exhibits included a 40m3 bulk tipping semi-trailer which is WBS's first sloping trailer of its kind for a UK customer.
The bulker is one of four for Firbrook—it uses 1.2in (30mm) side wall extrusions to give smooth sides and an internal width of 8.0ft. Neat touches include a specially made cover that rolls back either side; an underside that is clear of mudtraps; and well positioned control boxes for the electrical and air connections.
Much thought fier had also gone into Trent Bodies Up 'N Away tailgate on a Trent Steelite body that opens as the body begins to tip. The show exhibit was on a Leyland Daf 85-300 8x4 for E&N Farrer.
The rear door and its top hinge lifts via cables attach to the frame, allowing pegs to clear clevis-like catches at each side; as the body tips the weight of the load tilts the rear door open. When empty the body falls, the tailgate closes then lowers into place with the pegs held in their forked catches.
Brookside Engineering showed how to convert a standard rigid tipper into a curtainsider in less than 30 minutes using a system of poles that slot into the existing uprights, and turn-buckle clip-on curtains that clamp to the sides.
The conversion costs £1,200; Brookside says it is suitable for 7.5 to 17-tormers, It was shown on a Iveco Cargo 7.5-tonner belonging to Truck Van Rental.