Lowered ERFs can sink more
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• ELT has produced four lowlevel ERF EC14 6x2 mid-axle lift tractive units for Kendal-based Milnthorpe Transport. The tractor is 150mm lower than a standard EC and can be lowered a further 60min.
The height reduction was achieved with several changes to the ERF chassis. First, 295/60 tyres were fitted in place of the standard 295/80s, reducing the height by more than 70mm. The long front taper-leaf springs were de-cambered and the packers removed.
At the rear changes were made to the air suspension. The pressure control for the air bags was re-calibrated to the minimum settings, but a greater saving was made by reducing the the depth of the back end of the frame from 270mm to 200mm. Flitching helps maintain the original strength but the air suspension sits lower in the frame which could give rise to clearance problems on ferry ramps. To counter this a control system was added to the air suspension. From a dash-mounted control panel the driver can raise or lower the vehicle by 60mm from its normal ground clearance height of 100inni. This means that lead-up ramps are not necessary for the fifth wheel because the tractor can be lowered under the kingpin and raised to engage it, so smaller mounting plates can be used, lowering the fifthwheel height by 25min using a low-height Fontaine fifth wheel.
The 110m3 York Mega curtainsider trailers have dual ride height and an air operated system to raise the roof. Both offer loading advantages. The back of the trailer can be levelled with a loading bay, allowing a fork-lift on to the trailer, while the roof can be raised to give extra clearance for the forklift.
The trucks' usual runs are from Barrow with paper products for four Tesco centres. Paper rolls are picked up at Aylesford in Kent for shipment to Frankfurt. Return loads are usually cloth, medical materials and plastic components from Carl Freudenberg plants for delivery to the company's UK sites at Lutterworth, Wal!send and Halifax.
York's Mega trailers gave a useful boost in capacity but presented bridge and tunnel clearance problems on the Continent when coupled to a standardheight tractor.