New Meadows Engines in Rowe Chassis
Page 47
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Meadows 6DC 500 Oil Engine Powers New Rowe 9-tonner and Passenger ' Chassis : 8-ton Tipper and Underfloorengined 7-tonner FOUR new vehicles have.. as announced in The Commercial Motor last week. been produced by M. G. Rowe (Motors) Doublebols, Ltd., Liskeard, Cornwall. As the company are not members of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, these models cannot be
shown inside Earls Court, so imey will he seen nearby in the forecourt of West Brampton Underground Station. Two of the new models will be powered by the new Meadows 6DC 500 oil engines (described on page 180).
First there is a 9-ft. 3-in.-wheelbase 8-ton tipper, which is mechanically similar to the Rowe 7-ton. forwardengined chassis. It has a Meadows 4DC 330 Mk. 11 engine which develops 90 b.h.p. at 2,400 r.p.m. The engine is mounted at four points in unit with the Meadows 250 C5 five-speed constant-mesh gearbox. This box has a direct top gear and a low ratio of 6.12 to 1.
Eaton Two-speed Axle An Eaton 16,500 vacuum-operated two-speed axle, with ratios of 5.62 and 7.81 to 1, is employed, and 9:00-20-in. (12-ply) tyres are fitted.
The model to be seen in London will have Weston Mk. IV twin-ram hydraulic tipping gear and Rowe timber body. Unladen kerb weight of the complete vehicle is 3+ tons. A brief run in the tipper [writes John F. Moon] showed it to be extremely lively with a good turning circle and light handling characteristics. There was little engine noise in the Jennings cab, which afforded good all-round visibility. A 7-ton underfloor-engined drop-sided lorry will be available for demonstration. This vehicle, when road tested by The Commercial Motor (July 20) was shown to have a good performance. The underfloor engine position gives remarkable accessibility to the power unit, and it enables a three-seat cab to be used, with no obstruction from engine cowlings.
Such a cab is desirable on any goods vehicle, but it is difficult to 'incorporate in a short-wheelbase tractor. One
solution of this problem has been reached bra 15+-ton-gross 8-ft. 6-in.wheelbase tractor.
By mounting. the Meadows oil engine well back in the chassis frame, so that it lies below the driving seat and behind the front kick panels, a similar cab to that employed on the underfloor-engined 7-t onner can be provided without recourse to the use of a horizontal engine, This vehicle has 8.25-20-in. (12-ply) tyres and a fivespeed gearbox with an extra low ratio of 8.05 to •-1. A single-speed 6.166 to 1 rear axle is used. A Tasker fifth-wheel coupling is
fitted. .
A new 9-ton forward-control longwheelbase goods chassis and the latest Rowe passenger chassis are the first to be fitted with the new Meadow's 6DC 500 six-cylinderecl oil engine.
It is employed with a Meadows 350 C.5 five-speed gearbox, which. has ratios of 7.68, 4.77, 2.75,• 1.555 and 1 to 1. The Eaton 18,500 two-speed axle has ratios of 4.5 and 6.14 to I. The. 9-tonner has a 16-ft. wheelbase.
High-speed Coach The. new coach chassis has. been designed primarily for high-speed work and for this reason it is to be offered for use at a gross weight not exceeding 8+ tons. The Meadows engine is rated to develop 135 kh.p. at 2,400 r.p.m. A horizontal version of the engine is mounted amidships in the chassis, in unit with a four-speed version of the 350 C5 gearbox.
The low ratio, as supplied in the standard version of this gearbox is omitted in the passenger chassis, but an overdrive ratio is to be offered. The passenger chassis has a 16-ft. 41-in.
• wheelbase and 8.25-20-in. tyres. An Eaton 16,500 two-speed rear axle is fitted. and with a direct-drive-top gearbox, the theoretical maximum speed' is 60 m.p.h.