The power and the glory!
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The Scots hauliers' hankering for big, powerful trucks was reflected in the Scottish IRTE show where bigger cabs and more horsepower were much in evidence.
• A fifth wheel with an overall height of iust 138mm was launched by Fontaine at the show. The 5092/138 is designed for use with maxicube-type trailers. The new coupling is based on the company's traditional pressed fifth wheel with the underframe made shallower but thickened. This keeps the weight to 142kg and allows 7 of for/aft oscillation which it claims is large for such a low coupling. The new coupling is designed for 65 tonnes GTW. The trailer carries no on-costs against its predecessor the 5092/154 (which was 154mm high).
• Volvo used its "home" show to display the UK's first FL12 8x4 tipper. The Irvine-built eight-wheeler has the 12-litre engine in 380hp form (with Volvo Engine Brake) coupled to the ninespeed R1700 gearbox. This takes drive to the Volvo's hubreduction rear bogie supported on its 1-ride suspension. The model on display has a 5.6m wheelbase (5.1 is an option) and is fitted with a Charlton McGovern steel body elevated by Harsh underfloor tipping gear. With a kerb weight of 9,755kg the F112 8x4 tipper chassis is just over half a tonne heavier than the equivalent Fib, with the 320hp engine. Prices for the 12litre (380hp) eight logger are around £4,500 above those of the FLI 0 in 360hp guise. Also on display was one of the first FH125 to come out of Irvine. It has been specified with VEB on the 340hp-rated engine coupled to the SR1700 (14-speed) gearbox. Operator MRS Distribution also specified the C-level cab trim, air flow kit "----N4 and a 625-litre fuel tank.
• The first right-hand drive Super Space Cob took pride of place on the Leyland Dal stand. Owner/operator W D McLaren is making the most of the extra length in the cab shell with pin striping, tartan and sign writing over every panel. The interior is equally sumptuous with leather-trimmed seats and ECAS suspension to ensure a smooth ride. Power is provided by the top-rated version of Daf's 11.6-litre engine which produces 430hp and the twin-steer tractive unit has ZF's 16-speed box. Specifying the Super Space Cab on the 3.82m
wheelbase vehicle adds 200kg to the kerb weight taking it to 7,950kg with 400 litres of Fuel on board. • Scotland provided the first showing of ERF's face-lifted EC cab on a 6x2 mid-lift tractive unit powered by Cummins' M11 engine. The redesigned cab interior gives better forward vision, a new dash layout, improved heating and upgraded seating. Outside the door handles are raised clear of any spray and the chassis gets more noise insulation with a "dustbin" type silencer on Euro-2 models. All the chassis and cab modifications will become standard on vehicles built after 8 September: Euro-1 remains available until its mandatory expiry date in October 1996. List prices for the chassis and cab package have risen by 3.8%.
* When Seddon Atkinson introduced its local authority specification 17-tonner it did so with the 180hp version of Cummins 8-series engine. By not fitting elec. Irk windows, a roof hatch and carpets and specifying vinyl, mechanically suspended seats and Eaton's six-speed gearbox, 5A managed to reduce the price by 12% against the standard model. Operators and local authorities liked the concept but wanted more power so Seddon now offers it with the 210hp engine version. This is still 11% cheaper than Hie normal Strata 210 partly because the 78km (49mph) maximum geared speed means a speed limiter need not be fitted.
Having received such a favourable response, Seddon is also looking at taking the downspeccing theme into tractive units. Seddon is looking at offering the 235hp version of Cummins' B-Series six-litre in its standard Strafe.
0 On the Foden stand operators were able to get their first view of the new Caterpillar 3176B engine which will soon be available in the 3000-Series (see page 14). Other news on the Foden stand concerned 6x2s with a lifting tag axle. The company is currently putting an air/air tag axle chassis through type approval At present operators wanting tag axles on their Fodens have to settle for steel suspension on the drive axle. First on offer will be tractive units lwhich already have an air/air mid-lift option) with the 3000 Series following closely.
* LinkTip showed a new version of its ground loading demount system which can be used on vehicles from 7.5 to 32 tonnes and is compatible with MultiLift, Edbro and other systems. The new design uses a pivoted arm instead of a fixed one and this enables it to work with the other bodies but not with LinkTip's own existing bodies. For an eight-legger LinkTip's new demount will weigh just under three tonnes, add 280mm to the top of the chassis and cost £21,500.
LinkTip will continue with its own dedicated demount and body system which covers the range from 3.5 to 17-tonners.
• The Scots lave of big cabs for long-distance travel was again illustrated by a Renault Magnum packed with satellite communication equipment. Operator Jack Conn International has installed Telecom Globetrak in eight of its 22-vehicle fleet after finding the running costs of mobile phones too high. Via a Logiq unit in the cab messages can be sent and received worldwide via an Inmarsat satellite. It also allows checks on a vehicle's progress and on-road monitoring of critical temperatures for frozen/chilled loads. Jack Conn's peariescent black Magnum 385Ti is fitted with a fax machine which also operates via the satellite. Regular trips will include the former Soviet Union, Poland, Spain and Portugal. * Another new coupling at the show was the VIIO 8500 for steering-axle drawbars up to 50 tonnes with 50mm eyes. The pin is allowed to rotate, evening out any wear around the circumference rather than localising it as with the previous, non-rotating design. The mechanism is now fully enclosed to protect against the elements; it incorporates a lock indicator. Activation for uncoupling can be from either side (the handle is transferable) and when primed the pin will engage automatically once aligned. To help with coupling the lead-in angle is relatively small. This is compensated for by using a rubber mount to the rear cross-member to increase the articulation. Prices have yet to be announced. The 8500 is claimed to be the first drawbar coupling to be certificated to 94/20/EC: all couplings will have to meet this standard soon.
Another novel vehicle on the Leyland Daf stand was an example of the recently launched 85.400. Operator Andrew Black Haulage has specified a Twin Splitter gearbox and a Telma retarder which has been retrofitted into the propshaft of the
3.5m-wheelbase 4x2 tractive unit. To offset the 400kg weight penalty this imposes, alloy wheels have been fitted. With range and weight saving in mind, the operator has opted for a 530-1ih-e aluminium fuel tank.