Life with my Scania 6X2
Page 30
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
MY 1982 Scania 82H sixwheeler bought secondhand has had a catalogue of mishaps. After only a week on the road a half-shaft broke and, although some of the blame can be put down to the way the truck was driven on very soft ground, the main problem lies with the truck.
I contacted my local dealer, Unit Commercials, and was told that it could not help me that day but that I should try MOLO Transport, near Romsey, which tried to get a new shaft and was told that there was not one available in England, so removed one from a scrapped 110. Thanks go to MOLO for their help.
I think this is where a lot of our English gear scores over the luxury riding of the Scania.
Next on the list was a turbocharger oil filter failure. The bracket holding the filter fractured. UCL at Netherhampton had to order one from UCL in Bristol. By that weekend the bracket had not arrived and on Monday morning one of the pipes fractured. UCL tried to fix me up with a secondhand one, but .it turned out to be the wrong type so the old one was refitted and secured temporarily.
On January 4 this year oil poured from the radiator filler cap. UCL Bovey Tracey had no fitters available. UCL Bristol workshop told to check the oil cooler, which was then found to be faulty. I rang Scania (Great Britain) and Bob Campbell said he would get one to UCL the next day. The cooler was collected and the truck was back on the road on Monday, with two days loss of earnings saved.
Next came the diff lock problem. On January 15 I tried to negotiate a 1 in 6 climb in a quarry up a track covered in sheet ice and decided to use the diff lock. At the top where there is a right turn, there was one almighty bang. The diff lock had exploded inside the rear axle!
After trying to get UCL Bovey Tracey interested in helping and after being told there were no fitters in the workshop, I took it to my local Leyland dealer who stripped the differential out and found the problem.
From my manual I found the numbers of the diff lock parts and UCL Netherhampton advised that the parts would arrive the following morning at 9am (Wednesday, January 16). Midday on Thursday I was still one part short. I contacted Scania who offered me the complete diff lock cylinder assembly unit.
This truck has never yet operated in profit for me.
I wish I had stuck to my Bison. At least Leyland has plenty of dealers who compete with one another. And I can't help thinking about ERF's policy; that is to let suitable and successful operators of trucks sell and maintain them. Wm. R. SCURLOCK Taunton Somerset
• Scania's Dermot Banibridge told CM: We are very disturbed by Mr Scurlock's troubles and are looking into them. Two failures relate to the rear axle. Mr Scurlock felt he had to drive "in the green". The engine has plenty of torque down to 950 revsimin, which is below the green. As Mr Scurlock remarks, the diff lock should not be used when turning corners.
But what sort of life did the vehicle lead before he purchased it? Was this the correct one for the job? Without its history, we cannot comment on the first question. On the second, the 6X2 vehicle is excellent for most normal building-site work. In all cases, the parts needed were held by Scania (Great Britain) and were dispatched quickly. Unit Commercials is looking into its part to see that such a situation does not recur and has written to the customer to arrange a meeting.
This type of vehicle is operated extensively in the UK with no problems. We are trying to find out why this particular truck has given problems and to ensure that Mr Scurlock has no further troubles.