This is the conclusion following 12 months of problem-free operation at major fleet operator, G. Webb Haulage Ltd. The company has adopted the technology in the form of Edbro CX14 tipping gear as part of its strategy maintain its productivity and efficiency levels, moving away from their traditional under floor tip gear preference.
General Manager Neil McMurdo explains: “We used to use underfloor tipping mechanisms across our fleet of 40-plus tipping vehicles, but these are heavy and take up a lot of space. So when the new Euro 6 emission requirements came in last year we decided to try the lighter front-end cylinders on some of the new trucks we were ordering.”
“The switch to Edbro CX14 tipping gear saved a considerable amount of weight on each vehicle,” say Mr McMurdo, “partly because the front end gear does not require stabiliser bars. However, G. Webb vehicles are required to be able to operate with total reliability in the harsh conditions that are encountered when carrying loads such as contaminated soils and wastes, river silt, fertiliser and coal.
“Normally when we specify new vehicles our first concern is reliability and our second is that it will operate as efficiently as possible in terms of payload and aerodynamics. But as a company that has been at the forefront of haulage services for sixty years, we also have a history of innovating and adapting to changing requirements.”
“In preparation for the Euro 6 standards being introduced we decided we wanted to keep our tippers under 12 tonnes, so that full payloads could be maintained despite the heavier new engines and exhaust systems,” recalls Mr McMurdo. “Previously we had preferred underfloor tipping gear, partially because of the guaranteed stability. But research suggested that front-end cylinders can be just as steady. Before making the decision we did some market research and we concluded that Edbro CX14 cylinders from JOST would offer maximum weight saving and reliability.”
With its innovative design and potential weight saving of up to 258 kg per load, the Edbro CX14 could increases long-term profitability. This means that in some body configurations with front end gear, the weight saving can be as much as 600kg when compared to the traditional under floor arrangement.
This weight saving is possible because the cylinder is not an off-the-shelf unit, but one designed specifically for UK road conditions.
The CX14 has a safe lift capacity of 25 tonnes to the top and a buckling safety factor in excess of 50 percent.
Mr McMurdo concludes: “We specified Edbro because we believed it would be the best; and it is living up to expectation. Initially we had the CX14 on two vehicles, and have adopted it on each subsequent new vehicle. We are now up to about half the fleet on the new system.”