Hersham tests for ADR
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• Hersham Valves is testing two Cummins engines fitted with its exhaust brake to see if they will meet the ADR endurance braking requirements unaided.
Hersham's brake should cost less than £1,000 fitted and weighs less than 10kg, says sales manager John Tressler.
Initial findings show that an L10 fitted with the brake can comply to the regulations on vehicles up to 38 tonnes, and the 14-litre up to 44 tonnes. "But we don't know how high the 14-litre can go," says Tressler, "We carried out the tests at the Leyland Technical Centre, and the dynamometer couldn't cope with the power once we started to wind the engine up."
The ADR performance requirements were introduced last July and apply initially to vehicles carrying hazards goods on cross-border journeys. They require a device, separate from the braking system, which can hold the vehicle to a steady 30km/h on a 7% hill for 61tm.
Hersham has already tested a tractive unit fitted with a 12litre Perkins 400Tx which has performed well up to 48 tonnes.
The Cummins units are fitted with Hersham's Airset brake. It works on similar lines to the company's Retro Super VPS brake, but is controlled by air rather than spring pressure. A valve in the cab allows the driver to control the degree of retardation, "We'll be testing the Perkins Peregrine, and probably the B and C-Series Cununins at some stage," says Tressler. "We've started talks with Renault too."