Retarders save RCV costs
Page 16
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Scarborough Borough Council has recently bought another Telma-equipped Seddon Atkinson Pacer 6x2, bringing the number of refuse collection vehicles with retarders to 12. The decision to use them came five years ago as the cost of heavy wear and tear on brake linings, drums and seals continued to rise.
First into the fleet with a Telma was a Dennis Eagle Elite and that one, says borough transport manager Kevin Scholey, has covered 46,000 miles without a change of brake linings.
That unit was a retrofit, but Dennis and Seddon now install them as an on-line option at a cost of around £3,500 and just 160kg. When integrated with the footbrake, the retarder supplies 75% of its own performance before the brakes come in, enough to handle up to 85% of all braking requirements.