The Straussler 15-tonner Shows Its Paces
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Specially Built for the Anglo-Iranian Oil Co., Ltd., the Straussler Eight wheeled, 3,700gallon Tanker has Many
Notable Features
I N the issue of The Commercial Motor dated October 18 last, there appeared a description of a Straussler 15-tonner, built by Straussler Mechanization, Ltd., 70, Pall Mall, London, S. Nelr . 1, for the Anglo-Iranian Oil Co., Ltd. At that time the chassis was equipped with a test body and no opportunity was available to form an impression of its road 'performance
On Thursday of list week, however, the completed vehicle, with a 3,700gallon tank—a product of Thompson Bros. (13ilston), Ltd.—was demonstrated at Farnborough to officials of the Anglo-Iranian concern, also to representatives of the War Department, India Office and the Air Ministry.
It will be remembered that this machine represents a complete breakaway from conventional practice, and amongst the features of special note may be mentioned the independent mounting of all wheels, the drive by the four wheels of the front bogie and the steering layout, in which each stub axle has its own steering box. Two independent braking systems are provided, the pedal applying brakes on all eight wheels.
The power unit is a Straussler 7.2litre eight-cylindered V-type, which develops 150 b.h.p. at 2,800 r.p.na., and the power is transmitted through a clutch and six-speed synchromesh gearbox to a propeller shaft beneath the gearbox. At each end of this shaft is a spiral-bevel drive and differential, and from each Of these run universally jointed shafts to the four front-bogie wheels.
The foregoing is but a rAsum6 of the major features of the chassis, and for further particulars of the many interesting details we would refer the reader to the earlier issue mentioned.
For the purpose of the demonstration last week, the machine carried 3,100 gallons of kerosene, the gross weight of the outfit being 24i tons. Unladen, the weight of the complete vehicle is 121tons.
During the demonstration no attempt was made to negotiate ground of a, B36 difficult cross-country ,character, but the site chosen at Farnborough was sufficiently varied to provide a good indication of the behaviour of the machine over rough and hilly country.
The course included a flat, straight stretch of unmade road with many potholes, a steep hill over a rough track, with a maximum gradient in the order of 1 in 6, and a short section of irregular unmade surface.
That the course was well within the capacity of the vehicle was evident throughout the trial, and the easy manner in which the hill was negotiated showed that there was no lack of power. On the roughest section the amount of wheel articulation available was such that the minimum of movement was transmitted to the frame.
During the course of a short run on the machine, perhaps the most impressive characteristic was the excellence of the suspension system. Over the unmade road, which was traversed at a speed of about 35 m.p.h., we found it difficult to appreciate how rough was the ground, there being,no .suggestion of bounce.
A feature of the Straussler is the provision of six gear levers, one for each ratio, and! we were interested to note that gear-changing provided but little difficulty.
For .so heavy an outfit, the steering at normal speeds appeared to be commendably light; the turning circle is in the region of 60 ft.
The power unit ran smoothly throughout the speed range and the exhaust note was not unduly obtrusive. The maximum speed would appear to be about 40 m.p.h. and we were informed that the petrol consumption worked out at about 5-6 m.p.g.
Mention should be made of the brakes, which performed smoothly and efficiently, the pedal pressure required being light. The equipment provided is unusually complete and we formed the impression that the machine is ideally suited to the arduous conditions under which it is to operate.
The overall length of the outfit is but 25 ft. 10 ins., the width is 8 ft. and the top of the tank is only 9 ft. above ground level. To build a machine capable of carrying nearly 4,000 gallons with such moderate overall dimensions is Something of an achievement, and the compactness of the outfit is one of its most notable features.