Has Dan says Horses for courses.Always suprised that Albion never built a 8 wheeler tipper to work along side the Riever 6 wheeler.
windrush:
[zb]
anorak:
This is interesting, to a twit like me, anyway. It suggests that the chassis on the 400 had more torsional rigidity than the Foden. On uneven ground, this would put more load onto individual “corners” of the vehicle, which would therefore load individual springs, hangers and the surrounding part of the chassis rail more. With diff locks engaged, the torque through the half-shaft driving the highest-loaded wheel would be higher, until the point when the whole axle would lose traction.Are there any ex-Foden engineers on the forum, who could confirm or deny this?
Well I was a fitter on both makes before I went driving full time and the 400 had a more rigid chassis (a lot more X members) but the Foden chassis tended to suffer small cracks in the X members which we would weld up for test but would soon crack through again! This was the old Foden chassis, not the Paccar one. The Paccar one used Kenworth alloy flitch plates that would corrode against the steel chassis frame after several years, but they were easily replaceable as they were bolted. The SedAk 400 chassis seemed strong but we did have one break in two at the tipper ram brackets. Springwise the Foden’s were better, later of course they had the rubber back end and taperlight springs on the front which were better, Sed Ak had multiplate both front and rear and would break at the spring eyes, I had two break in one journey, and were blooming heavy which possibly explained the high tare weight amongst other things. I believe the Seddon was cheaper, we (TILCON) only had them when Foden were unable to meet demand but they didn’t run many and I THINK that only the Midland area quarries had them both in 4, 6 and 8 wheeler form.
Just to add as well, the Fodens we had at that time were not fitted with diff locks (worm and wheel diffs) but the Sed Ak was so it gained on site, the later Eaton or Rockwell equipped Fodens DID have diff locks (cross locks were an option but ours were not fitted with them) but the lack of articulation with the rubber suspension didn’t help traction much.
Pete.
Thanks for a smart response, Pete. A bit of clever detail design on the Foden crossmembers would have cured the cracking, I imagine. I guess all of these chassis durability problems have been solved, over the past quarter of a century.
Just looking at the pictures of the Fodens. I remember Foden doing a model that featured the Motor Panels cab that was popular with tipper operators and in the typical Foden tradition had a cracking looking radiator grill. I always thought Fodens styling of the DAF 85 cab looked really good too in both mk1 and mk2 versions.
In the 24 Tonne Gross days I had the S 21 Foden that was one of the best tippers & had, Did local & long distance work, 16.Tonne payload, 150 Gardner, 12 speed box & it pulled like a train, Regards Larry.
cattle wagon man:
Three replies to this post ,…and no squeak from theMaster of Tippers,…“Muckaway” .
Cheers , Anon.
I didn’t think I needed to post my answer. 
(Foden)
rivits:
I always thought Fodens styling of the DAF 85 cab looked really good too in both mk1 and mk2 versions.
They were, the only problem on the Alpha (“mk2”) was the flat doors, opposex to curved ones on the Daf CF. Fodens used to get filtby much faster than Dafs and over time the locks would stick/seize up.
Really frustrating that when Foden had a decent cab, engine choice and tough lightweight chassis, they stopped production.
Testament to how well they were built, my new boss is looking to buy 2x03 reg ones from Smiths.
Foden 4000 series CAT 3306 engine 13speed fuller and rockwell axles. Powerful decent on the tip just dont let the cable gearshift wear to bad.
The l10 ■■■■■■■ was decent and a bit better on fuel than the cat.
The volvo FL 10 was a decent motor too
kr79:
Foden 4000 series CAT 3306 engine 13speed fuller and rockwell axles. Powerful decent on the tip just dont let the cable gearshift wear to bad.
The l10 ■■■■■■■ was decent and a bit better on fuel than the cat.
The volvo FL 10 was a decent motor too
Smiths found the Cat C10 better than the ■■■■■■■ L10. The C12 was brilliant, but I read on here that those who got the best out of them tended to run Cat plant.
Never been a driver but as a 11 yr old travelling in these and previously the S36 models it was great watching the drivers going up and down the box and listening to the noise of the gardners,never forgot the sound,greaaaaaaaaaaaat.
Muckaway:
rivits:
I always thought Fodens styling of the DAF 85 cab looked really good too in both mk1 and mk2 versions.They were, the only problem on the Alpha (“mk2”) was the flat doors, opposex to curved ones on the Daf CF. Fodens used to get filtby much faster than Dafs and over time the locks would stick/seize up.
Really frustrating that when Foden had a decent cab, engine choice and tough lightweight chassis, they stopped production.
Testament to how well they were built, my new boss is looking to buy 2x03 reg ones from Smiths.
A former Boss and mate of mine is Foden in the brain, he has an old S80 6x4 tipper with a 180 Gardner and Fodens own overdrive gearbox. When I worked for him he got me a Foden Alpha Mk1 demonstrator with a 380 ■■■■■■■ Select and an Eaton 12sp synchro ‘box. Cracking truck, pulled well, good economy, 21 tonne payload. Asked him ’ well are you buying one?’ ’ Oh err well, It aint really a Foden wae that Daf cab!!! I though , my god, the first Foden I ever drove that didna leak when it rained!!! Best of it was my regular 8 wheeler wae his company…A RENAULT MAXTER!!! what a heap that was lol
Hi rivits ,if you mean the eaton ts the main box is constant mesh ,only the splits are synchro .
the old routeman was good in the tip but slow on the road,even better in my shed
Lawrence Dunbar:
0
Thanks for posting this photo again Lawrence, what engine & gearbox did she have?
I think these look better than the wide (Roadtrain) cabbed version…
Some more courtesy of Flickr:
flickr.com/photos/38678946@N07/8998439399
flickr.com/photos/94074424@N07/10984660284
flickr.com/photos/46315577@N04/4289873039
Regards, Andrew.
Dan Punchard:
Hi rivits ,if you mean the eaton ts the main box is constant mesh ,only the splits are synchro .
Hiya Dan, it was definitely a 12sp synchro a 4 over 4 with the split on the high range, not to be confused with the earlier constant mesh 13sp box
I never had any dealings as such with the Scammell Routeman but they certainly were popular in the Central Scotland area especially as coal bulkers and I also believe Blue Circle Cement had a huge fleet of Scammell Routeman’s
i drove a routeman for a while , probably why i’m as deaf as a post now . i couldn’t hear anything for half an hour after i stopped the engine .
rivits:
Dan Punchard:
Hi rivits ,if you mean the eaton ts the main box is constant mesh ,only the splits are synchro .Hiya Dan, it was definitely a 12sp synchro a 4 over 4 with the split on the high range, not to be confused with the earlier constant mesh 13sp box
That will be the ZF then .
There was also an eaton 12 and 16speed sychro box. Man used it to. Wasnt a great box if you want a synchro the zf was much better.
Dan Punchard:
rivits:
Dan Punchard:
Hi rivits ,if you mean the eaton ts the main box is constant mesh ,only the splits are synchro .Hiya Dan, it was definitely a 12sp synchro a 4 over 4 with the split on the high range, not to be confused with the earlier constant mesh 13sp box
That will be the ZF then .
Nope, definitely an Eaton box as far as I know it wasn’t a great gearbox but certainly drove nice, I believe the Mk2 Alpha artics had a ZF 'box but they were a DAF CF with a ■■■■■■■ or Cat engine where the Mk1 Alpha was Foden through & through the only DAF part being the cab, that ZF 'box I had in 16sp form in both MAN and DAF artic units and it was an excellent gearbox , smooth, light & bulletproof