I’m parked ion Oxford msa & a Spanish FH pulling a fridge (Comotrans) has just left.
Attatched to the hub on both unit axles was a freewheeling device shaped like a teardrop.
From this was a cable around the thickness of the type of plastic coated cable used to secure motorbikes.
The rear cable was then attatched to the wheel arch bracket.
The front cable was attatched to the trim between wheelarch & cubbyhole door.
Is this a security measure or some kind of tracking system or somthing else?
I dunno what it is or does, but when I went to Brazil last summer I’d say at least three quarters of the wagons there have these things attached to both front wheels. I assumed they were just their kind of ‘bling’. Perhaps the company that makes 'em could make a killing in Europe selling them to the Irish boys for their Scanias.
i have seen something that sounds similar and at closer inspection it was actually a hub greasing system, could that be what you saw?.
Seen this on a Renault, i ‘think’ its a tyre inflation thing.
You can get a similar thing for offroaders, and some military trucks so you can monitor and adjust the tyre pressures from the drivers seat.
It sounds like an auto-tyre inflatator - the idea being that should a tyre start to lose pressure it can be kept topped-up enough to avoid an unexpected blow-out.
I think some of the new military vehicles have this fitted so tyre pressures can be adjusted from the cab to suit the ground conditions.
and I thought it was to stop the wheels rolling away when they came off.
I also think it’s automatic tyre inflator. I think you can get not only a unit with it but unit also supports trailers with similar system and warns if any tyre has a leak. I have seen such devices before on “new” military trucks, build in Russia at least since 1960’s, like these KrAZ trucks in Finnish military plates. Tyre pressure adjust system on these trucks just has problems with their reliability because it is rarely used.
I think the tyre inflation device sounds the most plausible from what I saw so I’ll go with that
north surrey haulage:
I think the tyre inflation device sounds the most plausible from what I saw so I’ll go with that
thats what it is, keeps the tyres upto pressure and also deflates when they expand in heat,which is more of a problem than under inflated
Yes it counds like a tyre inflation system if you get a sudden loss of pressure, we see alot of Spanish and Portugese trucks with them on, not sure whether there may be come legal requirement coming up.
It seems expensive!
Definitely a tyre pressure system, most likely something called the VIGIA Automatic Tire Pressure System.
Couple of links here and here give some more information.
On the first site there is a little animation of how it works under the heading - See how VIGIA works with a puncture.
A couple of good links there, Neil.
I guess at $3000 not many operators would pay for this system; how many blow-outs does it take before you get your $3k back?
I think it’s a good idea but unless it was made compulsary I don’t envisage it becoming too popular.
guess at $3000 not many operators would pay for this system; how many blow-outs does it take before you get your $3k back?
Well, when you consider that if you across the water you are likely to be charged abou £600 for a road-side tyre change, you only need a couple to make it worth while - to allow you to get to a fitters.
I see a lot of these devices on Spanish car transporters, which makes me think its perhaps an insurance requirement, or at least will reduce GIT insurance when loaded with high value stuff.