Robust tipping gear

To build a tough but efficient new recycling vehicle for Exeter City Council. the tipping gear needed to be extremely reliable whilst also maximising payload through lightness.

To replace its outgoing vehicle, Exeter City Council chose to use a Mercedes 26T vehicle. It commissioned Thompsons bodybuilders to fit the vehicle with a state-of-the-art, lightweight body that includes modern weighing equipment, that calculates the popularity of each collection site, and a compartmentalised interior to keep the different materials separate.

The council wanted the collection vehicle to be as lightweight as possible; maximising the payload thereby reducing the number of trips it would have to make and ultimately its running costs. Thompsons was aware that one area that can create weight saving in a tipping vehicle is the tipping cylinder, fluids and controls, however with the vehicle likely to have a high work load it was important to use tipping gear with the highest levels of quality as well as lightweight construction. The vehicle's role is the collection of glass and paper from recycling points across the city and it is in service 6 days a week, meaning the tipping gear needed to be extremely reliable whilst also maximising payload through lightness.

Having developed a strong partnership with Edbro in the past, Thompsons approached them to develop a lightweight solution that would fit the dimensions of the vehicle. Due to building height restrictions where the vehicle would operate, the body needed low ground clearance to maximise space; this made it a perfect candidate for Edbro's UB series, a range of high performance, underbody telescopic hoists.

Scott Burton, Sales Director for Thompsons, comments: "We have a long history of working with Edbro, we know that when we specify their kit we are specifying high quality components that will last. In this case the customer needed lightweight and compact tipping gear that would stand up to regular use nearly every day. I spoke with Peter Angell at Edbro and straight away he was able to recommend the UB cylinder, it was a perfect fit."

The UB Series is available for vehicles between 7.5 and 32 tonnes. Ideal for tipper and crane applications it is suitable for use in harsh environments and comes with the company’s 'fit and forget' reliability promise. It is manufactured using a Tuftride surface treatment process that provides long seal life, decreasing the overall maintenance requirements. Fitted with a CT valve, the UB series also provides a high flow rate and fast tipping.

Peter Angell, Edbro's Sales Manager, adds: "Due to the height restrictions on the building the specifications for this vehicle were very tight. We pride ourselves on offering solutions for any application and as such were happy to be able to offer the ideal solution to Thompsons. The UB Series is a very flexible range, with a number of sizes; I have no doubt that it will continue to operate smoothly for many years."