Harsh tractor kits central to Carefoot fleet update

18 January, 2018

Compact and reliable tractor kits now fitted as standard on tractor units joining bulk tipper fleet

OFFERING proven performance and reliability, Harsh tractor kits (TKs) are now fitted as standard on all the latest tractor units joining the bulk tipper fleet of Walter Carefoot & Sons (Transport) Ltd.

Based in Longridge, Lancashire, Carefoot are nearing the completion of a substantial fleet-update programme that will give the company one of the most modern, productive and efficient tipper fleets anywhere in the UK.

With another new-generation Scania R450 having gone on the road this January (with a further six due for delivery in the spring), 2018 will see the Carefoot truck fleet reach a total of 40 vehicles.

Carefoot’s operations director, Rob Dean, said: ‘It makes clear sense to us to operate top-specification trucks that deliver the best possible operating returns. Every part of the truck is equally important in delivering that result, be it the engine or the tipping equipment.

‘Tractor kits are perhaps only a small part of a bigger whole, but they’re vital – without them the tipper simply doesn’t tip. We choose Harsh TKs because they are light, compact, easy to fit and, above all, reliable. As such, they complement trucks such as the latest new-generation Scanias perfectly.’

Designed to tip trailers in a smooth and fast operation, at the heart of a Harsh TK is an ultra-reliable, high-pressure, bent-axis piston pump. Combining reduced size with bi-rotational direction, the pump is designed to work with the widest variety of PTOs and gearboxes. Oil tanks, made from lightweight aluminium, can be fitted to either the chassis side rail or behind the truck cab.

Increasingly popular with tipper operators, Carefoot’s latest Scania tractors also feature a lighter mid-lift axle fitted with 17.5in wheels. This offers the dual benefit of not only a 300kg weight saving over a standard-spec 6x2 tractor, but also a small but valuable increase in chassis space, thereby providing additional room for fitting Harsh’s lightweight and compact 200-litre side-mounted aluminium hydraulic oil tank.