THE purpose of these studies by our committee is to point out inconsistencies that exist in various weight classes, with the hope that a better-balanced vehicle will be produced so that the operator in purchasing a vehicle of a certain rating can be assured of a reasonably uniform performance, irrespective of the make of vehicle.
It is obvious from a study of the 1936-37 specifications that some improvements have been made. The general rating of trucks by class is poor due to the tendency to raise the gross-vehicle-weight rating of the trucks without enlarging engines, clutches, frames, and so on.
In general there is the same wide variation in specifications within each gross class of trucks this year, as existed in 1934.
This paper is the fourth prepared by Mr. Faulkner at the request of the Transportation and Maintenance Activity Committee of the Society to present the results of studies made by the Subcommittee on Motor-Vehicle Design and Operation, of which Mr. Faulkner is chairman.
Part 1 of the study was presented at the Semi-Annual Meeting of the Society in 1934; Part 2 at the 1935 Annual Meeting. The lubrication phase of the operating problem was presented at the 1936 Annual Meeting in lieu of Part 3 presented at the 1937 Annual Meeting. Part 3 is presented as a joint effort and consists of the following five sections, of which the first three are published herewith. Sections 4 and 5 will be published later if space permits.
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Section 1 -
A review of the objectives and accomplishments as set forth in previous papers, with comparisons made against current production.
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Section 2 -
Covering the storage battery and starter-generator combinations, using data accumulated and furnished by R. M. Critchfield, chief engineer, Delco-Remy Corp.
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Section 3 -
“Semi-Trailer Coupling Heights,” presented in its entirety as furnished by M. C. Horine, sales promotion manager, Mack-International Motor Truck Corp.
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Section 4 -
“Brake Application with Suggestions for Standardization,” the subject matter prepared by Stephen Johnson, Jr., chief engineer, Bendix-Westinghouse Auto. Air Brake Co.
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Section 5 -
“Operators Woes on Lubrication,” by A. Ludlow Clayden, research engineer, Sun Oil Co.