Long-established Volvo Trucks customer, A1 Services (Manchester) Limited has put its first-ever tractor units into operation. The two Volvo FMX 6×4 chassis feature X-high chassis with B-ride suspension were supplied by Steven Cruikshank, Fleet & Key Account Manager at Thomas Hardie Commercials Ltd.
The FMXs chassis rails have a 1,030mm height above ground level for off-road site works and in addition, the front steel, rear air suspension, double drive tractor units are also equipped with twin fuel tanks, giving a maximum capacity of 360 litres and Jost cast, fixed fifth wheels. Power for the pair comes from Volvo’s popular Euro-6, D13K engines with A1 Services (Manchester) opting for the 460hp versions, which produce their maximum power output between 1,400 and 1,800rpm, in addition to a top torque figure of 2,300Nm from 900 to 1,400rpm.
Volvo’s award-winning 12-speed, I-Shift automated mechanical gearbox is also present in the duo, which are equipped with single reduction drive axles with a ratio of 3.09:1.
As A1 Services (Manchester) will use the new tractor units exclusively on regional work, it opted for the FMX Day Cab, which contributes towards increased payload figures, when coupled to the company’s new Schmitz tipper trailers. Currently Volvo trucks account for around 30 of A1 Services Manchester’s fleet of 37 HGVs.
The company carries out all of its repair and maintenance schedules in-house and the new Volvos’ vehicle graphics were supplied by M&A Brown Ltd, Worsley.
‘Our first association with Volvo Trucks and Thomas Hardie Commercials was around 25 years ago and since then we have operated quite a number of Volvo vehicles,” reports John Walsh, Director at A1 Services (Manchester), adding, “Volvo is a good brand and we’ve high hopes for these two FMXs; the first tractor units bought by the company. Articulated tipper combinations offer us an increased payload and we’ll be monitoring the results of this long term experiment with interest.”
