A new heavy vehicle wheel aligner has arrived in New Zealand, which the importer and distributor say will reduce downtime for operators.
Truck operators can now diagnose tyre wear in just one-third of the time it used to take, and then correct it with the latest Hunter heavy-duty wheel alignment system.
Stocks Equipment says the new Hunter Win Align HD Alignment System is a mini revolution in wheel alignment for the transport industry.
Having developed a system that can deliver alignment readings on cars and other light vehicles in under 60 seconds from scratch, Hunter has now used its technology expertise to create a heavy-duty version that can provide accurate 3-axle wheel alignment readings in 4 minutes.
Previously this task would have taken at least 12 minutes to complete.
Hunter’s system uses four or six DSP700T heavy-duty alignment sensors, which are more efficient setting up than traditional sensors.
The transport industry in New Zealand is plagued by alignment issues, resulting from a combination of variable road conditions, the twisting nature of the road network, and the heavy loads carried by trucks.
These conditions lead to increased tyre wear and higher maintenance, due to more forces exerted on wheel and drivetrain components.
Regular wheel alignment will significantly reduce such costs, and Stocks Equipment says a transport company could pay for the outlay on a Hunter system, in its workshop, very quickly, with these savings.
Similarly, transport repair and maintenance businesses could provide a service to customers by installing a Hunter alignment system in their workshop/s.
One of the keys to the fast operation of the Hunter DSP700T sensors is the roll-forward compensation feature, that is used to compensate all sensors, to negate wheel run out at the same time, without the need to jack each axle.
The sensors can also be compensated manually by Hunter’s unique electrically-assisted pusher, which makes it easy to move the vehicle for rolling compensation – the pusher doubles as a wheel chock, and it comes with a rechargeable battery.
The system is completely cordless, so there are no cables on the floor, which also makes it a safer place to work. And Hunter says the sensors are accurate to cover all truck, bus and trailer lengths.
Also available are self-centering adaptors for trucks and buses, with low-hanging bumpers or air dams, which fit wheels from 15-to-28 inches in diameter.
Similarly, trailer alignment can be carried out without unhooking it from the tractor by using an optional kingpin adaptor.
Hunter’s alignment system also includes turn plates that automatically lock and unlock to allow technicians to align heavy-duty vehicles on the floor, or with a truck rack or pit. All components, including the sensors, are built rugged to withstand the inevitable knocks in a transport workshop.
Straight Wheels Truck Alignment in Rocklea, Queensland was one of the first customers to put a Win Align HD Alignment system into operation and owner Peter Mathers has been impressed with the system.
“The battery life on the sensors is high and I can see my alignment results without jacking up each axle and moving around the sensors,” he says.
