Operating a fleet of 8 B-doubles and 14 truck and dogs, Ray Cauchi has been hauling quarry products throughout metropolitan Melbourne for over thirty years. Ray Cauchi started Cauchi Transport, and seven years ago it was amalgamated to form Cartage Australia. With many of the vehicles working around the clock six days a week, the family owned company understands the value of utilising high productivity equipment and was quick to recognise the advantages PBS (Performance Based Standards) certification could provide.
All truck and dogs in the fleet have been built to PBS specification. Although all B-doubles in the fleet are built by Hercules, this newest addition is the first five axle dog that has been built by Hercules to be added to the fleet.
Ray Cauchi who started Cartage Australia asserts that the biggest benefit of PBS approval is the increase in payloads. “On some PBS approved vehicles in our fleet, we are getting productivity gains of between 10-25 percent. The Hercules five axle dog will allow us to carry up to 44.5 tonne payload. There is a very wide range of trailers in our fleet, with capacities of 53.5 tonne gross, 54 tonne gross, 57.5 tonne gross and 63 tonne gross; and the B-doubles are capable of carrying up to 68.5 tonne gross.”
The new 28.5 cubic metre five axle dog has been purpose built for carting quarry products. Floor thicknesses are 8mm to the front and 10mm to the rear for greater impact resistance.
Although there are a variety of OEM supplied trailers and dogs, the one vital component that Cartage Australia specifies is equipment supplied by SAF Holland including suspension, axles, V.Orlandi couplings and tows eyes, ball race and EBS braking systems.
This unit features a SAF Intradisc plus Integral integrated axle and suspension system, with an automated lift axle to the front axle of the rear tri group. The functional suspension arm and axle beam form an inseparable and maintenance free unit which does away with the need for U-bolts, clamping plates, axle seats and nuts. The construction remains completely robust, yet lightweight. Functional reliability is obtained by a high quality KTL coating with optimum corrosion protection. The shock absorber also receives adequate protection thanks to its positioning inside the functional suspension arm. It is exactly matched to the suspension system and is mounted in the middle of the hanger bracket. Pressed into the functional suspension arm, the SAF 3D bush absorbs wheel, side tilt and braking forces to greatly increase handling stability.
A key benefit of this system is its patented radial expansion technology where the disc expands radially and retracts radially as it cools, thus eliminating any ‘hot-spots’ that can result in cracking or failure of the disc. This is achieved by casting the disc on a high strength splined adaptor ring which is bolted to the wheel flange as a self-contained unit which creates a clearance free connection between the adaptor ring and the brake disc as the two parts are not fused together. As brake surfaces remain flat in all operating states, the service life of the pad is significantly extended.
“We believe in paying for a quality product up front so that there are less problems later on during the life of the trailer,” says Ray. “That’s why all of our units are fitted exclusively with SAF axles, suspensions and EBS braking systems. We have been dealing directly with SAF for many years and the product along with the service provided is second to none.”
