Truck maintenance
April 1st 2008 The versatility of JCB's Teletruk allows it to play a vital
role in the removal of production line robots for
maintenance at Halewood Operations, home to the
Jaguar X-TYPE and Land Rover Freelander 2
The JCB Teletruk has proved its
versatility in a novel application
serving a major automotive
production line. As part of Land Rover's
highly successful Freelander 2 programme,
a TLT 35D Teletruk fitted with a fork
positioner is used to facilitate the removal of
a robot in the event of a catastrophic failure.
Previously Halewood had to hire in a crane
or dismantle robots and repair them in-situ.
As the production line for Freelander 2 –
the latest model from the world famous offroad
vehicle manufacturer – is located close
to the X-Type line in the plant, there are a
host of access issues that the Teletruk avoids
when removing a robot thanks to its
forwards reach.
A Teletruk was chosen for this job
because it provides an extending boom with
a low pivot design within the required
weight range and physical size. The 35D has
a full forward reach of 2.43m, which allows
it to lift 2100kg at a 2m forward extension.
It can also lift its 3.5t capacity to a height of
4.4m. With no mast obscuring the view, as
would be the case on a traditional forklift
truck, the Teletruk also provides the
operator with clear forward vision.
Able to reach 90% of the applications, the
diesel powered Teletruk supplied through
the local Gunn JCB dealership provides a
flexible solution to the maintenance lifting
and slinging problems within Halewood's
Body Shop. The low pivot on the extending
boom allows operators to work under the
overhead systems without catching the
guarding, while it still is capable of reaching
over the fence lines to provide a safe
slinging point.
"The Teletruk allows Halewood staff to
change the robot for a new one and repair
the unit offline," says Mark Roberts Teletruk
specialist at Gunn JCB. He continues, "When
it came to providing maintenance access for
slinging, a stacker truck with a 'nose picker'
was used previously. As the Teletruk has a
hydraulic system using check valves it
provides a robust means of fixing a pulley
block to the end of the mast to sling
equipment from hard to reach places."
JCB was able to modify the Teletruk to
meet the specific needs of the plant. For
instance operators needed to be able to
slide the fork carriage sideways from the
cabin. "We advised Halewood to use a
sideshifting fork positioner, which gives the
operator the ability to move the forks to the
left and right as a fixed pair as well as the
ability to move the forks closer or wider
from a lever on the control bank inside the
cab," says Roberts.
Both the JCB factory and the Gunn JCB
dealership were able to supply service and
technical advice. Halewood requested
various demonstration units and detailed
information – from emission levels to
training packages – which JCB was able to
provide without delay.
Roberts concludes: "There are now many
practical examples where the Teletruk has
been the focal point of a major repair to the
assembly lines. It is used daily as part of
routine maintenance work and provides the
team with a reliable multi-use vehicle." More articles from JCB Sales Ltd: | 
