|
|
Posted by Clint Dixon [65.125.107.130] on Friday, December 10, 2010 at 12:46:46 :
In Reply to: broken axle posted by David N. Lundstrom [64.68.10.17] on Thursday, December 09, 2010 at 21:17:43 :
"5. Does anyone know for sure why Dodge used a brake design on these trucks that was obsolete in 1940? (This is the least important of these questions.)"
I have to disagree with those who feel the brake design was obsolete by the time the Power-Wagon went into production. May be for a Chrysler Imperial, but not for a Power-Wagon.
We have to remind ourselves what the design intent of the Power-Wagon was and the circumstances that led up to its conception.
There were vehicles other than the Power-Wagon that were still using the same brake design in 1946. Many of these were tractors. And the Power-Wagon was designed as a multi-purpose vehicle meant to replace the tractor, portable power plant, and truck. Nothing on it was automatic. Everything required driver input, from manually adjusting the manifold heat riser between winter and summer positions, to lubricating the water pump, to adjusting the brakes for wear.
I would say this was the number one reason: The truck was intended to be adjusted, lubricated, and maintained on a regimented schedule.
Other reasons - not necessarily in order:
- Simplicity
- Original design was a spinoff from a military purposed design, which targeted a single purpose. The military trucks were not meant to be comfortable, convenient, economical, or to last forever.
- In the building of the Power-Wagon, Dodge used as many parts as possible that were in inventory - ones that they already had tooling to make more of - tooling that the government had paid for.
- Less parts to break/wear.
Junior
Follow Ups: