A bit of a different question, I’m designing a front facia for a 7.5t (its a new trim replacing iveco euro cargo) the original truck had a bumper step to allow reach up to the windscreen/mirrors. The new trim has deleted the step, also the new design stops anyone climbing up the side step unless the door is open.
I think these are really useful features for scraping ice and cleaning the windscreen.
Is this a feature a driver/fleet would use often. Particular in cold climates? A lot of time would be waisted waiting for the windows to defrost maybe…
is it something a buyer would take into account particular for a fleet?
Ah ha, climbing up the front of the vehicle then using one hand to hang on and the other to do a task is archaic in the current word of sensible safety.
Acorn:
Ah ha, climbing up the front of the vehicle then using one hand to hang on and the other to do a task is archaic in the current word of sensible safety.
It simple function to clear the windscreen, how else can you do it? lets say the heater has failed.
Acorn:
Ah ha, climbing up the front of the vehicle then using one hand to hang on and the other to do a task is archaic in the current word of sensible safety.
It simple function to clear the windscreen, how else can you do it? lets say the heater has failed.
OK I thought you meant the other way. Yes we need a step for this case.
I’ve not designed the facia, its a styling thing. I’m the Engineer who wants the steps back and I’m trying to research how important a bumper step is.
Could you tell me if steps on the bumper and door steps are nearly always designed into most vehicles for this reason? obviously if the CAB is to high the steps are taken away as the person will be climbing to high and in danger
For years (heaters on many lorries in ye olde days were useless, but lower cabs so easier to reach) i can count on one finger the number of times i’ve had to scrape ice or snow off truck windows, even on vehicles without a night heater by the time you’ve run the engine long enough to do your checks etc the windows will be defrosting.
However, its important to have access to the windows and screen for general outside glass cleaning purposes, the side windows prove difficult to reach on some cabs where the lower section of the doorskin covers the side steps worse still if you’re a short arse and some makers have been irresponsible re providing hand holds to enable front screen/top mirror access, some (Scania especially) have provided built in good drop down steps for screen access.
If anything window access is more important now than it ever has been, at one time almost all yards would have had vehicle washing facilities of some sort, typically a pressure washer but even a hose pipe with detergent and brushes will do the trick for regular cab and window cleaning…but these days with environmental issues some transport yards have no cleaning facilities at all and those that do it might well be a full automated truck wash that in some yards is permanently broken or coned off so it can’t be used anyway , not even a hose pipe available.
Even if allowed to use a commercial wash facility once a week or so, during winter in particular the windows need cleaning sometimes several times a day, so yes access is really important for those who take the job seriously, if anything better steps and some thought to side window access on high cabs are required.
Juddian:
For years (heaters on many lorries in ye olde days were useless, but lower cabs so easier to reach) i can count on one finger the number of times i’ve had to scrape ice or snow off truck windows, even on vehicles without a night heater by the time you’ve run the engine long enough to do your checks etc the windows will be defrosting.
However, its important to have access to the windows and screen for general outside glass cleaning purposes, the side windows prove difficult to reach on some cabs where the lower section of the doorskin covers the side steps worse still if you’re a short arse and some makers have been irresponsible re providing hand holds to enable front screen/top mirror access, some (Scania especially) have provided built in good drop down steps for screen access.
If anything window access is more important now than it ever has been, at one time almost all yards would have had vehicle washing facilities of some sort, typically a pressure washer but even a hose pipe with detergent and brushes will do the trick for regular cab and window cleaning…but these days with environmental issues some transport yards have no cleaning facilities at all and those that do it might well be a full automated truck wash that in some yards is permanently broken or coned off so it can’t be used anyway , not even a hose pipe available.
Even if allowed to use a commercial wash facility once a week or so, during winter in particular the windows need cleaning sometimes several times a day, so yes access is really important for those who take the job seriously, if anything better steps and some thought to side window access on high cabs are required.
Thanks very much Juddian, really great info. I’ve come on board to our design a little late but what you said is my thinking.
, not even a hose pipe available.