Boniface Feature

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What’s Boniface up to......

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Continuing development of our Maxi reach lowline booms or Lowrider booms as they are branded outside of the UK, we have reduced the height of the boom and changed the position of the lifting bar so that when combined with our low fork receivers and reduced height forks we have provided our lowest approach yet to the casualty. This product will be exhibited fitted to a Volvo FM with Interstater 6 and Pioneer axle, check out the performance data on this truck.

Vtech products have been available through Boniface since 2000, however the smallest product in that range, the T35 was not produced in any numbers till the back end of 2005. We noticed a significant demand for 3.5 tonne GVW vehicles due to licence and tachograph restrictions and commenced further development of the product. This exhibition will be the first time we display the latest variant of the T35, it has a new aluminium bed made from purpose made extrusions and a new subframe and chassis which reduces the load angle and increases the payload.

Another first for Boniface is the incorporation of the Algema products to our range, the Miniblitz and Blitzlader, both these products fit well with our own light duty product the T35, the lightest of the products the Miniblitz is an ideal vehicle transporter, next in line is the T35, also a 3.5 GVW but with more recovery features, a full width bed that slides more useful for accident damaged cars. The Blitzlader is an interesting product as we use a 3.5 tonne chassis as a host which with the addition of the product is uprated to 4.6 tonne GVW, this combination allows good payload, good economy and passenger carrying capacity.

Yet another first is the installation of a Champion 3.5 tonne transporter on the Avia 7.5 tonne crew chassis, these Avia’s are just being introduced to the UK market, this is the first crew cab in the UK . The installation is straight forward and resulted in a payload of 2500 kgs on the tested truck which we think is pretty good for a crew cab, 3.5 t bed and a good range of equipment.

The development of the Pioneer axle continues, we added a lift bag to the system making the operation simpler, previously it required the lowering of the air suspension and the engagement of some lifting hooks. This system was complicated and not particularly low cost to manufacture, the new system goes back to the traditional way of lifting a tag axle which goes to show that sometimes the old ways are the best ways.

At Boniface Engineering we have often admired the tough rugged coatings available for Pick-up trucks - you may have seen it - designed to be hit by hammers, building rubble ... and still protect the body. We are showingSpeedliner for the first time this year and are very pleased with the result - you will see it in the Volvo Pioneer and the Volvo Recoverer Trident. We will be offering Speedliner as a standard coating on all Boniface bodies in the future.

Two new flyers are on display this year - both on Rotators. The Aluminium Tubular fitted to the KW 1075 and S fitted to the Volvo FH 1060. The tubular has a strobe beacon mounted on the top and the S incorporates the beacon within the structure thus eliminating the need for a separate beacon.

For those customers that like a 'fully equipped' recovery unit we have, this year, installed a tea machine into one of the Rotators! We thought that it would be a handly accessory at the scene of a long recovery! We have to thank Nick James of Transvend ( www.transvend.co.ok ) for supplying this unit for the Show.
Programmable Message Board, these pop up signs are commonly seen in the back of police unmarked cars, however they make a useful addition to a recovery vehicle with a range of messages that can be programmed in, the model we are displaying was lent to us by Premier Hazard, we will incorporate this feature into the next generation of flyers with a list of standard messages that the driver can quickly select.
Recently we completed a vehicle for CF Motoring Services, an Iveco with Century 1624 underlift, this will be displayed at Telford respendant in the new RHA colours, it’s striking and extremely visible at night as the photo’s illustrate.

We have always had a range of low angle slidebeds that we can draw on from the Miller group - Jige produced and we have exhibited the Solematic; they were probably one of the first manufacturers to slide the bed off to a point where the subframe when it tilts creates a low loading angle. We have been developing a system in parallel with that which we call the ULA (Ultra Low Angle) - I'd have liked to have called it the FLA ! - however, commonsense prevailed so the ULA will be exhibited on an Iveco chassis at Telford .
We think our 4-axle trailer is pretty good but there is always room for improvement but let's re-cap - we sell a 4-axle sliding axle trailer which provides a low loading angle and excellent weight carrying characteristics to make it better for 2006 we have lowered the height of the neck and incorporated wheel pockets that reduce the overall height with a casualty on board. We have moved the tie down eyes to the side and taken some metal out of the hinge which gives more clearance to clear fuel tanks, second axles, exhaust systems etc.



We have never used the 'Power Touch System' that is fitted to the NY's Kenworth Rotator - this allows control of the working lights from both the rear control station and the cab which is a handy feature - so complete control of the hazard working lights from wherever the operator is working. We are interested in customer reaction to see if we should standardize this on all products.