Volvo FH 460 gives Stuart Power more lift

Stuart Power has taken delivery of a new 44-tonne Volvo FH 460 6x2 rear-lift tractor unit equipped with a PM 65 SP crane. This follows the rental company’s need for a vehicle capable of moving its newest assets; a pair of 850kVA power generators.  

The FH, which has a 3.4m long wheelbase, has been fitted with a Globetrotter cab and the manufacturer’s 10 tonne front axle, which the company told CM, was needed so that the unit can accommodate the heavy-duty crane that will be manoeuvring the generators.

Stuart Power’s director, Rod Tebble, explained that the company normally opts for DAF, but couldn’t find one to fit the bill on this occasion. “We run a fleet of DAFs, but it doesn’t offer the front axle weight we needed for the crane we wanted. As a result we had to look elsewhere.

“We’ve found that around 400hp is plenty for the work we are looking to do though, and moving heavy weight is more about the torque anyway”.

Stuart Power has been relying on a DAF CF 410 8x2 and crane to move its heavier generators, but Tebble acknowledged that eventually, it had to look towards a more effective, long-term solution.

Supplied by Volvo Truck & Bus in Norwich with a Blue Maintenance Contract that ensures all of the truck’s preventative maintenance is taken care of by the dealer, which should improve Stuart Power’s uptime.

“We chose Volvo primarily because of the front axle weight of course, but the support and initial response from the dealer in Norwich was good. The pricing too was very competitive, and the driver loves the truck and has no complaints,” commented Tebble.

Stuart Power’s new Volvo pulls the company’s latest 30ft SDC Platform PSK trailer, which is used to move the generators. It features eight twist locks capable of accommodating 10ft, 13ft, 20ft, and 30ft containers, too.