While attending the World of Concrete, Guy Ramsey, president of Maximum Capacity Media LLC and publisher of Lift and Access, presented the First Place • Safety Features or Operating Systems LLEAP Award to Baraga, Mich.-based Pettibone, for its recently introduced Precision Steer Axle System with the Carraro 26.43 axle. Accepting the award was Bill Loughman, president of Pettibone, and Ray McDonald, Pettibone's vice president of engineering.
As the first axle designed for four-wheel steering application, the Carraro-manufactured 26.43 axle was developed to correct Ackermann steering geometry and consequently reduced telehandler tires and component wear and increased tracking and rolling resistance. When Pettibone began working with Carraro to correct telehandler steering, geometrical analysis tests were conducted on Pettibone and competitive machines. Testing showed that the Pettibone telehandler's tires were out of alignment (toed in) by 9 in four-wheel steering, while competitive brands showed even greater alignment errors. With the new Carraro 26.43 axle, Pettibone telehandlers are now misaligned only 4. While bettering the Ackermann steering error, the steering geometry also has been improved by 50%.
For details on the Pettibone Precision Steer System, go to www.gopettibone.com.
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