BESPOKE HARSH HYDRAULICS FOR 4R’s TAG AXLE TANKERS DELIVER MAXIMUM FLEET VERSATILITY

25 April 2025

Five new HARSH – equipped tractor units have just started work with the 4R Group, which provides award – winning environmental services to utilities, industry and farming. All these units are 6×2 DAF XF models, two being 3.4m wheelbase ‘FTR’ tag axle chassis, with the remaining three conventional mid-axle types.

“HARSH hydraulic kits were the obvious choice for these new tractors” says 4R Transport Manager Gareth Boucher, “particularly as they could design a bespoke system to give us complete operational flexibility with all types of trailers. The two tag axle tractors generally work with liquid – carrying vacuum tank trailers, whilst the other three work with either walking floors or bulk tippers.

From a hydraulics point of view, the tankers are much more specialist as the hydraulics are used to both suck liquids into the trailer and also to power the pump to empty it. Both operations require extensive constant running – often over half an hour –  which means a much higher workload for the hydraulics. In contrast, a straight tipper or walking floor can usually tip out in only a few minutes.”

Working with 4R’s tank trailers, the heavy duty HARSH piston pump delivers a flow rate of 90 litres / minute at 900rpm, rising to 120 l/min at 1200rpm if or when used with a walking floor. To offset the higher temperatures of constant operation, HARSH has also fitted these tractors with an additional oil cooling radiator mounted behind the rear cab wall.

A bespoke solution for 4R, the complete package was designed, built up and finished at HARSH’s East  Anglian depot in Peterborough. “The customer’s timing requirements were particularly tight too” says Peterborough General Manager Matt Bryant “so our stores team was under considerable pressure to source all the required components quickly. They played a crucial role in enabling us to deliver this project on time and fully meet the customer’s requirements.”

Based in Knottingley, West Yorkshire, the 4R Group was founded almost twenty years ago and has successfully evolved into a recognised leader for the recovery and recycling of a wide range of organic wastes and by-products that, being beneficial to soils and plants, are then put back into the land.

As well as equipment and hardware, 4R also offers a full range of environmental consultancy services for the waste, agricultural and contaminated land sectors.

Often working in semi off-road conditions also dictated 4R’s preference for using tag axle tractors with the tank trailers. “There are a number of benefits with the tag axle layout” adds Gareth, “not least the ability to lift the rear axle to put more weight on the drive to give extra traction when working on farm tracks or fields. Then there’s the masses of extra space on the chassis for fitting all the ancillary equipment. More room behind the cab also makes life easier and safer for the driver when connecting up the suzies and hydraulic pipes. And by having the weight of the cab and engine as far forward from the kingpin as possible, there’s a much better load distribution over the whole vehicle – which can be important when going up hills.”

In line with its wider environmental responsibilities, 4R chose its new tag axle XFs to offer the highest possible standards of performance and productivity. Aside from HARSH hydraulics, their specification includes DAFs range – topping 530hp engine, the gearbox optimised for off-road applications, lightweight alloy wheels, sliding fifth wheel, chequerplate catwalk and a raised, steel front bumper providing increased protection and higher ground clearance.

“Jack English of DAF main dealer Ford & Slater in Leeds was instrumental in helping us get the spec for these trucks exactly right for our operation” concludes Gareth, adding “the result are trucks that deliver the maximum possible payload, efficiency and versatility – as well as a first class working environment for our drivers.”

Jack notes too that “it’s always refreshing to be able to supply customers with vehicles that are a bit out of the ordinary, and because of their particular expertise we had no hesitation in choosing HARSH to work with us to achieve what is an outstanding result.”

Commenting for HARSH, Business Development Manager for Northern England Jason Bramall notes “These new trucks represent a great piece of teamwork between 4R, Ford & Slater and ourselves. HARSH  has a proven performance in all aspects of vehicle hydraulics, and can tailor-make its systems to suit all types of vehicles working in any particular application.

We undertake all such work at either our York HQ or our satellite depot in East Anglia, providing truck dealers and end users with both a a total quality installation and a speedy vehicle turnaround.”