Heavy-duty rear leaf springs,
rather than the JK Wrangler’s coil
springs, afford a maximum payload
of 2566 lb and a trailer towing
capacity of 7716 lb. Front coil
springs, shocks and a proven five
link suspension system provide
outstanding load capacity and a
comfortable ride. Frame members are
significantly reinforced and
strengthened for mining use at the
factory. The body is reinforced at
stress points to ensure tough,
trouble-free operation. Load Range E
BFGoodrich Rugged Trail all-terrain
tyres are mounted on 17 in. steel rims
for underground mining duty.
Operator comfort is much
improved from earlier Jeeps. Bucket
seats and air conditioning are
standard and combat occupant
fatigue, no matter how tough the
work environment. The J8 has
accessible lighting controls and
legible instruments, including a
tachometer, speedometer, oil
pressure gauge, water temperature
gauge, voltmeter, fuel level gauge
and a vehicle information centre to
advise the operator of systems
status.
The J8 uses the same diagnostic
equipment as the entire Chrysler
family of vehicles and that
equipment is available to any mine
operator. Chrysler warrants the
complete powertrain for 12 months
or 20 000 km. Using the vehicles
underground does not void the
warranty. In fact, many mine
operators have submitted plans and
received approval to do their own
warranty work onsite. This allows
them access to the same technical
assistance available to any
dealership. “Not only is a mine able
to buy the parts from a local
Chrysler Jeep Ram dealership, but, if
it invests in the tools and training, it
can actually service the trucks under
warranty at the mine,” said Betar,
making the mines mini service
centres and leading to a significant
reduction in downtime. Parts
catalogues are constantly updated,
available online or on CD, and
interactive online diagnostic
information and wiring diagrams are
available along with CD manuals.
Mining-specific
modifications
n
n
Base J8 chassis are available
in either two- or four-door
configurations with seating for
two or five people, respectively.
n
n
Flatbed or pickup‑style vehicles
are available in two- or four-door
configurations with customisable
wheelbases centred on customer
specifications.
n
n
Personnel carriers are available
with a capacity of up to 10
occupants.
n
n
Mine-duty front and rear
bumpers are available.
n
n
Custom engineered FOPS and
ROPS are available.
n
n
An engine-driven air compressor
capable of a constant 70 CFM at
100 psi is available.
n
n
A variety of modifications are
available to reduce overall height
to 65 in.
n
n
An enclosed wet disc
parking/emergency brake is
available.
n
n
A complete enclosed wet disc
braking system for both parking
and service brakes is currently
under development.
n
n
Overall top speed can be
governed to either 15 or 25 mph.
n
n
MSHA-approved fire
suppression systems are
available.
The J8 is the only vehicle (along
with the Ram Pickup) produced by a
major manufacturer in significant
volume that is being successfully
used in the underground market.
The Jeep J8 has the advantage of
parts and service availability that do
not lock the operator into going back
to the manufacturer for spares.
Additionally, parts and repair
procedures will remain as stable as
any other Chrysler vehicle. As parts
are produced in very large
quantities, costs are dramatically
lower than unique components and
are available for a much longer
period of time.
The Jeep J8 is ideally suited as a
robust and bare-essential mining
vehicle platform with its enhanced
cooling, air filtration system and
heavy-duty suspension system,
which doubles the payload of a
standard vehicle. The J8 meets
underground mining requirements,
cuts downtime and improves the
bottom line.
Figure 5. Fully-enclosed air conditioned crew compartments reduce fatigue, while the
Dana 60 rear axle combined with hd leaf springs provides excellent payload capacity.
26
|
World Coal
|
June 2015
