Back in the 1920s and ‘30s, front-mount pumps were common. They could be mounted on almost any commercial truck chassis to give smaller departments a fully functional pumper with plenty of room for a water tank, hose and equipment. Although you don't see many front-mount pumps anymore, they still offer customers the same advantages they did 80 years ago.

For those of you who don't remember the old front-mount pumps, they were a simple and easy-to-operate design. The pump was mounted on an extension of the frame rails directly in front of the radiator grille. A short driveshaft ran from the front of the engine crankshaft, through or under the radiator and attached to a clutch on the pump. All the operator had to do was manually engage the clutch, open the discharge valve and pull a hand throttle to increase the engine speed. Because the pump was driven directly off the engine, rather than through a split-shaft power takeoff on the vehicle's driveline, it could operate at full power whether the vehicle was stationary or moving.

Today's front-mount pumps usually have electrically actuated clutches and higher flow rates than the older ones, but otherwise they are very similar. In addition to simplicity of operation, front-mount pumps offer many advantages:

• More body space. One of the biggest advantages is extra space in the body for larger water tanks, more compartments and longer ladders. Most midship pump installations require up to four feet of frame length across the entire width of the truck -- space that cannot be used for any other purpose. Moving the pump up front frees up that body space.
• Easier pump access. With a front-mount pump, the pump, plumbing and valves are all in one place out in the open. There are no valve linkages to bind, no drain ports that are difficult to reach and no leaks that go unnoticed. When something needs to be serviced, it's all easily accessible.
• Easier drafting. Drafting operations are much easier when the pump is out in front of the vehicle where it can be positioned close to the water source. In some cases, it's a lot safer too because the driver can ease the front end close to the water's edge while keeping the main weight of the vehicle further back on more solid ground.
• Better operator's position. A front-mount pump positions the pump operator in front of the vehicle, rather than at the side. This keeps the operator out of traffic and away from other firefighters retrieving equipment from compartments. It also allows the operator to see along both sides of the apparatus to keep track of fireground activities.
• Pump-and-roll capability. Because the pump is driven directly off the engine, it can be operated while the vehicle is moving. This is especially useful in wildland situations where firefighters need to make a moving attack along the edge of a fire using handlines or a vehicle-mounted monitor.
  

• Radiator airflow restriction. Depending on the size and mounting height of the pump, it can potentially restrict airflow to the radiator. This can be especially critical with higher-horsepower engines that utilize exhaust gas recirculation cooling to meet current emissions requirements.
• Engine noise. With a front-mount pump, the operator stands closer to the engine than with some midship-mount pumps. Depending on the engine noise level, this may be a concern and may require hearing protection.
• Plumbing restrictions. Some of the plumbing, such as the tank-to-pump connection and the pump-to-preconnected discharge connections, will have longer piping runs with more elbows. This could cause flow restrictions in these lines.
• Limited chassis availability. Unlike trucks in the 1930s, not all modern chassis are set up to accommodate a front-end power takeoff. In some cases, the size and position of the radiator, grille, front frame crossmembers and other components may prevent the use of front-mount pumps.
  

So with all the advantages and disadvantages, how can front-mount pumps be effectively utilized in today's fire service?

One very popular application is for large pumper-tankers where the fire department needs a big pump, but also needs to maximize the space for the tank. With the pump out front, the tank can be extended forward to the back of cab without increasing the vehicle's wheelbase. This may also allow a better weight distribution between the front and rear axles to avoid overload situations.

Another good application of front-mount pumps is for supply pumpers that are designed to draft from open water sources. Not only can the pump be positioned closer to the source, but the entire body area can be utilized to carry several thousand feet of large-diameter supply hose.

Front-mount pumps can also be used on rural pumpers, where narrow roads make it unsafe for the pump operator to stand on the side and where the body configuration doesn't allow enough room for a top-mount pump panel.

No matter what application you have, consider the many advantages of front-mount pumps the next time you specify a pumper.