a How will – designed" gross combina
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tion weight be taken into account when semi-trailers are plated? If one has a trailer plated at 17 tons gross (unladen weight 2 tons 15cwt) coupled to a tractive unit plated at 22 tons gross (unladen weight 4 tons) this will weigh, with a capacity load of 14 tons 5cwt, 21 tons gross or 7 ton over the general gross weight of 20 tons.
While we are aware that the plate will show only the gross train weight, will the fact that the trailer is operating above the general gross combination weight be frowned on by the Ministry of Transport?
A While it may be true that most semi
trailers designed for 17-ton-gross trailer weight will generally be designed for use at 20-ton-gross combination weight, you state that the tractive unit is designed for 22-tongross combination weight.
With such a trailer you will be limited to 21-ton-gross combination weight 117 tons gross for the trailer and 4 tons unladen for the tractive unit) but with a suitable semitrailer the gross combination weight would be up to 22 tons. The semi-trailer could be a single-axle, twin-oscillating or tandem-axle design plated for 1B-ton-gross trailer weight or more.
Any confusion arising here is because the plated trailer weight is being related to a "designed gross combination weight" of 21 tons, which is notcorrect. The design gross combination weight is the 22 tons appearing on the tractive unit plate.