Ciftrailer is ready for 11 tonnes
Page 16
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E by Bryan Jarvis Commercial Motor will soon be testing the latest 41,40 or even 38-tonne artics with a new 13.6m test trailer, and once again it's courtesy of General Trailers (Fruehauf) of Dereham, Norfolk.
Because of the recent C&U weight increases we've reviewed our roadtest programme and replaced our two and three-axled curtainsiders with a single triaxle model, which carries a fixed load that can be adjusted to cater for any of the three top weights.
Our previous pair of two and three
axled test trailers have had a five-year run at the old 38-tonne maximum gross weight limit, the bulk of the load comprising a series of concrete blocks, all firmly secured to the floor and with two 1,300-litre steel water tanks situated front and rear.
Each tank held enough water to enable our testers to balance the overall weight while staying within the relevant axle loading limits: all we needed to set it up for a test was a weighbridge, a hydrant, a hose and somewhere to drain away the excess.
DISC BRAKES
• For the first time Commercial Motor's testers will be able to gauge the effects of disc brakes, in this case on 10-tonne axles built by Fruehauf's French sistercompany SMB.
Unlike Mentor axles with their 19.5in discs, SMB units have 22.6in discs so they're slightly heavier. In the UK they're rated at eight tonnes apiece and the trailer at 37.5 tonnes GVW with 15 tonnes over the kingpin.
The air suspension is Fruehauf's latest SA3, which is some 40kg lighter than its elderly T-ride arrangement Once again we'll be riding on Michelins-385/85 R22.5 XTAs in this case—but the wheel rims are steel.
Although we can use the Speedfiner at 38, 40 or 41 tonnes we expect that most of our roadtests from now on will be conducted at the upper weights.
Coupled at 1,250mm to tractive units such as the 350hp lveco EuroTech Cursor 4x2 seen here, the trailer stays at 4m overall.
We'll be kicking off our 41tonne GCW test series next month with a 380hp R-cabbed Scania twin-steer 6x2, but we're targeting all the other manufacturers with a view to building up a bank of test results at that weight. Watch this space!
SPEEDLINER
• Our new test trailer is the latest Fruehauf Speedliner and, like most Operators, we expect to benefit from using aerodynamic side skirts; they usually add around 100kg to its unladen weight, which for test calculation purposes we put at a nominal seven tonnes.
Based on the familiar Fruehauf chassis, the curtained body system has a steel-framed aluminium planked bulkhead, self-supporting roof with aluminium cant rails and side raves and a galvanised steel rear frame.
With two pairs of sliding side supports, the curtains are tensioned front and rear; the forward ten*nor's ratchet handle sits beneath the top corner protection plate lever—these swivel out to release or tension the curtains. A sliding pillar comes as standard.
Fruehauf landing legs have a 12tonne lift capacity but they will take a 25-tonne static load.