Belgian bodybuilding bonanza
Page 20
Page 21
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
French bodybuilder Cargo Van ordered a special 13.6m semitrailer with raising (by 400mm to 4.4m) or slide-back canvas roof and rear opening to simplify trans-shipment and offloading of its panel packs.
A slight inset in the rear of the Latre chassis accommodates the BPW suspension air bags to gain an extra low floor on 17.5in tyres.
The chassis rails taper outward from the centre to meet the 1.2m high, extra short neck section, to cater for turning requirements. Several manufacturers showed examples of their travelling cranes such as Hiab-Foco with its 8.5 to 22.5 tonne/metre Roller loaders and Jonsored with its 990 model with rotating grab.
Built on a full length timber trailer by Leonet of Grade, the Jonsored loads from the front, moving rearwards hydraulically along the top of the chassis rails and carrying some of the Alucar stakes along with it. Local firm Ova of Ardooie showed a stubby, eight-compartment tandem-axled tanker trailer with Hosta rear steer from the kingpin.
The aluminium semi which tares out at 7.5 tonnes for working at 33 tonnes GCW, is built to negotiate tight farm entrances to deliver animal feed.
Ova builds 50-60 tanks a year and aims to expand, particularly into Britain.
Another Belgian specialist looking for a UK agent, Solid BVBA of Oud Turnhout has developed its animal lift for hospitality use, racing car transporters or house removals.
Its opposed hydraulic links separate the main floor from its frame to provide high level loading.
The light alloy Aluvan removals body has a platformed roof to accept loads from an upper floor, which are then rolled on to the lift and lowered.
LAG of Bree showed its alternative to tipping bodies — the Walking Floor-equipped high volume semi-trailer for TTS of Hannut.
Its shallow neck chassis has 195mm-deep rails over the triBPW air-sprung axles and using 19.5in tyres helps achieve 92m3 from its 2.90m-high planked aluminium body.
The air-operated moving floor, made in the Netherlands, is supplied from the four large tanks sited under the tail. While Van Hool and Renders of Beerse favour electro-hydraulic movement on their sliding container trailers, Delften-based Format goes for a mainly electric operation.
Its sliding base frame moves on rollers inside the rails via a rack and moving pinion system to accept 6.1, 9.1 or 12.2m (20, 30 or 40ft) containers.
It can also carry a combination of attachments at a maximum of 39 tonnes GCW. An extra section extends pneumatically from the rear end to accommodate even longer 13.72m (45ft) boxes.
The back of the rear mudguard swivels down to allow containers to pass over without fouling, says Format.
Contrary to the UK sales slump in car transporters, Kassbohrer's Belgian agent Van Hove reports a good year, selling 28 of the larger drawbar outfits so far this year.
Van Hove exhibited its first six-car Silver system, built on a Volvo FL7 4x2 with rear air suspension, for Cobelfret Car Carriers.
It has hydraulic screw-driven pillars and extending tail sections with pull-out ramps. In addition to a reefer trailer which doubles as a garment-carrier for return loads, Moeyersons of Achterheide showed a tri-wded glass carrier built on a Stevens chassis for Saint-Roch.
Palleted glass packs are loaded using the centrally mounted 13t/m Effer crane.
Once loaded, the sliding side and top canopy is moved easily into position, its Rolmo concertina roof system travelling on rollers along the shallow dropside's top runners.
Van Hool showed a variety of extra options for its tilt trailer in addition to a prototype of its new sliding container chassis.
There is now a choice of elevating roof pillars (this allows it to be raised by an extra 200mm) and an additional type of side post, a fold-out version which can be slid out of the way when side loading.
The 65.3m3 Feldbinder five-pot aluminium tanker, said to be the largest of its type, will carry hydrated lime for Barnetbybased Birch Lime Products.
A CAG and MAN GHH screw compressor-equipped Scania R113 4x2 tractive unit is part of a £110,000 package, with a designed GCW of 44 tonnes if and when such a limit becomes accepted in the UK.
Its combined unladen weight is 13,060kg and Birch Lime Products can add more payload by using portable stands in lieu of landing legs. Kennis's moving loader travels over an outrigged frame. It is more suited for countries with a heavier limit than the UK.
Kennis, which is owned by Pacton, has also developed an inboard system which is some two tonnes lighter and mounts 100mm lower. Other options include turntable and swiveltype steering axles.
Local bodybuiloer Eeckhout showed a 1.5 tonne version of the Hexarail overhead crane which the maker, Hexatechnique SA of Marne-La Vallee is also hoping to distribute in the UK.
It operates on 12/24volts, adds around 200kg and can be retrofitted into an existing roof structure. In a Cargo Van body on a Mercedes 1317 with a 1.2m overhang, it is well suited for loading cable rolls.