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Improved tilt trailer body
Page 48
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JOINT co-operation between PIE International Carriers Ltd.
of Southall and bodybuilder Southfields Coachworks Ltd of Loughborough has resulted in further developments of the TIR tilt trailer body.
Drivers often have to remove heavy side gates from the trailer when they arrive at destinations ... without help.
Southfields already produce the "spider tilt" cage made up of a steel frame interspaced with cross webbing. Using the operational experience of PIE International, Southfields have been able to develop the idea further by scrapping the surround and attaching a net of webbing to the strengthened cantrail above and to the buckles; these also serve as tensioners mounted on the dropside panels below.
Each panel consists of interwoven polyester webbing forming 25mm (10in) squares with each strand having a breaking load of 2000kg (4,5001b). A weight saving of over 508kg (10cwt). not only provides extra capacity, but also reduces the work load on the driver, a much more important factor of operating in the Middle East for example, where it is impossible to exert oneself for more than a few minutes at a time due to the excessive temperatures.
Discarding the rigid gate also deals with the problem of distortion which is often a difficulty in reassembly of the trailer.
The PIE "spider tilt" shares many of the features to be found on earlier models from Southfields which include pressed steel dropsides, light steel roof frames located in steel encased rubber grommets for ease of assembly and side posts with retractable bases which can be removed from ground level providing up to 9.8m (32ft) of clear access at any one time.
This prototype vehicle is now on extensive trials in the Middle East.