Cliffe's heavy hauler
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• Cliffe Group of Rochester has added a specially developed French-built Nicolas semi-trailer to its low loader fleet. Matched with Volvo's first factory-made F16 8x4 heavy haulage tractive unit the 31.7m-long combination, which cost in the region of £200,000, can be worked at up to 200 tonnes gross.
The semi-modular eightaxled trailer, which can be broken down into various configurations, comprises a 25tone dynamic goose-neck with hoist, ballast platform and a 3.2m narrow beam main deck between two axle groups, a set of three in front and five at the rear.
SAF axles, with Nicolas hydraulic suspension and 200mm raise/lower facility, steer independently from a hydraulic unit fitted beneath the goose neck. A remote manual steering override connected to a distribution pack at the rear, can also be used to control the suspension.
Axles are design rated at 17 tonnes but at 15 tonne/axle and fitted with 285 R70 17.5 lowprofile tyres, the outfit can run at up to 40km/h, an axleloading ideal for UK use.
Such beam axles steer through 35° but for more severe usage, Nicolas has a dearer, multi-pendular 14 to 20-tonne axle which moves through 55° and gives ± 360mm of movement.