Freepost grows up
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• As predicted exclusively by Commercial Motor, York Trailer has taken its raised roof semi-trailer design — developed for the recent Ford Super Cube project (CM 9-15 July) — and applied it to its Freepost postless curtainsider. This will allow operators to run with two trailer heights, for either 32.5 tonne or 38 tonne, operations.
At 38-tonnes GCW the Raised Roof Freepost is run with the roof in the lowered position, keeping it within the 4.2m height limit. For 32.5tonne work, however, where the height restriction does not apply, the Freepost's roof can be raised by 400mm, to provide a full 2.84m side loading aperture, compared to a standard Freepost's side aperture of 2.44m.
As the roof lifts it carries the aerofoil up at the front while the top of the rear-end section extends simultaneously. It is powererd by an air spring mounted within the trailer chains frame and the lifting force is transmitted via steel cables running through each of the four posts.
Controls for the system are mounted on the front bulkhead.
York is building a prototype raising-roof curtainsider which will be shown for the first time at the Scottish Motor Show in November. The trailer manufacturer says that the raised-roof option on its Freepost curtainsider is unlikely to incur a weight penalty, and it will also be possible to have a raising roof retrofitted to operator's existing Freepost curtainsiders.