Firbank launches fifth wheel hoist
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• A fifth wheel hoist which reduces unloading times on maximum length bulker semi-trailers to under a minute, and improves tipping safety has been launched by Luton-based C Firbank Haulage and Plant Hire, The US-built twin-cylinder hoist and hinged lifting frame are mounted behind the cab and operate via a Drum Engineering hydraulic system. Rated at 40tonnes it adds 1,300kg to the vehicle's unladen weight and costs about £1.0,500.
The system, which is controlled from inside the cab, raises the body over the trailer's rear wheels, drawing the trailer closer to the unit as it lifts to empty. The effect, says Firbank's director Ted Seal, is to ensure that the combined centre of gravity is always at its lowest possible point. In tests with a height of 6.3m and a tipping angle of 60°, both box and bulk trailers are said to have remained steady, even in windy conditions, Firbank will supply and fit the unit at its Luton workshop or through appointed agents if demand is high.