• The main order of Mega trailers built for Cargo
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Care (and also for its rival operator, Mansped) have been built by Van Hoot in Belgium.
The standard Cargo Care design uses a normal tilt construction, but with the ability to raise sections of the roof manually by 200mm to ease loading.
A triaxle layout is used; the standard running gear is Rubery Owen-Rockwell axles with air suspension from Weweler. The suspension offers dual ride height which allows it to run either at 950mm to suit continental low-height units, or at 1,320mm to suit standard UK tractors. A different air coupling is used for each setting.
The air suspension is also used to vary the trailer deck height to suit different loading bays. For this reason extra Weweler landing legs are provided at the rear to prevent the deck from dropping during loading; as the legs are wound down the deck height adjusts automatically.
Another feature of the suspension design is some protection behind the air springs on the rear axle to prevent them being damaged by objects as the trailer reverses.
Since the introduction of the Cargo Care/Van Hoot Megas other trailer and running gear manufacturers have entered the field with variations on the theme, increasing the options for operators. Examples at the Amsterdam Show included Van Eck's box-bodied semi for four air cargo pallets; Schmitz
Thermostar's reefer, and a tilt from Netam-Fruehauf.
BPW, SAF and RO-R are among those with suitable suspensions, and the tyre suppliers are working on ultra-low profile wide singles as favoured in the original concept.