Step-frames rejigged as curtainsiders • Transamerica is giving its stock
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of unwanted step-frame tilt trailers a new lease of life by converting them into straightframe curtainsiders.
Southfields South East, an associate company of TruckAlign, is converting the trailers, which became unfashionable with the arrival of more efficient sliding-roof curtain-siders such as the Euroliner.
The process begins when the trailers (mostly made by York or Trailor in the late-1980s) are stripped down and cut apart at the frame step.
The chassis are then re-welded in straight form. Rave rails are extended outwards by 65mm on each side; the previously underslung suspension is reversed so that the springs ride above the axles. Running gear is overhauled where possible, otherwise Mentor (previously RO-R) components are used.
Finally, a new "mini-mega" Southfields 96m3 curtain-sided body is fitted. Transamerica specified volume rather than low weight, but the conversions still tare out at around the 7.5 tonnes of the original.
Chris Bull, Transamerica's UK technical manager, says: "The advantage to our customers is that we can offer them a higher volume trailer for a similar cost to a standard one."
Southfields South East is overhauling 50 trailers for Transamerica.