TRAILER FEATURES
Page 16
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The Hatteras trailers aren't an allnew design. Montracen engineer Nick Liston points out that they evolved from previous models: It was a generic growth over time."
The chassisless trailers are on Mentor FL1000L running gear and 215/75-17.5in wheels. The overall height is 4,6m, with a height of 3.9m through the full-height rear doors. The glass-reinforced polyester panels are colour-impregnated.
The 10-twine-capacity fixed upper deck is 13.54m long. The lower deck has a 9.44m load length to the swan neck, with an additional 4.09m in the neck itself. Halfords has added a Hydraroll pneumatic roller-track bed there to ease loading and make maximum use of capacity.
In front of the neck is a dual-purpose gate with a centre roller section. In transit this acts as a load restraint for items in the neck. During loading it is lowered to provide access to the roller track on the neck floor: loading staff simply push the totes over the rollers towards the raised track. They are easily retrieved with a rod.
The Hydraroll track is lowered during transit to give a stable load platform. The tote boxes are stacked throe deep in the neck, six high on the trailer floor and four high in racks above the wheel boxes, which also have a roller-track bed. The neck can accommodate 108 totes. To make maximum use of the space, the loading of the top deck is done via an internally mounted Ratcliff double-tier tail lift.
On some double-deck trailers the platform forms part of the rear closure, but the Haffords trailers have full-height 3.88m-high doors. In any case, Nicholls prefers the protection afforded by having them inside the roar doors. "There is no loss of capacity on most trips," he explains, "The lift stays cleaner, too, which should reduce service costs and ensure reliability."
The platform is 1.35m deep and has torsion-assisted closure. The Oft travel is 2.60m from the ground to the upper deck; the platform stows at the lower level during transit.
Ratcliff has also redesigned its safety gates. Previously they were located In the hinged front and side ramps; now they interlock with each other as well. This improves safety: if the load does move the platform, the rails take the weight, not just the ramp hinges.