They are simply breaking the law then. And trust me, VOSA target foreign trucks almost 100% of the time so its a risk they take.
Edit. Depends what they are on. You could get 26 tonnes of potatoes on some of those low ride low weight units the eastern Europeans are fond of. Curtainsiders that is.
Scanner:
m1cks:
damoq:
busteredwards:
There are only 3 Asda liveried DHL units on the contract, what makes you think they were DHL units you’ve spotted??Found a PIC of one pulling a decker. Granted it has a full air kit which is not a usual feature on a tanker, but it definitely is PetReg spec.
Check plate mudguards and a hazard plate on the front.
A picture speaks a 1000 words.I’d say it’s having a second life after ADR work, why else would it have an air kit?
That’s the same as what I saw, only it was a 13 plate so that rules out the second life thing.
Asda places a contract hire order with Scania each year. As well as its own requirements this usually includes some extra units to be used on its behalf by DHL and NFT. Google “Asda Scania” and you can see some of the press releases.
The 7 62 plate ADR units used from new by Asda in Scotland may just have been surplus to requirements for tanker work. I really couldn’t see Asda’s drivers pulling tankers in the event of a DHL strike, even if they had ADR licences.
These units are useful with double deck trailers because they can take a higher payload and kingpin loading than anything else in the fleet but they are not popular with the drivers because they lack night heaters and bunks, as well as being very low geared. They have G cabs, not R.
switchlogic:
NewLad:
switchlogic:
A foreign truck over here that’s a 4x2 has a 40 tonne weight limit just like a domestic one. And for much of Europe the limit for international transport is 40 tonnes. France shortly are going to bring in 46 on 6 axles as Ireland I believe have alreadyI’m not doubting what you say Luke, but why do so many run on 4x2 then? Even bulk potato and onion wagons are running on 4x2 and there is no way there not maxed out at 44t are they just chancing it?
Are they foreign trucks? If so they should only be running at 40t. And believe me VOSA are hot on weights. They run on 4x2 because like I say in much of Europe the limit for international work is 40t. No point having an extra axle in that event.
Then why do they take the top of the mudflap off? If it’s at it’s permissible weight, I doubt the tyre would be poking through the top… 
htmldude:
Then why do they take the top of the mudflap off? If it’s at it’s permissible weight, I doubt the tyre would be poking through the top…
Thats just so they can have the tallest trailer possible but still only be 4m tall.
mrginge:
htmldude:
Then why do they take the top of the mudflap off? If it’s at it’s permissible weight, I doubt the tyre would be poking through the top…
Thats just so they can have the tallest trailer possible but still only be 4m tall.
and it makes it easier to fit snow chains.
with a lowride unit and trailer the clearance between trailer and tyres on the drive axle is minimal and if driven on anything else than perfectly flat pavement the mudflaps will catch onto the underside of the trailer and get crumpled.
NewLad:
I have a 4x2,6x2 question. I know a 4x2 can’t run at 44t in the uk, I work on Reefers, and every uk based company I have seen pulling Reefers use 6x2 units, I guess because of weight, I know we regularly run at near 44t, why is it that nearly all foreign Reefer’s are pulled on 4x2 units?Are they not subject to the same rules as us?
I run Milk,and when i am over 40 Ton then just of the Lift Axles Weight. Was running Milk on the Continental and never had 40 Ton.
In many EU Countries i can have 44 Ton with 5 Axles
Immigrant:
In many EU Countries i can have 44 Ton with 5 Axles
Which would obviously mean a silly drive axle weight and resulting road damage or extra build and maintenance cost with a 2 + 3 artic v a 3 + 2 or even 2 + 3 A frame drawbar outifit.
But it works. Works without the silly Service all few Weeks. Having 13500 Kilo on the Drive axle isnt a Problem,as the Lorry is build for that.
no and no. there is no country in europe that allows for a 13.5t driveaxle and you will not get the driveaxle that heavy when grossing 44t on 5 axles, given an evenly distributed load.
Suedehead:
mrginge:
htmldude:
Then why do they take the top of the mudflap off? If it’s at it’s permissible weight, I doubt the tyre would be poking through the top…
Thats just so they can have the tallest trailer possible but still only be 4m tall.
and it makes it easier to fit snow chains.
Well today I learned… Thanks gents.
milodon:
no and no. there is no country in europe that allows for a 13.5t driveaxle and you will not get the driveaxle that heavy when grossing 44t on 5 axles, given an evenly distributed load.
Assuming that 40 t gross on a 2 + 3 artic means that the trailer’s tri axles are already loaded to or close to their max axle weight where else can most of the extra weight go unless you load it tail heavy and thereby possibly go over on trailer axle weights and create instability in the outfit ?.As I said that’s the advantage of the A frame drawbar in providing an 18 t gross + 26 t gross weight potential.There’s no way that a 2 + 3 artic can do that with the same tractor unit axle weights.
well I don’t have any assumptions in the matter, only hundreds of thousands of miles driving a 5-axle artic. sometimes at 40 tons, sometimes 44, sometimes 50. at 44 tons evenly loaded the axles will be just about 8, 11, 3x 8.3/8.4.
milodon:
well I don’t have any assumptions in the matter, only hundreds of thousands of miles driving a 5-axle artic. sometimes at 40 tons, sometimes 44, sometimes 50. at 44 tons evenly loaded the axles will be just about 8, 11, 3x 8.3/8.4.
I make that a 19 tonner 4 x 2 tractor unit with a bleedin heavy steer axle by adjusting the 5 th wheel as far forward as possible.But maybe still better than a tail heavy trailer. 
8 tons is not heavy for a steer, in fact the steer axle on my 4x2 was 8.1tons with an empty curtainsider, albeit with 1400l of diesel in the tanks. try 30+ ton load with the tag and first axle on the trailer lifted for traction, not turning any corners with a 3.5t steer 
milodon:
8 tons is not heavy for a steer, in fact the steer axle on my 4x2 was 8.1tons with an empty curtainsider, albeit with 1400l of diesel in the tanks. try 30+ ton load with the tag and first axle on the trailer lifted for traction, not turning any corners with a 3.5t steer
If I’ve read it right you’re saying that coupling up an empty trailer to the unit will take ‘the steer axle’ up to almost the total unladen weight of the unit. ( 9-10 t max ? ) 
While that weight remains more or less the same whether it’s pulling an empty trailer or running at 44 t gross bearing in mind the stated 11t drive ?.
When around 12-13 t drive and around 6 t steer sounds more realistic in most cases for a 2 + 3 44 tonner artic.Which is why UK rightly calls for 6 axles at that weight.Although as I said a 2 + 3 A frame drawbar would be better than a 2 + 3 artic at that type of gross bearing in mind the isolation of the prime mover from the trailer weight.
well what I said is what happens in real life, tried and tested on many a weighbridge. you can make all the assumptions you want over how things “realistically” should turn out, I know how they will.
milodon:
well what I said is what happens in real life, tried and tested on many a weighbridge. you can make all the assumptions you want over how things “realistically” should turn out, I know how they will.
To be fair the logic of the Brit 3 + 3 44 tonner artic seems to follow my ‘assumptions’.Rather than relying on the idea of an 8 t steer and 11 t drive 2 + 3 at that weight.While as usual not being able to get their heads around the advantages of the 2 + 3 or 3 + 2 ‘gtw’ A frame drawbar outfit as opposed to 2 + 3 or 3 + 2 ‘gcw’ artic. 