Hi All,
Hoping somebody can offer some advice on this.
I might need to transport a number of 20ft high cube containers across Europe (France, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands) where there is obviously a 4m height restriction which is causing some problems. So far i’ve found that a low ride combination with a gooseneck trailer would be able to pull a 40ft high cube providing said container had a tunnel, unfortunately there aren’t many tunnelled 20ft’s about. We could potentially have them purpose made but that would be costly.
I’ve seen some pictures about of drawbar combinations that potentially look like they might be low enough to be of use to us but i’m struggling to find any info about them. Has anybody got any experience with this?
Obviously I need to keep transport to a minimum so don’t want to have to ship them individually.
There is no height limit in France. Generally 4.5m is no problem, with any bridge below 4.5m being signed.
whelmic:
There is no height limit in France. Generally 4.5m is no problem, with any bridge below 4.5m being signed.
True for domestic traffic but International traffic is limited 4.0m.
Dunno on chances of getting fined though. I’ve run over 4.0m before with no troubles.
Germany I wouldn’t entertain being over 4.0m.
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We run them here on standard chasis height 1300mm +2690mm HC = 3990mm
There are dozens of high cube containers crisscrossing Europe every minute of the day on standard European trailers
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What’s a “standard European trailer”?
Loads of UK companies seem to use skellies with two foot thick chassis members over the fifth wheel, and with the floor of the box half a metre above the trailer wheels.
(Apart from bridges, won’t do fuel economy any favours)
As said, EU trailers tend to be lower.
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gbtransp:
We run them here on standard chasis height 1300mm +2690mm HC = 3990mm
I think high cube containers have an external height of 2.9m so 1300mm + 2900mm= 4200mm, but as Wheel Nut said they must be running around Europe, surely you must be able to get a skelly with a deck height of 1100mm to fit on a 1000mm fifth wheel or even lower, our low rides units are 900 and 950 respectively.
This high. STD euro spec box jockey outfit, flush Skelly,70 profile tyres, low 5th wheel. Why they don’t use them over here I don’t understand.
Pretty much any euro spec skelly will keep you under/at 4m. Nothing special needed. Just proper kit.
Why do we run containers 2ft higher then our european cousins, probably just because we can. Fuel savings would be interesting over a ten year trailer life.
If i ever did containers, which as everyone says the rates are ■■■■ i wont, itd be with a d-tec-broshuis trumbone spec skelly at 4m.
Franglais:
What’s a “standard European trailer”?
As said, EU trailers tend to be lower.
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Any trailer that you can get a container on keep it under 4.0 metre. Look at any British trailer and they use a 9” thick chassis near the king pin plus sit the fifth wheel on a 5” RSJ
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Concretejim:
Pretty much any euro spec skelly will keep you under/at 4m. Nothing special needed. Just proper kit.
Why do we run containers 2ft higher then our european cousins, probably just because we can. Fuel savings would be interesting over a ten year trailer life.
If i ever did containers, which as everyone says the rates are [zb] i wont, itd be with a d-tec-broshuis trumbone spec skelly at 4m.
The problem with using a broshuis/kaessbohrer/schmitz/fliegl/any of the others is that you cannot carry a 20’ box at 44tonnes in the UK with one legally. Because the chassis extends like a trombone when closed they are no longer 5.5metres pin to rear axle necessary for 44t operation here, on a Dennison/SDC/Montracon the bogie slides effectively maintaining this measurement. But any of the German or Dutch trailers with a suitable tractor, that is 5th wheel on low feet and a flat mounting plate can carry a highcube at 4 metres. Because a 20’ is behind the gooseneck the lack of a tunnel isn’t an issue, what is impossible is to carry two 20’s as the front one sits on top of the gooseneck and will be about 4.12m. As has been said domestic height regulations or lack of then in our case are of no relevance since all international traffic within the EU is restricted to 4 metres and that includes in the UK. The fact that nobody has ever been done for it is a different matter.
acd1202:
The problem with using a broshuis/kaessbohrer/schmitz/fliegl/any of the others is that you cannot carry a 20’ box at 44tonnes in the UK with one legally. Because the chassis extends like a trombone when closed they are no longer 5.5metres pin to rear axle necessary for 44t operation here, on a Dennison/SDC/Montracon the bogie slides effectively maintaining this measurement. But any of the German or Dutch trailers with a suitable tractor, that is 5th wheel on low feet and a flat mounting plate can carry a highcube at 4 metres. Because a 20’ is behind the gooseneck the lack of a tunnel isn’t an issue, what is impossible is to carry two 20’s as the front one sits on top of the gooseneck and will be about 4.12m. As has been said domestic height regulations or lack of then in our case are of no relevance since all international traffic within the EU is restricted to 4 metres and that includes in the UK. The fact that nobody has ever been done for it is a different matter.
Exactly what my research has found, we need to carry two 20’s at a time which is what we’re struggling with.
How about drawbar combinations? i’ve seen some about that look low enough to carry them but have found nothing concrete to confirm this. Any ideas?
gaz12321:
acd1202:
The problem with using a broshuis/kaessbohrer/schmitz/fliegl/any of the others is that you cannot carry a 20’ box at 44tonnes in the UK with one legally. Because the chassis extends like a trombone when closed they are no longer 5.5metres pin to rear axle necessary for 44t operation here, on a Dennison/SDC/Montracon the bogie slides effectively maintaining this measurement. But any of the German or Dutch trailers with a suitable tractor, that is 5th wheel on low feet and a flat mounting plate can carry a highcube at 4 metres. Because a 20’ is behind the gooseneck the lack of a tunnel isn’t an issue, what is impossible is to carry two 20’s as the front one sits on top of the gooseneck and will be about 4.12m. As has been said domestic height regulations or lack of then in our case are of no relevance since all international traffic within the EU is restricted to 4 metres and that includes in the UK. The fact that nobody has ever been done for it is a different matter.
Exactly what my research has found, we need to carry two 20’s at a time which is what we’re struggling with.
How about drawbar combinations? i’ve seen some about that look low enough to carry them but have found nothing concrete to confirm this. Any ideas?
Mega flat/curtainsider. Either with or without twistlocks depending on whos loading you. Will let you load 3m with 940mm 5th wheel height.
Plenty of megas about, just finding the trucks with small wheels can be an issue this side of the pond.
KC transport in Poole have some euroliners that they carry boxes on, not sure if they can get 2x HC 20’ under 4m but it may be worth a call.[emoji106][emoji106]
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We run low deck units and mega chassis Krone Boxliners. A high cube will fit within the 4m limit.
gaz12321:
acd1202:
The problem with using a broshuis/kaessbohrer/schmitz/fliegl/any of the others is that you cannot carry a 20’ box at 44tonnes in the UK with one legally. Because the chassis extends like a trombone when closed they are no longer 5.5metres pin to rear axle necessary for 44t operation here, on a Dennison/SDC/Montracon the bogie slides effectively maintaining this measurement. But any of the German or Dutch trailers with a suitable tractor, that is 5th wheel on low feet and a flat mounting plate can carry a highcube at 4 metres. Because a 20’ is behind the gooseneck the lack of a tunnel isn’t an issue, what is impossible is to carry two 20’s as the front one sits on top of the gooseneck and will be about 4.12m. As has been said domestic height regulations or lack of then in our case are of no relevance since all international traffic within the EU is restricted to 4 metres and that includes in the UK. The fact that nobody has ever been done for it is a different matter.
Exactly what my research has found, we need to carry two 20’s at a time which is what we’re struggling with.
How about drawbar combinations? i’ve seen some about that look low enough to carry them but have found nothing concrete to confirm this. Any ideas?
In order to get 2 x 20’ high cube boxes on you need to go mega either a low ride tractor (950mm 5th wheel) and mega skelly think LAG, Van Hool, Fliegl they are readily available on the continent or if you prefer a low height drawbar would do it, but would be more expensive although simplar to access both boxes. You can rent a mega skelly in the low countries or Germany.
