I don’t see a need for special trailers from the info you have given us.
If transport cost is a factor then talk to hauliers before going to the expense and trouble of buying your own trucks/trailers.
Mega trailers have a 3.0m internal ht on a flat floor. If you are building in twist lock sockets, then it is just as easy to use similar for strapping points on a flat.
With a positive fit in an XL rated trailer, the load is going nowhere.
I believe you are overthinking all of this.
Talk to some hauliers.
If the haulier sees the need for a special trailer, which I doubt from the info you have given them=n let them worry about that.
Be aware that whilst a Moffat can be carried on any trailer with the correct fixings in the UK, in many European countries it is counted within the trailer length, so your trailer is limited to about 10.8m. As for height, speak to your trailer manufacturer about a thin neck design. Where a standard UK design will be between 140 and 180mm, a thin neck, using high tensile chassis rails can be around 80mm. Most manufacturers will have a design, the German and Benlux builders will have more experience with them. It’s also easily possible to save another 150mm on the 5th wheel compared to a normal UK setup by using a flat mounting plate (12mm) instead of the usual 80mm here, and a 5th wheel with 150mm feet, instead of our normal 210mm, but if it’s not your tractor you’d obviously need some cooperation from your chose haulier with that. The rear of the trailer could be dropped 38.5mm by using 385/55 tyres instead of 385/65s. Your height requirements don’t need a mega, just a little thought and application.
As for payload 25t within 40t using either a crane or Moffat is, I think, impossible, but within 44t yes. The UK does have reciprocal agreements with Benelux and Denmark for 44t operation, however since this doesn’t include Germany or France, you have to get the ferry to these countries.
This may be of interest, Dennison are claiming an unladen weight of 4t for a fixed 40ft skeletal trailer. Obviously multiple fixing points and bolsters will increase this.
I hadn’t looked at mega trailers, do they need a special license or tractor unit, are there any special hurdles that have to be jumped to use them. Why do they seem to have a much greater capacity than other flatbeds.
I maybe over thinking but I’d rather get it right now we are just at the design stage. Trailer sizes and dimensions for our trailer types | DSV
They are about 300mm lower than a standard trailer, they run with a coupling height of 950mm, so need a mega tractor. If you can achieve your height without, keep away would be my advice. Capital costs much greater, fuel economy worse, tyre life worse, much greater potential for damage. But they will give you, some will say 3m loading height at 4m, but I think 2.97 is actually more accurate, at the front.
No special licence needed. To keep under the 4.0m EU limit it does need a unit on small wheels, but in the UK they can run under a “normal” unit.
I still say talk to hauliers before talking to trailer manufacturers.
Talk to both by all means but I don’t see any big problems from what you have said.
If you can design container lock sockets in the base of the items, than surely you can design in shackle points instead? Just put the items on a flatbed or tautliner.
How many units will you be shifting? How many UK and EU? Will it be one unit per site or one/multiple full loads per site?
It will very expensive to put 10 units on a trailer if it’s for delivery in 5 different countries! Let hauliers group your loads if that is so.
If you are sending 3 trailers to the same site, then get the site to hire in the gear for offloading. Don’t pull a Moffat or truck crane there yourself.
That’s true cav, in fact, German manufacturer Fliegl build a fixed 40’ skelly at 3.8t on steel wheels.
What the OP requires is so specific I think he is doing the right thing. Arm himself with some basic information and ideas then sit down with a few different manufacturers design engineers and see who come up with what. Some manufacturers will be better at the ideas than others. I could have a good guess at who will get a solution.
I’m being vague about our product on purpose as we are still in development phase, only proto types have been produced for test purposes. The product will be delivered in 100’s and hopefully 1000’s if we get the design right, with single units to multiple full trailer loads to a single site. All options are on the table at the moment which includes no lifting equipment and fully self contained. Having an idea of standard sizes and capacities for transport will guide our design. All input is welcome.
Talk to some hauliers as they will be keen to get the work if it works out well.
If you talking of sending out multiple trailers of your own every week all over the UK and EU you will have many issues managing your traction providers. If that is the case you might be better keeping it all in house…but I still think that a common or garden Mega Trailer outfit will fit the bill for you.
Design the goods to fit that and you will have many more options regarding transport.
Design the goods to fit on a flatbed, or better still a Mega Tautliner and keep transport options open.
Do not look at getting expensive and inflexible specialist trailers unless there is a real need for them.
10.8m is really good info. If we can get the height of the deck down to 1300mm using a skeleton trailer that would work. I’d like to standardize on 40t to make things more straight forward. I feel you’re right with a crane or Moffet being out of contention if I want to carry 25t. Question is can the mech design shave > 100kg off each unit to get it down to 24t or less.
