As I understand the maximum gross weight on two axles is 18 tonnes. It used to be 17 tonnes and before that 16 tonnes.
Why do people keep describing their four wheelers as “19 tonners”? Is there such a thing that I’ve missed or are there a lot of people out there who haven’t got a clue what they are talking about?
The reason for this question is that the new driver at our other yard seems to be very worried about overloading (not that I blame him), however he obviously hasn’t bothered to find out what he is actually driving! He thinks his 18t is a 19t.
When I started this job the first thing I did was look at the plate as the lorry had already been described to me by the MD as a 13 tonner and by the previous driver (who still works in the yard/relief driver) as a 16 tonner. It’s actually 14 tonnes.
We’ve a large truck that I always thought was a 17t truck… Checked it today and found it was only 10t
But likewise we had a truck plated 7450kg and 6 years after manufacture I was stopped on a routine check, and found to be overweight by 600kg. But there is nothing I can change with the weight, it’s all built on… So several ££££ stripping off the steel and replacing with aluminium…
Its probably designed and plated to run in the country with the highest maximum weight for that number of axials. And its cheaper for the manifacturers to standardise the trucks as much as possible.
Eurpoean law has standardised alot of weights for artic trucks, because of the continental running, if they hadnt we would still be running at 38 tonnes. But because very few rigids actually do continental work europe left those weights to each country.
Only go by what the ministry plate says in your cab and nothing else.
But likewise we had a truck plated 7450kg and 6 years after manufacture I was stopped on a routine check, and found to be overweight by 600kg. But there is nothing I can change with the weight, it’s all built on… So several ££££ stripping off the steel and replacing with aluminium…
Why not just get it replated to the correct weight?
But likewise we had a truck plated 7450kg and 6 years after manufacture I was stopped on a routine check, and found to be overweight by 600kg. But there is nothing I can change with the weight, it’s all built on… So several ££££ stripping off the steel and replacing with aluminium…
Why not just get it replated to the correct weight?
Because the access platform boom and associated equipment couldn’t be lightened… Structural Integrity…
The company had to do about 9 other trucks identical as well
the 18 ton limit is the max gross weight though, so it wouldnt matter how much they shaved off the weight of the unladen vehicle, it could still only be 18 tons fully loaded.
You do see some model numbers that dont marry up.
I saw a merc the other day and it was a 4 axle tipper with the model number of somthing like 3940, so that would indicate 39 tons 400 bhp. Legally it could only be plated to 32 tonnes in the UK having 4 axles, but i dare say in other country’s it could legally carry 39 tonnes.
dennisw1:
the 18 ton limit is the max gross weight though, so it wouldnt matter how much they shaved off the weight of the unladen vehicle, it could still only be 18 tons fully loaded.
i would have thought so too but surely the trade magazines wouldnt get it wrong would they?
obviously i mean they wouldnt get it wrong with the exception of rating the merc econic over the dennis eagle too but they did print my letter of correction the following week so we can let them off with that one
