I’ve noticed that the majority of foreign units are 2 axles and the majority of U.K. Units are 3 axles. Just for interest, any particular reason for this??
a lot of European countries have lower weight limits so only need a 4x2 unit where as over here the weight limit is 44t hence the extra axle.
I believe holland and recently France have a 44t (or higher) limit now too unless they do that much work over here they spec their trucks as 6x2
So we can carry enough diesel to avoid filling up in the UK at extortionate prices 
Holland 50 ton on 6 axles. Belgium 44 ton on 5 axles. France is also 44 ton on 5 axles( but there is a clause with this)…
Because like North America and NZ we rightly don’t like the road damage implications of high axle weights.In which case 44t on 6 axles is obviously better than 40t + on 5. 
mazzer:
So we can carry enough diesel to avoid filling up in the UK at extortionate prices
4x2 4.2 metre wheelbase and huge tanks each side, an extra axle just weighs more and gets in the way… 
Most european countries have 11.5tonne drive axle limit and France 13tonne so tri axle units really arent needed.
AndrewG:
Most european countries have 11.5tonne drive axle limit and France 13tonne so tri axle units really arent needed.
I remember watching one of them overly dramatic copumentaries where a French trucker was pulled and weighed just off the M25 and the cop kept a straight face as he described the 12 tonne drive axle weight as a “lethal accident waiting to happen”. I thought at the time that 50 odd miles to the east of that weighbridge it’d be neither illegal nor deemed as dangerous!
I was thinking this the other day, then later in the week, an old blue cabbed, red plastics, left ■■■■■■ MAN with tag axle passed me on D plates pulling a 40’ box
Perhaps Carryfast would care to explain why the French road network, with their heavier axle weights, remains in a superb condition, year after year,
after year, after year.I have always considered our axle set up was so the cretins could continue with their pathetic,possibly corrupt road building
programme here in the UK.
Comparing France with the UK it could be that a 3 axle unit is actually causing MASSIVE damage but not by me,I have for many years always used a
2 axle unit and even with the odd axle weight problem it has been a massively cheaper option and I do pull a Fridge.
Carryfast:
Because like North America and NZ we rightly don’t like the road damage implications of high axle weights.In which case 44t on 6 axles is obviously better than 40t + on 5.
OK CarrF, not sure if you’ve ever trundled the Nationals and Autoroutes here, but I do both countries and with your so knowledgeable info above, please explain why the roads in the UK (44t on 6) are so crap and have to be repaired so often, whereas here, with our so so bad axle combinations (44t on 5) we have one of the finest trunk and motorway networks you would ever like to use?
Oh and as a p.s. the MSA’s are the bees knees here too
pierrot 14:
Carryfast:
Because like North America and NZ we rightly don’t like the road damage implications of high axle weights.In which case 44t on 6 axles is obviously better than 40t + on 5.OK CarrF, not sure if you’ve ever trundled the Nationals and Autoroutes here, but I do both countries and with your so knowledgeable info above, please explain why the roads in the UK (44t on 6) are so crap and have to be repaired so often, whereas here, with our so so bad axle combinations (44t on 5) we have one of the finest trunk and motorway networks you would ever like to use?
Oh and as a p.s. the MSA’s are the bees knees here too
Oh God, now you’ve done it 
. Carryfast will now regale us with his extensive experience of driving to Italy in one hit whilst remaining fully EU driving hours regulations compliant.
Run…
Armagedon:
Perhaps Carryfast would care to explain why the French road network, with their heavier axle weights, remains in a superb condition, year after year,
after year, after year.I have always considered our axle set up was so the cretins could continue with their pathetic,possibly corrupt road building
programme here in the UK.
Comparing France with the UK it could be that a 3 axle unit is actually causing MASSIVE damage but not by me,I have for many years always used a
2 axle unit and even with the odd axle weight problem it has been a massively cheaper option and I do pull a Fridge.
Youre right, French roads are superb and 5 axles at 44 does no harm, its the UK’s inferior road network and weak bridges that dictate 6 axles by the govt. I would never even consider a three axle unit, theres far too much of a weight penalty involved let alone the extra maintenance costs.
the nodding donkey:
pierrot 14:
Carryfast:
Because like North America and NZ we rightly don’t like the road damage implications of high axle weights.In which case 44t on 6 axles is obviously better than 40t + on 5.OK CarrF, not sure if you’ve ever trundled the Nationals and Autoroutes here, but I do both countries and with your so knowledgeable info above, please explain why the roads in the UK (44t on 6) are so crap and have to be repaired so often, whereas here, with our so so bad axle combinations (44t on 5) we have one of the finest trunk and motorway networks you would ever like to use?
Oh and as a p.s. the MSA’s are the bees knees here tooOh God, now you’ve done it
Run…
Oh nooo the sssscary maan known as carrryfast might come and get me and tell me horrible stories of regulations, statistics, how it’s better in HIS world 
I want my Maman
pierrot 14:
Carryfast:
Because like North America and NZ we rightly don’t like the road damage implications of high axle weights.In which case 44t on 6 axles is obviously better than 40t + on 5.OK CarrF, not sure if you’ve ever trundled the Nationals and Autoroutes here, but I do both countries and with your so knowledgeable info above, please explain why the roads in the UK (44t on 6) are so crap and have to be repaired so often, whereas here, with our so so bad axle combinations (44t on 5) we have one of the finest trunk and motorway networks you would ever like to use?
Oh and as a p.s. the MSA’s are the bees knees here too
You can make any road good enough to withstand anything if enough cash is thrown at it. 
By your own logic I’m guessing that you don’t remember the condition of uk roads v the state of French roads ( with the exception of their expensive tolled autoroutes ) before UK’s road budget was spent on the EU’s roads. 
Trust me heavy axle weights do smash roads.Let’s just say that one of the common jokes in the 1970’s was how long will it be until our roads get as bad as French ones.
Bearing in mind that even in our worst nightmares we didn’t think that the Frogs and Spanish etc would actually end up taking enough money off us to the point where our roads looked like theirs and theirs became better than ours. 
FROGS best you wind your neck in and send an apology Monsieur ROAST BEEF ha ha
Carryfast:
Trust me heavy axle weights do smash roads.( Frogs :
I dont trust you…heavier axle weights DO NOT smash roads, the ones i use are used by thousands of 5 axle 44t trucks daily yet theyre always in great condition.’ Frogs’…not good…
1You can make any road good enough to withstand anything if enough cash is thrown at it.
2By your own logic I’m guessing that you don’t remember the condition of uk roads v the state of French roads ( with the exception of their expensive tolled autoroutes ) before UK’s road budget was spent on the EU’s roads.
Bearing in mind that even in our worst nightmares we didn’t think that the Frogs and Spanish etc would actually end up taking enough money off us to the point where our roads looked like theirs and theirs became better than ours.
Point 1 yes of course you can, hence the toll system that we have in Europe, people pay for the use of these to help upkeep the road surface, the patrols that monitor the roads and as already said the 100% SUPER FINE service areas, be they MSA’s or Aire de Repos and not just on the motorways.
Point 2 yes I do remember the state of the roads in the 70’s in England and in Europe, Belgium had one of the worst motorway networks you could ever imagine . The nationals in France were one of the best, Nationals were better than the UK motorways.
And point 3 , can’t be arsed to put the number there, how many road UK road improvements have been funded by the EU ■■ Loads
pierrot 14:
FROGS best you wind your neck in and send an apology Monsieur ROAST BEEF ha ha
Get it right that should be rosbif or is it boef.
Carryfast:
pierrot 14:
FROGS best you wind your neck in and send an apology Monsieur ROAST BEEF ha haGet it right that should be rosbif or is it boef.
I wrote it like that to enable your little brain to understand what I was saying, wasn’t sure if you would understand
“rosbif”
And by the way it’s BOEUF with the O and the E attached b oe u f
No apology then 
pierrot 14:
1You can make any road good enough to withstand anything if enough cash is thrown at it.
2By your own logic I’m guessing that you don’t remember the condition of uk roads v the state of French roads ( with the exception of their expensive tolled autoroutes ) before UK’s road budget was spent on the EU’s roads.
Bearing in mind that even in our worst nightmares we didn’t think that the Frogs and Spanish etc would actually end up taking enough money off us to the point where our roads looked like theirs and theirs became better than ours.
Point 1 yes of course you can, hence the toll system that we have in Europe, people pay for the use of these to help upkeep the road surface, the patrols that monitor the roads and as already said the 100% SUPER FINE service areas, be they MSA’s or Aire de Repos and not just on the motorways.
Point 2 yes I do remember the state of the roads in the 70’s in England and in Europe, Belgium had one of the worst motorway networks you could ever imagine . The nationals in France were one of the best, Nationals were better than the UK motorways.
And point 3 , can’t be arsed to put the number there, how many road UK road improvements have been funded by the EU ■■ Loads
Yes we know that the EU road system is funded by EU grants or rip off tolls.Remind us how many and which countries are the ‘net’ contributors to that.IE put more in than they get out.While in all cases it’s just false economy in paying a fortune in road funding to make bullet proof roads,just to save haulage operators a few bob in speccing their trucks properly.