anyone know what the max overhang from the rear axle on a rigid is? and what the regs are for an extending body?
trying to find another wagon which at times needs to carry 8.5mtr bars which in real terms means a 29ft body, they’re like rocking horse doings,so it’s either buy a curtain sider and have a flatbed body fitted which makes it an expensive wagon or a standard flatbed @26ft and either extend the body or have a pullout extension fitted. the pullout would be ideal as three days a week 26ft is long enough.
any opinions?
Max overhang is 60% of the wheelbase, So it really depends on how big the wheel base is - the greater it is the bigger the overhang you are allowed. As for the extending rear end - you are allowed up to 1 mtr overhang without any markers, Up to 2mtrs with markers and then it starts getting silly. I would go for the pullout option and have lights and markers added to it to stop any jobsworth plod or Vosa giving you a pull.
thanks mate 
smcaul:
Max overhang is 60% of the wheelbase
what 
try 33%
can you imagine the amount of tail swing if more than 1/2 of the overall vehicle length was protruding beyound the rear most axle!?
must admit, i didn’t think that sounded right 
oops 
was reading the wrong bit at the time - scrub my last post, will look at correct page in the book next time I answer questions. But the lighting stuff was correct - I think 
I believe it is 60% for 4 wheel rigids
smcaul / Driveroneuk,
What books are you looking at and can I get a copy or the info off the net?
I wasn’t refering to a book, but going on what a friend who operates a fleet of recovery vehicles & sometimes has them custom built, told me.
added later: I’ve done some searching around the 'net, cant find anything at DfT site, but did find something on a towbar manufacturer (or supplier?) site with regard to mobile homes stating 60% was allowable.
I’m sure somebody will find something soon.
Driveroneuk:
I’m sure somebody will find something soon.
TMOH says:
The Maximum overhang permitted for rigid goods vehicles is 60% of the distance between the centre of the front axle and the point from which the overhang is to be measured. The point from which the overhang is measured is, in the case of two axled vehicles, the centre line through the rear axle, and in the case of of vehicles with three or more axles (two of which are rear axles), 110mm to the rear of the centre line between the two rear axles.
more details of TMOH at www.davidlowe.org - it’s a very good book and much cheaper than Croners
Ummmm, Now looks like I had no need to be embarassed.
Must admit i’m suprised by this & retract my hearsay 33% above.
Don’t think i’d like to be doing many sharp turns in tight spaces or into roads on the right opposite parked cars on the left wiith 60% overhang!
does this help ?
nice one dennis, looking at the three axle regs thats still plenty of overhang available, certainly enough to extend a 26ft to 28 which would be the best option loading wise.
Anyone know if the overhang takes the vehicle over 12.2m does it require a second man?
I’ve asked before and no-one seems to have an answer,I cannot even find anything on the net.
thats just short of 40ft giving a body of about 35ft that would be a nightmare to drive! regs aside i know theres a max wheel base which is down to a max lengh of prop shaft from gearbox to drive axle in engineering terms but i’m not sure what the actual figure is but the wagons with 30ft chasis i’ve looked at have had about a six foot overhang.
Just a couple of questions Paul
1 Would it not be cost effective to get the front axle changed for a 9t job or does the chassis restrict this
2 would a 9t front axle solve the load problems
3 how about an 8 legger with a flatbed (used to be a common configuration for heavy loads back in the ooooooold days)
just a few thoughts
Jules
edit: this is linked in with your other post so hopefully you’re referring to the same problem
The reason I ask about the second man is, with the rear extension bar pushed out the Volvo is 12.2 m long. With a 32’ x 10’ cabin on it overhangs the extension bar by about 600mm, which takes it over the maximum length for a rigid (12.2m).
I’ve asked at work and keep getting fobbed off, “we’ll get back to you” or "we are waiting for a reply from head office” are spouted but no one comes out with a final answer. I’ll have to measure the overhang when I go back to work but it seems to be within the 60%.
By the way it’s a FM9 with a 9t front axle. so maybe the FM12 could be uprated?
Boots O’Lead:
Just a couple of questions Paul1 Would it not be cost effective to get the front axle changed for a 9t job or does the chassis restrict this
2 would a 9t front axle solve the load problems
3 how about an 8 legger with a flatbed (used to be a common configuration for heavy loads back in the ooooooold days)
just a few thoughts
Jules
edit: this is linked in with your other post so hopefully you’re referring to the same problem
i know where your coming from with both questions.
- a 9t front would go along way to solving the prob but at what cost?
2.an eight legger would also have none of the problems but it would be impossible to get twenty ton on and nine times out of ten you wouldn’t be able to carry any more than a six wheeler i.e running an eight wheeler for six wheeler rates.
hollywood:
The reason I ask about the second man is, with the rear extension bar pushed out the Volvo is 12.2 m long. With a 32’ x 10’ cabin on it overhangs the extension bar by about 600mm, which takes it over the maximum length for a rigid (12.2m).
I’ve asked at work and keep getting fobbed off, “we’ll get back to you” or "we are waiting for a reply from head office” are spouted but no one comes out with a final answer. I’ll have to measure the overhang when I go back to work but it seems to be within the 60%.By the way it’s a FM9 with a 9t front axle. so maybe the FM12 could be uprated?
i think theres different regs for body and load as far as overhang goes i.e max overhang of body from rear axle as mentioned before and then over hang of a load beyond that point, i’m not sure to be honest.
last year when i still had a crane wagon i did a drop in liverpool and then got a call “can you go to so n so and pick up a cabin for worksop? it’s only a twenty footer” i had a twenty four foot bed, that twenty foot became 34 feet when i got there, against my better judgement i loaded it and came back over woodhead not knowing if i was having a ■■■■, shave or a shower! all the time saying things like never again and calling myself all sorts of names.