Is there any reason to avoid a tractor unit that has a pet regs kit on it? Does it add much weight? Can it be easily removed?
As far as I can tell the main components are the battery cut out switch and the plastic screen on the back of the cab. What else is there?
Ta,
Paul
Armoured cable or wiring in a shield,
probable diversion to exhausts, resulting in costlier replacement,
no timer device allowed on night heaters,
intrinsically safe tachographs,
pto trips out when handbrake released, not necessarily a bad thing,
Is the truck ADR or Pet Reg?
repton:
Is there any reason to avoid a tractor unit that has a pet regs kit on it? Does it add much weight? Can it be easily removed?As far as I can tell the main components are the battery cut out switch and the plastic screen on the back of the cab. What else is there?
Ta,
Paul
Hi Paul, I’d say that the battery -ve terminal might look a little different, there might not be a roof vent nor a cigarette lighter socket. The wiring might look a little bulkier than normal too, since Pet Regs / ADR usually uses an ‘insulated’ return rather than an ‘earth’ return. Then of course there’s everything Malc said.
Another factor that you might consider is the type of use the tractor unit has had, ie has there been periods of engine use when the engine was used just for the purpose of powering a PTO pump? I mention that, because the wear (due to total engine hours) might not be consistent with the wear to be expected from ‘just’ the recorded mileage.
I hope that helps. 
The pet regged units I have driven have always been double shifted and have herds of miles on. You need to work out which company had the truck as some do more spirit to garages than those that just do commercial deliveries of diesel/kero etc.
I would have thought most have had a hard life all the ones that I drove had !!
Metal spray guards instead of plastic.
possible problem with startermoter and generator may be costly as these
are different to a normal truck,
Wheel Nut:
Is the truck ADR or Pet Reg?
It’s described as “Pet Reg”. Fleetex have 4 of them in at the moment, all the same, here’s one example:
fleetex.co.uk/spec_sheet.asp?UnitID=3076
The reason I’ve singled that out is that I’m considering starting up as an OD on bulk tippers and (as long as the pet regs kit doesn’t add too much weight) that’s going to be about as light as you can get, should be able to carry over 30t legally with the right trailer, maybe even as much as 30.5t.
As mentioned above, the exhaust does look different to a normal 85CF too - the 04 plate one I’m driving at the moment has it on the opposite side for a start.
Paul
repton:
Wheel Nut:
Is the truck ADR or Pet Reg?It’s described as “Pet Reg”. Fleetex have 4 of them in at the moment, all the same, here’s one example:
fleetex.co.uk/spec_sheet.asp?UnitID=3076The reason I’ve singled that out is that I’m considering starting up as an OD on bulk tippers and (as long as the pet regs kit doesn’t add too much weight) that’s going to be about as light as you can get, should be able to carry over 30t legally with the right trailer, maybe even as much as 30.5t.
As mentioned above, the exhaust does look different to a normal 85CF too - the 04 plate one I’m driving at the moment has it on the opposite side for a start.
Paul
You could go for a Premium and get the same year for half the money and a high roof cab to boot.
Hook it up to a Kel-Berg trailer and you will have your 30t payload no bother 
Big Truck:
Hook it up to a Kel-Berg trailer and you will have your 30t payload no bother
I’m heading down the grain route, not aggregates, so getting 30t with a Premium will be hard work. I’m currently driving a DAF similar to that one but with the normal sized lift axle and steel wheels all round and that gives me about 29.9t legal with a full tank of fuel so to be honest adding in the small lift axle and alloys end to end should see comfortably the right side of 30.5t, with near enough 31t once I’m getting down on derv.
Paul
repton:
Wheel Nut:
Is the truck ADR or Pet Reg?It’s described as “Pet Reg”. Fleetex have 4 of them in at the moment, all the same, here’s one example:
fleetex.co.uk/spec_sheet.asp?UnitID=3076The reason I’ve singled that out is that I’m considering starting up as an OD on bulk tippers and (as long as the pet regs kit doesn’t add too much weight) that’s going to be about as light as you can get, should be able to carry over 30t legally with the right trailer, maybe even as much as 30.5t.
Paul
Who’s idea was that then? 
Sat Dec 29, 2007 3:42 pm
repton:
I live between Malton and Driffield and I’m considering setting up as an OD sometime in 2008. I’ll most likely be getting a 6x2 unit and probably a curtainsided trailer, and I’m looking around at what work there is in the area.On a traction only basis on major souce of work locally seems to be out of Atlas Wards at Sherburn on the A64. As far as I know two hauliers operate out of there, Stillers (mainly steel beams on flats, fairly heavy work) and R J Jones (mainly insulated panels on flats, pretty light work). You see a lot of different ODs and small hauliers pulling trailers for both of these so it’s obvious they sub a lot out, including to some of the larger local firms (e.g. Wards and G E Smiths in Malton).
Anyone got any information on either of these firms? I have some other leads for local work including some direct work but as long as the rates aren’t too low these seem like they might be a good source of work to fill in the gaps while I build up the better paying work.
Also if anyone else has any leads for good paying work in the Malton or Driffield areas that they are prepared to share then I would love to know.
TIA,
Paul
Wheel Nut:
I would have thought a bulk tipper would have kept you busy for most of the year doing the farms and mills.Is Bright Steels still going, they use to send a lot out using subbies
Wheel Nut:
Who’s idea was that then?
At the time you wrote that I hadn’t ever driven a bulker, since about Feb 2008, 80% of my work has been on grain bulkers for three local firms and I’ve found I really enjoy it, hence the change in plan.
Paul
repton:
Wheel Nut:
Who’s idea was that then?At the time you wrote that I hadn’t ever driven a bulker, since about Feb 2008, 80% of my work has been on grain bulkers for three local firms and I’ve found I really enjoy it, hence the change in plan.
Paul
Good luck with it anyway!
repton:
Wheel Nut:
Who’s idea was that then?At the time you wrote that I hadn’t ever driven a bulker, since about Feb 2008, 80% of my work has been on grain bulkers for three local firms and I’ve found I really enjoy it, hence the change in plan.
Paul
Hi Paul, just a little tip now I know your considering a bulker and agricultural type work…
If you’re asked to carry ammonium nitrate fertiliser in bulk, PLEASE contact me for (free) advice before agreeing to do it.
repton:
Big Truck:
Hook it up to a Kel-Berg trailer and you will have your 30t payload no botherI’m heading down the grain route, not aggregates, so getting 30t with a Premium will be hard work. I’m currently driving a DAF similar to that one but with the normal sized lift axle and steel wheels all round and that gives me about 29.9t legal with a full tank of fuel so to be honest adding in the small lift axle and alloys end to end should see comfortably the right side of 30.5t, with near enough 31t once I’m getting down on derv.
Paul
You sure 
I ran a Premium 6x2 and KB T99 insulated aggregate trailer with steel wheels all round and even with 800l of Derv on-board was STILL able to get a 30t payload.
I thought the Premium was supposed to be one of the lightest tractor units on the market and match it up with a good used T25 or T97 lightweight Kel-berg bulk tipper,alloys all round and your 30/31t payload should be no bother.
Wheel Nut:
Good luck with it anyway!
Thanks, I’m sure I’ll need it!
Paul
Big Truck:
You sureI thought the Premium was supposed to be one of the lightest tractor units on the market
They are pretty light, and if they did one with a small middle axle then they probably would be the lightest but the DAF CF still trumps it (for new models at least) by almost 250kg according to their respective websites (DAF CF Space Cab 6x2 small middle axle comes in at 7679kg, Premium of comparable spec is 7926kg). I don’t know how well that holds for 5 year old ones though.
Here’s another DAF option - £1500 cheaper plus it has the space cab. Doesn’t have any interior photos or state the mileage though.
cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? … 0459280532
I’m not ruling Premiums out, but at the moment a CF with small middle axle is the favourite.
Paul
do those small axles actually do the job at 44t ? I always thought they were just a way of getting cheaper tax when you were running at low weights !
Denis F:
do those small axles actually do the job at 44t ? I always thought they were just a way of getting cheaper tax when you were running at low weights !
We ran them on the tanks Denis, they were always at maximum weights, occasionally loaded to flexible clog wearing tolerances
Denis F:
do those small axles actually do the job at 44t ? I always thought they were just a way of getting cheaper tax when you were running at low weights !
Not at all Denis, the whole point of them is to get more payload as far as I’m aware. A lot of the tipper operators are getting them now as in some cases they will save you as much as 700kg, which for a bulk tipper on grain work works out to at least 3k a year in extra earnings.
People like Suttons and Turners have been running them on tanker operations at 44t for 10 years or more now - there are plenty of old EC11 ERFs in Turners livery kicking around on the second hand market from around ten years ago with nearly a million km on the clock.
Paul
just a rumour that clugstons out of bradshaws at driffield are getting the fleet replaced but i dont know about centre axle size.
i remember when i work at longs, they got offered 5 ssc’s with pet gear as a cancelled order at a very low price but knocked them back due to to expensive to convert.