Reason for shortening skelly trl for 45ft box

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
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45ft trailers are 13.65m afaik so surely there’s another measurement somwhere? :question: :confused: Ö

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The pull out bar under the rear of the trailer doesn’t pull out as far as the rear of the load. That gives you the correct distance from the King Pin to the rear of the trailer. So the box still overhangs the rear of the trailer but keeps it all legal with respect to overhang markings etc.

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bazstan009:
Think you are mixing up trailer and load dimensions.

:
The pull out bar under the rear of the trailer doesn’t pull out as far as the rear of the load. That gives you the correct distance from the King Pin to the rear of the trailer. So the box still overhangs the rear of the trailer but keeps it all legal with respect to overhang markings etc.

The regs state that the “end of the vehicle” must be no further than 12m from the kingpin of the trailer. There are some diagrams from trailer manufacturers on the net showing dimensions and showing that the end of a 45’ box (even thought it overhangs the end of the trailer) would be 12m from the kingpin. Why bother showing that if it wasn’t relevant?

To be honest I think it’s all a pile of cow pooh and I can’t imagine anyone being prosecuted for ending up a few inches over the 16.5m limit for the sake of a couple of misplaced twistlocks. We ran 45’s on 40’ chassis for yonks and I am not aware of anyone ever being pulled for being overlong.

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DJC:

sonofjahttp://www.transportsfriend.org/road/dims.htmlie:

DJC:
How do you figure? Is there a source available? I ask since we have notices all over the driver reception about the trailer length being an issue on 45s, I’ll get a picture later if I can

All the trailer manufacturers websites talk about weight distribution as one of the main advantages of their multi-setup sliding skeli’s. I couldn’t find one that suggested you would be running over the legal length limit if you didn’t use any particular setup.

With a max. overall length of 54’ it would mean that the front of the cab would have to be more than 9’ from the front of the container. So maybe a measuring tape could be handy the next time you pick up a 45.

The length we were referring to was the kingpin to the back of the trailer, guessing it would be something like 40ft with a 45 and probably around 37.5 with a 40 on. I can’t find the actual legal limit anywhere so measuring isn’t an option. It’s certainly got me thinking now

EDIT: Found it on transports friend, kingpin to rear is 12m (39.3ft) so from my guesswork it’s pretty ■■■■ close

And a skelly would be well within that 12m, dont confuse matters by adding the overhang of a 45’ container because it is a load not part of the trailer, the bit that matters ends at the rear pins.
The weight distribution properties manufacturers are referring to would probably be for a 4 wheeler unit, because at 44 tonnes with a six wheel unit you would be no were near the combinations maximum plated weights on gross or axles with an even loaded box.
The most ive had on the unit at approx 44000kgs is approx 22000kgs on a unit plated at 25700kgs.