For the sector i work in i am not sure if it will be suitable. One of the places it would be nigh on impossible to get that trailer on the bay, its tight enough in a standard artic! No doubt the media will claim its a massive extenstion to the trailers and the world will come to an end because of it!
even if you could why would you want to lock the rear axle?
cant see you being able to anyway because of the amount of screw between the axles on the back of the trailer! you’d end up breaking sommert.
when you think about it how many drivers do you see trying to reverse with them cheap crappy rear steer trailers where the axle should be locked ? (wheels pointing one way ■■■■ in drivers seat wanting to go the other black tyre marks all over!) …saw one numpty at hulland products 2/3 year ago snap propshaft trying said reversing with 28 ton on
Moose:
even if you could why would you want to lock the rear axle?
cant see you being able to anyway because of the amount of screw between the axles on the back of the trailer! you’d end up breaking sommert.
when you think about it how many drivers do you see trying to reverse with them cheap crappy rear steer trailers where the axle should be locked ? (wheels pointing one way ■■■■ in drivers seat wanting to go the other black tyre marks all over!) …saw one numpty at hulland products 2/3 year ago snap propshaft trying said reversing with 28 ton on
It reminded me of a recovery truck pulling a broken down 6 wheeler in reverse 
so to sum up no i dont want them (dont think we need them)but i think they will come given time !
some operators will do well with them for a start then everyone will need them to compete then rates will suffer you’ve only got to look back to when we went 38/40/41/44 ton if your not in a niche market where are you now if you carnt run at 44 ton and how much better off are you at 44 t rather than 40/41t
more weight,axles,wear and tear,fuel…more money?..“no not much !!”
whoops 
After driving around with a 53’ trailer behind me for a couple of years, when I came back last year and did a bit of driving I found that the standard 45’ trailers in the UK were very maneuverable in comparison, a lot of that had to do with the shorter unit of course, but I reckon a couple more feet wouldn’t make much of a difference if it was in the right place, I remember when the 45’ came out, everyone was saying that the extra overhang was going to make them a nightmare, in practice it made no difference really 
I can’t remember anyone losing their jobs when the 13.6m trailer was allowed, so I don’t think a few more feet will make a difference either.
The country is in a recession, who’s going to be buying new trailers anyway? Except for the supermarkets, Steady Eddie and Monsieur Dangerousangle
Monsieur Dangerousangle - You mean Norbet Dressingtable ,driver?
tachograph:
If this system is anything to go by it seems they can be made to handle well enough at 15.65 metres but the length would still be a problem for a lot of jobs.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj9B1JmDcoA&feature=player_embedded#
Whilst I don’t disagree with longer trailers, what’s the point of making it rear-steer? Surely if the axles were left in the same place, the pivot point would be in the same place and therefore would be fine with the turning requirements■■? And for those who say “tailswing blah blah blah…”, as rear-steers kick out in the opposite direction anyway, the tail swing remains same with or without the rear-steer axle…so what’s the point? :s I can’t imagine it would do anything for load distribution as the rear most axle is only about 2ft further back…I just can’t see the point in this new trailer :s
Are they talking about this because of the possible trailer height ban?
Will they really go ahead with this 4.0 height crap? If they do that would screw over all of Sainsbury’s, tescos, ASDA and so on…I drive for the orange supermarket and almost all of ours trucks run at 13’ 10". But I don’t know much about this whole thing…is it even 4.0m or did I get that wrong? Is it a complete EU thing or just on the mainland?
Will they really go ahead with this 4.0 height crap? If they do that would screw over all of Sainsbury’s, tescos, ASDA and so on…I drive for the orange supermarket and almost all of ours trucks run at 13’ 10". But I don’t know much about this whole thing…is it even 4.0m or did I get that wrong? Is it a complete EU thing or just on the mainland?
hiya,
Iv’e posted this info on another thread,in the 1970s i worked for Road Services Tyne Tees later to become BRS Consett we had a lot of trailers that had been owned by Siddle C Cook these was all overlength ie 45, 50 and 55 footers all left over from the days when long stuff was pulled on a regular basis but the thing is these trailers were kept road worthy and tested and used on a daily basis on general haulage even the steel haulage was all capable of being carried on 40 footers i very rarely left the yard pulling anything other than one of the longer jobs these was bog standard trailers and cannot recollect any driver clearing out any street furniture of course there were places were they would’nt fit so they was’nt used there, i know i’ve gone a long way round the houses to state the simple fact if you can drive an artic the extra length should be no different to a normal trailer and it never bothered me maybe being a heavy haulage driver as a young-un held me in good stead but newbie’s used to quickly get used to them and no we did’nt get paid extra for pulling extra length they only carried 20 tons in those days knowing how to position the load to keep the axle weights correct might have been a problem for a new starter but somebody always kept them on the right track, how did we get away with it back then still mystifies me, never got pulled and warned off once.
thanks harry long retired.
Adam_Mc:
… run at 13’ 10"…is it even 4.0m or did I get that wrong?..
4.0m is 13’ 1"
Lycanthrope:
Adam_Mc:
… run at 13’ 10"…is it even 4.0m or did I get that wrong?..4.0m is 13’ 1"
I know it is…hence why i was questioning if the whole 4.0 was the correct proposed height?
Longer trailers… less trips, less nights out, home a bit more??
Will it be less pay because of less nights out / ‘bog std’ hours?
The ‘green death’ will be pushing for obviously, it’s all LOOK AT ME!!! And another way to take over the world!! 
Read in a truck mag since doing ‘trucks and trailers’ his membership and merchandise is up a whopping 450%!!!
Says it all why that programme was really done…
‘Going for bullnose trucks to improve aerodynamics’■■ Roads are getting more conjested the crazy fool!! He’s really going to save isn’t he… sitting still, jammed in somewhere on a junction/roundabout. 
According to the Daily Mail today, “60-tonne lorries are heading our way”. The length is going from “54ft 1in to 82ft 10 ins”. RHA say longer and heavier lorries are more sensible.
waddy640:
According to the Daily Mail today, “60-tonne lorries are heading our way”. The length is going from “54ft 1in to 82ft 10 ins”. RHA say longer and heavier lorries are more sensible.
hiya,
Should be interesting, i wonder how many places will be able to accept such lengths will these monsters only be used to go depot to depot and then transhipped on to smaller motors to be forwarded on to the tipping point that would be a good idea it would create much needed jobs and dramatically increase the carbon footprint, the question is will it be worthwhile resurrecting the old class 1 in anticipation of there being a shortage of skilled drivers and companies offering huge pay packets to attract star men, don’t think i’ll even bother looking round and might just put the old licence through the shredder.
thanks harry long retired.
Adam_Mc:
Lycanthrope:
Adam_Mc:
… run at 13’ 10"…is it even 4.0m or did I get that wrong?..4.0m is 13’ 1"
I know it is…hence why i was questioning if the whole 4.0 was the correct proposed height?
Misunderstood your post then
There are still many that can not make a round about or junction without running over the curb, will this be the truck ,road or the driver ?
Adam_Mc:
tachograph:
If this system is anything to go by it seems they can be made to handle well enough at 15.65 metres but the length would still be a problem for a lot of jobs.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj9B1JmDcoA&feature=player_embedded#
Whilst I don’t disagree with longer trailers, what’s the point of making it rear-steer? Surely if the axles were left in the same place, the pivot point would be in the same place and therefore would be fine with the turning requirements■■? And for those who say “tailswing blah blah blah…”, as rear-steers kick out in the opposite direction anyway, the tail swing remains same with or without the rear-steer axle…so what’s the point? :s I can’t imagine it would do anything for load distribution as the rear most axle is only about 2ft further back…I just can’t see the point in this new trailer :s
Pivot point would be just behind the middle axle, if it were locked or halfway between the outer two axles, why not just have a wagon and drag, or increase the W/D length,