can someone give me a rough idea of tyre costs running at 44t on containers?
spoke to someone today who had two wagons on and reckoned his tyre bill were over a grand a month 
paul b:
spoke to someone today who had two wagons on and reckoned his tyre bill were over a grand a month
My last contract hire unit clocked up 350,000 kms, and it went back on the original tyres, with the rears fully re-cut and only some re-cutting on the front shoulders to get over the required 4mm agreed for its return.
Trailer tyres last 2-300,000 kms depending on make/new or remould, but need swapping about to get even wear on each axle.
I check all pressures regularly, the cost of a blown tyre on the motorway will buy a pretty decent compressor, or rig a line that plugs into the red air line of your unit and carry it on board at all times so punctures can be dealt with back at base.
My total tyre bill for the last 8 years is under Ā£1500. OK I donāt have trailer tyres to worry about but even so, a grand a month. Whatās he doing eating them? 
The only real problem you may encounter with tyres is on the hired trailers. Check the deal with the company you hire off. I have to pay Ā£100 per week and pay for all damage to trailer tyres, including punctures, but excluding normal wear. It really hacks me off, when you get a puncture, replace the tyre (its very rare that the tyre companies will repair a puncture at the side of the road) sign to say youāll pay for the new tyread the next day the container firm gets you to do a trailer change over!
while weāre at it can somone tell me the best tyre firm to go with for road side repairs etc and a trailer firm where i can hire a skelly on a short term?
cheers
paul
I use ATS when I have to, thereās a local outfit around here called Coombe Garage who not only see to my local needs but have a network of independent tyre firms around the country who they contact for me when I need them. It costs a small fee, on top of the tyre etc, but its still cheaper than ATS. Have a word with your local independant tyre firms, they probably do the same.
As for skelly hire, probably best to hire from the company your working for, they are usually the cheapest, and you dont loose half a day taking it back for services & inspections etc. It also makes change overs much easier.
'Allo Paul
I use ATS for call outs but used to use an independant when I worked out of Fewlixstowe.
If you can try and find an independant for local & yard work they tend to be cheaper
PM me if you want the Felixstowe tyre mans number he is fair.
For instance Volvo did a pre MOT and told me I needed 3 tyres When he checked them he only replaced 1 (cut on the inside which is why I dināt spot it)
then proceeded to question the Volvo managers parentage 
Each January, the Society of Operations Engineers, through their magazine, publish tables relating to the running costs for various vehicles/trailers.
For a tri-axle sliding skeletal on an annual mileage of 100,000 km, the running costs (Ā£) are given as
Tyres 1,176
Mainenance and repairs 1,437
Running costs per year 2,613
Running costs per km(p) 2.6
And then when the Standing costs are added in,
Total cost per year 4,534
Total cost per km(p) 4.5
which is given as a 2.7% increase on last year.
Just to clarify. These costs apply ONLY in respect of the trailer. Different tables apply in respect of the Unit.
There are also figures given for annual mileages of 60,000 and 40,000 km, but to reproduce the whole tables would take a few hours.
But if it would useful to the membership, let me know and Iāll try and do it during the week.
Krankee:
Each January, the Society of Operations Engineers, through their magazine, publish tables relating to the running costs for various vehicles/trailers.For a tri-axle sliding skeletal on an annual mileage of 100,000 km, the running costs (Ā£) are given as
Tyres 1,176
Mainenance and repairs 1,437
Running costs per year 2,613
Running costs per km(p) 2.6And then when the Standing costs are added in,
Total cost per year 4,534
Total cost per km(p) 4.5
which is given as a 2.7% increase on last year.
I wish Hanbury Davies had their type of calculator in the accounts department
My costs for 120,000 kms/1 years operation of 5 year old sliding skelly.
2 new bridgestone tyres at 2 X Ā£205 eack =Ā£410
8 week safety inpections at Ā£30 each X 6.5 = Ā£195
One new air tank =Ā£70
One new air bag for lift axle function =Ā£65
Bulbs and lenses, say =Ā£20
Depreciation, say =Ā£1000
TOTAL =Ā£1760
Total cost per km(p) 1.46 
Manwell:
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I wish Hanbury Davies had their type of calculator in the accounts department
Couldnāt agree more (although the rate increase from Jan 1st dosnāt hurt)
My trailer costs are even lower as Iāve only replaced 1 tyre since june whe I bought it and none are low so failing blowouts ā¦
Over here, we generally get about 120,000 miles on a steer tyre, and from 200,000 to 250,000 on others. Trailer tyres tend to last the longest.
AlexxInNY:
Trailer tyres tend to last the longest.
Hey Alexx
On Seaforth Docks there are several newish ACL american trailers in the park that are shunted back and to on the ACL Ro-Ro/Container vessel that sails between Liverpool/New York, all thse trailers are fitted with twins, are these still the norm for the U.S 
. Twins over here are very rare on new trailers except for the smaller 17.5 - 19/5 inch sized tyres fitted to stepframes, although singles can now be specfied in these sizes now.
north surrey haulage:
My trailer costs are even lower as Iāve only replaced 1 tyre since june whe I bought it and none are low so failing blowouts ā¦
Quite
What I canāt understand is where these āāExpertsāā get there costings from, makes you wonder if they are supplied by the trailer hire firms 
because according to the Society of Operations Engineers sums, if you add depreciation on a new trailer its virtually cheaper to hire the trailer
Bt ātwinsā I assume you mean ātandemsā, dual tyres on 2 axles. Common sizes are 295/75R22.5, 285/80R24.5 and 11R22.5 (100 profile tyres).
Iām assuming those are the extra lond APL containers you are speaking of??
you could try fitting a crossfire to the drive axle tyres on the tractor unit.
you will find more info here
work9.fsnet.co.uk/cf.htm
they balance the tyre pressures between each pair of tyres so they will always run at the same pressure, most people donāt know but the inner tyre always runs hotter than the outer tyre, the inner tyre gets hot air from the engine pushing against it whilst the outer tyre gets the cold air of the aerodynamic drafts this means that increased heat on the inner tyre makes it run at a higher pressure than the outer tyre the result is uneven road surface contact and higher fuel consumption (not much but enough), these devices also make the chaecking of the tyre pressures easy by just viewing the window on the device.
A country seperated by a common language 
In the UK a Tandem is a two axle Trailer, a Triaxle is a three axle trailer.
Twins are single wheels & tyres bolted back to back.
4 in line are seperate rims on seperate hubs.
Carry on chaps
johnny:
you could try fitting a crossfire to the drive axle tyres on the tractor unit.
you will find more info here
work9.fsnet.co.uk/cf.htm
they balance the tyre pressures between each pair of tyres so they will always run at the same pressure, most people donāt know but the inner tyre always runs hotter than the outer tyre, the inner tyre gets hot air from the engine pushing against it whilst the outer tyre gets the cold air of the aerodynamic drafts this means that increased heat on the inner tyre makes it run at a higher pressure than the outer tyre the result is uneven road surface contact and higher fuel consumption (not much but enough), these devices also make the chaecking of the tyre pressures easy by just viewing the window on the device.
Unfortunately, these units are a bit problematic. Even with a flow restrictor/check valve fitted, they will sometimes let both tyres go flat when only one has a puncture. Also, if some piece or road debris breaks one of the hoses, both tyres deflate.
No, its definately ACL
aclcargo.com/
These are the trailers
aclcargo.com/roroEquipment.php
As Wheelnut said, twin as in double wheels, tandem as in two axles. both a rarity in the UK, especially the twin 22.5 tyres.
A firm from Lancs seem to drag these trailers in and out of the docks under STGO for some reason.
AlexxInNY:
johnny:
you could try fitting a crossfire to the drive axle tyres on the tractor unit.
you will find more info here
work9.fsnet.co.uk/cf.htm
they balance the tyre pressures between each pair of tyres so they will always run at the same pressure, most people donāt know but the inner tyre always runs hotter than the outer tyre, the inner tyre gets hot air from the engine pushing against it whilst the outer tyre gets the cold air of the aerodynamic drafts this means that increased heat on the inner tyre makes it run at a higher pressure than the outer tyre the result is uneven road surface contact and higher fuel consumption (not much but enough), these devices also make the chaecking of the tyre pressures easy by just viewing the window on the device.Unfortunately, these units are a bit problematic. Even with a flow restrictor/check valve fitted, they will sometimes let both tyres go flat when only one has a puncture. Also, if some piece or road debris breaks one of the hoses, both tyres deflate.
the ones i have fitted have braided hoses on them, it would have to be very sharp road debris to cut them open, iāve been running with these units on for over 3 years now and have never had a problem with loss of air except when the daft lads at scania go around and let air out deliberately, the device incorporates a emergency shut off valve that prevents both tyres from deflating should a blow out occur, when you employ drivers most only drive, some may check the oil and lights but most never check the tyre pressures, with the crossfire fitted a tyre pressure check is a quick glance at the window of the guage, it doesnāt get much easier than that does it?
under STGO for some reason
Probably because the trailers do not conform in some way to C&U regulations, and therefore ca only be pulled by STGO under a movement order.
I one saw a convoy of USA Owner Operators at Burtonwood all pulling exhibition trailers for an american motor manufacturer, I believe it was Caddilac, they all had āConvoi Exceptionelā banners front and rear probably for the same reason