However we are trying to find out what vehicle we would need to transport the machine.
There seem to be two options;
One is to have a low loader type truck; if this were the case, what would be a good vehicle for this?
Second is to have a multi-function truck and to tow the machine on some kind of trailer; we have also recently been considering purchasing a truck with a Hi-Ab so this option may be the better for us.
We want the vehicle to be reasonably small, so perhaps around 10 tonne, though we have little knowledge of what is available, but it needs to be capable of towing this weight with ease, as well of course safely and legally.
As our work is often rural, a vehicle that can cope well with light off road (fields and tracks etc.) would also be a consideration, but not essential.
The travelling length is 7.5 metres, though can be shortned to 6.75 with the basket removed. Though the machine could technically overhang slightly within any legal limits
Is it worth looking for something along the lines that road planing companies use. They often have a tipper towing a drawbar trailer with the planing machine on the back.
You could get a flatbed with HIAB (which can be used for other work when not towing) and a trailer for your plant machine.
Call your local truck dealers, the salesmen should tell you exactly what you need, phone them all or you may find one will try to sell you what they have, rather than what you need.
If you’re speccing a HIab then you need to take that into account too as it will eat into both payload and body length.
For a truck capable of carrying the machine and having a bit of flexibility I suggest a beaver tail/cheese wedge body on a 13ton chassis, my personal choice would be a Mercedes as that’s what I used to sell and I chose to sell Mercs as I believe they are a very good product. If you are speccing a crane, from the experience of people I sold lorries to, I would recommend Fassi and if fitting one I would put it on a 16ton chassis, again a Mercedes (of course)
If you want a beaver tail / ramps you won’t get the required payload (5.5tonne) on anything less than a 12 tonne gross as a standard 10 tonne gross eg man will only carry 5.5tonne as a day cab flat ,if you want a crane to lift 5.5 tonnes then I’d go for a 26 tonne gross which will give enough capacity to have beaver tail and ramps too.
m1cks:
Is it worth looking for something along the lines that road planing companies use. They often have a tipper towing a drawbar trailer with the planing machine on the back.
You could get a flatbed with HIAB (which can be used for other work when not towing) and a trailer for your plant machine.
I would avoid this option simply because having hauled a planer around most of the country it’s horrible. Especially with the swing you get from the over hang
Perhaps some kind of demount would be a good choice.
Flat rack on for hauling the MEWP and the flexibility of a tipper body, box body or what ever other option the OP wants to spec.
If I was going to do it I’d either do this or a 6 wheel plant lorry and hire it out with driver when not in use to small plant firms and maybe even hire centres.
I think I would buy generic plant lorry rather than something too unique. You might be surprised what trailers, for what will most likely be a custom build, and coupling fitting will run to. Unless it’s a real necessity for access the difference in running costs on rigids even between a 7.5t and 18t are really not that large.
Don’t forget also you’re going to have to pay a C+E wage for a trailer too.
If you are doing haulage with a Fastrac it needs to be run on red diesel, driven by a CE driver and have an operators licence and are subject to the same inspections as a lorry. Not sure above tacho though. A chap I went to school with drives one for a local ground works firm
