Alright, I’ve not been a big boy trucker for very long but even in that short time I’ve found that nearly all of our trailers are hosed. From missing bulbs and lenses, to bollax’d legs that take forever to wind up, to knackered curtains that stick and doors that don’t shut. Stupid ferry trailers with boards and silly lift-able roofs.
I picked one up a week ago or so that was made in April of this year and the legs where completely shot. Had to spend 20 minutes winding them up on the slow gear because the fast gear was jammed. Why does no one take care of the trailers? Drivers who would go diviy if someone put a scratch on their cabs yet will quite happily rip the side of a trailer when removing it from the line up.
Is this a new guy type of thing where they like to care for the trailers but after a certain point accept the same attitude of everyone else and not give a dam?
The legs normally get ■■■■. By numb nuts who back under and do a tug test with the feet still firmly planted on the ground dragging the trailer across the yard.
Back under raise it off the ground and a short tug is all that’s needed.
Unfortunately, unless you are a small firm or have a dedicated trailer most drivers just don’t care about them. As long as they are up to the drivers walk around inspection and satisfy them that they are road worthy that’s about as far as it goes as they get a different one every few days.
Bit like showers, toilets, kitchen areas etc, etc.
way of the World I’m afraid.
Funny you say this, yesterday I overtook a Scania from Denmark. The trailer looked like it was going to fall apart any minute and bouncing all over the place. Yet the unit was spotless (fair play) and really was looking nice.
Maybe this is case when MORE management is needed? (Never thought Id say that). Trailer damage costs money, time, and depresses those who want to take care of the kit, so they end up with a couldnt care less attitude. Only takes a small minority of drivers to damage gear, and if not repaired then it`ll be an increasing problem.
It’s not so much nobody cares about trailers it’s just the fact that trailers are used by so many different drivers, that they get damaged by the careless and here is very little a good driver can do except not add to the damage and report issues, which will get ignored unless it’s safety critical or make it roadworthy (if you’re lucky)
Just look at a fleet of tractor units were drivers are allocated a different unit each shift, you’ll see the same thing, loads of knocks and dents.
And ferry trailers probably lead the hardest of lives, dragged all round Europe and beyond maybe, shunted round port and on and off ferries and left for long periods next to the sea.
The boards and lifting roof were so they could be used the same way the tilt trailers they replaced, wont be much good turning up with a normal curtainsider at a place where they load in through the roof and I’m not sure why boards and sides are still there, might have something to do with load regs in other countries.
JollyJack:
Funny you say this, yesterday I overtook a Scania from Denmark. The trailer looked like it was going to fall apart any minute and bouncing all over the place. Yet the unit was spotless (fair play) and really was looking nice.
Those Scandinavian ferry trailers sure do have a hard life.
JollyJack:
Funny you say this, yesterday I overtook a Scania from Denmark. The trailer looked like it was going to fall apart any minute and bouncing all over the place. Yet the unit was spotless (fair play) and really was looking nice.
This Scandinavian ferry trailers sure do have a hard life.
Thats all we have. Had one Friday night with a flappy back, couldn’t find the trailer brake on it. Looked like it had come from the ark!
JollyJack:
Funny you say this, yesterday I overtook a Scania from Denmark. The trailer looked like it was going to fall apart any minute and bouncing all over the place. Yet the unit was spotless (fair play) and really was looking nice.
Those Scandinavian ferry trailers sure do have a hard life.
You’re not kidding there Luke.
The company i work for is Swedish owned and we haul everything too and from Immingham docks (Ipswich branch mainly run in / out of Tilbury). We have around 30 Krone euroliners which are a couple of months old at the most. We look after them well but they’re already showing signs of rust here and there, and several of them have got rips in the curtains and dents in the doors.
JollyJack:
Funny you say this, yesterday I overtook a Scania from Denmark. The trailer looked like it was going to fall apart any minute and bouncing all over the place. Yet the unit was spotless (fair play) and really was looking nice.
Those Scandinavian ferry trailers sure do have a hard life.
You’re not kidding there Luke.
The company i work for is Swedish owned and we haul everything too and from Immingham docks (Ipswich branch mainly run in / out of Tilbury). We have around 30 Krone euroliners which are a couple of months old at the most. We look after them well but they’re already showing signs of rust here and there, and several of them have got rips in the curtains and dents in the doors.
I guess the north sea is very hard on them.
Count yourself lucky you’ve not had one of those Hallens trailers.
Radar19:
Count yourself lucky you’ve not had one of those Hallens trailers.
Or a Portbridge tilt a few years ago, the majority of which should have been torched 10 years previous…along with the Ewals Cargo Care ones.
Complete ■■■■ heaps.
Radar19:
Count yourself lucky you’ve not had one of those Hallens trailers.
Or a Portbridge tilt a few years ago, the majority of which should have been torched 10 years previous…along with the Ewals Cargo Care ones.
Complete [zb] heaps.
Radar19:
Stupid ferry trailers with boards and silly lift-able roofs.
Tilts and trailers with liftable roofs are for different types of loading. Ive used tilts for years, yes they need stripping and building back up but can restrain a load far better than a curtain sider.
Ferry trailers get abused because theyre dragged all over europe by all and sundry who dont give a ■■■■. Try winding the legs up on one with bent legs thats been pulled about with them wound down… thats a right laugh…
