Martrans has produced an alternative to the moving floor trailer that offers several advantages in terms of weight and discharge speed, reports John Kendall.
PROBABLY the easiest way to discharge a bulk load – aggregate, asphalt, sand or gravel – is to simply tip the bodywork up and let gravity do the rest. It’s a tried and tested method that works for tipper bodies whether fitted to the back of a 3,500kg GVW chassis-cab or a 44-tonne GCW tipping trailer. Gravity doesn’t need a power supply and hydraulic tipping gear has been in use for decades.
Reliable as it is, the tipping trailer does have drawbacks however. The most obvious being the change in the vehicle’s centre of gravity upwards and towards the rear of the trailer during tipping. If the vehicle is not on firm ground, the reduced stability could rapidly turn into a hazardous situation, possibly ending with the vehicle keeling over.
Overhead obstructions that could cause problems while tipping also need to be considered, with powerlines being a particular cause for concern. Problems such as these caused body manufacturers to look at alternatives to the tipping body and trailer several decades ago.
