Spotted at the local shipyard, a heavy tractor with a widespread, tridem axle flatbed semi-trailer. An ideal and common combination for transporting all kinds of steel products. The semi-trailer isn’t as basic as it looks, though.
I’ve posted many tridem axle semi-trailers with one or two steering axles, but this chassis has a hydraulic steering system on all three axles.
Now that makes perfect sense if you realize that the overall length of this Nooteboom OVB-42-03V Teletrailer can be extended from 1,370 cm (44’11”) to 2,165 cm (71’1”). The semi-trailer is rated at a maximum GVM of 42,000 kg (92,594 lbs).
This video demonstrates how it all works. Obviously, the load on this one isn’t supposed to get wet.
Nooteboom offers a wide variety of this type of teletrailers, they are available with two to six axles (photo courtesy of Nooteboom Special Trailers).
Back at the shipyard. Obviously, Nooteboom has taken a short position. Its business partner is a Mercedes-Benz Actros 2542 tractor with a steering and liftable pusher axle (and 422 DIN-hp from a 12.8 liter inline-six).
The history of the Nooteboom family business goes back to 1881, that’s just a few years before the Benz Patent-Motorwagen was unveiled.
Very cool Trombone trailers are quite common but Ive never seen a curtainsider type thats clever.
I suggest a check on these numbers:
“1,370 cm (44’11”) to 2,165 cm (71’1”)”
It seems there’s a problem in conversion and that the first number should be 13.7 m and the second one 21.65 m (or 13,700 cm and 21,650 cm, but nobody is using centimeters at these sizes).
Great blog, kudos for everything you’re doing here!
13.70 m = 137 dm = 1,370 cm = 13,700 mm.
Actually, official Dutch registrations are in cm (like wheelbase and overall length).
And thank you!