A week after I had to wait a moment for a rig hauling short logs, I caught this tidy package, consisting of a Volvo tractor unit, a chassis-mounted crane and a Faymonville self-steering trailer. Its full-time job is transporting long logs.
The Volvo FH 6×4 tractor, with a low (standard) roof, is powered by the truck maker’s 12.8 liter inline-6 engine with a maximum power output of 540 hp. The number is right there on the side of the cab.
The electro-hydraulic self-steering 2014 Faymonville trailer is piggybacking when unloaded. Faymonville is a Belgian manufacturer of trailers and semi-trailers for special and heavy haulage, including logging.
The crane is a Palfinger Epsilon product. Self-loaders are highly common in European logging.
The trailer’s turntable.
Completely “unfolded” and at the job. I found the picture on Faymonville’s website.
Here’s a video of a similar rig, making a downhill hairpin turn. I just can’t get enough of these spectacular French logging videos…plenty of them can be found on YouTube.
Wow. How does the trailer unit know how much to steer and when or is there a separate controller unit in the cab? Watching the video of that hairpin turn I was worried about just the cab,never mind the trailer. But then seeing the logs at a 90 degree angle to the direction of the trailer was amazing. Then the reverse lights came on for a second! Holy… Anyway, very impressive, thanks!
Quote Faymonville’s website: “It is provided with an adjustable steering system that autonomously follows the tractor”.
And this in on YouTube:
This is really a fascinating machine. Nice find.
i really want to see it unfold …. does the self loader help in any way?
Yes, the crane is used to put the trailer on and off the tractor unit.
Fascinating- thanks for posting this!
SORCERY!!!
Cool bit of gear, its what we call a stems truck carting the stem of the tree not precut logs, 540 I shift Volvos form Fonterras 450 truck fleet tough trucks and the most reliable auto shift around.