The Bolk Transport company from the East Netherlands has a large fleet of heavy, special vehicles. One of them is this 2020 Volvo FH flatbed truck, clearly not configured to transport palletized goods from industrial park A to industrial park B. You don’t need such a high level of customization for those jobs.
The Volvo has a 10 tonnes (22,000 lbs) front axle. The reason for that is all too obvious, but I mention it anyway, it’s the Palfinger knuckle boom crane behind the cab. Said axle weight rating is the absolute maximum for any non-drive axle.
A straight truck chassis like this is generally referred to as an ‘8×2 tridem’. They come with a steering pusher axle and a counter-steering tag axle, the drive axle with dual wheels is sitting in the middle. Such a trio is rated at a total axle weight of 27 tonnes (59,525 lbs).
Usually, the Volvo teams up with a 2020 GS full trailer. Don’t underestimate that short fellow with its small wheels, as it’s a 20 tonnes trailer with a registered payload capacity of 14,380 kg (31,702 lbs).
Just some examples of the combination at work, as posted on Bolk’s FB-site. Whatever fits on the beds, goes on the beds. Caterpillars (I assume) included.
No need to hire a mobile crane with its own driver-operator. This is a one-man/one-vehicle show: loading, unloading, and transporting. Anyplace, anywhere, anytime (to quote Nena & Kim Wilde).
Another Volvo, working for Bolk Transport, a 2020 FH 6×2*4 tractor.
It’s equipped with an identical Palfinger crane, type PK 65002-SH. And just like the flatbed truck, the tractor has a 10 tonnes front axle and a counter-steering tag axle.
The retiree, a splendid 1979 Scania L81 4×2 tractor. It’s powered by the truck maker’s DS8 turbodiesel, an eight liter inline-six with 205 DIN-hp.
The design of this series of conventionals dates back to 1958, yet deep into the seventies they were still commercially successful, back then it was already very clear that no one could teach Volvo and Scania anything about designing and building heavy trucks.
Related articles, some other Bolk workforce members:
2022 Volvo FMX 6×4 Heavy Haulage Tractor – Swedish Bully Breed With An Underbite
Interesting stuff. The 1979 reminds me of our stateside IHCs of the day.
I really enjoy seeing the cranes. I’ve been an Operator off n on since 2002. I’ve had my hands on at least 15 different machines over the years, both overhead pin type and knuckle or loader cranes.
I prefer the more compact folding knuckle type.
I’ve used mostly Hiab with a Palfinger and currently a Fassi. All were excellent were provided the initial specs ordered followed the actual company needs and also the proper maintenance was done.
Thanks for the article.
Yes, HIAB, Palfinger, and Fassi are widely used cranes here too.
Plenty of choice though, as there are many other manufacturers/brand names of truck-mounted knuckle boom cranes, such as: HMF (Denmark), MKG (Germany), Erkin (Turkey), Copma, Amco Veba, and Pesci (all from Italy, just like Fassi).
Johannes, once again you come through for the old truck salesman. Love the information regarding these vehicles. Looking at heavy haulers is always interesting. If I get up close to one, which does not happen too often these days, my nose is poking around the mechanicals. “Honey, why do you have grease on your shirt?” Tom: “Ummm, ummm…”
So that looks like an outrigger(i think thats the correct term) on the front of those Volvos. IE another leg to stabailize it when the crane goes to work. Never seen one mounted like that on the front od the truck.
Maybe Im not seeing it, but that outrigger thing blocks the radiator grill. How does it get fresh air to the radiator? How does it not overheat??
In this segment of heavy and far-reaching knuckle boom cranes, the truck/tractor always comes with one or two front outriggers/stabilizers ahead of the bumper.
The lower part of the grille (all the way down) is open, the complete center part is open and those blocks also have openings. In this case, right above the license plate (with the company name cut out).
Unusual flat deck design most here would have a tandem steer front axles and tandem drive not a triaxle at the rear, the four wheel trailer is set up for 20 ft empty shipping containers also very unusual to be loading and unloading those with a hiab do you not have swing lifters for those nobody messes with containers and hiabs, health and safety would have a fit
Shipping containers are usually carted on skeletal trailers or a bare chassis fitted with twist locks empties go on puddle jumper size chassis pulling trailers and carry 3 20s or one 20 and one 40,
I got out of doing containers around the city due to an injury and retired.
Such tridems have become more and more common over the past decade, at the expense of the traditional 8×2 trucks. Put the axles where the freight is, certainly when there’s a 10 tons front axle (in this case to support the crane). Furthermore, such tridems have a smaller turning radius. That is, with a steering pusher axle and counter-steering tag axle, like the article’s Volvo.
And of course shipping containers are usually hauled on dedicated trucks, trailers and semi-trailers. But the ones in the picture aren’t used as port-to-port shipping containers. The rig is clearly working at a construction site, those containers are owned by an electro-technical engineering company (‘elektrotechniek’, as stated on the containers). Used as storage units, mobile work shops, or whatever.
Retired? Becoming a lawyer now Bryce?? 🙂
Regarding the classic Sandia, is the horizontally mounted tire a spare or is it a bumper of some sort?
Spare tire.