Heavy hauler

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Two MAN SE ballast tractors pulling and one Mercedes pushing a 100,000 kg (220,000 lb) transformer on 10-axle lowboy trailer Rawcliffe Ballasted Outfit.JPG
Two MAN SE ballast tractors pulling and one Mercedes pushing a 100,000 kg (220,000 lb) transformer on 10-axle lowboy trailer
ALMA antenna in transit on a self-propelled modular transporter Alma antenna in transit.jpg
ALMA antenna in transit on a self-propelled modular transporter

A heavy hauler is a very large transporter for moving oversize loads too large for road travel without an escort and special permit.

Contents

A Mammoet SPMT moves a large ship section. Voorpiek UAL AFRICA (13375960505).jpg
A Mammoet SPMT moves a large ship section.

A heavy hauler typically consists of a Ballast Tractor and a hydraulic modular trailer. Some trailers may have independently steerable wheels, and several might be towed by one or more tractor units in a train.

Self-propelled modular transporters (SPMT), some featuring a dozen or more self-steering axles with scores of rubber tires to spread out a load, are increasingly being manufactured. Working in coordinated teams, heavy haulers are able to carry loads exceeding 100 tons.

Applications

In some cases, a heavy hauler is designed and constructed to move a particular load on a one-off or short-term basis. An example is the self-propelled antenna transporter for the ALMA radio telescope project, a 130-tonne (130-long-ton; 140-short-ton) 28-wheeled rigid vehicle designed to carry and place 115-tonne (113-long-ton; 127-short-ton) radio telescope antennas up a mountain to an altitude of 5,000 m (16,400 ft). [1] Girder bridge (lowboy) trailers are another specialist heavy hauler, specifically for the transport of large power transformers.[ citation needed ]

Typical loads moved by heavy haulers under escort on highways include giant boilers and pressure vessels used in the chemical industry, industrial plants, prefabricated sections for construction projects, giant power transformers, turbines, and houses (generally made of timber).

The term "heavy hauler" may also be used to refer to off-road dump trucks and ore carriers used in mining and construction with capacities up to 400 tonnes (390 long tons; 440 short tons), or an airplane that has been especially constructed for moving heavy materials. [2]

There are some shipbuilding companies using SPMT for carrying ship parts and constructing ships in China. They have saved millions of dollars formerly spent transporting loads using gantry cranes.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trailer (vehicle)</span> Towed cargo vehicle

A trailer is an unpowered vehicle towed by a powered vehicle. It is commonly used for the transport of goods and materials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dump truck</span> Truck which can tip its bed, dumping its contents

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thornycroft Antar</span> Heavy duty tractor

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Scammell Lorries Limited was a British manufacturer of trucks, particularly specialist and military off-highway vehicles, between 1921 and 1988. From 1955 Scammell was part of Leyland Motors.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Semi-trailer</span> Trailer vehicle without a front axle

A semi-trailer is a trailer without a front axle. The combination of a semi-trailer and a tractor truck is called a semi-trailer truck.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Articulated hauler</span>

An articulated hauler, articulated dump truck (ADT), or sometimes a dump hauler, is a very large heavy-duty type of dump truck used to transport loads over rough terrain, and occasionally on public roads. The vehicle usually has all-wheel drive and consists of two basic units: the front section, generally called the tractor, and the rear section that contains the dump body, called the hauler or trailer section. Steering is made by pivoting the front in relation to the back by hydraulic rams. This way, all wheels follow the same path, making it an excellent off-road vehicle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Self-propelled modular transporter</span> Vehicle for carrying very large objects

A self-propelled modular transporter or sometimes self-propelled modular trailer (SPMT) is a platform heavy hauler with a large array of wheels which is an upgraded version of a hydraulic modular trailer. SPMTs are used for transporting massive objects, such as large bridge sections, oil refining equipment, cranes, motors, spacecraft and other objects that are too big or heavy for trucks. Ballast tractors can however provide traction and braking for the SPMTs on inclines and descents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ballast tractor</span>

A ballast tractor is a specially weighted tractor unit of a heavy hauler combination. It is designed to utilize a drawbar to pull or push heavy or exceptionally large trailer loads which are loaded in a hydraulic modular trailer. When feasible, lowboy-style semi-trailers are used to minimize the height of a load's center of mass. Typical drivetrains are 6×4 and 6×6, but 8×6 and 8×8 are also available. Typical ballast tractor loads include oil rig modules, bridge sections, buildings, ship sections, and industrial machinery such as generators and turbines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drawbar (haulage)</span> Vehicle and trailer coupling

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tank transporter</span> Combination of a heavy tractor unit and mating semi-trailer used for transporting tanks

A tank transporter is a combination of a heavy tractor unit or a ballast tractor and a mating full trailer, hydraulic modular trailer or semi-trailer, used for transporting tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles. Some also function as tank recovery vehicles, the tractors of which may be armoured for protection in combat conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lowboy (trailer)</span> Type of trailer

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A Shipyard transporter is a heavy equipment transporter or heavy trailer and is often used in shipyards but is not limited to them. As its name implies, a shipyard transporter is often used in transporting ship sections from the shipbuilder workshop to the dock to assemble a whole vessel.

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Nicolas Industrie S.A.S. is a French manufacturer of heavy trucks, trailers, HMT and SPMTs, mostly intended for oversize loads. Nicolas has been located in Champs-sur-Yonne since 1969, which is also when they started to develop vehicles meant particularly for very heavy loads. Their trucks, sold under the Tractomas brand, are built to single order. They most often incorporate Renault cabs and other

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ring crane</span> Type of construction crane

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hydraulic modular trailer</span>

A hydraulic modular trailer (HMT) is a special platform trailer unit which feature swing axles, hydraulic suspension, independently steerable axles, two or more axle rows, compatible to join two or more units longitudinally and laterally and uses power pack unit (PPU) to steer and adjust height. These trailer units are used to transport oversized load, which are difficult to disassemble and are overweight. These trailers are manufactured using high tensile steel, which makes it possible to bear the weight of the load with the help of one or more ballast tractors which push and pull these units via drawbar or gooseneck this combination of tractor and trailer is also termed as heavy hauler.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faymonville Group</span> Heavy equipment business group

Faymonville Group is a trailer and heavy transport equipment manufacturer operating worldwide. Started back in the 1960s in Rocherath, Belgium as a blacksmith shop later started to manufacture and sell agriculture machines and tractor cabins in 1962 opened a new production unit to fulfill the demand of forestry vehicles. In the late 1960s, the company manufactured its first semi-trailer. Today it manufactures every type of trailer for different transportation needs, ranging from flatbeds to SPMTs. With 4 production facilities spread around Europe in Luxembourg, Belgium, Poland and Italy while having its headquarters in Luxembourg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicolas Tractomas</span> Motor vehicle

Nicolas Tractomas is a heavy-duty built-to-order ballast tractor specifically to tow hydraulic modular trailers and road trains used for movement of oversize loads manufactured by French manufacturer Nicolas Industrie based in Auxerre. The tractor was bespoke build with preferred engine, gearbox, drivetrain and ballast with a Renault kerax cabin. The production of the tractor began in 1979 and lasted till 2016. The TR1010 D100 model of the tractor was awarded the Guinness World Record in 2015 for the largest road truck in the world, weighing 71 tons.

References

  1. "Giant truck set for sky-high task". 30 July 2007.
  2. "Boeing Skyhook heavy hauler". Archived from the original on 2016-10-11. Retrieved 2009-05-13.