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137:, or "converter dolly" (Australian and American English), essentially one to three additional axles placed under the front of a second semi-trailer. The first semi-trailer is connected to the power unit using the tractor's fifth wheel coupling while the converter dolly, already attached to the second semi-trailer, is connected to the first semi-trailer with a drawbar. In Australian English, the tractor unit is called a "prime-mover", and the combination of a prime-mover and trailer is known as a "semi-trailer", "semi" or single. Some popular manufacturers are
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94:. The semi-trailer's weight is semi-supported (half-supported) by its own wheels, at the rear of the semi-trailer. A semi-trailer is normally equipped with landing gear (legs which can be lowered) to support it when it is uncoupled. Many semi-trailers have wheels that are capable of being totally dismounted and are also relocatable (repositionable) to better distribute load to bearing wheel weight factors. Semi-trailers are more popular for transport than
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a restraining system of straps and buckles every foot (30 cm) or so to keep the curtain tight and adverse to the elements. Also, some have removable gates mounted into the trailer, to help reinforce the load and prevent bulges. The purpose of a curtain sider is to combine the security and weather resistance of a box trailer with the ease of loading of a flatbed. Curtain siders are one of the most common trailer types in Europe.
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being either box or curtain siders, with box trailers having either a fixed or movable (floating) deck, and curtain sides having either a fixed or hinged second deck; this hinged second deck generally swings into a position down the length of the trailer and can be divided into two or three sections to allow greater load flexibility. In
Australia and New Zealand, they are known as mezzanine trailers or mezz-decks for short.
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0 in (10.36 m), 36 ft 0 in (10.97 m), 40 ft 0 in (12.19 m), 45 ft 0 in (13.72 m), 48 ft 0 in (14.63 m), 53 ft 0 in (16.15 m) and 57 ft 0 in (17.37 m). Due to maximum length regulations and the need to maximize cargo within said regulations, almost all
European semi-trailers are 13.60 m (44 ft
471:, or various types of gases. They are similar in principle to intermodal trailers but with a very different frame intended to be attached to a liquid or gas tank, hence the name. Some are designed with a lowered centre of gravity to ensure greater stability. Generally bottom loaded with the ability to recover any waste vapor for safety reasons.
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or tautliners are similar to box trailers except the sides are movable curtains made of reinforced fabric coated with a waterproof coating. To put it another way, it is basically a flatbed trailer with additional aerodynamic and weather protection as well as greater load security. They generally have
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Common widths are 8 ft (2.44 m), and 2.6 metres (102.36 in). Generally speaking, most North
American type trailers use two axles with dual-tire hubs totaling 8 wheels, while most European type trailers use three axles with single-tire hubs totaling 6 wheels, with one of the axles being
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bolted onto its chassis, on which the semi-trailer rests and pivots. As the tractor reverses under the trailer, a kingpin under the front of the trailer slides into a slot in the skid plate, and the jaws of the fifth wheel close onto it. The driver has to raise the trailer legs manually and couple
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For heavy haulage or for increased manoeuvrability, some semi-trailers are fitted with rear-wheel steering, controlled electro-hydraulically. The wheels on all or some of the rear axles may be turned through different angles to enable tighter cornering, or through the same angle (so-called 'crab'
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to prevent cars from passing beyond the rear edge of the trailer, and most also have side underride guards for the same reason. There are also other smaller differences with regards to kingpin depth, lighting, door locks, et cetera, though most purpose-built tractor trucks can carry most types of
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Road tractors and semi-trailers are responsible for carrying a large proportion of cargo. With 1,170,117 million tonne-kilometers transported this way in the
European Union, including the UK, road tractors and semi-trailers are 77.6% of the total tonne-kilometers transported in 2015, according to
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Double deckers or deckers have either a fixed, hinged, or moveable second floor to enable them to carry more palletized goods. In general, a double-decker can carry 40 pallets, as opposed to 26 for a standard trailer. Double-deck trailers are generally a step-frame construction with the majority
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Box or van trailers are the most common type. They are quite simply a metal box on wheels with some doors on the back, though some offer additional access doors on the sides. Standard lengths in North
America are 28 ft 0 in (8.53 m), 32 ft 0 in (9.75 m), 34 ft
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Dump trailers ("British" tippers) are trailers in which one end can be raised to allow the cargo (often building materials or agricultural produce) to slide out the other end. Commonly, they are hinged at the rear and raised at the front, but side-unloading dump trailers also are
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carry multiple cars, usually new cars from the manufacturer. In the US and elsewhere, car carriers often carry used vehicles as well. Similar variants can carry forklift trucks, light commercial vehicles, and agricultural tractors. Single-deck versions are used for larger
248:). This depends on the legislation; in some European countries, a full trailer can be as long as a semi-trailer. However, since a rigid truck is longer than a semi-tractor, this increases the overall length of the combination, making it less maneuverable.
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Conestoga trailers are a special form of a flatbed trailer with a flexible retractable roof and siding used to carry large pieces of equipment that can only be lifted by an overhead crane, but which also need protection from the weather during
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because of their flexibility. The trailers can be coupled and uncoupled quickly, allowing them to be shunted for loading and to be trucked between depots. If a power unit fails, another tractor can replace it without disturbing the cargo.
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Inloaders are used to transport glass panes on stillages. They feature an open bottom to maximize loading height and the entire trailer can be lifted and lowered during loading, to allow safe loading of fragile glass
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lines and electrical cables. Some low-set trailers such as lowboys/low-loaders and car transporters have electrically powered landing gear due to the necessarily low clearance prohibiting conventional landing gear.
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Compared with a full trailer, a semi-trailer attached to a tractor unit is easier to reverse, since it has only one turning point (the coupling), whereas a full trailer has two turning points (the coupling and the
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Flatbeds, or flat decks, consist of just a load floor and removable side rails and a bulkhead in front to protect the tractor in the event of a load shift. They can haul almost anything that can be stacked on and
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Drop-deck trailers (also called step deck, or step-frame trailers) have a floor that drops down a level once clear of the tractor unit; the most common types of drop-deck trailers are flatbeds and curtain
426:) attached and insulated walls, used for hauling produce, frozen foods, meat, flowers, etc. Not quite as common but they are also produced in tautliner models with thicker curtains to sustain temperature.
416:("British/Australian" low-loader) trailers are a type of flatbed in which the load floor is as close to the ground as possible, most commonly used to haul heavy equipment, cranes, bulldozers, etc.
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and automatic. In some applications, no separable coupling is fitted, and the trailer is bolted to the tractor unit, using a bearing, and rocker feet as are used under a fifth wheel skid plate.
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A rigid truck and full trailer are articulated inside the cargo area length, so a semi-trailer can have a longer continuous cargo area. Because of this, a semi-trailer can haul longer objects, (
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have a series of roll-up or panel doors down each side. Each door opens into individual compartments. These trailers are most commonly used in the beverage distribution industry.
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have a conveyor belt on the bottom of the trailer tub that pushes the load material out of the back of the trailer. The tub does not have to be raised to deposit the materials.
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Intermodal trailers are similar in frame design to box trailers, but without any sort of integral cargo-carrying ability as they are designed to carry a variety of standard
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or shuttle trucks can easily maneuver semi-trailers at a depot or loading and unloading ferries. These tractors may lift the coupling so the trailer legs clear the ground.
98:, which have both front and rear axles. Ease of backing is cited as one of the semi's chief advantages. A road tractor coupled to a semi-trailer is often called a
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able to be lifted for lighter loads and saving on tire, brake, and axle wear. Nearly all sufficiently tall modern trailers are equipped with a
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are used to haul livestock such as cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, etc. Commonly, they have two levels (or three for hogs) to maximize capacity.
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485:"Wing" trailers are mostly found in Japan and are something of a hybrid between a curtain sider and a box trailer, with rigid, motorized
987:"TRANSPORT & MACHINERY :: ROAD TRANSPORT :: TRUCKING :: TANDEM TRACTOR TRAILER image - Visual Dictionary Online"
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or for petrochemical industries. It is shaped like a wedge, and when it is unhitched, its bottom side lies flat on the ground.
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are well insulated or refrigerated to haul bulk liquid foods, such as liquid sugar, water, wine, milk or juices.
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are hitched to a tractor unit to form a trailer bus, a simple alternative to building a rigid bus.
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without the need of a forklift or other container-handling equipment. Also known as a sideloader.
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Dry bulk ("British" powder tankers) trailers resemble big tankers but are used for cement, sand,
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trailer regardless of which continent it was built on and the differences therein.
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A "frac" tank trailer has a single and fixed axle, and is typically used during
1016:"Any transport transportations from the Tandem-Trans ??? recheck the link"
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Specific aspects for light and heavy commercial vehicles, busses and trailers
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mounted at each end of the chassis allowing for the loading and unloading of
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75:(also known simply as a "semi-trailer", "tractor trailer", or "semi" in the
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in place of the fabric curtains. Also found as part of a rigid box truck.
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Different types of semi-trailers are designed to haul different cargoes.
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895:"Etymology - Why is it called a semi-truck? Doesn't "semi" mean "part"?"
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are usually used to haul grain, but can be used to haul other materials.
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1042:. US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration
969:"Positioning The Trailer Tandems - High Road Online CDL Training"
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A large proportion of a semi-trailer's weight is supported by a
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133:". A double-trailer combination is possible with the use of a
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1040:"Federal Size Regulations for Commercial Motor Vehicles"
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The towing vehicle has a wide coupling plate known as a
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FAYMONVILLE FloatMAX – the inloader for glass transport
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steering) to move the rear of the trailer laterally.
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502:is a semi-trailer specifically designed to carry
102:or "semi" in North America and Australia, and an
86:, or a detachable front-axle assembly known as a
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109:Semi-trailers with two trailer units are called
129:" or (when there are three or more trailers) "
422:are box trailers with a heating/cooling unit (
46:A truck pulling a semitrailer using a trailer
909:"10 Things You Never Knew About Semitrucks"
225:attachment). Special tractors are known as
125:(American English). Other terms used are "
65:. The combination of a semi-trailer and a
937:"Why are they called Semi-Trucks anyway?"
1122:Semi trailers' manufacturers and sellers
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357:, flour, and other dry powder materials.
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193:A 1920 advertisement for semi-trailers
463:are used for hauling liquids such as
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39:Trailer vehicle without a front axle
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687:53 foot container turnpike doubles
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212:, semi-trailers predominate over
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1069:from the original on 2021-12-17.
951:"Know how to slide your Tandems"
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606:Glass inloader trailer (Germany)
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260:The two types of couplings are
197:Semi-trailers were invented by
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877:"Definition of SEMITRAILER"
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991:visual.merriam-webster.com
546:Curtain sider trailer (EU)
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430:Refrigerator tank trailers
570:Auto transporter (Brazil)
837:Teardrop trailer (truck)
787:Long combination vehicle
727:Air brake (road vehicle)
594:Live bottom trailer (US)
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113:(Australian English) or
923:"What is a Semi Truck?"
881:www.merriam-webster.com
115:tandem tractor-trailers
92:tail of another trailer
807:Self unloading trailer
792:Refrigerated container
582:Flatbed trailer (Iran)
558:Semi dump trailer (EU)
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106:or "artic" in the UK.
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35:pulling a semi-trailer
973:www.truckingtruth.com
420:Refrigerator trailers
397:intermodal containers
386:grain hopper trailers
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192:
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1147:Articulated vehicles
1118:at Wikimedia Commons
955:www.bigtruckride.com
757:Fruehauf Corporation
752:Fifth-wheel coupling
663:Tank trailer (Japan)
634:Refrigerated trailer
476:hydraulic fracturing
402:Live bottom trailers
378:Grain hopper trailer
328:Car carrier trailers
318: in) in length.
296:rear underride guard
274:fifth-wheel coupling
268:Fifth-wheel coupling
262:fifth-wheel coupling
939:. 25 February 2015.
782:Live bottom trailer
737:Articulated vehicle
732:Articulated lorries
445:shipping containers
435:Semi-trailers with
322:Bus-bodied trailers
911:. 6 November 2018.
812:Semi-trailer truck
797:Refrigerator truck
762:Gladhand connector
408:Livestock trailers
384:Hopper bottoms or
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195:
100:semi-trailer truck
72:semi-trailer truck
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1114:Media related to
925:. 27 August 2019.
675:Gullwing trailer
451:Side bay trailers
104:articulated lorry
16:(Redirected from
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199:August Fruehauf
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1018:. Tandem-Trans
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67:tractor truck
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1080:Tank trailer
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1044:. Retrieved
1020:. Retrieved
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852:Trailer tail
832:Tank chassis
802:Roll trailer
772:Trailer jack
699:Tank trailer
500:tank trailer
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494:Tank trailer
457:Tank chassis
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227:shunt trucks
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210:road haulage
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147:Freightliner
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84:tractor unit
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69:is called a
55:semi-trailer
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33:tractor unit
817:Shunt truck
777:Jackknifing
437:sidelifters
119:tandem rigs
1141:Categories
1046:2011-01-01
1022:2011-01-01
864:References
822:Side stake
649:Sidelifter
205:Eurostat.
185:Properties
131:road train
63:front axle
61:without a
827:Swap body
480:oil wells
331:vehicles.
256:Couplings
201:in 1914.
175:Peterbilt
111:B-doubles
90:, or the
1152:Trailers
1067:Archived
720:See also
465:gasoline
335:transit.
279:airbrake
139:Kenworth
842:Trailer
711:French
518:Gallery
504:liquids
469:alcohol
439:have a
392:panels.
346:siders.
313:⁄
223:drawbar
127:B-train
123:doubles
59:trailer
1126:Curlie
619:Lowboy
508:fluids
424:reefer
414:Lowboy
355:barite
177:, and
155:Scania
747:Cargo
742:Brake
512:gases
361:used.
286:Types
242:beams
171:Volvo
143:Iveco
135:dolly
121:, or
88:dolly
57:is a
48:dolly
636:(UK)
621:(US)
510:and
467:and
277:the
238:pipe
234:logs
179:Mack
1124:at
478:at
459:or
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