There are two over-the-road ways to recover a seriously damaged or broken-down large commercial vehicle: either by hooking it up to a heavy wrecker or by putting the vehicle on a low loader. Perfectly displayed here by parking a heavy wrecker on a low loader.
The extendable, 2022 Nooteboom Euro-47-02(P) is coupled to a 2022 Volvo FH 6×2/4 tractor.
The wrecker’s entire front end is resting on the low loader’s extended outer beams. The Nooteboom’s payload capacity is 31,650 kg (69,776 lbs). The registered curb weight of the wrecker truck is 26,210 kg (57,783 lbs), so everything is perfectly in order.
Additional length is on tap when needed. For example, when the job at hand is the transport/recovery of an articulated, 18.20 m (59’8”) long bus, an electric Heuliez GX 437.
The 2022 Volvo FH 8×4 wrecker, equipped with a Century 9055 towing and recovery unit, comes with a wide-spread (as in increased axle spacing) rear tandem, something I hadn’t seen before in this line of business.
It’s a conversion job done by the Terberg company, resulting in four tonnes (8,818 lbs) extra axle weight rating for the tandem, that is to say an increase from 19 to 23 tonnes. Hydropneumatic suspension and a steering rearmost drive axle are also part of the aftermarket Terberg package.
The hefty Volvo hits the road in this YouTube video, giving an unlucky MAN a lift. (video posted by BIGtruck online magazine)
Quite impressive. Thanks for the photos, the video and the commentary.
When you need to tow something really heavy, not much else will do. I was halfway between Indianapolis and St. Louis when I hit a deer. There is a lot of plastic in the front of a modern Freightliner, and something in the cooling system broke. My company sent a fresh tractor on the back of a big tow rig, which then took the damaged one back to home base, and I continued my run to St. Louis. It was a long night.
Jim, I didn’t know you had a history in trucking! Or I must have missed it, somewhere down the line…
A very short history. I retired from my law practice in May and went straight into a 6-week program to get my CDL. Since early July I have been driving tractor trailers for a contractor that transports US Mail. I have started a series for CC on that transition and have been trying to find time to finish it.
These pieces on heavy trucks are much more interesting to me than they were a year ago. 🙂
Marvellous!
Wow, that seems like it came from left field! Like others here, I’d love to hear more when you have a chance. And glad to hear it wasn’t your Fit that hit the deer. That could have been a lot worse than just broken plastic or even cooling system. Though I saw a Mini that hit a moose in Alaska this summer. The Mini was bad but the moose was much worse off. The Mini driver was speaking with a State Trooper at the scene and based on the car damage being isolated to a front corner I’m sure she was uninjured. No visible airbag even.
Strike me pink, mate, JPC, are you fair dinkum, or takin’ the piss?! (“Goodness me, Mr Cavanaugh, are you being serious here, or is it possible you are being ironical?”)
Your career move is a spectacular turn of events, or at minimum, an entirely unlikely-seeming one. All power to you for it.
I seriously thought “How on earth did CC attribute this comment to JPC?”!
Genuinely looking forward to that series you’re writing, too.
I had to re-read JPC’s comment a few times before it fully landed…
I’m fascinated by heavy-duty wreckers and their work – but I haven’t seen anything like these featured equipment here in the US. Really neat to watch the video and see it in operation.
Earlier this year I came across the recovery operation below – a truck with a tanker trailer being towed intact. This photo was taken only about 1.5 mi. from a petroleum tank facility, so I assume that was their ultimate destination, but I’m surprised this would even be attempted (rather than get an operable tractor to haul the trailer). It takes some serious skill to drive that get-up in heavy traffic.
Sweet, Redman with a blue wrecker, towing a red tractor!
The Century recovery and towing unit on the Volvo comes from the US (though it was bought in Germany), whereas the whole body and the lockers (everything in yellow, in short) was custom built to the exact specifications of the Modern company and the drivers. The result: 16 kg/35 lbs is the max. weight the driver has to carry when doing a recovery job.
The big lockers/storage units that can be lowered to ground level must be quite unique. I, for one, never saw that before.
And a Pete towing a Pete.
What a Swiss Army-knife device that is! I’m back in my 6 y.o. sandpit, where I’d already invented this (though I should add I think that one could also fly, but I digress).
I have never heard of tandem axles that steer. Is that a thing, or just for these towing/super-concentrated-weight type applications?
It’s a typical Dutch treat. In this specific case, an aftermarket job by a specialist like Terberg, Ginaf or Veldhuizen.
When the axle spacing is increased to (at least) 1.80 m, the axles are considered as two separate axles instead of a tandem. Here, the two drive axles add up to 23 tonnes (2 x 11.5) total axle weight instead of the standard tandem rating of 19 tonnes (2 x 9.5).
Converting the rearmost drive axle into a steering drive axle always comes with the deal. Better maneuverability and all that. Otherwise, steering such a rig through a sharp turn would equal sheer horror (for driver, machine, tires and pavement).
It’s mostly seen on dump and concrete mixer trucks, this was the first wrecker I saw with such a rear tandem conversion.