Ah yes, the intriguing world of special and heavy haulage once again, starring a semi with a payload capacity of 116 tonnes (255,700 lbs). An extendable Broshuis semi-low loader with seven or ten axles. Stretched to the max, the deck length behind the neck is 30.5 m (100 ft). Surely something you don’t see at the local warehouse loading dock.
The tridem axle unit at the front is disconnectable, hence ‘3+7’ in the model designation. When rolling down the road, the first three axles steer in the same direction as the tractor, whereas the seven rear axles counter steer.
For reaching the maximum 30.5 m deck length, an additional, 5.00 m long extension part can be placed between the neck and the tridem axle unit or between said unit and the central extension beam.
Fully in control of the whole operation is this 750 DIN-hp, Volvo FH16 8×4/4 dedicated heavy-haul tractor. Comparable power houses are offered by Scania, Mercedes-Benz, and MAN. The others simply can’t pull it off -quite literally- as their engines are not big and powerful enough (read: not going beyond 13 liter displacement and 600 hp).
As per usual in this specific segment of on-highway tractors, many components are stacked behind the cab. Like the fuel tank and air tanks, among other things.
Now let’s see how this all works out, here’s an identical Bolk combination -with a fully retracted Broshuis- in action. The freight is a nacelle, in this case a major component of a wind turbine. And the semi-trailer loads itself, something you don’t see at the local warehouse loading dock either.
Sheesh, looks like you could haul a 747 on this thing.
Nice Volvo.
I don’t remember seeing a review on the F88 and F89, two of my favorite trucks. I think the F89 was the first truck to have a turbo engine back in the early 70’s.
The first turbocharged Volvo truck diesel was introduced in 1954 in the conventional, heavy-duty L395 Titan Turbo.
At the end of 1973, DAF introduced the first turbocharged and intercooled truck diesel in the 2800 Turbo Intercooling.
Oh, I thought the first turbodiesel was back in the 70s.
That Volvo is the first does not surprise me, the Swedes have always been at the forefront of innovations.
I just saw the DAF 2800 Turbo, also beautiful like almost all European trucks from those times.
Well, technically Saurer from Switzerland made the first turbodiesel truck. We’re talking 1938…
I was always curious to know which was the fastest truck of those years. There is no information about that anywhere. I estimate that the F89 turbo should be one of the fastest of the time, perhaps also the DAF that you mentioned. I don’t know about the Scania and Mercedes of the time, maybe they were equivalent.
Nick, in short, it’s all about getting more power from an engine to cope with the job at hand, which is hauling freight (not setting race track records). Just some diesel engine specs from the late seventies to clarify:
-DAF 8.25 liter DH, naturally aspirated, 156 DIN-hp max.
-DAF 8.25 liter DHR, turbocharged, 204 DIN-hp max.
-DAF 8.25 liter DHU, turbocharged and intercooled, 230 DIN-hp max.
The Volvo F89 that they were talking about and that could be the grandfather of this FH16 is still working in rural areas and small towns in Greece.
It was one of the most powerful trucks and its engine was the most advanced. It’s not a slow truck, I think that without too much load it can easily exceed 100 km/h. I have had the pleasure of traveling in one and I could see how agile and easy to drive it was.
The last DAF is impressive. Lot of power.
The F89 is near 11 liter.
Interesting heavy haul unit, but 8 wheeler prime mover 6 wheel dolly and 7 axle or 14 wheel trailer, Wheels are either single or twin tyred(duals), Nobody mounts spares its all about tare weight.
+
The semi-trailer has 40 wheels and the tractor has 12 of them, as simple as that. And those are 2 spares on top of the gooseneck. This rig -fully loaded- weighs more than 160 tonnes. Who cares about that bit of extra weight?
‘8 wheeler prime mover’ doesn’t say much. Are we talking 8×2, 8×4, 8×6, 8×8, 8×4/4, 8×4*4, or 8×2 tridem?
And oh yes, the dolly is only a dolly when the semi-trailer is extended. In the video you clearly see a semi-trailer with 10 axle lines.
Just a bit of teasing from my side.
Nick,
the fastest truck from the mid-1970s was a Kenworth ‘Liberty Belle’, built with a Cummins KTA-600 and timed @ 132mph at Bonneville.
Don’t ask me now I remembered that.
Our trucks were limited to 56 (or 60) in the UK so generally didn’t have the gearing to get to much more than 70. And you had to pump the throttle to get that high.
For clarity; the F89 is an F88 with a set-forward axle. Most still had the ancient Volvo 9.6 litre engine in them. The 12-litre towards the end of production had to be canted and so was LHD-only. You’d need a V8 Scania for speed!
The other Nick,
You’re mixing up the F89 (set-back axle) with the G89 (set-forward axle).
To kill my ignorance, I found out online. The F89 had an 11.9 liter engine, the 9.6 was the one in the F88.
So the F89 not only had a bigger engine but it was more advanced.