An all-black, truly all-black, tractor and semi-trailer combination. You don’t see that everyday. Well, never, actually. Mr. J. Deenen certainly goes against the grain with his fabulous, forage hauling brute.
Working in the agribusiness full-time and keeping this rig spotless, just imagine the dedication that takes!
Last year, I already caught the tractor unit, a 2021 Volvo FH16 Globetrotter XL with a 6×2/4 drivetrain. Maximum power output 664 DIN-hp, so no complaints from (Kiwi)Bryce this time.
At this year’s show edition, early May, the whole combination was on display. The 2023 Kraker K-Force moving floor semi-trailer is perfectly suited for all kinds of agricultural transport jobs. Loose bulk materials, palletized goods, and bales. Anything goes, both in and out.
The owner has been posting many splendid photos of the rig on his FB-site, I selected a few of them (and spot the semi-trailer modifications after the pictures were taken).
En route. Maisey-le-Duc, la France.
The semi-trailer gets a load of square straw bales from the rear end, then the moving floor shifts the stacks of bales forward. For your information, France is a major producer of grains and -consequently- is also a major supplier of straw.
Unloading, the whole process the other way around. First in, last out.
Châlons-en-Champagne, France, last winter.
Also somewhere in France, place unknown. And as the saying goes, ‘elbow grease is the best polish’.
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My company paints its tractors black, though there is a white stripe on the sides and a white air dam atop the roof. They have a mobile wash company come and spray everything down relatively frequently in winter when those black trucks get all splashed up.
This looks like the kind of truck that spies would use transporting vehicles for what they call “black ops” in the movies. 🙂
Black & silver are our national colours there are many black rigs in NZ.
As always, very interesting and much appreciated. Pray tell, why has the driver adorned his front bumper with the words “Thick Shit?”
‘Dikke shit (man)!’ Used to describe something that’s really cool. In this context, ‘dikke’ also refers to the vehicle’s big size and great power.
Hay haulers are pretty much the last application of cabovers here in the Western US, though dwindling fast. But open flatbed semi/full trailers are used (occasionally full truck and trailer), with the bales strapped down and tarps if it’s really wet. Are they always enclosed trailers in Europe?
dman, see the first link at the article’s bottom.
A major advantage of these moving floor semi-trailers -always with an open top- is that they can also transport loose bulk materials, as mentioned (see video in the second link). Impossible with a flatbed.
Furthermore, hay and straw often fly all over the place when loaded on a flatbed, the bales on the bed(s) tend to leave a ‘track record’ when the big rig is rolling down the road. Not happening with something like the Kraker semi-trailer or a curtainsider (also used for transporting hay/straw).
Thanks, I had seen that older posting and in fact commented on it, but didn’t notice that those open Dutch trailers were for show only. Yeah, loose bits of hay do fly around here, but I think we’re less concerned about stuff flying off trucks, especially in the rural west. Loose loads do need be covered, and enforcement has increased even targeting homeowners with pickups, but baled hay seems to get a pass.
Nuthin wrong with a Volvo with decent hp, We had a couple in the garbage fleet I worked for as the all rounder I had to drive everything the fleet had and the 600hp &700hp Volvos were a nice day, smooth quiet and grunty we had a couple of walking floor quad (4 axle) semi trailers but the Volvos were 8 leggers (8×4) pulling drawbar 5 axle trailers with walking floors, semis simply cant hold the volume or tonnage when I started there everything except the quad rigs were rated for 60 tonnes GVM, later dropped to 50 to save on road tax because they finally figured out the extra cost wasnt worth it a lot of garbage isnt very heavy.
Interesting, the only application of a moving floor truck and trailer combination here (that I know of) is for transporting potting soil/substrates. Loose, palletized, or in big bags.
See Scania R500 6×2*4 (so with a counter-steering tag axle) below. Its body and the trailer were also built by Kraker. Gross weight rating in NL is 50 tonnes, just like the article’s tractor and semi-trailer.
Ok, if there was ever a vehicle that could remind me of an Alien in my rear view mirror, on a dark night, it is this truck.
Perfect!
I’m sure you know, Johannes, the imagination is a powerful thing. After having having watched Play Misty for Me. with my friend, then his younger sister and her friends saw it. When they came home, we popped out from some bushes, and they were frightened to crying. Wow.
Saw Jaws in 1975 and the next few weeks at the beaches in San Diego they were less crowded. I still went out to body surf and I would go out far for the bigger waves. Had that movie in the back of my mind for awhile despite trying to control.
If Aliens had come out in the early oughts instead, with me already on the USS Hornet, do you think it wouldn’t be on my mind on the lower decks by myself. Decks 5-7 required flash lights in places which are all metal and lots of piping just like the space craft. I don’t think anyone can control their imagination 100%.
The original ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’, never saw (ha!) something like that before (movie-wise, anyway) when I watched it for the first time, somewhere in the early eighties. It made a long lasting impression for sure.
Wonder how much weight a moving floor adds to a typical trailer. Anyone know? If substantial, that would cut down on the amount hauled.
The tractor weighs 9,600 kg, the semi-trailer 8,000 kg. No idea about the extra weight. Compared to what? A tridem axle flatbed trailer, enclosed trailer or an end dump trailer? (because it’s essentially an all-in-one semi-trailer)
So the whole combination’s curb weight is 17,600 kg, or 38,800 lbs. In NL, its legal gross weight limit is 50 tonnes, so you’ll end up with a payload capacity of 50,000 kg -/- 17,600 kg = 32,400 kg (71,430 lbs). Deduct 10,000 kg if this semi drives through other EU countries (40,000 kg gross weight limit in that case).
This would never work in the US, as the rig itself is simply too heavy (if we take the 80,000 lbs gross weight limit into consideration, that is).
Luke, I am your father….