who runs lorries

[Danny]

It’s currently 102.6 on my fuel cards. I will ask for a price from my insurance broker so I get an idea.
What’s the average cost of the inspections and mot?
Who decides how long your inspections can be?
Tax is coming out at £160/£200 depending on the lorry and rpc.

I think i need to be phoning my supplier on Monday who are your fuel cards with?

 

[V8Druid]

I think i need to be phoning my supplier on Monday who are your fuel cards with?

View attachment 4306

I thought that was a HELL of a good rate

 

[Alexmac]

I use wex and uk fuels. I use whoever is cheaper that week.

 

[Simon edwards]

Yeah the physical size of an 18 would be a bit restrictive for some of our work,a 12 would be easier than our current iveco daily 3.5 and trailer to poke into tight sites.I am tempted by a hookloader but for me to be more useful than a straight tipper I would want at least two bodies and then storage is more of an issue.
,not totally discounted though,especially as there do not seem to be many 12 ton tippers on the market at the minute.

 

[V8Druid]

Yeah the physical size of an 18 would be a bit restrictive for some of our work,a 12 would be easier than our current iveco daily 3.5 and trailer to poke into tight sites.I am tempted by a hookloader but for me to be more useful than a straight tipper I would want at least two bodies and then storage is more of an issue.
,not totally discounted though,especially as there do not seem to be many 12 ton tippers on the market at the minute.

issue with a hookloader is the weight of the hook gear on a smaller capacity vehicle and also that of the bodies, but great flexibility

 

[Smiffy]

You could always go to a hookloader then it can move plant and materials it could be another way of dispersing the cost
There are a few 26 tonne hooklifts around with tag axles that would go where an 18 tonne beavertail would and perform 2 tasks
Some even have couplings to take a grab crane so can cover lots of tasks with one vehicle
Can also get them with rockinger hitches so in the future bigger can get moved

 

[Simon edwards]

For the vehicle to pay its way I really need 6 ton of payload, which is sensible for our work.I am considering a chassis cab and having a body built but this is somewhat new territory for us.might be fun though!

 

[Smiffy]

For the vehicle to pay its way I really need 6 ton of payload, which is sensible for our work.I am considering a chassis cab and having a body built but this is somewhat new territory for us.might be fun though!

Would it be worth investigating having an 18 tonner put on mini super singles and matching rear tyres to allow you the tighter turning circle it makes a large difference even some arctics running them now look a bit funny on UK spec lorry as they don't fill the wheel arches but give them the edge over other tractor units

 

[V8Druid]

Would it be worth investigating having an 18 tonner put on mini super singles and matching rear tyres to allow you the tighter turning circle it makes a large difference even some arctics running them now look a bit funny on UK spec lorry as they don't fill the wheel arches but give them the edge over other tractor units

how does that reduce your turning circle .... wheel base is still the same ...... or do they alter the lock stops ?

 

[Smiffy]

Tyres are smaller so more steering lock
Its why 15 and 12 tonners can get in where an 18 can't despite the same wheel base
But the tyres of the front end of 12 and 15 tonners can't carry the weight a mini supersingle can so can't be used and the mini super singles are more expensive than standards so not very common in the UK despite advantages
Also drop everything quite a bit and it really does make a difference to branch damage to digger cabs on rigids
Which is one thing a hookloader really does exagerate

 

[Big Jordy]

I used a 7.5ton straight tipper and 3.5ton plant trailer for my work .. for the miles i was doing neither were lasting so we went to an 18ton 3way tipper with a payload of 10 ton and a 9 ton farlow fast tow plant trailer got a kubota u27-4 5 buckets rock hammer and vibe plate plus cold patch tar and other bits an pieces.. best thing we ever did.. can get the 18tonner and trailer in 98 per cent of places i got the 7.5tonner overall length is only just over 4 foot longer nose to tail.. most of our work is in housing estates and small country roads and i can honestly say in my own view that the 18 tonner is far nicer and handier to use..and honestly no hassle getting in places soo far

 

[Simon edwards]

That looks tidy,I currently only have a class 2 license,so towing is out,but I reckon a 5 tonner would fit on the back that tipper with some long ramps .
How do you rate the iveco?

 

[Furniss]

issue with a hookloader is the weight of the hook gear on a smaller capacity vehicle and also that of the bodies, but great flexibility

I have gone from Landrover + plant trailer to 3.5T tipper + Plant Trailer to 7.5T Hook and plant trailer
I thought for a long time whether the flexibility of the hook was worth the weight and decided that for me it was - certainly working well ATM - if you went ally body on the back then you could get 3 ton legal payload - im on sorting a second body ATM - but first few weeks with it and its changing the way we do the little jobs.
Depends on your work - what works for one wont suit another - been at it long enough to know what suits us.

We dont have the same rules regarding a 7.5t here - no different to running a 3.5t tipper in many ways - we have MOT yearly and Tach check every 2 - Hook gear supposed to be checked 6 monthly but if you have no full time staff and you move your own gear no-one seems to care.

 

[Monkeybusiness]

I use wex and uk fuels. I use whoever is cheaper that week.

That’s the only way to get cheap fuel from the fuel card suppliers - use 2 and spend on the cheapest each week. From experience, if you only use 1 they keep creeping up the rates (even if you give them a regular kick up the backside).

 

[Alexmac]

Don’t you need a tipping license and other bits to be able to move materials?

 

[Alexmac]

That’s the only way to get cheap fuel from the fuel card suppliers - use 2 and spend on the cheapest each week. From experience, if you only use 1 they keep creeping up the rates (even if you give them a regular kick up the backside).

Exactly. Wex had creeped up loads so I then started up with uk fuel and used them non stop for months, and every week wex sent me a price it was slowly going down until it went cheaper.

 

[CPS]

I think i need to be phoning my supplier on Monday who are your fuel cards with?

View attachment 4306

Yea me too

 

[craig]

I don't know what size you are looking and how much you know about them I don't mean to teach you to suck eggs
But just a word of warning I know 2 people that have gone out and bought 26 tonners really nice lorry's good lightweight beds with a 14tonne carrying capacity only to get them home and realise they are stretched tractor units so one has a 7 tonne front axle and one a 7.5 tonne front axle
So they can't actually load them up to capacity without the front axle being over weight I don't think they can even put a big dumper up against the headboard They are really only any use for carrying a 8 tonner or a 4 tonne dumper and maybe 6 tonne machine
and I've seen 26 tonners with front axles as light as 6 tonnes
obviously this only applies to one weight class so ignore me if you are looking for anything else

A tractor unit standard front axle will be the same as a standard rigid truck axle, just often rigid trucks have an option extra heavier front axle.
My pervious truck a 26 tonner beaver tail, 7500kg front axle, with front mount crane, could be loaded to full weight with no axle overload, with a little load position planning,

 

[craig]

It’s currently 102.6 on my fuel cards. I will ask for a price from my insurance broker so I get an idea.
What’s the average cost of the inspections and mot?
Who decides how long your inspections can be?
Tax is coming out at £160/£200 depending on the lorry and rpc.

My fuel price is similar for next week on my best fuel card.
Insurance is about £4000, but I carry for hire and reward, but you own goods on restricted licence should be cheaper on the goods in transit part of the policy.
We do our own inspections and maintenance, but MOT test on 2 axles where £136, and 3 axles £156 from memory. I think a local place is £70 - £100 for inspections
I think they have done away with the RPC.

 

[Smiffy]

A tractor unit standard front axle will be the same as a standard rigid truck axle, just often rigid trucks have an option extra heavier front axle.
My pervious truck a 26 tonner beaver tail, 7500kg front axle, with front mount crane, could be loaded to full weight with no axle overload, with a little load position planning,

That's what I mean proper plant trucks should be species with the heavier front axle as the positioning is harder
A 13 tonner on the back positioned correctly on some of the lorries has the boom stick to far out the back or has to have the boom over the cab neither are ideal where as a 12.5 tonne axle allows far better load distribution