ARJAN VAN BRAKEL DRIVES PHENOMENALY WITH NEW CURTAINSIDER TRAILER.

17 April 2020 Arjan van Brakel from Nieuwleusen has been operating as a chauffeur for about 13 years and the last  four years he has worked for himself.  He often finds himself on locations with limited space like farmyards, construction sites, camping sites and renovation projects.  More often than not the fear of not being able to get out of such a tight location has crossed his mind.  For this reason he has kept a list with the perfect specifications for a semi-trailer for years.  Recently Pacton has delivered his ideal tri-axial curtainsider trailer.  He boasts that it is with ease that he is now able to turn on small yards.   The new Pacton curtainsider trailer is Van Brakel’s first own semi-trailer.  In the past he has driven with the semi-trailers of his clients.  The new Pacton semi-trailer (type TPD.345.T-EKP1) has three axles of which two are steered.  With a coupling weight of 15,000 kg and a total axle weight of 27,000 kg a gross vehicle weight of 45,000 kg is created.  All the axles have been placed widespread.  The new semi-trailer is put to use in combination with a DAF XF Super Spacecab with 460 pk horse-power. Van Brakel is often called in for a freight clearing house.  He regularly works six days of the week and takes care of ‘forklift’ transportations such as dry mortar, artificial manure, plasterboard, steel and wood.  The cargo is diverse, but always heavy in weight.  Arjan stresses that the semi-trailer is used to the maximum of its capacity in his daily activities.  The delivery locations are just as diverse as the cargo, but they are frequently tight.  He explains that he then has to make right angle turns resulting in heavy stress on the combination.

Steered is an excellent choice

Van Brakel has kept his wish list for the ideal semi-trailer meticulously during the past years.  He explains that his first semi-trailer has to be a good one, because it must last for many years.  He has thought everything through.  He often carries the maximum load and therefore he looked at the specifications of bulk trucks and crane trailers which are also equipped for heavy duty.  The two Tridec steered axles is an excellent choice in his opinion.   Even though one has a slight overshoot, turning on a tight yard is effortless.  He continues to say that he has got BPW ten tonnes axles, which are the best in his opinion.  The front axle has been fitted with a full automatic lift axle.  All considered, the weight and axle weights are better distributed with the widespread Pacton semi-trailer.  This has proven to be a problem for him in the past with rigid tri-axials.  Furthermore, he has consciously opted for four stainless steel boxes.  He comments that in reality one often sees piece of the sideguard, a box and an open storage box which he personally dislikes.  He is satisfied that with his choice everything looks smooth and even,  he has more dry storage capacity and on top of that the sides are shielded off.  He adds that the open storage box stays dry and that it doesn’t absorb any moist (weight).  Van Brakel has chosen aluminium Alcoa DuraBright rims for both the weight limit and the radiance.

Heavy duty application 

For his first semi-trailer, Van Brakel has chosen a Pacton semi-trailer.  He explains that he knew precisely what the semi-trailer had to be like and that is exactly how it was executed.    It is perfect and working with Pacton was phenomenal.  In addition, it is a primal Dutch product that has been built to Van Brakel’s specifications for the Dutch market as he is not permitted to cross the border with his heavy loads in any case.  He admits that companies such as Schmitz and Krone are able to build stunning semi-trailers with enormous interior space.  That comes in handy for 24 tonnes international freight, but not for squeezing and wrenching with 30 tonnes on a farmyard that makes your head spin.  It pays off to invest more in this custom made product of Pacton as it is expected to last at least three times longer doing heavy duty. Van Brakel is excited to comment on one of the best options that he has invested in, namely the pneumatically extendable funnel for the fixation of the forklift modification and forklift.  He explains that he had to do without it for the last three and a half years and that it is a delight to have.  A while ago he had to deliver corn fertilizer to 26 addresses which has proven the value of his investment.

Sliding hatch

The curtainsider trailer for Van Brakel has been generously fitted with LED lights, including DAF LED rear lights and working lights all around.  For the partitioning and securing of Van Brakel’s diverse loads  the curtainsider trailer has been fitted with side posts, 2 x 25 TUV certified lashing rings (2,5 tonnes capacity) in the side raves, 2 x 8 stake pockets in the side raves and 2 stake pockets to the left and right of the main beam  to the advantage of partitioning.  The four rows of softwood planks can be placed at 40 mm, 700 mm, 1,150 mm, 1,600 mm and 2,050 mm over floor level.  The planks can also be stacked three-high at floor level.  The semi-trailer has been fitted with a Groeneveld Central Lubricating system that has been mounted on the steering system and the axles.  The sliding hatch of the semi-trailer can be opened both to the front (with the foldable rear beam moving along) and to the back.  A nice ‘advertisement’ for Stichting Hoogvliegers (www.stichtinghoogvliegers.nl), where Van Brakel helps as a volunteer, covers the curtainsider trailer. Van Brakel concludes enthusiastically that all of this combined results in a beautiful and neat combination.  He couldn’t be prouder of his material.  Although he is working to make a living, he does so in a way that loves and with a combination of two sturdy Dutch products.