The conventional cabin

This second type of cabin has several names. It can be called a hooded cab or a rear cab. With the conventional cab, the engine part of the truck is at the front of the driver’s compartment.

The advantage of this type of cabin is that it is completely separated from the engine compartment. The possibility of installing a berth part is therefore possible. Conventional cab trucks are used more in the United States where highway driving regulations are more relaxed.

The axles of a truck

The axles are transverse mechanical axles that support the two wheels of the vehicle. For a truck, there are at least two at the front and the back of the truck. Their main functions are to support the weight of the truck and to always keep the same distance between the two wheels. Trucks often have a rigid axle because they need to support heavier loads.

Axles are very important for trucks. Indeed, it is the capacity of the axles and their numbers that determine the maximum load supported by the truck. Thus, for a truck to be able to transport much more goods, it is necessary to increase its number of axles.

To find out how many axles your truck has, you need to count the number of wheels visible on one side of the vehicle. For every wheel you see (whether double or single), there is an axle.

The frame

For a heavy vehicle like the truck, a chassis is a basic element. Indeed, it is he who will serve as a base for fixing all the elements of the truck. Among these many functions, the chassis serves, among other things, as a connection between the front axle and the rear axle of the truck. It is the support for all the other equipment of the heavy vehicle, such as the cabin, the platform, the hydraulic systems or even a tipper.

Together with the axles, it determines the maximum capacity or load the truck can carry. The chassis is also a key player in driving behavior. It provides more stability to the vehicle.

The frame is usually made of steel because it requires great strength. Depending on the length of the truck, the chassis can have different dimensions. The chassis of a truck is H or ladder. If these types of chassis are not very advantageous in terms of comfort, they do offer great resistance to shocks and can support heavy loads.

Several elements are attached to the chassis of the truck. Above all, they make it possible to protect the truck or to help it support its loads. These are :

The base: This is the part of the truck that serves as the base for the chassis. It protects the latter from splashes of mud or water. Especially since it is the part of the truck that is most vulnerable to wear. It is therefore essential to ensure its constant good condition.

The subframe: This is the main support for the truck’s accessories such as the tipper, the platform or the body. It is a kind of rigid frame of the same size as the chassis. It is mainly used to add a superstructure to the truck. Also, it provides extra space between the wheels and other elements that protrude from the frame.

The body of the truck

The easiest way to categorize trucks is by its body. Moreover, it is the most remarkable part of this heavyweight vehicle and is even its raison d’être. The most common bodies are:

The tray

It is generally used to transport large goods such as automobiles, helicopters or even boats. It offers increased security to the goods it transports.

flatbed truck

The container

The container body consists of a container placed directly on the chassis with an opening at the rear. Depending on the model, the container can be fixed or removable.

The refrigerated box

As its name suggests, this type of bodywork is used to transport perishable products or products that require specific temperature conditions (between -25° and +25°C). On this model, the truck supports both the refrigerated body and the refrigeration system.

There are mono-temperature models, with a single storage compartment, and where the temperature is uniform throughout the crate. There are also multi-temperature models with several watertight compartments in the box allowing different temperatures for each compartment.

The dumpster

On this type of body, the tipper is mounted on the frame in a fixed or tilting manner. In the case of a tilting system, a hydraulic cylinder allows the dump body to be tilted either backwards or to one side.

dump truck

The cistern

It is the body to be used to transport liquids and powders. There are several types: the powder tank, the oil tank, the chemical tank, etc.

It is a box with sliding curtain composed of trays and tarpaulins. These tarpaulins are sliding on the sides, which facilitates the loading and unloading of goods.

The automatic covering option

Whether on a tipper, a container semi-trailer or a tautliner side curtain, it is entirely possible to integrate a fully customizable automatic tarpaulin system into your truck. It only makes your tasks easier and saves you more time.

Do not wait to contact our experts for more information on our automatic tarpaulin system allowing fuel savings of 6% .