Sleipner Finland develops offroad trailer
that mounts to versatile articulated dump trucks
Sleipner, manufacturer of efficient transport solutions for mining and construction machinery, has developed a completely new type of lowbed trailer that can travel across rough terrain and even in tight spaces. The compact DB45 is designed for moving surface drills and bulldozers weighing up to 45 tonnes.
The new DB45 lowbed trailer is designed to work in temperatures from -40 degrees to +50 degrees Celsius, which has been taken into account in the choice of high-quality materials and components. The new model is already in production and is currently being used in the snowy conditions in Northern Finland.
“We have presented our new lowbed trailer to our representatives around the world, and it has attracted great interest. The customer base and potential are significantly larger than with our previous products. This product has been long and eagerly awaited. The experiences of the first users have been really positive,” says Teijo Höylä, CTO at Sleipner.
Built for demanding terrain at mines, quarries and earthmoving sites
The DB45 trailer is not permanently connected to the towing unit. It is towed by an articulated dump truck (ADT). The trailer can be connected to the ADT whenever needed, leaving the ADT available for normal tasks at other times. Connecting and disconnecting the trailer only takes a few minutes. The concept is unique and patented.
“The DB45 offroad trailer can access places where heavy machinery could not previously be transported. Articulated dump trucks are agile and have six-wheel-drive, allowing them to be operated even in difficult terrain. The trailer wheels have a diameter of 1.5 metres, so the difference is significant compared to traditional road trailer. The big wheels offer superior offroad capabilities,” Höylä explains.
The DB45 lowbed trailer is ideal for transfers of even just a few hundred metres, since it is so fast and safe to load. Its agility is a big advantage in mines and quarries, where surface drills often need to be manoeuvred into tight places. Suitable applications also include major earthmoving operations and other similar closed sites, as well as dams, airports, railway construction sites and even long pipeline projects.
“Projects like this require excavators, bulldozers and surface drills involving long transport distances and challenging terrain that can’t be accessed by traditional equipment. Our solution provides a clear advantage in major long-term infrastructure projects that require agility and offroad capabilities,” Höylä says.
Low operating costs
The DB45 lowbed trailer requires significantly less maintenance compared to traditional lowbed trailers designed for roads. The ADT-specific towing hitch is attached by bolting, and couplings for electricity and brakes are also required. Installation kits for towing hitches are available for all the most common ADT brands. Equipping an ADT with a towing hitch takes less than a day. A towing hitch can be installed on as many ATDs as necessary, allowing the trailer to be used flexibly as needed.
“If a surface drill or other machine breaks down, it disrupts the entire production plan. With our solution, a replacement machine can be brought to the location and the broken one can be transported to the workshop for safe maintenance, out of the weather and rain. In this way, disruptions to production can be minimised while at the same time increasing the utilisation rate of drills and other heavy machinery,” Höylä says.
“The contractor gets more drilled metres because the machines can be moved according to production needs. The advantages are lower operating costs and investments, as well as more efficient use of the fleet,” Höylä summarises.