20' container on a flatbed trailer???

[richy_B]

Hello all,

I am going to be acquiring 4-5 20' shipping containers over the next few months for storage use. I was looking around at transporting them and obviously the general approach is lorry and hiab. Pricewise around £50-£60 an hour. Then I saw a company who said they could tow one on a 3.5t flatbed trailer behind a 4X4. I thought this sounded crazy at first but on reflection I guess a 20' container could sit on a say 16' flat bed (perhaps on a few sleepers). Weightwise an empty container is about 2ton so it would be inside the trailer capacity. Pulled by a defender or trooper guess this all seemsto add up. Distance would be around 50-70 miles. I have access to a 3.5t flatbed so I am curious. I feel sure you'd get some Traffic Police attention is you passed them!

 

Any views?

[Chris Sheppard]

Whilst overall weight shouldn't be a problem, my gut feeling is that the noseweight will be very light, maybe even negative. Couple that to a fair bit of weight being high up on a very light trailer, I'd not fancy it much.

[Big J]

Wouldn't want to do it myself. Having towed a fair few large and ungainly loads in the past, all I want to do is sit my C1+E licence and get a bigger vehicle. 3.5 tonne class vehicles have their limitations.

[Stephen Blair]

I moved 3 containers the other day with a hiab lorry, they may not be the heaviest but they are a fair size.

I wouldn't risk it on a trailer like you suggest.

Call some haulage companies and fit in 1 way loads into there schedule, you may find it will work out about £200-£300 for 2 at a time.

[Daniël Bos]

Post number 201 and a few after that...

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=53672

[richy_B]

Thanks for the input, I was just trying to be cheap!

[Dean Lofthouse]

I had one brought from 50 mile away, they picked it up without me and dropped it at my yard and even positioned it £180

[Rich2484]

A huge breeze block on wheels + a sudden heavy gust of wind+ small light trailer+ light towing vehicle = a very messy accident....

 

I wouldn't.

[robert t]

I have moved two containers that way. They were only 14ft thought. Brought them from boarders to Stirling on 12ft Ifor trailers behind discovery. They were insulated and they weren't particularly heavy but the size I felt drew a fair bit of funny looks from other drivers and I think I was lucky not to encounter any cops on route or I think they would have pulled me in. Whether they would have done any thing, well don't know. Personally I wouldn't want to move longer containers this way. As already mentioned i think it would be fairly cost effective to find a local haulier with hiab who could fit two twentys at one time and do it right.

[kev7937]

Hello all,

I am going to be acquiring 4-5 20' shipping containers over the next few months for storage use. I was looking around at transporting them and obviously the general approach is lorry and hiab. Pricewise around £50-£60 an hour. Then I saw a company who said they could tow one on a 3.5t flatbed trailer behind a 4X4. I thought this sounded crazy at first but on reflection I guess a 20' container could sit on a say 16' flat bed (perhaps on a few sleepers). Weightwise an empty container is about 2ton so it would be inside the trailer capacity. Pulled by a defender or trooper guess this all seemsto add up. Distance would be around 50-70 miles. I have access to a 3.5t flatbed so I am curious. I feel sure you'd get some Traffic Police attention is you passed them!

 

Any views?

 

 

 

Are you sure they're only 2 tonne? I thought they were considerably heavier than that.