Sterk Ecocombi ST1618

At a gross weight of 33,000 kg, an unladen weight of 7,860 kg and a payload of 25,140 kg, a length of 12.38 m, a width of 2.55 m and a wheelbase of 8.46 m on two axles, the ST1618 shows a very wide wheelbase relative to its length: the two axles sit close to the vehicle's ends rather than grouped in the middle.

With a gross weight above 10,000 kg the trailer falls into EU class O4 with air brakes. The wide 8.46 m wheelbase spreads the high payload of over 25 tonnes over a large footprint, lowering the pressure on the road surface, which favours use in longer, heavy vehicle combinations such as the Dutch long-and-heavy combinations.

Buying a trailer built this long and wide means checking the frame for twist along its full length, since a wide wheelbase increases torsional forces in the middle section of the frame. Equally important is checking the brake lines along the full length of the vehicle, since longer line runs mean more wear points and greater vulnerability to damage from below. Because Ecocombi trailers are often used within a registered long-and-heavy combination, it is also worth checking that the combination permit and the individual vehicle's papers still match, since a change of tractor unit can invalidate the registered combination.