Faqs > Product Knowledge

Air bag suspension is the standard choice for UK trailers. Learn about its advantages: smoother ride, adjustable loading height and potential for increased GVW.

Thermoplastic mudguards are durable, lightweight and regulation-compliant options for HGV trailers. Learn about their benefits and available configurations.

Learn about floor point load ratings for commercial vehicles. Understand practical considerations, material strength, load distribution, and safety factors.

Clear guidance on EU vehicle classification for goods vehicles and trailers, including N1–N3 and O3–O4 categories defined under UN ECE and EU legislation.

A suspension raise/lower valve allows manual height adjustment on HGV trailers equipped with air suspension. Learn how it works and when it’s used.

Flap and valance is a type of spray suppression system used typically in lieu of mudlflaps.

A skeletal trailer is a lightweight chassis with twistlocks used to carry ISO containers. Learn how these purpose-built trailers support intermodal transport.

A standard 13.7m curtainsider fits 26 UK or 33 Euro pallets. Double deck trailers can carry up to 52 UK / 66 Euro, step-frames typically 44 UK / 56 Euro, and LST double decks up to 60 UK / 76 Euro pallets.

Your complete guide to HGV trailer couplings – types, UK & European systems, and step-by-step coupling procedures to improve safety and compliance.

A guide to "nappy" and "kite" load restraint systems — reinforced mesh sheets designed to prevent front-to-back load movement in trailers.

What is an HGV bogie? Learn how multi-axle bogie setups improve load distribution, vehicle stability, and legal compliance for trailers and rigids.

A pelmet is a rubberised flap that forms a weather seal between the roof rail and curtain on curtainsider bodies.

Clear explanation of HGV rear underrun protection, its safety purpose, and how UNECE Regulation R58-03 governs design, testing and compliance in the UK.

The term "Moffett" is a widely used type of truck-mounted forklift, also known as a vehicle-mounted forklift (VMF) or lorry loader.

MHE stands for materials handling equipment. It is a broad term for a wide range of equipment used to move, store, and control materials and products.

What is a PPT: Powered Pallet Truck?A powered pallet truck (PPT), also known as an electric pallet truck or walkie stacker, is a material handling equipment

In the HGV industry, the term "traction" informally refers to a tractor unit pulling an articulated trailer. It's a common expression in transport & logistics.

A rigid HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) is a large, non-articulated truck where the cargo-carrying body is permanently attached to the chassis.

A tug, or shunter, is a powerful vehicle that is used to move railroad cars and other large vehicles around a railyard or industrial facility.

Learn how trailer axle loads are calculated using static equilibrium, support reactions and geometry — plus access Don-Bur’s free online load calculator.

A step-frame trailer has a lowered main deck to increase internal height. The raised front section is known as the swan-neck or goose-neck due to its shape.

The trailer bed plate or rubbing plate is a steel surface that rests on the tractor’s fifth wheel, allowing movement and supporting vertical load.

The side rave is a key chassis member on trailers, anchoring curtain buckles and load restraints on curtainsiders, and body panels on box vans.

FLT is an acronym for "Fork Lift Truck".

Trailer landing legs stabilise the front of a trailer when uncoupled from a tractor. Learn how they work and the difference between manual and powered options.

Understand what a trailer kingpin is, how it connects to the fifth wheel, and why it’s critical for safe HGV coupling and weight transfer.

Suzies are coiled air and electrical lines connecting a tractor to a trailer. Learn how they work and where the name “Suzie” originally came from.

Clear guidance on reading HGV tyre markings such as 385/65 R22.5 160K, including width, aspect ratio, construction, rim size, load index and speed rating.

What TIR approval means for HGV trailers: build rules, sealing points, curtainsider specifics, approval plates, in-service markings and re-inspection requirements.

Double deck trailers in the UK can be built up to 4.95m. EU limits are 4.0m max, so deck heights vary based on loading method and aperture required.

A well-maintained commercial trailer can last 20–22 years, with 10–12 years of primary use followed by a second life in lower-intensity or overseas markets.

The fifth wheel is the coupling on an HGV tractor that locks onto the trailer kingpin, enabling articulation, weight transfer, and safe towing.

An HGV trailer ECU controls systems like EBS, ABS, and air suspension. Powered via ISO 7638, it enhances safety by adapting braking and suspension in real time.

HGV trailer tail-lifts include tuckaway, column, retractable, and cantilever types — each suited to different deck layouts and loading operations.

EN 12195: European standard for commercial vehicle load restraint | Calculate strap strength and set testing standards for secure loads.

EBPMS stands for Electric Braking Performance Monitoring System and is a system to continually monitor how effective the brakes are at any given time.

Common types of trailer landing leg feet include wheeled, flat, and compensating rocker feet — each suited to different ground and loading conditions.

Don-Bur's 'Lifting Decks,' evolving since the late '80s, use hydraulic rams and cables for precise lifting. Electric-powered and resistant to jamming.

Understand how trailer rollover prevention systems like RSS, RSP and RSC work, including key stages, sensor input, and driver safety insights.

Prevent trailer rollaway risks! Learn why applying park brakes is crucial. Don-Bur's infographic explains trailer air brakes to enhance safety during coupling.

Ensure vehicle compliance with Type Approval. 'E' marks and Certificates of Conformity validate standards. VCA oversees EU WVTA, NSSTA, and IVA in the UK.

Plain-English guidance on BS EN 12640 lashing point requirements, including definitions, compliance criteria and how the standard supports safe load restraint.