Glossary › R
- Friction steering
A type of steering which depends on adhesion between road and tyres.
- Radio control?
A remote system to immediately stop the loading of hazardous goods vehicles
- Rail approval
Swap bodies, containers and trailers must be fitted with special lifting and securing equipment and tested before being approved for transport by rail.
- Railing
A roof railing e.g. on a car trailer which is fitted with a cover.
- Raise/lower equipment
Pneumatic or hydraulic equipment on trailers which allows the deck height to be raised or lowered to suit loading ramps or similar.
- Ramp lifter
Equipment used to help lift and lower loading ramps.
- Ramp wedges
Used between the deck steps of low loaders to provide a sloping running surface.
- Raw material semi-trailer
Tipper or fixed body with discharge from beneath the vehicle. Open topped over full length with covers or flaps. For transporting grain, malt and similar loose products. An alternative to silo vehicles.
- Rear discharge hatch
Hatch found in the rear walls of tippers. A 300 x 300 mm opening allows a uniform discharge of goods. Commonly used when discharging on to conveyor belts.
- Rear doors
Box bodies, curtainsiders and some tilt vehicles are fitted with full height and full width rear doors.
- Rear light covers
Moving floor vehicles may have covers that protect the rear lights against damage from cargo when unloading.
- Rear loading
Term used for demountable waste disposal equipment that may be picked up/set down from front or rear.
- Rear mounted
Refers to cranes fitted at the rear of semi-trailers e.g. for loading of building materials.
- Rear ramp
Rear wall of animal transporters may be hinged at the bottom and used as a ramp. May also be equipped with lifting aids and non-slip surface.
- Rear reflectors
Compulsory on new trailers.
- Rear supports
Simple tubes used to support the rear of a trailer during loading/unloading.
- Rear underrun
The rear of vehicle must be fitted with underrun protection according to international standards. May be folded away on tipping semi-trailers for road finishing.
- Rear wall
Rear wall may be solid or have doors, barn doors, container doors, gull-wing doors or curtains.
- Rear wall lock
Tippers employ a system of levers to aid opening and closing of the trailer rear when tipping.
- Recessed locking gear
Door locking gear that is built into the door panels. The doors are closed by top and bottom cams and keepers and a handle set in the door panel.
- Recolock
Automatic container lock on 20´ to 40´ container chassis. The lock is triggered pneumatically.
- Refrigerated vehicles
General terms for box bodies that can be cooled to -30 ºC for transport of deep frozen foods.
- Remote control
Used for many vehicle applications e.g. to operate walking floors or cranes.
- Remote control steering
Long material transporters may have the axle controlled on curves via remote control from the tractor unit.
- Remote thermometer
Usually found on the bulkhead of refrigerated vehicles. Used to the show the temperature inside the bodywork.
- Retarder
Retarder brakes ensure high brake performance with minimal wear. Also known as eddy current brakes. Electricity is provided by the tractor unit. When used, magnetic fields and magnets brake rotating rotors. ABS braking systems are connected to the retarder brakes and when ABS is activated the retarder is immediately turned off. On air suspended trailers the retarder brake can also be activated via the ALB. Disadvantage : excess weight. On hazardous goods vehicles an additional cooling system is required.
- Retractable ladder (1)
Often fitted at the rear of vehicles to allow easy access into the body. The ladder is pulled in and out as required.
- Retro reflective
Markings on vehicle sides and/or rear which are reflective when illuminated. Increases traffic safety.
- RFID
Radio Frequency Identification. Transponder technology for automatic identification and data collection. The transponder is contacted by central stations and transmits a signal back. Passive system not requiring electrical supply. Energy is provided by the readers impulse and is thus maintenance free.
- Ribbed trough
Term used to describe tipper troughs that have vertical or sloping U-profiles to reinforce the flat side walls. Also known as a Jet-profile.
- Ringfeder
Leading manufacturer of trailer couplings.
- Road railer
A semi-trailer with fittings for rail transport using adapter bogies that are fitted between the trailers. The trailer suspension is used to raise the chassis that is then connected to the rail bogies. This system is intended to reduce road congestion. Used in the USA and elsewhere since 1991.
- Rocker foot on landing legs
Curved foot on semi-trailer landing legs that compensates for uneven ground or any movement caused by air suspension.
- Rockinger
Leading German manufacturer of trailer and semi-trailer couplings.
- Rod steering
Steering system used mostly on semi-trailers where the rear axle(s) are steered from the kingpin area via a system of rods and a turntable. The system operates both forwards and in reverse.
- Rohling
A basic box body kit as offered to bodybuilders.
- ROLA
Abbreviation for rolling highway. This is the loading of complete road trains onto rail wagons.
- Roll containers
Term used for steel waste disposal containers that are rolled on and off the carrying vehicle.
- Roll over plate
Lowering bodies may use plates to make driving on easier. Such plates may also be used to bridge the gap between vehicle deck and loading ramps.
- Roll over protection
Tankers may have a round or square bar around the loading aperture to protect it from damage should the vehicle roll over in an accident.
- Roll-on Container
Container that is set down and picked up via a roller and hook system.
- Roll-on container rope
Rope used with Roll-on container system
- Roll-on roll-off specification
Specification for semi-trailers which can be carried by rail for long haul travel which includes special air suspension, foldable rear underrun, front bumpers and heavy duty lashing shackles on the chassis.
- Roll-on safety stop
Safety stop on chassis for roll-on containers.
- Roll-on Tipping Trailer
Light weight waste disposal trailer which has a roller system and a scissor-like lifting system which allows the tipping body to be raised and emptied into high sided containers.
- Roll-up system
System used to easily open side curtains.
- Roller backstop
Roll container trailers have a depression at the rear where the rollers rest and are locked.
- Roller shutters
Widely used instead of rear doors because they are quicker to use, save space and easier to open at loading bays.
- Roller stop
Roll container vehicles have an adjustable front stop that correctly positions containers of different lengths.
- Rolling curtain
Curtain system commonly used on sides and rear of beverage delivery vehicles. The curtain is quickly and easily rolled up. Rolling curtain systems are also used to cover tipper bodies and other open topped vehicles. In this case the curtain material is rolled horizontal across the top of the vehicle.
- Rolling floor
Floor system comprising a number of longitudinal tracks containing rollers that are lifted during loading and lowered when travelling. Goods are quickly and easily rolled in and out of the body. Widely used for airfreight vehicles as similar systems are widely used in the air transport industry.
- Rolling test station
Equipment used to test vehicle brakes. Wheels are turned on rollers and braking is electronically tested.
- Roof cross-member
Profile running laterally between cantrails supporting a fixed aluminium/grp or tilt cover roof skin.
- Roof crossmember
The lateral roof members that run across the body between side walls and carry the roof skin.
- Roof hatch
Roof openings are usually required for ventilation.
- ROP Roll-Over-Protection
Equipment from the Company Knorr which prevents vehicles tipping over in critical situations.
- ROR axles
Leading British manufacturer of axles.
- Rotos Bogie
Bogie from the manufacturer Schmitz including components from manufacturers SAF, Knorr, SKF & Wabco. Schmitz guarantee the bogie for 1 million kilometers maintenance free.
- RTI
Manufacturer of silenced compressors for silo vehicles.
- Rubber sleeve
Rubber sleeve protecting the mechanism of a braking device e.g. on an over-running brake.
- Rubber torsion axles
Primarily axles for car trailers where suspension is achieved by rubber extrusions in a steel hollow box section.