The Terberg Chronicle
Page 3
By Niels Jansen (North Holland 2023)
Lots of four-axle trucks and the first chassis with five axles
Many more unusual transport concepts were developed at Benschop over the years, but Terberg's main sales came from building tipper chassis and terminal tractors. The Dutch weight restrictions for trucks are generous, but also contain many conditions regarding axle and bogie position.
Terberg's goal was always to use the local regulations such that the standard vehicles of the major European manufacturers struggled to keep up. A breakthrough came in 1984 with the introduction of the first five-axle chassis, the F 3000 with a 10x8 drive formula and a gross vehicle weight of 46 tons. The vehicle was equipped with Volvo 12-litre diesel engines, Volvo or ZF transmissions, and featured the Volvo F 12 cab. In subsequent years, the 10x4 and 10x8 chassis and other models received the Volvo FL cab, which provided the driver with easier access and better visibility on and off road.
In 1992, another milestone was set with the introduction of the revolutionary WDG axle system. An 8x8 truck with rear-axle steering and the right axle spacing could now reach a gross vehicle weight of 46 tons and a 10x4 variant up to 50 tons. Thanks to close cooperation with the Swedes, Terberg was once again able to offer the latest Volvo FM cab and related components for its trucks in 1999. Under the hood, the tried-and-tested Volvo D 12 A diesel made way for the electronically controlled D 12 C and later also for the new 13-liter D 13 Euro 5 engine with 380 to 440 hp. Terberg used the ZF-16-S-181 Ecosplit as the standard transmission, supported by the VG 2000 transfer case from Austrian manufacturer Steyr. The AS-Tronic automatic box was also on offer and soon became very popular with tipper operators.