The company F. Liebregts from Middelbeers(NL) uses this DAF 95 XF 530 8x4 to transport their machinery.

It is a standard DAF tractor chassis of the older type, which means it has the 2+2 layout. The new heavy transport tractor of DAF has 3 rear axles (1+3 layout). Before that model came, DAF could only deliver this 2+2 axle layout.

The tractor has been built up by Estepe. There it got a tower behinds it’s cab. At the bottom is the dieseltank. On top and to the sides they mounted toolboxes.

This DAF is coupled to a 5-axled Nooteboom lowloader. Liebregts also owns a 3-axled Broshuis lowloader for their smaller equipment.

The load is a Hitachi KH 150-3, a crawler crane that (here with extra ballast) weighs about 50 tons.

Loading of the Hitachi KH 150-3

When I arrived at Liebregts the truck was parked at the washing place with the decoupled goose-neck.

Here a better view on the goose-neck. It supports on the truck chassis by 2 hydraulic cylinders.

The crane that had to be loaden was a Hitachi KH 150-3. Here it is prepared for transport. The boom is being put on the ground so that the A-boom can be lowered (see photo below - The A-Boom is the yellow part to which the main boom is connected).

The crane is standing in front of the lowloader and has to adjust it track-width. Therefore the uppercarriage with it’s ballast is turned into one direction so that one track has less load (here the left one). This one is now pulled to the inside hydraulicly.

After the width has been adjusted the crane crawls onto the trailerfloor. This is always combined with a lot of squeaky noises from the tracks and the floor.

Last thing to do is reconnecting the goose-neck.