Max load height in North America

[Jonnas]

Hi, I've been asking this question of a few hauliers and getting conflicting answers so I thought I'd try here!

I'm going to be sending capital equipment to North America and it's a benefit to me to send it assembled even if it is out of gauge in an open top container. However, I can't find out what the maximum height is that I can safely transport around the USA and Canada. I can design the product to suit but the higher the better.

Any help appreciated, cheers.....

[bigwheel]

Google is your friend.

5.0 metres minimum clearance for paved roads in Canada.

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&...

Page 8 of the document.

In the U.S.

Vertical clearance: Minimum vertical clearance under overhead structures (including over the paved shoulders) of 16 feet (4.9 m) in rural areas and 14 feet (4.3 m) in urban areas, with allowance for extra layers of pavement. Through urban areas at least one routing should have 16-foot (4.9 m) clearances.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_Highway_st...

[Jonnas]

Great, thanks!

So if I assume 1.6m max for the bed height and the difference being 3.4m then 3.3m should be fairly safe. That should be fine.....

[grumpy52]

I personally would allow for another thickness of tarmac ,100mm, if contractors over there are anything like over here many bridge heights are out by the thickness of a resurfaced road either way .

[bigwheel]

grumpy52 said:

I personally would allow for another thickness of tarmac ,100mm, if contractors over there are anything like over here many bridge heights are out by the thickness of a resurfaced road either way .

I wondered about that but detail in North American Highway Standards documents mentions allowances in dimensions for pavement re-surfacing.
Still best to add some safety margins.

[bigfatnick]

Do american trailers sit higher? The ACL ro-ro and USAF ones i've seen in the UK look like the bed to ground distance is maybe 6 inches higher than ours.

[Nickyboy]

They do seem to sit higher but the actual trailer height is lower, you wont find double deck trailers like we have but then their lengths are longer, 53 foot trailers are the norm whereas we're running 40-45 footers. It's not uncommon to see 15ft bridges or lower on Interstates