Speccing a tilt tray for plant transport involves different considerations to speccing one for vehicle recovery. Here are the key questions civil and mining operators should work through with their builder before committing to a specification.
For operators using a tilt tray as genuine fleet equipment — moving plant to, from and around project sites regularly — getting the specification right matters. The decisions made before fabrication starts determine how well the finished unit suits your actual operation.
This article outlines the main areas worth discussing with your builder. It's a starting point for that conversation — not a substitute for proper engineering consultation. Every build is different, and the right specification for your operation depends on your specific requirements.
Start with your load profile, not the class
Class is an output of your load requirements, not a starting point. The more useful questions are: What's your heaviest regular load? What's the heaviest single item you might ever need to move? What's the most demanding recovery scenario you could face — not the most common one, the hardest one?
Working through these questions with your builder before selecting a class reduces the risk of underspecifying for edge cases that may occur less frequently but matter when they do.
Consider the operating environment when selecting chassis configuration
The 4x4, 6x6 and 8x8 chassis configurations are relevant for operators who regularly work off sealed surfaces — mine site access roads, rural gravel, project sites with soft or uneven ground. All-wheel-drive configurations provide traction and stability advantages in those conditions compared to rear-drive equivalents.
If your tilt tray will predominantly operate on sealed roads and hardstand, a 4x2 or 6x4 may be appropriate. If you're regularly on unsealed access roads or challenging surfaces, the driven-axle option is worth discussing. Your builder and chassis supplier can advise on what's suitable for your specific operating environment.
Ramp angle and your plant profile
Different plant types have significantly different ground clearance profiles. Compact track loaders, certain roller configurations, and other low-clearance equipment may have different ramp angle requirements compared to wheeled plant or light vehicles.
Discussing your most challenging load — particularly its ground clearance — with your builder early allows ramp geometry to be considered at the specification stage. This is a conversation for your builder and, where relevant, a qualified engineer. Getting it right before fabrication is considerably easier than addressing it after.
Deck length
Deck length is constrained by the chassis and applicable compliance limits, but within those constraints it should reflect your typical and maximum load profiles. If you regularly carry longer loads — extended attachments, large equipment — this is worth flagging at the specification stage so it can be properly accounted for in the design.
Stabiliser configuration and ground conditions
Stabiliser outrigger positions and reach are typically optimised for the expected operating surface. If your tilt tray will regularly operate on uneven, soft or variable ground — as is common on civil project sites and mine access roads — this is worth raising with your builder so it can be factored into the design.
Sort out mine-spec requirements before fabrication
If there's any possibility your tilt tray will need to access a mine site — including as a subcontractor — it's worth addressing compliance requirements at the specification stage. Retrofitting compliance after fabrication is costly and may not always be possible.
Mine site entry requirements vary by site and operator. BMA and Safer Together provide frameworks, but many sites have additional requirements. Confirming the specific requirements of your target sites before you finalise the specification avoids surprises at the gate.
Equally important: confirm with your builder what compliance documentation will be provided at delivery, and that it will be complete. Incomplete documentation at delivery can delay site access regardless of the quality of the build.
The specification conversation in practice
A builder who engages properly with your operational context before quoting — load profile, chassis configuration, ramp requirements, ground conditions, compliance needs — is one who is more likely to deliver a unit that suits your operation. If the conversation goes straight to price without working through the specification, it's worth pushing harder on the detail.
This article is general information only and does not constitute engineering or legal advice. All specification decisions should be made in consultation with a qualified truck body builder and, where appropriate, a licensed engineer, based on your specific operational requirements and applicable regulations.
Any Type Trucks builds the TT20 range across four classes — 8t through 18t — on chassis from 4x2 to 10x4, with mine-spec compliance available on every class. We work through the specification with every operator before fabrication begins. View the TT20 range or call 07 5476 8499.
