The U-chassis from Coxx Mobiel Maatwerk is designed to drop a truck body and pick up another. Loaded containers or pallets are exchanged easily just by lowering the chassis frame and driving away. To pick up a body or container, the U-chassis is reversed until the U-frame straddles the box.
Lifting of the frame is accomplished by extending the cylinders of the independent suspension. Formerly an air suspension, the power is now supplied by a hydraulic pump. Gas accumulators in the hydraulic circuit provide the springing action during road transport. Robert Cox is shown at the controls of Coxx Minipers.
Any front-wheel-drive chassis can be used. The Fiat Ducato was used for the display at the RAI Amsterdam show. Coxx does its own axle units and independent suspensions. They allow a body or container width of 1750 mm (69"). The wheel suspensions are capable of lifting 300 mm (12") and carrying a 2500 kg (5,500 lb) body weight.
The aluminum treadplate compartment pictured just aft of the truck cab houses an electric forklift truck that can be driven down a ramp at the side of the vehicle. Coxx Mobiel Maatwerk, Postbus 639, NL 3430 AP Nieuwegein, the Netherlands.