Draw the floor, the loading opening and the raised wings
External body length does not reveal the usable cargo floor or clear side aperture. Request dimensions to finished surfaces and mark posts, doors, locks and other intrusions. The wing operating envelope needs a separate check against the loading site.
Plot the actual packed footprint, including overhang or packaging bulge. Test allowed pallet orientations and leave the clearance required for handling and restraint. Show the unloading sequence; a full departure layout may become awkward or unbalanced after early deliveries.
Wing van dimensions by body class
A wing van, also called a wing-body truck, has rigid side panels that lift for side loading. Internal length × width × height describes the space inside. A quoted width needs a label: external body width, usable internal width and clear loading aperture are different measurements. None establishes how far the wing moves beyond the body. One metre equals 1,000 mm.
These ranges come from the linked KEEYAK product reference tables. Each row represents a configurable body family, not a fixed chassis model. The minimum and maximum figures may not be available together. For an order, use the drawing of the offered truck.
Scroll horizontally to view all columns.
| Body family | Internal L × W × H | Dimensions still to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Light duty | 2.5–4.2 × 1.7–2.1 × 1.8–2.2 m | Clear aperture, floor height and opening envelope: confirm on the selected body drawing. |
| Medium duty | 4.2–7.2 × 2.1–2.45 × 2.1–2.45 m | Clear aperture, floor height and opening envelope: confirm on the selected body drawing. |
| Heavy duty | 7.2–12.0 × 2.4–2.48 × 2.3–2.6 m | Clear aperture, floor height and opening envelope: confirm on the selected body drawing. |
How eight pallets could fit on a sample floor
Suppose the usable floor is an unobstructed 6,000 × 2,400 mm and each loaded pallet measures 1,200 × 1,000 mm. For this planning example, either pallet orientation is allowed. Leave 100 mm at each end and side, plus 100 mm between pallets. These gaps serve the calculation only; they are not handling or restraint standards.
Scroll horizontally to view all columns.
| Orientation | Occupied floor including assumed gaps | Geometric result |
|---|---|---|
| 1,200 mm along the truck; 1,000 mm across | 4 × 1,200 + 3 × 100 + 2 × 100 = 5,300 mm long; 2 × 1,000 + 100 + 2 × 100 = 2,300 mm wide | 4 rows × 2 pallets = 8 positions |
| 1,000 mm along the truck; 1,200 mm across | 5 × 1,000 + 4 × 100 + 2 × 100 = 5,600 mm long; two across need 2,700 mm | 5 rows × 1 pallet = 5 positions |
| Eight loaded pallets at an assumed 500 kg each | 8 × 500 = 4,000 kg of cargo | Space does not establish permission to carry this mass |
The table compares two simple layouts; it does not optimize pallet placement. Before loading, check cargo height, forklift access, restraints, floor loads, completed-vehicle payload and axle loads. After each delivery, reassess the remaining load.
Allow room for the pallet and the moving wing
On the site plan, place the parked truck and the forklift approach on both sides. An end view should show the highest point and lateral reach of the wing throughout its movement, with the operating separation required by the body manufacturer. Mark the clear aperture for the loaded pallet as well. A beam, light or nearby vehicle can obstruct the wing even when the closed truck fits.
The linked wing van references list an opening angle of 70 to 90° and hydraulic lifting, with electric lifting optional. An angle alone cannot establish the space needed beside or above the truck. Ask for the movement drawing of the quoted body and confirm the opening drive included in the offer.
Inside the body
Finished floor, intrusions, pallet height and restraint access.
Through the opening
Lowest obstruction, clear width and height, sidegate position and floor-to-ground height.
Outside the body
Wing movement, overhead obstructions, forklift path and designated operator position.
Treat pallet count as a space estimate
Every position must also be reachable, securable and acceptable for floor and axle loading. Manufacturer wing-body examples explain construction concepts, but their dimensions cannot stand in for the offered body drawing.
Scroll horizontally to view all columns.
| Decision | What to establish | Condition or limit |
|---|---|---|
| Floor geometry | Plot pallet rectangles on the finished internal floor drawing and subtract intrusions before counting positions. | Dividing external body area by pallet area overstates capacity and hides unusable strips of floor. |
| Pallet orientation | Compare permitted orientations against fork entry, cargo stability and the intended unloading side. | A rotated pallet can fit on paper yet be inaccessible to the available forklift. |
| Clear aperture | Check the loaded unit and its handling path through the smallest part of the side or rear opening. | Internal headroom does not establish opening height; raised forks and packaging must clear the actual path. |
| Wing envelope | Overlay the supplier's movement envelope on the site survey, including overhead structures and adjacent vehicles. | Clearance needs to cover movement as well as the fully open position. |
| Load position | Record pallet masses and positions on a departure and delivery-stage plan for the chassis/body review. | Passing gross weight does not by itself establish acceptable individual axle loads. |
| Floor duty | State pallet contact areas and whether loaded handling equipment will enter the body. | A uniformly distributed cargo rating is not proof of suitability for concentrated wheel or pallet-foot loads. |
| Restraint access | Leave the space needed to apply, inspect and release the specified securing equipment at each stop. | A position should not count as usable if the load cannot be secured or unloaded through the planned procedure. |
Submit a pallet plan with delivery stages
Provide unit dimensions and masses, handling equipment and representative unloading stages. Request confirmation of clear apertures, opening envelope, concentrated loads and axle reactions for the completed vehicle.
If you have a preferred opening drive, include it with the pallet schedule. Ask the supplier to identify its power connection and operating requirements so the proposed body can be checked against the truck and loading site.
Information to prepare for this review
- Loaded pallet length, width and height, including packaging and permitted orientation
- Mass of each cargo unit, stacking restrictions and the order in which stops remove it
- Required pallet positions, occasional oversized consignments and return packaging
- Fork dimensions, handling approach, equipment capacity at the actual load center and any on-board pallet truck
- Minimum side and rear opening requirements, floor height and dock or ramp interfaces
- Site width and overhead clearance with the truck parked in its intended unloading position
Records to request and keep
- Signed layout revision with finished internal dimensions and all locally restrictive hardware
- Pallet schedule identifying dimensions, mass, orientation, destination stop and stacking rules
- Side and rear aperture dimensions measured in the agreed open configuration
- Body opening envelope and accepted site-clearance schedule
- Loading calculation showing gross and axle outcomes for representative delivery states
- Floor specification addressing the declared pallet and handling-equipment loads
- Representative loading demonstration resolving the most restricted pallet position before final acceptance
Common mistakes and what to check instead
- Treating a generic pallet size as the loaded shipment size: Measure the packed unit and include actual wrap, crates and overhang.
- Selecting the longest body that fits the budget: Check turning access, axle loading and the value of each extra usable pallet position.
- Checking only a fully loaded departure: Review the remaining cargo after deliveries, including access to restraints and mass distribution.
Scope of this guide
Confirm the offered configuration from the body and chassis drawings. There is no universal wing van pallet count or set of dimensions.
Layout sketches are procurement inputs. The supplier must confirm structural, floor, mounting and loading suitability.
Attach one real pallet schedule and the tightest site drawing to the inquiry; request a marked-up proposal showing accepted positions and any exclusions.
Sources and applicability
Manufacturer example of a wing body, sidegates, locks and sealing details. Model materials and performance belong to Nippon Fruehauf, not KEEYAK.
UK workplace reference for planning loading areas, handling equipment and load security. Used to frame buyer questions, not to claim regulatory approval.