Trailers are available in all shapes and sizes, even
custom-made to fit a specific piece of equipment. Roads & Bridges has gathered
a sample of recent introductions of trailers to illustrate what's new. We hope
you will find a trailer here to suit your application.
Sliding on air
The Intraax AAZ family of platform sliders brings
sliding-platform trailer operators the weight and maintenance advantages of an
integrated air-ride suspension system. Offered by Hendrickson International,
Woodridge, Ill., in ride heights from 6.5 to 17 in., the AAZ tandem and
single-axle systems feature a combination of a smooth-sliding "Z"
profile box and the road-proven Intraax integrated suspension system. The
slider box fits neatly up between the trailer I-beams with lock-pins engaging
through holes in the web of the beams. The platform sliders fit I-beam centers
of 37, 38, 43 and 44 in., and the tandem can accommodate 49-, 60- and 72-in.
axle spreads. With a wide variety of available combinations of singles and
tandems, the AAZ family provides flexibility in trailer design tailored to
serve a wide range of hauling requirements.
Two ways to dump
Crysteel Manufacturing Inc., Lake Crystal, Minn., has
introduced the Deuce two-way dump body. The Deuce doubles work truck efficiency
by combining rear dumping and side dumping in one body. The design allows
operators to dump to the rear for typical applications as well as to the side
for those hard-to-reach places. The Deuce is available in 9- and 11-ft lengths
and up to 11-ton capacities with a five-year warranty.
Order up!
When Ellen Fiore bought a Komatsu WA 500 loader that
measured 12 ft 8 in. in height, she knew she would have problems hauling it to
demolition sites with overhead clearance of only 13 ft 6 in. Fiore is the owner
and president of Bedrock Stone Inc., Kearny, N.J., a recycler of concrete and
rubble. Bedrock offers on-site crushing and screening of demolition material.
Because of her previous positive experience with a lowboy
trailer made by Rogers Brothers Corp., Fiore turned to her local Rogers
distributor for advice. The distributor recommended a Rogers Specialized
Trailer designed specifically to meet Bedrock's needs. The distributor took
Bedrock's people to Rogers' Albion, Pa., factory to oversee the design and manufacture of a 60-ton, drop-side
trailer featuring wheel pockets, Rogers' newest innovation for reducing
transport height.
Bedrock Stone has been using the Rogers Specialized trailer
for about a year and report they can transport their Komatsu loader anywhere
without pulling pins or disassembly.
Also from Rogers, the redesigned TT20 tilt-deck trailer is
available in 20-ton capacity, features a 25-ft 6-in. full-tilt, unitized deck
with an 80-in. drawbar and is balanced to tilt easily under the weight of one
man. Standard equipment are a 35,000-lb-capacity, two-speed landing gear; dual
hydraulic load-dampening cylinders; and a heavy-duty, multileaf spring
suspension. A folding, tapered rear ramp allows quick, easy loading.
Hydraulic trailer
With only a 6° ramp angle, the Escalate ET 12000 trailer
from Bil-Jax Inc., Archbold, Ohio, can be loaded by one person while the
trailer is connected to its 25/16-in. hitch and tow vehicle. The Escalate ET
12000 is a 12,000-lb-capacity hydraulic drop-deck trailer. It has dual axles
with 17.5-in. tires and a leaf-spring suspension that increases the bed width
to 75 in. while producing a softer ride and easier trailer control during
transportation.
Welded, heavy-gauge, powder-coated steel is used to create a
rugged frame rated at 16,500 lb total gross vehicle weight. Overall bed size is
75 in. wide x 168 in. long, and the overall trailer width is 102 in. Other
standard benefits include electric brakes, cargo tie-downs and a battery. The
ET 12000 is the sixth and largest model in the Escalate hydraulic trailer line.
Bil-Jax also offers models with 1,500-, 2,000-, 4,000-, 5,000- and 7,000-lb
capacities.
Wider load
The design of all of Witzco's 2004 trailers features a wider
center frame for improved stability and added axle loads. The engineering
redesign will standardize all 2004 models of trailers from Witzco Challenger
Trailers, Sarasota, Fla., with 40-in. frame centers. Axle load capacities are
increased up to 13% by the widened frame design.
Witzco has built other new standard features into its 2004
model lineup, such as air safety locks, H-9700 suspensions, uni-mount wheels,
one-piece cast outriggers and 2-in. oak decking.
How low can you go?
Triple-L (Lower, Load and Lift) trailers from JLG Industries
Inc., Hagerstown, Md., incorporate a Power Deck hydraulic system that allows
the operator to lower the deck of the trailer to ground level. The entire deck
of the trailer can be lowered and raised hydraulically in less than 15 seconds.
More than 20 different models with capacities ranging from 2,000 to 10,000 lb
are available.
Removable gooseneck
The Mechanical Removable Gooseneck trailer from Kalyn
Siebert, Gatesville, Texas, has a new positive latch system and exterior tie
downs. It is shot blasted for metal preparation prior to painting with a new high-volume,
low-pressure paint application system. Standard paint now includes an epoxy
primer and polyurethane topcoat with a three-year limited warranty. The trailer
does not require the use of winches or hydraulics to remove the neck. Lower
deck length is up to 29 in. with a loaded deck height of 18 in.
