RGN Low Boy Heavy Haul--Are Spreaders Interchangable

A couple are but very very few, modifications I guess are based on skill and acceptable liability.

 

I know on a Fontaine 50 to 55ton there was a model year break in 05. They changed the mounts a little bit. So even from year to year on the same trailer things can be different.

 

As long as you're going to reputable shops with engineers on staff or retainer for evaluations, yeah.
Otherwise, only a fool would allow just anyone to modify equipment with big ratings and willingly wander down the road with it.
It's never pretty when big trailers break...and they do.

The shop I use that has repaired and replaced pin joints for me is the shop that did @Rontonio's Jeep mod. They have two engineers on staff, and when @Rontonio wanted to go ahead with his mod, they evaluated his trailer, told him what they could do, and what the limitations would be, and the most important part why he would have said limitations, if your shop of choice can't do that for you, they're not qualified to perform the mods requested!
Don't care what anybody says, if you can't explain why, then clearly you don't know. Which simply put, means you can't work for me...ever!

 

I will chime in here as well.

A lot of times the modifications necessary to do what you want are not cost effective.

I will give an example

I have a trail king 65 ton modular with horizontal pins for attaching to the rear bogey. I could not use a 60 ton beam deck made by trail king without extensive modifications (think over $20k not including the cost of acquiring the beam deck).

That being said, you can take the vin of the spreader and the vin of your trailer (assuming they are the same manufacturer) to a dealer for that brand and they can usually contact the manufacturer about compatibility.

 

The liability alone is a nightmare! Any modification would ultimately make the whole piece your
responsibility if any part was ever to fail. Even if the modification was done by a reputable shop
with an engineers stamp on it there still could be legal problems if failure occurred. What HH said
if you can't explain why, goes double for me.

 

By spreaders I take it you mean a spreader bar on an "east coast" trailer? If so then the only 100% interchangeable spreader bar that I know of will be the older Fontaines and older Liddells will interchange spreader bars on the 55ton 3 +1 setups.

Are spreader bars easily modified? For the most part yes assuming you are talking about a 55ton 3+1 that is 102" wide. Most wheel areas (or rear sections or bogies whatever you want to call it) in that realm are around 14" to 16" beam heights and 38" to 40" beam centers. Those are measurements that are typically close enough to modify to fit without introducing added stress to a trailer or spreader bar for failure.

There are quite a bit more details about this, but the main thing is to make sure the trailer is structurally built to except a spreader bar. Just because it is a 55ton doesn't mean it is spreader bar capable. I have seen lots of 55ton Talberts not setup for a spreader bar. Even have seen some 55ton XL trailers and Fontaine trailers not setup for a spreader bar.