Shopping for a flatbed trailer

Everybody has a preference, and it depends what you are hauling. Myself, I pull a 2008 Reitnouer Maxmiser. What to look for in them is suspension corrosion jacking and kingpin plates. Most trailers in that price range will have electrical issues.

It goes without saying that you should get aluminum. Most guys like Reitnouer, East and Mac.

 

Pay close attention to KP plates especially,ask questions besides just looking....coil haulers and steering wheel holders that don't know how to load a spread put everything in the middle(belly loading).....and it kills kp plates and rear sills cracks frame......look for welds, look for main beam separations at rear near sill and bumper.....

Coils and belly loading destroys flatbeds,don't matter what brand.

My experience,seeing them and working on them? Id go with a mac....but if you plan on moving coils or you belly,get yourself a welder for aluminum

 

I used to haul aluminum coils only 2 panels apart, but my friend had to deliver my load when I had an injector issue. He complained about the ride, so I stretched it out.

Now I love securing a single coil, but I put two coils 5 panels apart now, which is 20 feet.

 

That is the correct way, not sure why megas teach guys to put them in the middle. I hear TMC is a company policy to load them in the middle.

 

I’ve looked under those TMC trailers, they’ve got coil packages at center load points. I know they ride better spread out, but if you’ve got 2-22 to 24k coils wouldn’t it be better on trailer to load where it’s designed for with coil package ?

 

I think most people put them together otherwise they would have to use 2 tarps versus 1... Creating more work.

 

The only ####ty part about spreading them out is tarping both seperatly versus throwing one of both of them