Big Loads - Post Photos Number 2

Lower height for things like wheel loaders

but they can be

heavier trailers and often the center beam is taller to accommodate the cantilevered lower deck sides.

 

Like Ron said the lower height is the only real advantage. To me running in the spot market they would be a bigger pain than they would be worth. My trailer with a smooth deck I can get down to 16” but that also comes with a weight penalty.

 

If I was going to haul big scrapers all the time, a dropside would be ideal. RT cranes would be ok but not as good as on a beam. The pushback I recently hauled would not load on a dropside trailer without a forest of blocking.
No one trailer type can do everything

I will say this, if you are buying a 55 ton trailer - getting a modular trailer is a huge plus. You can sh the deck for weight and add inserts for length or swap decks to a beam or something else. The downside is they are heavier

 

In an ideal world I’d have a drop side deck to but it just isn’t worth it in the grand scheme of things. Being able to shim is a big advantage but I’m not sure it overcomes the weight penalty in my situation if you didn’t need the beam or an extension.

 

Yea I dont think I really want to get into modular at this point. Only reason I've looked at a few 55/trio's is that there seems to be more of them listed. Most of the tandems I see are mechanical. So it seems if I want quality that I'm going to be looking at a mid 2000s TK110 or Fontaine Magnitude 51. Something in the 40k-60k range.

 

Although I did see these wicked machines.

https://www.truckpaper.com/listings/trailers/for-sale/19783799/1988-cozad

I have SO many questions. Like how to you drive over a speed bump with that monster? Lol

And this old girl needs some tlc....
https://www.truckpaper.com/listings/trailers/for-sale/34113563/1979-cozad

Air operated steering on the booster? Sounds cool.

Personally I would love to snatch up an old trailer and restore it to working condition just because of the cool factor of history. But obviously these arent good first trailer options..

 

You’ll be fine with something like that.

 

Those are both very specialized trailers.

 

I figured they would be. But still cool to see such old trailers still out working....
I've cleared out some of the lower quality manufacturers like proline, witzco, and jet.

I cant find much about Dorsey, Pitts, or Kaufmann. Would those be in the same group to steer away from?

 

In my opinion? Yes