Hydraulic tail trailer as a flatbed

Discussion in 'Flatbed Trucking Forum' started by Dino soar, Mar 9, 2025.

  1. Dino soar

    Dino soar Road Train Member

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    I've been considering getting a hydraulic tail trailer.

    According to the manufacturer those trailers weigh somewhere between 15,000 and 17,000 lbs.

    My tractor is a sleeper cab and it's I think around 18,500 lb.

    If I put aluminum wheels on I think I could probably drop it down to 175 or at least under 18,000.

    So I think it's possible that the empty weight would somewhere be around 34 or 35,000, which would let me pull 45,000 to 46,000.

    Those trailers have a lower deck that is 38 ft and an upper deck that is 10 ft.

    Can that trailer be used to run regular flatbed loads or run like a step deck?

    How many 48-ft flatbed loads are there compared to 53s?
     
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  3. 50WT

    50WT Road Train Member

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    Do you need a wet kit or is that weight with a pony motor? Also you're not going to be able to scale some loads the tandem is too far forward on the trailer. As for deck height are you looking at 22.5 lo or 17.5 . In the hot summer those 17.5 will make you hate life at times. If you go 17.5 my advice is carry a mounted spare. Those trailers are very handy for dead equipment and trucks if they have a good winch with a remote.
     
  4. Dino soar

    Dino soar Road Train Member

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    That makes sense thank you.
     
  5. Albertaflatbed

    Albertaflatbed Medium Load Member

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    Something to consider as well is the amount of weight you can put on the hydraulic tail.

    Due to how they are designed rhere is a restricted weight carrying capacity for the tail portion.
     
  6. BT6823

    BT6823 Bobtail Member

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    if you want something like that go to a land all style with the movable tandems the whole trailer tilts and the tandems will slide almost to the front of the trailer
    if you get a hydra tail trailer stay far away from ledwell we refleeted with them a few years back and they stayed in the shop with wiring issues air bag issues and blown cylinder issues also the J hook broke all the time
     
    cke and Albertaflatbed Thank this.
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