Walk-through B-train trailer
Titan Trailers says its flow-through B-train aluminum live floor trailer allows more product in one load, with the ability to carry two different loads to two different destinations with one truck without unhooking, and can reduce cycle times by giving truckers more options. According to Titan, the Walk-Thru trailer, which uses the company’s patented Thinwall sidepanels and a Keith Walking Floor system, allows the operator to unload almost 5,000 cubic feet of product in less than 10 minutes; and if the load is frozen, the operator can change the direction of the Walking Floor system on the lead trailer and unload it through the front of the trailer.
The 62-foot, 8-inch-long B-train, united by a hydraulic system, has the carrying capacity of about 25 percent more than a Titan 53-foot Tipper or live floor trailer, which means that with every four loads hauled, the operator gets the equivalent of a free load, the company says. The Walk-Thru trailer, when equipped with a live floor system, also is designed to self-unload in a straight pile.
Titan Trailers
(www.titantrailers.com)
Options for anti-idling system
Bergstrom, manufacturer of the Nite idling-reduction system for heavy-duty trucks, has enhanced the system’s design to allow the use of electric accessories during unloading and resting periods without the extra cost, weight and noise associated with generators and traditional auxiliary power units. The addition of an inverter for AC electrical power enables drivers to operate small household appliances and other hotel-load devices used in the sleeper when the truck’s engine is off. The inverter is custom-designed for heavy-duty use and includes built-in safety features, the company says. Also, a new shore power feature permits the Nite system to be powered with grid electricity when available; the shore power kit includes a receptacle for receiving an extension cord and a switching box to detect the source of the 110-volt AC power.
Bergstrom
(www.nitesystem.com)
Lightweight slider
The Holland Group says its Integrated Low-weight Slider system can reduce the weight of traditional fifth-wheel/slider combos by up to 27 percent (151 pounds) when compared with competitive offerings, while maintaining all of the strength and durability of Holland’s current slider design. The ILS is compatible with the Holland FW35, FW31 and FW17 fifth-wheel models and is available in 7-, 8- and 9-inch mounting heights and travel lengths of 12, 24, 36 and 48 inches. Holland says that in addition to the weight savings, dealers and distributors also will appreciate the ILS’s modular design, which makes changing fifth-wheel heights a simple two-part, six-bolt task; Holland’s bracket exchange program can provide additional flexibility. Holland says its sliding fifth wheels are designed to provide the capability to transfer weight between tractor axles, accommodate trailers with different kingpin settings and vary vehicle combination lengths, while offering improved maneuverability and exceptional ride comfort.
The Holland Group
(www.thehollandgroupinc.com)
Pliers for air brakes
Channellock’s No. 444 air brake tool is a 12-inch tongue-and-groove set of pliers with seven channel adjustments designed to quickly and accurately check the clearance between the drum and brake shoe on S-cam brake systems using manual or automatic slack adjusters. The No. 444 is forged from high-carbon steel and offers the PermaLock fastener, engineered to ensure smooth, clean adjustment and eliminate field failure common to traditional nut-and-bolt assemblies.
Channellock
(www.channellock.com)
LED cargo dome/work light
SoundOff Signal’s 4-inch round LED cargo dome/work light is designed to illuminate interior cargo areas. According to the company, the 39 Generation II LEDs are powerful and long-lasting, and can handle a wide range of temperature variances (-20 to +65 degrees Celsius). SoundOff’s lens optics are designed to provide a wider angle of light, allowing users to read packaging and labels on cargo placed anywhere within a trailer or other storage facility. The light installs into a standard 4-inch cutout and comes with a rubber grommet or snap ring mount.
SoundOff Signal
(www.soundoffsignal.com)
Compact battery ignition switch with key
Cole Hersee’s 95614 compact battery ignition switch with key, designed for a variety of trucking applications, has plated steel casings to resist corrosion and has two positions, “off” and “ignition.” To ensure safety, the key only is removable in the “off” position. The heavy-duty switches, rated at 5 amps 12 V DC, are available with two 12-inch wire leads with ring terminals; the switches are sealed with a rubber boot for protection against dirt and moisture.
Cole Hersee
(www.colehersee.com)
Flipping the switches
Velvac has added more than 75 toggle and rocker switches to its electrical product line. The heavy-duty toggle switches – available in lighted and nonlighted, single or double pole, and momentary contact functions – are rated for 21 amps at 14 VDC and feature brass terminals and a chromatic frame. Moisture- and dust-resistant toggle switches also are available, either marine-grade or with a neoprene sealed “O” ring. Full-size rocker switches in lighted and nonlighted versions are rated at 21 amps at 14 VDC. Round switches are rated at 10 amps and are illuminated with a variety of light colors for easier dashboard identification. Accessories such as half and full boots are available to guard against moisture and dust, as well as safety covers to guard against accidental actuation. The product line also includes indicator, license plate and utility lights.
Velvac
(www.velvac.com)
Bolt seal for shipping containers
Digital Descriptor Systems has announced that its CGM Applied Security Technologies unit has exclusive marketing rights to the Navaloop bolt seal for shipping containers, developed by Navatech Container Security. The Navaloop features a seal designed to surpass industry-standard ISO/PAS 17712 “high-security” grade requirements, making the device difficult to defeat, according to Navatech.
CGM Applied Security Technologies
(www.cgmsecuritysolutions.com)
Convenient liftgate
Waltco Truck Equipment says its Glide Trac Series Slide-Away level-ride liftgate, designed to slide in and out from its stored position underneath the trailer bed, eases installation and maximizes usable trailer capacity. The unit comes fully assembled, and installers no longer need to supply an additional subframe to the trailer, relocate trailer lights or alter the rear sill, according to the company. The Glide Trac also comes with all mounting hardware, a pump already filled with oil, plumbing and wiring, and a prewired battery box with factory-installed batteries.
The liftgate doesn’t require a weld-on bed extension, meaning it doesn’t add to the overall length like rail-type and folding liftgates do. The feature makes the GT Series ideal for 53-foot trailer applications, Waltco says. The unit can be mounted on trailers with either roll-up or swing-type doors and will accommodate most refrigerated trailer designs. Suited for either cart or palletized applications and available in 3,300- and 4,400-pound capacities, the Glide Trac’s platform is 80 inches wide and 70 inches deep, with a single-piece flip ramp; or 56 inches deep with a fixed ramp. It requires a 64-inch clearance behind the rear tires for mounting.
Waltco Truck Equipment
(www.waltco.com)
Tray divider inserts
MegaStar designed its MegaLift Vertical Lift Module tray divider inserts to provide flexibility in vehicle part small-item or file storage and retrieval requirements. The dividers are available in any size or configuration and are less than half the weight of metal, increasing tray and system capacity, the company says. The inserts are available in heights up to 20 inches tall, and optional tabs can help operators quickly identify part number and location information. The MegaLift VLM – an enclosed system of vertically arranged trays, an ergonomically designed extraction platform and computerized controls – is designed to save up to 75 percent of wasted floor space while giving vehicle part organizations 100 percent accessible storage. With a push of a button, the MegaLift VLM delivers the required item to an ergonomic pick window, eliminating walking, searching, bending, stooping and reaching, the company says.
MegaStar
(www.megastarsystems.com)
Help with driver retention
Thomson Learning Career and Professional Group has published the book “True Stories of Driver Turnover: Translating the Driver’s Perspective,” along with an accompanying field guide. The products are designed to help build a stronger driver-carrier relationship by recounting potential turnover causes so that carriers and drivers can create responses that may reduce turnover. Thoughts and opinions from current drivers help provide insight into attitudes and behaviors regarding why turnover occurs. The book also features a “driver response process” with action-oriented suggestions.
Thomson Delmar Learning
(www.delmarlearning.com)
Radar-driven braking
Mico’s Object Detection and Brake Interlock System is designed to provide construction vehicles, utility trucks and delivery vans an additional layer of safety and protection while backing up. The system – which unites the Mico 691 Brake Lock and the PreView radar object detection system from Preco Electronics – intervenes automatically on the operator’s behalf rather than simply provide a warning, according to the company. The system is engineered to be initiated once an equipped vehicle is shifted into reverse; the PreView radar detects both stationary and moving objects within the cone of the radar signal. For vehicles moving with a larger area outside of the operator’s view, multiple radar sensors can be networked into one system.
An onboard display module provides both visible and audible indication to the operator when an object is identified by radar at distances up to 26 feet. A series of five lights illuminate on the display module as the alarm tone and tempo vary to alert the operator of the closing proximity to the object, Mico says. The system is designed to apply the 691 Brake Lock automatically at a predetermined distance to prevent a collision with the object. For situations that require maneuvering a vehicle closer to the detected object, a manual release button allows the operator to unlock the brakes momentarily.
Compatible with single, dual or antilock brake systems, the 691 Brake Lock is a self-contained system that does not interfere with the normal braking system or operation of the vehicle, according to the company. Using an electrohydraulic pump and remote actuator, the 691 locks hydraulic pressure in the service brakes, and a control module evaluates the brake-locking pressure within the brake system and makes automatic adjustments when necessary. The company says that for specific applications, the system can be augmented to lock up a particular group of wheels, rather than all four. The PreView radar system also can be set for different detection distances and patterns.
Mico
(www.mico.com)
Trim-out set with utility belt
Klein Tools now offers a six-piece trim-out set that includes a heavy duty-cutting 2000 series 9-inch high-leverage side-cutting set of pliers, a Klein-Kurve wire stripper/cutter, a 4-inch-round shank No. 2 Profilated Phillips-tip screwdriver, a 1/4-inch cabinet tip screwdriver, a 4-inch heavy-duty round shank and a four-pocket tool pouch. The trim-out set also includes a complementary lightweight utility belt.
Klein Tools
(www.kleintools.com)
Barcode reader for vehicles
Barcode Automation has redesigned its BA-200 Barcode Reader with a smaller snout on the aluminum housing, which the company says will allow vehicles to pass closer to the reader while decreasing the possibility of damage from colliding during operation. The reader installation also takes up less overall volume, allowing easier mounting on lane curbs or islands, according to Barcode. The BA-200 system provides the user an effective tool for managing right of entry into private or secured areas, the company says. The unit, which will read automatic vehicle identification decals at up to a 6-foot distance moving at 25 mph, readily communicates with computer software systems and other access control equipment, such as security panels and telephone entry systems, via a standard 26-bit Wiegand output or RS232 computer interface.
Barcode Automation
(www.barcode-automation.com)
Fan drive for hot engines
Horton has introduced its VMaster Ultra fan drives in anticipation of new emissions regulations. Managed by the engine’s electronic control unit for precision fan speed, the directly-controlled viscous fan drives are designed to cool higher-horsepower, hotter-running engines. The fan drive is equipped with an integral fan speed sensor to provide closed-loop control capabilities, and its optimized magnetic design speeds up reaction time for better modulation and cooling, according to the company. In addition, the reservoir, actuator and valve system are designed to combine for delivery of a lower off-speed and faster response time, resulting in optimum cooling, reduced fan noise and increased fuel efficiency.
VMaster Ultra – engineered to turn Horton’s WindMaster or competitive fans – has a rear-mounted cable harness designed to shield the connection from fan blades, and the fan can be installed on the front of the fan drive to increase airflow for maximum cooling. VMaster Ultra fan drives have a maximum torque capability of 2,225 inch-pounds and are available for first-fit and test applications for a variety of fan sizes and mounting options.
Horton
(www.hortonww.com/ultra)
Brake and parts cleaner
Cyclo Industries says its Low Odor Brake & Parts Clean is a professional-strength, nonchlorinated spray that quickly degreases and blasts away brake fluid, grease and oil. The quick-drying, low-odor citrus formula leaves no residue and thoroughly cleans brakes, C.V. joints, clutches, bearings, tools, parts and metal surfaces, according to the company. The aerosol can be used without disassembling the brake unit.
Cyclo Industries
(www.cyclo.com)
Strobes anytime, anywhere
Safe-T-Alert remote strobe power supplies from Superior Signals are available in a 40-watt model with four outlets, 60-watt models with either four or six outlets, and a 90-watt model with six outlets. Flash patterns consist of quad/double, quintuple and continuous flash; operating voltage is 10 to 30 volts in DC, and selective switching is standard.
Superior Signals
(www.superiorsignals.com)
