Due to major changes in styling, people readily notice that tractors and straight trucks have changed signifcantly over time. With trailers – especially flatbeds – the evolution may be more subtle visually. But advances in design and materials have produced flatbed trailers that are more productive, more versatile and easier to maintain.
Stronger and lighter
Modern flatbed trailers may look similar to their predecessors, but engineering has made them stronger and lighter.
Taking out weight must be done carefully, with attention to areas that shouldn’t be compromised. “Trailers don’t usually break from being overloaded,” says Hank Prochazka, vice president of sales for Fontaine Trailer. “They break from being racked, side-to-side. With our Phantom design, we’ve developed a thicker, 12-inch-wide bottom flange – which is extruded in one piece with the main beam, eliminating the flange-to-beam weld – that provides five times the side-to-side strength of previous designs.”
Fontaine recently introduced an aluminum flatbed trailer that it says weighs less than 7,800 pounds and handles 60,000 pounds in just 4 feet. The Revolution features a sleek, aerodynamic shape designed to cut through the air with a premium drag coefficient; and friction-stir welding adds to the strength of the floor while reducing weight to allow for bigger payloads and more miles per gallon, Fontaine says.
Fontaine also introduced the Infinity TX Twist Lock, which it describes as two trailers in one: an advanced-technology dropdeck trailer to handle a wide variety of loads, and a twist-lock trailer to haul intermodal shipping containers. The trailer is equipped with two twist locks at the front, four in the middle and two at the rear, so users can haul two 20-foot ISO containers or one 40-foot container, the company says.
“Many of the trailer manufacturers have been set with the duty of reducing trailer weight due to increased tractor weights caused by increased truck options and EPA requirements,” says Lenny Miller, director of dealer development for Benson International. “This has caused most trailer manufacturers to look at better designs to meet today’s load requirements.”
Benson’s 524 aluminum drop deck trailer features a steel neck transition designed to allow a concentrated load capacity of 52,000 pounds in a four-foot span, as well as 80,000 pounds evenly distributed to allow for increased hauling capabilities. Other features of the trailer, according to Benson, include a standard winch track on driver side (standard); 40-inch rear deck height with 255/70R22.5 tires; reinforced wheel cutouts for proper tire clearance; fully welded construction for added strength and longevity; and LED lighting.
