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Gary Gaussoin, Silver Eagle’s president, noted that the only reason to keep a large gap between double trailers today is to make sharp turns at low speeds. Of course, a large gap between the two trailers degrades fuel economy significantly.
But the new automatic T-Dolly design uses an electro-hydraulic pump to pull double trailers closer together once the vehicle reaches 45 mph. Gaussoin says this closes the gap between the two trailers and improves overall fuel economy from 2.5 to 3.5 percent. If the vehicle slows to 40 mph, the T-Dolly automatically increases the trailer gap in anticipation of low-speed turns.
An unexpected bonus that Gaussoin says was revealed during testing, is that the closer gap allows the truck to handle better when cruising at highway speeds – particularly after lane changes. Gaussoin says vehicles using the T-Dolly “settle” better once a lane change has been completed. Subsequent testing has led the company to claim 18 percent better stability compared to conventional dolly systems.
Testing also revealed a 16 percent improvement in tire life, Gaussoin noted, since tires tend to stay in alignment better under dynamic loads. Additional benefits include faster coupling and uncoupling and better trailer tracking at highway speeds.
