XL Specialized Trailers debuts 80,000 pound slide axle trailer

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Updated Apr 4, 2016

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XL Specialized Trailers debuted at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky. Friday a new slide axle trailer rated at 80,000 pounds overall and 50,000 pounds in 10 feet concentrated.

The XL 80 Slider is named for its sliding axle assembly, which allows the unit to tilt for the loading and unloading of heavy and inoperable equipment. New filament-wound composite rollers slide smoothly without the need for grease. With optimal standard features and an array of options, the XL Slider is customizable for specific hauling needs.

The XL Slide Axles feature a low load angle of 6.5 degrees. The XL Slider is set up for hauling inoperable equipment, which requires winches and rollers for loading. It also offers a heavy-duty 20,000-pound hydraulic winch with manual kick out and 100 feet of 9/16-inch cable.

The winch comes with a seven-function wireless remote and a recessed roller at the top of the gooseneck rolls in conjunction with the winch to pull the cable. Close cross-member spacing enables drivers to also transport forklifts. Furthermore, two work lights on the upper deck assist with working in the dark and an Air-Weigh digital scale takes some of the guesswork out of loading on the trailer.

The XL 80 Slider is a four-beam trailer comprised of 4-inch junior I-beams and 3-inch I-beams on 8-inch centers for durability. The trailer includes many standard features for easier operation. Chain drops down the center deck and the side beams provide extra tie-down areas. The energy chain protects air and electrical lines from damage, while two toolboxes in the upper deck provide storage space. The Slider comes with mid-turn lights, clearance lights and two taillights — all rubber mounted with “plug-and-play” capability for easy maintenance.

Thirteen LED lights on each side of the trailer will make it visible going down the road. The 53-foot long show unit has a 15-degree dump angle, while operators can also choose from a 48-foot long trailer with a 17-degree dump angle or a 51-foot long trailer with a 16-degree dump. Customers have regional spec options as well; in the West, XL manufactures a California legal trailer (51 feet long) and Canadian customers can choose the R-tac legal trailer (51 feet long with a 9-foot wide deck).

Jason Cannon has written about trucking and transportation for more than a decade and serves as Chief Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. A Class A CDL holder, Jason is a graduate of the Porsche Sport Driving School, an honorary Duckmaster at The Peabody in Memphis, Tennessee, and a purple belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu. Reach him at [email protected]