Trailers and trucks are the cornerstone of the transportation and logistics industry. They facilitate the transportation of various types of freight, especially heavy loads, over long distances, allowing you to move products and equipment with ease. There are many types of trucks and trailers suited to shipping different types, sizes and shapes of loads.
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Flatbed and lowboy trailers are two of the common types used to ship unusually shaped and sized freight. If you&#;re interested in a trailer that lowers to the ground or want to know the differences between these trailer types, continue reading our guide below for all the information you need.
A flatbed trailer is among the most common semi-trailers used to transport large and bulky loads. Flatbed trailer trucks have a long, flat body without sides or a roof. These types of trucks are extremely versatile as they allow loading and offloading from any side of the trailer using forklifts, cranes or other specialized equipment.
They&#;re also available in many sizes and configurations. Standard or conventional flatbed trailers consist of a straight-frame, flat and rectangular bed without any special design &#; not even a drop in height as you move along the flatbed. These typically have 5 feet of clearance from the ground.
Flatbed trailers are ideal for transporting wide, irregularly shaped or unusually sized loads that can&#;t fit in regular trucks. However, the loads must be secured to the flatbed using damps, a rack and stake pockets during transit. It may also be necessary to cover the load to protect it from the elements. Constant monitoring ensures the load remains securely attached until it reaches the delivery destination.
Some of the most suitable uses of flatbed trucks include transporting:
You can optimize delivery times by opting for flatbed trucking services, as they allow you to transport more cargo at once. This strategy also ensures drivers make fewer trips and reduce fuel consumption, which in turn leads to significant cost savings.
A lowboy or lowbed trailer is a type of heavy-duty flatbed trailer. These trailers are designed to haul oversized and overweight cargo that typically weighs more and is taller than regular cargo. They&#;re also great for maneuvering rough terrain or through tight spaces.
To facilitate their heavy-duty use, lowboy flatbed trailers have two drops in the deck height to allow the trailer to lower to the ground as much as possible. The first drop is right after the gooseneck, and the second is right before the wheels. Lowboy trailers are also extremely low, sitting at around 18 inches off the ground to accommodate freight that&#;s too tall &#; up to 12 feet &#; and can&#;t be shipped legally using higher trucks.
The lowered deck height also lowers the center of gravity for the truck, ensuring a more stable ride for bulky and oversized freight. Lowboy trailers are available in various sizes and designs, some with open configurations and others with enclosed containers. Heavy loads on the open lowbeds are supported using two to eight aluminum or premium steel axles.
Loading and unloading freight on and off a lowboy trailer is easy because of its low height, its hydraulic system that lifts the trailer for loading, and air brakes that ensure safe slowing down and stopping.
You can use lowboy trucking services to ship a variety of heavy machinery and equipment, including:
While standard flatbed trucks and lowboy trailers seemingly ship the same type of freight &#; oversized and unusually shaped &#; they have some distinct differences. Below, we highlight the main features that distinguish these two types of flatbed trucks.
The physical structure of the truck bed determines the type of cargo it can transport safely and efficiently. The dimensions of trailers vary widely based on the specific models, manufacturers and trailer types. The following list shows the differences in the maximum physical dimensions of both types of trailers:
Flatbed trailers are generally lighter than lowboy trailers. Their actual weight depends on the design, construction materials and additional features. Standard flatbed trailers weigh 6,000 pounds to 12,000 pounds on average and can haul freights of up to 48,000 pounds.
Like a flatbed trailer, the weight of a lowboy trailer varies depending on the model, manufacturer and carrying capacity. Conventional two-axle lowboy trailers generally weigh 15,000 pounds to 18,000 pounds and have a maximum weight capacity of 40,000 pounds. Adding axles can boost the weight capacity to 80,000 pounds.
Flatbed trailers offer extensive versatility. You can use them to haul anything from building materials and construction equipment to machinery and steel products. You can use a flatbed trailer to ship anything that does not exceed 8.5 feet in width and 8.5 in height, regardless of its shape. It&#;s preferable to use flatbeds to ship freight that can withstand different weather conditions.
Lowboy trailers are ideal if you&#;re looking to ship anything that&#;s unusually sized or shaped. However, the freight must not be more than 8.5 wide and 12 feet high. Overall, this trailer type is the best option for hauling freight that can fit on other trailer types, ensuring compliance with road safety restrictions and other relevant guidelines.
Choosing the right transport services for your oversized or oddly shaped freight may be challenging, considering all of the options that are available. At Nationwide Transport Services, we can help you decide on the right strategy for your trucking needs through comprehensive logistics planning. We&#;ll connect you with a knowledgeable logistics agent, who will work with you to explore transportation methods, coordinate pickups and deliveries, track your freight and more.
Organizing your logistics process is easier and more effective with a professional team on your side. Even if your needs are unique or specialized, we&#;re ready to help you find the best approach &#; even if it involves building a strategy from scratch. Are you ready to learn more about leveraging our logistics solutions? Request a free shipping quote today.
The article focuses on lowbed trailers vs flatbed trailers, including the following aspects: definition, types, history, applications, features and maintenance. After reading this article, I hope you can make a better choice between lowbeds and flatbeds.
There many types of lowbed trailers, such as hydraulic low bed trailer, detachable lowbed trailer, dual line axle lowbed trailer, extendable lowbed trailer, modular trailer. Lowbed trailer is mainly used to transport non-detachable objects, such as excavators, harvesters, loaders, forklifts and other special vehicles which are not easy to move by themselves. Generally, lowbed trailer is with two ladders at the head or tail, which can help excavators and other equipment to go to the lowbed trailer.
low bed trailer for sale
Ordinary lowbed trailers can be loaded from 20 tons to 200 tons, and are generally with 2 axles, 3 axles, 4 axles, and up to 10 axles. (More about lowbed trailer)
width of low bed trailer: mm,
The most popular extendable lowbed trailer is 3 axles 60 tons. Meanwhile, we also produce 2-5 axles, maximum loading 120 ton detachable lowbed trailer. (2/3/4 axle removable lowbed trailer)
Most lowbed trailers are dual line axles low bed trailers, and usually the ramps are at the rear, while the detachable lowbed trailer is loaded at the front.
Extendable lowbed trailer is often used to transport cargo with different lengths more conveniently.
Modular trailer, also called hydraulic modular trailer, or SPMT for short, is particularly suitable for the overall transport of drilling platforms, offshore modules, modular plants (petrochemical smelting, etc.), power station construction, ro-ro loading onto and off ships, chemical. It is a large work piece logistics transport equipment with driving system, helpful for some oversized and extra-long goods that cannot be disassembled for transport.
Flatbed semi trailer is one of the commonest means of transportation, which can be used to transport containers, as well as bulk goods. Sometimes, flatbed semi trailer can be used as side wall trailer, fence trailer, a double flatbed trailer.
Flatbed trailer is available in 20ft, 40ft, 45ft, and 2/3/4 axles. Different configurations depend on the cargo transported (3/4 axle and different type of flatbed trailer)
Manufacturer Panda Mech 40 ft flatbed container semi truck trailer Axles 3 axles, BPW/SAF/FUWA Brand Dimensions/size ×× mm Capacity 70 ton Weight 7-9 ton Twist lock 8-12 sets Material Main beams Q345B, upper flange:14mm, middle:8mm, down:16mm King Pin 2 inch or 3.5 inch JOST Brand Chassis 3mm,4mm,6mm, carbon steel or aluminum alloy Suspension Mechanical, airbag suspension Tire 11.00R20, 12.00R20,12R22.5, 385/65R22.5 Triangle/Hankook/ Bridgestone brand
Sidewall trailer is a flatbed trailer surrounded by additional baffles. The application is basically the same as flatbed semi trailer, drop side trailer can be used to transport some slightly higher cargo.
Fence semi trailer is higher, mainly used to transport cattle, pigs, livestock, poultry etc.
4 axle fence semi trailer
A double flatbed trailer is a triangle in the front, and two flatbed can work together.
A double flatbed trailer
Flatbed trailer with frontborad is designed to carry and heavy items. It has a board in the front, which can protece the tractor in case of emergency braking. Flatbed trailer with front board is typically used to transport large cargo, such as: construction materials and bulk cargo. It&#;s often used in the construction industry.
The difference between High bed trailer and low bed trailer mainly lies in the working platform and purpose. High bed trailer is also called flatbed trailer, flatbed truck trailer. Its platform height is mm, while the lowbed trailer&#;s platform height is between 100-mm. In terms of purpose, the high bed trailer is mainly used to transport cargo, while the lowbed trailer is mainly used to transport construction machinery. Common high bed trailer has 20ft, 3 axle 40ft, 45ft, low bed trailer has 3 axle, 4 axle, 5 axle, 6 axle, 50ton, 60 ton, 80 ton, The maximum load is 200 ton.
The lowbed trailer was invented in , mainly using riveted gooseneck and solid rubber tires, but the lowbed trailer could only be loaded from the rear. In , the lowbed trailer was improved, with higher loading capacity and easier loading of equipment.
Detachable lowbed trailer was invented in , referred to as RGN. It can be loaded from the front. Ramp is not necessary and loading work is more convenient.
The first flatbed semi trailer was born in , with a relatively simple structure and poor loading capacity. As the flatbed semi trailer was constantly updated, the configuration was upgraded and the loading capacity became more and more powerful.
Lowbed trailer is mainly used for transporting excavators, harvesters, loaders, forklifts and other heavy equipment.
Flatbed semi trailer is mainly used for transporting containers, construction materials, bulk goods, lumber, steel coils, etc., including any cargo that does not fit in an enclosed trailer.
1. Easier loading and unloading
Flatbed semi trailer is more spacious to operate, so both loading and unloading are more convenient. Cargoes can be loaded and unloaded from all sides of flatbed semi trailer, and the cargoes can be packed well to ensure safety.
2. Different sizes for different transportation
Flatbed semi trailer is available to be made longer or shorter according to customer&#;s demand. For example, if transport iron bars, the extended flatbed semi trailer is perfect for this purpose.
3. Transporting heavy materials.
Flatbed trailers is with high carrying capacity. Flatbed trailers can haul any cargo, from tractors, military equipment, construction materials to containers.
1. Stability
Lowbed trailer is more stable because it has a lower center of gravity, so it is safer in the transportation process.
2. Large space
Lowbed trailer has more space and can be used to load cargo with heavier weight.
3. Suitable for countries with height limit
Lowbed trailer is lower, so it is suitable for some countries with strict height limit.
For flatbed semi trailer, generally forklift or frontal crane is needed to load or unload, while for lowbed trailer, generally workers drive the equipment through the track directly onto the lowbed trailer.
The maintenance of flatbed trailer and lowbed trailer is same.
1. Check the tires.
The tire pressure should be checked monthly at room temperature. If it is significantly lower than normal, it should be added immediately.
2. Check the oil level of the clutch master cylinder.
When the clutch oil level is between the high and low levels, it is normal. If it is below the standard line, the master cylinder or cylinder cup may be damaged. When the engine is running, it will be difficult or impossible to shift gears. Please go to the nearest service station immediately.
3. Maintenance and inspection of semi-trailer battery
Check whether the semi-trailer battery is firmly fixed. Electrolyte should be between the upper and lower limits, and electrolyte or distilled water should be added to the high voltage line immediately if it is very close to the offline. Keep the positive and negative cables of the semi-trailer battery in good contact, and keep the semi-trailer battery clean and dry.
4. Check the brake fluid level.
If the brake fluid is also between the high and low levels, it is normal. If the brake fluid is near or below the lower limit, it means the system may be leaking or the brake shoes are excessively worn. You should have this repaired immediately at a service station.
5. Check the ABS brake valve
If you have an ABS brake valve installed remember to check it frequently. Follow the maintenance instructions and the principle of the ABS brake valve.
Whether air pressure control or hydraulic control method is adopted, the controller in the ABS system, through the analysis of the signal sent by the sensor, gives reasonable orders to the braking system, ensuring the stability and safety of the trailer in the emergency braking. After the emergency braking, when the wheels of the semi-trailer are clamping, the ABS system will start the pressure regulating valve to control the pressure in each brake hose and intelligently adjust the internal pressure according to the force of the body. So the wheels, tires and road are in the balance of force, preventing the body from rolling over and avoiding accidents.
We need to know the local laws, weight limits, height limits and the cargo that we need to transport. Then we can choose between low bed trailers and flatbed trailers.
But the easiest way: tell us what you need to transport, and we&#;ll give you the best advice.
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Summrise:
Different between lowbed trailer and flatbed trailer is end. Flatbed trailers and lowbed trailers have many similarities and differences, mainly in the goods to be transported and classification. We can choose according to the cargo what we need to transport, local height, and weight limits.
Faq
Lowbed trailer usually adopt an open beam (or sound type) frame. The front section of the whole structure likes swan-neck (swan-neck front section of the traction pin is connected with the traction saddle on the traction car, and the swan-neck rear end is associated with the semi-trailer frame), and the middle section is the cargo platform (the lowest part of the frame), and the back end is the wheel frame (including wheels).
The purpose of flatbed trailers and low bed trailers are very different. The flatbed trailer is mainly used to transport cargo, while the low bed trailer is mainly used to transport construction machinery. Meanwhile, in terms of design, the flat of flatbed trailer has the same height, while the flat of low bed trailer has a lower middle, and its flat design is generally high and low.
SinoTrailers supplies low bed trailer and lowboy trailers for road transport of construction machines and equipment.
Hydraulic lowbed trailer
What is low bed trailer
Low bed trailer is a kind of semi-trailer that has a super low cargo platform, the platform is also called drop-deck. And the low bed part has no sidewalls. Rear-axle numbers could be 2-4 axles. Mainly specialized for transportation of crawler crane, excavator, crawler loader, bulldozer, railroad equipment, and other crawlers/tires equipment. Benefit from the low bed design, the trailer has high trafficability to go through bridge arc and tunnel, and lowers COG(center of gravity) of cargo.
Steerable 5-axles lowbed8 axles steering lowboy
Different types of lowboy trailer
Classified by chassis design:
Flatbed type, the whole trailer platform is flat, equipped with loading ramp at the rear side
Lowbed type, the trailer body has a drop-deck which is lower than the front gooseneck and the rear wheel-set, due to the drop deck design, it always comes with a gooseneck, so it is also called low bed semi-trailer
Hollow chassis frame type, the lowest height of the trailer&#;s rear part is the same as the diameter of tires, which means together with the trailer chassis, tires will bear the load directly when loading the cargos
Classified by suspension:Mechanical spring suspension low loader
Non-steer axle
Steering axle lowbed, widely used in high carrying capacity trailers with more than 4 axles. Could manufacture 6 axles, 7 axles and above steerable trailers.
Hydraulic pendulum axle lowboy, hydraulic platform trailer could be coupled with a low bed platform to transport oversize equipment over up to 200 tons
Pneumatic(air bellow) suspension lowbed trailer
Classified by loading ways: please see below chapter
Low bed trailerHydraulic ramp for hydraulic lowbed trailer
How to load cargos on top of lowbed trailers
Rear ramp loading: Equipped with a fixed neck at the front and a climbing ramp at the rear of the trailer, no need procedure to detach neck, just put down the mechanical/hydraulic ramp then you can load and unload equipment directly. By this means construction machines need the strong ability to climb the high ramp. Loaded by a ramp at the rear side of the trailer, because of trailer wheels, the height of the rear side is higher, so the loading ramp should be very long then the machine able to climb on it. Also, the height of the rear loading ramp will increase risks during the loading and unloading process.
Side-loading: This method requires a wide-open yard for the loading, which is hard to achieve in most scenarios. If goods are on a platform, and the height of the platform is near the height of the trailer&#;s deck, this would be a good solution for loading.
Front-loading: With detachable(removable) gooseneck, when removing the neck from a low bed trailer, the slope design of the front deck enables construction machines to climb up/down freely. This is the most efficient way for cargos loading and unloading, this type of trailer can be divided into two categories:
Low bed RGN trailer
Low bed folding gooseneck trailer
Lowbed trailer
The steel structure design of lowboy
Chassis frame design: The chassis frame is the main loading steel structure of the lowboy trailer, so the design of it will be a key part of its usability. To make sure a safe transport of the cargo machines, the design of the loading platform is to make it as low as possible, that is why the chassis frame is drop-deck design.
Flatbed type, cargo platform is flat and on top of tires, to transport steel material, logs, and oversize equipment
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Lowbed Trailer For Machinery.
Gooseneck type also called stair type trailer, cargo platform is lower than the top surface of gooseneck
Low drop-deck type, gooseneck, and rear part of the trailer are both higher than the middle part of the trailer, which makes loading of goods in a very low position
Future trend of chassis design is seeking lightweight, and high strength and rigidity
Landing gear
Landing legs are installed in the front of the lowbed trailer body, the function is to support the trailer so that tractor can be connected or disconnected easily
The landing gear is extended and retracted by manual operation, via lifting structure embedded in it
Reliable for maintaining the trailer&#;s level when it is disconnected from the prime mover
Simple design, but strong and rigid enough to adjust height rapidly
Bearing the weight of landing gears are no more than 50% of the trailer&#;s total mass
The safety factor is between 1.1 to 1.3
Features of low bed trailers
The mechanical or hydraulic climbing ramp is an option for easy loading and unloading
Lower height (hydraulic and air suspension be able to adjust height)
Detachable gooseneck is an option
Small turning radius, up to 55° steering angle
Both automatically and manually all wheels steering
Drop deck minimize the trailer&#;s platform height, increase trafficability and stability for over height cargo
Side bracket is an option(for increase overall width), removable and swinging
The top surface of the loading platform is wood to anti-skidding. Optional diamond plate.
Consists of low bed trailer
Chassis fame
Side beam structure, the longitudinal beam is molding I shape steel or welded I shape steel
The frame shape is stair shape or drop-deck shape, to minimize the height
The latitudinal beam is pressed steel
Suspension
Including tires, axle, brake, and rim
Axle and axle head are high-quality steel
Axle body is a rectangular section
Most lowbed trailers using mechanical spring suspension, hydraulic and pneumatic suspension are options for special cargos
Landing gear
Double speed type
Electrical system
Single wire system, negative ground, voltage 24
Rear lamps, steering lamps, outline marker lamps, side marker lamps, reflex reflector, rear fog lamp, license plate lamp
Brake system
Emergency relay valve, air reservoir, spring energy reservoir chamber
Smooth and rapid brake
Good cooling performance
Trailer&#;s brake system is coordinated with that of the tractor prime mover, braking order is front wheels of the tractor, wheels of the trailer then rear wheels of the tractor
Dual-chamber brakes the trailer in parking mode when brake air pipe is disconnected with that the tractor
Double air-lines brake system. One line is a braking line, which is connected to the tractor&#;s air reservoir, it&#;s charging air to the trailer&#;s reservoir all the time. Another line is the controlling line, which is connected to the tractor&#;s dual-chamber. There is no air in the controlling line in common situation, when the driver brakes tractor, compressed air from the tractor&#;s reservoir will be sent to the emergency valve of the trailer, then the emergency valve will release compressed air from trailer&#;s reservoir to trailer&#;s brake chamber. The advantage of the dual-line braking system can charge the reservoir all the time when climbing down from a slope, if leakage happens and the pressure is lower than the stipulated air pressure, the emergency can stop the trailer automatically
Brake system is able to park the trailer with a full load on a %16 slope road
Brake time between brake of the prime mover and brake of lowboy&#;s last axle is less than 0.2s
Leakproofness: When air reservoir pressure reaches 637kPa-735kPa, in non-brake condition, air pressure dropping speed is not more than 10kPa/10min. In brake condition, air pressure dropping speed is not more than 10kPa/6min
Braking ways of the emergency valve:
Charging and safety brake(feedback brake). Normally the trailer&#;s reservoir is big compare to that of the tractor, so charing the air will take a while. When the air pressure is lower, for safety reason, the trailer is braked until air pressure is high enough to realize working brake(see below)
Working brake, when the braking pedal is stepped, compressed air will function the brake. When the pedal is released, braking released too
Emergency brake also called air cutting-off brake
Loading ramps:
Front-loading ramp
Hydraulic rear loading ramp
Mechanical rear loading ramp
Removable rear loading ramp
Specifications of lowboy
Loading capacity: 30-150 tons
Length and width dimensions available custom made
Heavy duty and extra durability designed I beam
High tensile steel Q345B(or above) welded by automatic submerged-arc process
Top flange 14mm, middle flange 6mm, bottom flange 16mm, width 140mm
Axle numbers: 2 axles, 3 axles, 4 axles
Axle brands: BPW, L1, YORK or FUWA
Option for more axles than 4 if choose the hydraulic axle
Suspension: mechanical, hydraulic or air suspension
Leaf spring: 8 pieces
Ramp: mechanical spring or hydraulic lifting ramp
Traction pin: 2&#; bolt-in
Spare tire: one set spare tire with tire carrier
Braking system: WABCO RE 6 ABS relay valve, T30/30 spring brake chamber, 45L air tank
Lights: 24 volts, 7 pins socket. Traffic warning signs
Heavy-duty landing gear: two speeds, manual operating
Painting: complete chassis sandblasting to clean rust, 1 coat of anticorrosive prime, 2 coats of final paint
Accessories: one standard toolbox
Maintenance of lowboy
Tires inspection
Check the pressure of tires every month, refill air if the pressure lower than standard pressure
The pressure cannot be very high which may impact driving safety. If the tire has a crack, it should be replaced accordingly
Battery maintenance
Check if the battery is fixed up, battery liquid has to be in the middle position
Fill with electrolyte or distilled water if the liquid is short
Remain contacts of positive and negative electrode are fine
Keep the battery dry and clean
Take electrodes off if put the lowbed in storage for a long time
Recharge the battery if it&#;s low
Long-term storage
Avoid sunshine, damp
The storage room has ventilating air, fire equipment
Regular maintenance according to the manual
Anti-rust process before long time storage
Types of dropdeck
Extendable dropdeck load test
Extendable dropdeck: could be extended in longitudinal and latitudinal directions which means the length and width can be increased to suits oversized cargos. This type of drop-deck normally works with modular trailer.
Removable lowbed
Similar to RGN trailer, the drop-deck can be removed from the trailer to enable fast loading and unloading. The above low bed is designed for excavators and other construction machines equipped with crawler.
Loading ramp of low bed trailer
Mechanical loading ramp low bed trailer
Mechanical ramp is budget friendly
Folding ramp low bed trailer
Could be mechanical or hydraulic folding modes.
Front-loading ramp and removable gooseneck
Current market needs more front-loading ramps due to its low loading height and shallow slope.
Hydraulic ramp low bed trailer
The above ultra-low lowbed trailer has 4 axles in 2 lines, with hydraulic folding ramps, both ramps can be adjusted sideways for different widths construction machines. All wheels are steerable, and the spare tire rack is on top of the gooseneck. There is an electronic control panel on the trailer&#;s neck.
Want to lower overall traveling height more than mechanical suspension lowbed trailers? You need a hydraulic lowbed trailer with a girder beam set or a drop-deck, adjustable height makes your oversize cargo can be transported several millimeters off the ground.
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