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Stretch lowboy trailers are specialized heavy haul transport vehicles designed to carry exceptionally long and heavy equipment safely and efficiently. Their unique feature is an extendable or telescoping deck that adjusts the trailer length, allowing them to handle oversized loads that would not fit on standard trailers. This article explores the design, functionality, benefits, technical specifications, and use cases of stretch lowboy trailers in modern heavy haulage.
Basic Design and Operation
A stretch lowboy trailer consists of three primary components: the gooseneck, the main deck, and the set of rear axles. The main deck is telescoping, allowing the trailer’s length to increase from a compact size suitable for road travel to extended lengths capable of transporting long equipment such as drilling rigs, construction machinery, or structural components.
The gooseneck is often detachable or hydraulic, enabling easy loading by lowering or removal. This setup allows equipment to be driven or placed onto the trailer at ground level, facilitating safer and faster loading processes.
Key Features
Stretch lowboy trailers excel in hauling:
Technical Terms Explained
Heavy-haul operators frequently transport 70-foot-long mining conveyors using stretch lowboys, avoiding the need for cranes thanks to the hydraulic detachable gooseneck that lowers the deck for drive-on loading. This capability reduces jobsite downtime and enhances safety compared to lift loading.
Recommendations
When utilizing a stretch lowboy:
Stretch lowboy trailers represent a technologically advanced solution in heavy haul transport. Their flexible length, hydraulic adjustability, and durable construction make them ideal for oversized, heavy, and awkward cargo. Understanding their features, operational considerations, and maintenance ensures efficient and safe transport of some of the largest equipment and structures across challenging routes.
Basic Design and Operation
A stretch lowboy trailer consists of three primary components: the gooseneck, the main deck, and the set of rear axles. The main deck is telescoping, allowing the trailer’s length to increase from a compact size suitable for road travel to extended lengths capable of transporting long equipment such as drilling rigs, construction machinery, or structural components.
The gooseneck is often detachable or hydraulic, enabling easy loading by lowering or removal. This setup allows equipment to be driven or placed onto the trailer at ground level, facilitating safer and faster loading processes.
Key Features
- Adjustable Length: Stretch lowboy trailers can typically extend from around 29 feet to lengths exceeding 70 feet, with locking stops at regular increments (e.g., every 24 inches) to secure the position.
- Weight Capacity: Many stretch lowboys support weights up to 150,000 pounds or more with multi-axle configurations distributing load evenly across the trailer.
- Hydraulic Systems: Hydraulic mechanisms enable smooth extension and retraction of the deck, along with gooseneck adjustment, improving operational safety and precision.
- Deck Height: These trailers maintain low deck heights, often near 18-24 inches, to boost clearance for tall cargo and comply with road regulations.
- Axle Configurations: Stretch lowboys feature multi-axle setups (up to nine axles) with flip axles and steering capabilities, enhancing turning radius and legal compliance for heavy and wide loads.
- Extensions and Inserts: Some models accept removable inserts or decks for further length increases or specialized equipment accommodation.
- Safety and Visibility: Equipped with advanced lighting systems including tail, clearance, and mid-turn lights for enhanced road presence.
Stretch lowboy trailers excel in hauling:
- Long construction and mining equipment (e.g., excavators, bulldozers)
- Oversized industrial machinery and components
- Prefabricated bridge sections, wind turbine blades, and cranes
- Agricultural equipment and specialized vehicles
Technical Terms Explained
- Gooseneck: The front curved part of the trailer that connects to the tractor via the kingpin.
- Telescoping Deck: A deck that slides out or in to adjust the trailer’s length.
- Flip Axle: An axle that flips up or down, allowing adjustments for weight distribution or trailer length.
- Kingpin: A pivot point allowing the trailer to articulate with the truck.
- Load Distribution: How the weight of the cargo is spread over axles to comply with road weight regulations.
- Deck Clearance: The ground distance between the trailer deck and the road.
Heavy-haul operators frequently transport 70-foot-long mining conveyors using stretch lowboys, avoiding the need for cranes thanks to the hydraulic detachable gooseneck that lowers the deck for drive-on loading. This capability reduces jobsite downtime and enhances safety compared to lift loading.
Recommendations
When utilizing a stretch lowboy:
- Plan loads and route inspection carefully, considering overall extended length and bridge regulations.
- Ensure trailer hydraulic systems are maintained for reliable extension and retraction.
- Train operators on locking mechanisms and extension procedures to prevent accidents.
- Use multi-axle configuration as required to distribute extremely heavy loads and comply with state weight limits.
Stretch lowboy trailers represent a technologically advanced solution in heavy haul transport. Their flexible length, hydraulic adjustability, and durable construction make them ideal for oversized, heavy, and awkward cargo. Understanding their features, operational considerations, and maintenance ensures efficient and safe transport of some of the largest equipment and structures across challenging routes.
