A lowboy (low-loader in British English, low-bed in western Canada and South Africa or float in Australia and eastern Canada) is a semi-trailer with two drops in deck height: one right after the gooseneck and one right before the wheels. This allows the deck to be extremely low compared with other trailers. It offers the ability to carry legal loads up to 12 ft (3.66 m) tall, which other trailers cannot. Lowboys are used to haul heavy equipment such as bulldozers and large industrial equipment.
The first lowboy trailer was invented in the 1920s; it featured a riveted gooseneck and solid rubber tires. The first detachable gooseneck trailer, referred to as an RGN (Removable goose neck), was invented in 1958.[1]
Typesedit
The lowboy trailer comes in several types, for a wide range of tasks. Some types are:
Fixed gooseneck (FGN): allows a longer deck length and has the lightest weight. These are lower trailers than normal, with low-profile tires, usually with drop ramps in the rear to facilitate loading of equipment, but are not actually considered "lowboys". The neck is arched in such a way that, when lowered, it becomes a ramp, thus allowing the front tires of equipment to be pulled onto the deck.[2]
Fixed-neck: the neck is fixed to trailers; offers the lightest weight, but sacrifices the ability to detach and load over the front
Hydraulic detachable gooseneck (hydraulic RGN or HRGN)): fastest and easiest to detach, at the expense of weight and deck length. It is the most common and versatile of lowboy trailers; the gooseneck is detached using large hydraulic cylinders to raise and lower the trailer and a small cylinder shores the neck to the truck, removing the neck so a large piece of equipment can be driven over the front onto the deck of the trailer for transport. The hydraulics can be run from the truck auxiliary or from a pony motor mounted in the neck of the trailer.[3]
Mechanically-detachable gooseneck (mechanical RGN or MRGN): while usually lighter than the hydraulic detachable gooseneck, users sacrifice ease and speed of detaching. Used for long specialty hauls.[4]
Mechanical folding gooseneck (MFGN): The deck folds down to ground level to provide a ramp for trailer loading.[5]
Spring ride: lowest cost; however, it has a rougher ride and adds more stress to the trailer
Air-ride: smoother ride, adding to the life of the trailer frame. Air rides can also be adjusted for a higher or lower deck height.
Hydraulic suspension: an oil-filled system, allowing wide variation of axle movement
Independent suspension: a double wishbone, hydraulic suspension, which offers more stability, greater steering angle and more travel
Structural typesedit
Main structural steel type: millrolledbeams save money; although being around 4,000–6,000 lb (1,814–2,722 kg) heavier, they also reverse camber after a few years due to the much-lower strength of the main beams.
T1 or A514 beams save weight and allow more versatile engineering of the trailer; they are cut to the highest-strength shape possible and welded together.
^Mechanical removable gooseneck 2012-01-03 at the Wayback Machine- Retrieved 2012-04-06
^Mechanical folding gooseneck 2010-10-28 at the Wayback Machine- Retrieved 2012-04-06
External linksedit
Media related to Low loaders at Wikimedia Commons
Media related to Flatbed semi-trailers at Wikimedia Commons
November 16, 2023
lowboy, trailer, item, furniture, lowboy, lowboy, loader, british, english, western, canada, south, africa, float, australia, eastern, canada, semi, trailer, with, drops, deck, height, right, after, gooseneck, right, before, wheels, this, allows, deck, extreme. For the item of furniture see Lowboy A lowboy low loader in British English low bed in western Canada and South Africa or float in Australia and eastern Canada is a semi trailer with two drops in deck height one right after the gooseneck and one right before the wheels This allows the deck to be extremely low compared with other trailers It offers the ability to carry legal loads up to 12 ft 3 66 m tall which other trailers cannot Lowboys are used to haul heavy equipment such as bulldozers and large industrial equipment A typical lowboy load configuration Contents 1 History 2 Types 3 Features 3 1 Suspension types 3 2 Structural types 4 Gallery 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksHistory editThe first lowboy trailer was invented in the 1920s it featured a riveted gooseneck and solid rubber tires The first detachable gooseneck trailer referred to as an RGN Removable goose neck was invented in 1958 1 Types editThe lowboy trailer comes in several types for a wide range of tasks Some types are Fixed gooseneck FGN allows a longer deck length and has the lightest weight These are lower trailers than normal with low profile tires usually with drop ramps in the rear to facilitate loading of equipment but are not actually considered lowboys The neck is arched in such a way that when lowered it becomes a ramp thus allowing the front tires of equipment to be pulled onto the deck 2 Fixed neck the neck is fixed to trailers offers the lightest weight but sacrifices the ability to detach and load over the front Hydraulic detachable gooseneck hydraulic RGN or HRGN fastest and easiest to detach at the expense of weight and deck length It is the most common and versatile of lowboy trailers the gooseneck is detached using large hydraulic cylinders to raise and lower the trailer and a small cylinder shores the neck to the truck removing the neck so a large piece of equipment can be driven over the front onto the deck of the trailer for transport The hydraulics can be run from the truck auxiliary or from a pony motor mounted in the neck of the trailer 3 Mechanically detachable gooseneck mechanical RGN or MRGN while usually lighter than the hydraulic detachable gooseneck users sacrifice ease and speed of detaching Used for long specialty hauls 4 Mechanical folding gooseneck MFGN The deck folds down to ground level to provide a ramp for trailer loading 5 Features editLowboy trailer features include Suspension types edit Main article Suspension vehicle Spring ride lowest cost however it has a rougher ride and adds more stress to the trailer Air ride smoother ride adding to the life of the trailer frame Air rides can also be adjusted for a higher or lower deck height Hydraulic suspension an oil filled system allowing wide variation of axle movement Independent suspension a double wishbone hydraulic suspension which offers more stability greater steering angle and more travelStructural types edit Main structural steel type mill rolled beams save money although being around 4 000 6 000 lb 1 814 2 722 kg heavier they also reverse camber after a few years due to the much lower strength of the main beams T1 or A514 beams save weight and allow more versatile engineering of the trailer they are cut to the highest strength shape possible and welded together Gallery editLowboy trailers nbsp Two MAN SE ballast tractors pulling and one Mercedes pushing a 100 000 kg 220 000 lb transformer on 10 axle lowboy nbsp A mechanically detachable gooseneck lowboy nbsp Another view of a lowboy nbsp Lowboy with a Volvo tracked excavator nbsp Steam locomotive on lowboy nbsp Lowboy trailer attached to an Oshkosh MTVR of the U S Marines nbsp A lowboy trailer carrying a Link Belt lattice crawler craneSee also edit nbsp Transport portalDolly trailer Flatbed trolley Flatbed truck Heavy capacity flatcar Heavy Equipment Transport System HETS Long combination vehicle Oliver Danson North Roll trailer Tank transporterReferences edit RGN trailers Accessed 2012 04 06 Fixed goose neck trailer Archived 2012 03 05 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2012 04 06 1 Archived 2015 07 17 at the Wayback Machine Hydraulic Detachable Gooseneck Mechanical removable gooseneck Archived 2012 01 03 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2012 04 06 Mechanical folding gooseneck Archived 2010 10 28 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2012 04 06External links edit nbsp Media related to Low loaders at Wikimedia Commons nbsp Media related to Flatbed semi trailers at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lowboy trailer amp oldid 1178925223, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
