Lowboy Trailers and what they Entail

A lowboy refers to a semi-trailer that is marked by two drops in deck height. One drop is just before the wheels and the other right after the gooseneck. This enables the deck to be very low, which gives it the name "lowboy" or low loader. Legal loads up to 12 ft. in height can be carried on a lowboy, which is not possible on other trailers. Lowboys are typically employed to haul heavy equipment such as industrial machinery and bulldozers.

Possibilities

You do not want to go too high because you do not want to take the chance of colliding with an overpass while driving down the high way. When it comes to surface streets, you may hit some signs when driving but there is also an excellent chance of hitting some tree branches if your load is too high. If you hit a tree branch going 40 mph it will probably defeat the tree branch but it could damage the load you are carrying as well and impact your control of the truck. Not a good scenario.

Types of Lowboy Trailers

Several types of lowboy trailers are available to carry out different tasks. One of the common lowboys is Fixed Gooseneck, which is the lightest in weight and allows for a longer deck length. This trailer is lower than usual, has low-profile tires, and generally includes drop ramps in the back to facilitate loading of heavy equipment. The neck of this trailer is arched in such a way that it becomes a ramp when lowered, and allows the front tires of the equipment to be placed on the deck. A mechanical gooseneck trailer has the second-longest deck length and second-lightest weight.

One of the most popular and versatile lowboy trailers is the hydraulic detachable gooseneck. It is the easiest and the fastest to detach at the cost of deck length and weight. In this trailer, the gooseneck is detached with the help of big hydraulic cylinders to lower and raise the trailer. A small cylinder shores its neck to the truck, which makes it possible to remove the neck when large equipment needs to be pulled on to the trailer's deck. The hydraulics can be run from a pony motor placed in the trailer's neck or from the truck auxiliary.

Suspension

Different types of suspension are used for lowboy trailers. The cheapest costing suspension is called Spring Ride. It is more affordable, but it provides a relatively rougher ride and adds to the stress of the trailer. Those who need a very smooth ride can select the Air Ride suspension. This suspension can be adjusted for lower and higher deck height, and it adds to the trailer frame's life. Hydraulic suspensions for lowboys are efficient, oil-filled systems, enabling a wide variation of axle movement. Independent suspension is a double wishbone hydraulic suspension. It offers a wider steering angle, more travel, and superior stability.