What is lowboy trailer transport? When you’re considering your transportation options, you might be confused by the variety and scope of hauling. Lowboy trailers are also known as lowbed trailers: their decks are lower to the ground than other types of trailers. This makes them suitable for transporting certain types of heavy loads, like construction machinery and more.

Here’s an overview of what’s involved in lowboy hauling, and when you might choose this type of transportation.

Lowboy trailers

Lowboy trailers have been around since the early 1920s. Over the following decades, the design changed slightly: instead of being rear-loading trailers only, they were changed to allow for front loading. This allowed haulers to change the types of loads that could be transported on lowboy trailers. It also meant that lowboy trailers no longer required ramps for loading.

Today, lowboy trailers include hydraulic lifting and lowering systems, detachable goosenecks and air brakes. This makes them available for towing from a number of different vehicles.

While the dimensions and capacity of a lowboy trailer can vary, depending on the manufacturer, you can generally expect to see a well size between 24 and 29.6 feet long. They should carry up to 80,000 pounds (depending on their axle number, which can range from two to eight). They’ll usually come with a double drop configuration with a 10-foot front deck and a 9-foot rear deck. Their height capacity ranges between 8.5 and 10 feet, and their width goes up to 8.5 feet.

In the United States, lowboy trailers are often used to haul construction, mining, excavation, farming and other types of heavy equipment.

Advantages of lowboy trailer transport

There are plenty of reasons you might choose lowboy trailer transport. Here are some of the most common:

• Ease of loading: The goosenecks, low height and hydraulic improvements make lowboy trailers easier to load. Since you won’t need ramps, it’s fast and easy to load up your heavy equipment or cargo and send it on its way.
• Can haul heavy equipment: Thanks to the low height, you can haul large pieces of heavy equipment (up to 80,000 pounds). This is an ideal choice for transporting heavy machinery.
• Can haul oversized cargo: The low profile also makes it possible to haul oversized cargo across the country—especially in areas with height restrictions.
• Improved stability: Since lowboy trailers are built low to the ground, they have a lower center of gravity. This makes them more stable during the transportation process.
• Improved safety: Finally, lowboy trailers use high-strength materials to ensure they can handle heavy, oversized loads. You can rest assured that your loads—and the drivers—will remain safe during transportation.

Now that you know what’s involved in lowboy trailer hauling, you can make an educated decision for your next transportation needs. They’re a versatile choice with plenty of benefits.

If you already own lowboy trailers, you’ll inevitable need maintenance and repairs. Bailey Heavy Equipment Repair, Inc. can help. Call us today to learn more about our services, including heavy vehicle and trailer repair.