Loader for Hire: Our Simple Overview on Low Loader Trailers
If you’ve been on any highway in Australia, you have likely seen many specialised trailers pulled by freight transportation companies. Low loader trailers, also known as double drop, low-bed, or lowboy trailers, are efficient and versatile transport machines designed to carry bulldozers, cranes, and other heavy construction equipment.
How Low Loader Trailers Function
The very first low bed trailer was introduced in the 1920s. Back then, it could only be loaded from the rear and its gooseneck was attached to the truck from the front of the trailer. The detachable gooseneck followed in the 1950s, making it much easier to load the deck. Modern low loader trailers have hydraulic systems that further streamline the loading process.
Low loaders are semi-trailers with two drop decks. The first drop is behind the gooseneck of the trailer, and the second drop is right before the wheels. These two drops make oversized transport more convenient, and they are what separate low loader trailers from other standard trailers.
The low-lying deck ensures that the centre of gravity is low, while the equipment being hauled remains as stable as possible. There is also the option of increasing the width of the cargo plane. This way, the trailer remains completely stable on the road regardless of what cargo it carries.
Low loader trailers come in two variations: short and extended, with customisable chassis adjusted depending on use. The trailer sits very low to the ground, making it easy to accommodate tall equipment that surpasses the legal height requirement for flatbed trailers.
Two-axel low loader trailers can carry equipment up to 5 metres high and 20,000 kilograms. If the number of axels is expanded, the weight limit can be increased to nearly 40,000 kilograms. Low loaders have hydraulic suspension and an optimal loading platform that makes loading, transport, and unloading heavy machinery incredibly easy.
Both trailer types are also equipped with high-quality equipment such as outriggers and flip ramps to make the transfer process as easy as possible.
What Low Loader Trailers Can Carry
Low loaders are the best choice for heavy machinery or equipment. Its unique setup can accommodate large and uneven loads up to 5 metres wide and 100 tonnes. The trailers can also be extended by as many axels as needed to accommodate your machine lengthwise. For companies that handle different types of cargo, low loader trailers are the most practical and cost-effective solution because they can transport any type of goods, machinery, and equipment.
Low loader trailers are often tasked to carry the following:
- Construction equipment for roadwork and excavation
- Forwarder, harvester, and skidders for forestry
- Tractors, wagons, harvesters, hybrid towers, and other agricultural equipment
- Generators and turbine blades for wind power plants
- Boats, cranes, and other large vessels
- Specially fabricated plant machinery
- Heavy machinery for drilling and transporting minerals for mining
- Semi-trucks and earthmovers
- Road-rail vehicles, locomotives, rail motor coach, and other railway parts.
These are only a few examples of what low loader trailers can carry. If you have heavy equipment that you need to transport in Australia, contact a local transport company to find out about all your options.
Conclusion
Low loader trailers are a popular choice for transportation companies across Australia because of their large load capacities. If you need to transport heavy machinery, low loaders can get the job done. A reputable transport company will provide the perfect transport solution for your specific needs.
If you plan to hire a truck or a loader in Perth, KEE Group is here for you. Our haulage solutions cover the whole of Australia. We endeavour to meet all deadlines and budgets with our reliable service. We can handle anything between 1T and 250T across our fleet of low loaders. Contact us about your transport needs!
