Who makes the lowest stepdeck?

[tracer]

Talked to Wilson today about adjusting the height of the deck. They said, "we don't recommend changing it." They only have 2 options for the deck: either 36" or 39.5". The first one is with 17.5" tires or with 22.5" tires and lowered deck; the latter is with 22.5" tires. I think I saw trailers being advertised as having 32" deck height... I know all trailer manufacturers are different. Can someone tell me who makes a stepdeck with the lowest deck height?

[allan5oh]

That's a really loaded question. Any trailer that is aluminum composition will have a slightly higher deck height, although it will squish down when you fully load it. So that eliminates aluminum framed trailers. There are various ways to mount the suspension, and you can even have a slightly sloped trailer(down towards the front) to help you out. Both will help. You can even go lower than 34-36" if you put steel wheel wells around the wheels. It's pretty rare to see a trailer like that though. The wheel wells stick up quite a bit above the deck. The deck might be 26" off the ground or so. Kind of like this trailer:

2009 TRAIL KING TK90ES Drop Deck For Sale At TruckPaper.com

But lower and with wheel wells. I'm pretty sure someone on here had a trailer like that.

Don't buy the advertised height, that could be with the suspension dumped or something. The guy could even lower the landing gear and measure it that way. The only proper way is with the suspension loaded and hooked to a truck.

Although I didn't answer your question, these are the variables you have to look for. If a company doesn't offer 17.5 tires, etc... then don't bother with them.

For aluminum look into MAC or Chaparral. Steel frame I'd look into Doonan or maybe Landoll.

[rank]

We have one of those wheel well step decks Allan. I`d like more. Almost bought 2 used ones as a matter of fact but I couldn`t get the Wilson dealer in Souix Falls to budge from his $20,000 price. The deck height is lower than 39.5 inches....it`s more like 36 - 37 loaded.

One thing I learned when shopping for them and spec'ing them out was that the lower they are the heavier they are. This is because they cannot get strength into the main beam from the height of the web. On a low step, due to reduced beam height, the shorter beam needs to have thicker flanges and web to get the same strength as a taller beam. I used to have a drawing of a Transcraft and IIRC I think it was lower than the Wilson with the 17.5's.

[tracer]

That's a really loaded question... For aluminum look into MAC or Chaparral. Steel frame I'd look into Doonan or maybe Landoll.

That trailer with open wheels cutting through the deck is no good when you haul general freight. You lose too much deck space.... We have a dealer here where I live and they are offering Dorsey tridem 53 ft steps with 32" deck height. I'm skeptical but if you say steel trailers are lower than aluminum ones, it might be close to the truth.

dorsey.jpg

[tracer]

One thing I learned when shopping for them and spec'ing them out was that the lower they are the heavier they are.

Mine has really massive frame underneath, probably because the deck is 36" high.

[Heavy Duty]

I had a all steel Kalyn(now heil)with a 33" deck, weighed 9900 lbs with steel wheels and 2 tool boxes. Do you know what grader pockets are?

[tracer]

I had a all steel Kalyn(now heil)with a 23" deck, weighed 9900 lbs with steel wheels and 2 tool boxes. Do you know what grader pockets are?

9900 lbs? How long was it? 45 ft Mine is a COMBO with ALUMINUM wheels and it still weighs 10,300 lbs. I have no idea what grader pockets are.

[Heavy Duty]

Try one of these http://www.jetcompany.com/images/spe...ble_compLG.jpg

JET makes good trailers Jet Company Manufactures Grain, Side Dump, Flatbed, Dropdeck, Detachable Gooseneck and Tag Trailers they will build what you want.

Grader pockets are recessed areas where the wheels on the load set.

[tracer]

Try one of these http://www.jetcompany.com/images/spe...ble_compLG.jpg

JET makes good trailers Jet Company Manufactures Grain, Side Dump, Flatbed, Dropdeck, Detachable Gooseneck and Tag Trailers they will build what you want.

Grader pockets are recessed areas where the wheels on the load set.

I think a better way to handle 11 ft tall DD loads on a custom step would be to have space above wheels OPEN (2 ft long holes) and have 2 pre-programmed suspension heights: Option 1 would make the deck 36" tall and the 17.5" wheels are UNDER the deck; Option 2 makes the deck 32" high or less and the wheels rise through the holes in the floor. This way I could haul 11 ft tall construction equipment and also haul 40 ft long sea containers

I'm still undecided about RGNs. I keep checking the LS board and the amount of DD freight between US and Canada is extremely limited. Most of posted RGN loads require 3 or more axles, or an extendable trailer. If I could get a 53 ft ultra-low step, I might make more money than with a basic tandem 48 ft RGN. I think.

[rank]

I think a better way to handle 11 ft tall DD loads on a custom step would be to have space above wheels OPEN (2 ft long holes) and have 2 pre-programmed suspension heights: Option 1 would make the deck 36" tall and the 17.5" wheels are UNDER the deck; Option 2 makes the deck 32" high or less and the wheels rise through the holes in the floor. This way I could haul 11 ft tall construction equipment and also haul 40 ft long sea containers

I'm still undecided about RGNs. I keep checking the LS board and the amount of DD freight between US and Canada is extremely limited. Most of posted RGN loads require 3 or more axles, or an extendable trailer. If I could get a 53 ft ultra-low step, I might make more money than with a basic tandem 48 ft RGN. I think.

-Well, yes the 53 was a no brainer but you made your bed.
-I think the adjustable deck height is alot od expense and weight for nothing. What exactly is the problem with the trailer you have now as far as height goes?
-Can't you pull a Landstar RGN and pay the fee to them like the van guys do?
-It's not really that limited. Does LS not go into Dundalk? BTW, if you don't have a TWIC you may as well forget about an RGN.

[Heavy Duty]

-Well, yes the 53 was a no brainer but you made your bed.
-I think the adjustable deck height is alot od expense and weight for nothing. What exactly is the problem with the trailer you have now as far as height goes?
-Can't you pull a Landstar RGN and pay the fee to them like the van guys do?
-It's not really that limited. Does LS not go into Dundalk? BTW, if you don't have a TWIC you may as well forget about an RGN.

The adjustable deck height is about $150 and weighs about 1 pound. It is just a bracket with holes that changes the position of the leveling valve. If you go with open wheel wells you give up having a slider so you can open and close the spread for western canada, get a 3 axle fixed and you can get covers(removable) for the wheel openings, carry a little extra dunnage and you could load steel and machinery over the wheels.

The tri axle would make it easy to axle 80,000 lbs.
Having TWIC card is good but going to Dundalk sucks, most of the freight is cut once or twice before it leaves the docks.

If you can load toward the area where the yellow iron is then load a machine to Ca, i can hook you up with the LTL king and put an extra 1 or 2 dollars a mile out of the rust belt back to Ca.
you need the trailer that gives you the most loading opportunity.

[tracer]

What exactly is the problem with the trailer you have now as far as height goes?

Has a scissor lift I could take for a good rate but it was 10'8" tall. If I had a trailer with a 32" deck, I'd be able to move it. Also, those construction machines I hauled in the past (10'7") where I had to deflate tires would be much easier to deal with on a trailer like that.

Can't you pull a Landstar RGN and pay the fee to them like the van guys do?

But then I"d paying for 2 trailers: my step + the RGN

BTW, if you don't have a TWIC you may as well forget about an RGN.

I know I can get one. It's probably a good thing to have. I've already seen a few loads posted with the "TWIC required" comment.

[tracer]

The adjustable deck height is about $150 and weighs about 1 pound. It is just a bracket with holes that changes the position of the leveling valve.

Do you think I can install it on my trailer? I have 17.5" tires so I don't think I have much space above the wheels to play with.

If you can load toward the area where the yellow iron is then load a machine to Ca, i can hook you up with the LTL king and put an extra 1 or 2 dollars a mile out of the rust belt back to Ca.
you need the trailer that gives you the most loading opportunity.

To do 'yellow iron' consistently it'd be great if I could either get a lower trailer or lower mine by at least a couple of inches. Of course, the longer and lighter the trailer is, the better it'd be suited for those LTLs. So, what do you think: an ultra low 53 ft step or an 48 ft TANDEM RGN with a 29' well and a flip axle option (could get one later)? An RGN probably weighs at least 15,000 lbs ... If I put a 34,000 lb loader on it, that'd only leave 10,300 lbs for LTL, but I'd have both the front and rear decks available.... One good thing about my 48 ft step is that it's very light: my max payload right now is 49,000 lbs

[tracer]

Here's a Trail King double-drop

trailking.jpg

47'10" long
10' upper deck
29'2" main deck
8'8" rear deck
24" loaded height at the main deck
40" loaded height rear deck

Can a trailer like this be used instead of the detach RGN? How often do you guys actually NEED to load the RGN from the front? The mid-size equipment I've picked up so far was always going from a plant where these machines were made to a dealer who then sold them to the buyer. Both the plant and dealer had 40" high docks for loading/unloading WITHOUT detaching from the trailer. One day I picked up farm tractors at a sea port in WA and they had docks, and again all tractors were delivered to dealers with docks. I mean, how often do you deliver machines like the one in the picture to a farmer in the middle of nowhere who just buys one of these $125,000 'toys' for his kids to play with?

A basic double-drop (like the Trail King in the picture above) would be able load/unload stuff via the rear deck + get loaded with a crane. The 15,000 lb dozer I picked up recently in Quebec and delivered to Ohio was loaded with a crane and unloaded onto the 40" dock of the receiver.

cat_loader.jpg

CAT ISO 9249
42,770 lbs
11 ft tall
11 ft wheelbase (probably 20 - 25 ft total length)

[tracer]

Found one company that can make a 53 step (steel/wood) as low as 30" on the main deck! Will call the local dealer Tuesday - after the holiday.

[Heavy Duty]

If you go DD you need the RGN, a lot of loads ask for a RGN but are not tall, just need to load from the ground.


I loaded this at a movie set, no one around to help, no dock.



This was easier, just landed it on the trailer.

[tracer]

If you go DD you need the RGN, a lot of loads ask for a RGN but are not tall, just need to load from the ground.

Your trailer looks all new! How tall was that chopper? I see you had to extend the main deck, but it probably wasn't that tall? Do your remember the weight? I'm curious.

[Heavy Duty]

Trailer is 3 yrs old 2008, flip is a 2006. Blackhawk was about 13'9 tall trailet opened 44 ft make me 93' overall, about 8000 lbs. usally don't haul them with the tail section on.
The truck will be in a movie this summer, "The Green Lantern"

[rank]

The adjustable deck height is about $150 and weighs about 1 pound. It is just a bracket with holes that changes the position of the leveling valve.

I'm still not seeing the need for the adjustment. Why would you ever want to increase deck height? I thought, with the 17.5" wheels, his deck height was already about as low as you can go. In addition, the trailer will only be lower at the back right....the deck height will increase closer to the drop. We must be talking about gaining what....an inch?

[tracer]

Why would you ever want to increase deck height?

Not increase, DECREASE. I want to get a trailer with LOWER deck height so that I can haul 10'7" loaders without deflating their tires and be able to haul 10'8" tall scissor lifts. What's wrong with this idea? It all depends on the trailer manufacturer. Wilson doesn't want to go below 36" on the main deck, but I found at least one company that can make a dropdeck trailer as low as 30".