Tractor Trailer Repair THROUGHOUT THE RALEIGH TRIANGLE
Without trailers, it would be very hard to get the necessary goods from manufacturers to retailers. All trailers are susceptible to failure due to lack of maintenance or damage just from normal wear and tear on the road. Tractor Trailers are used for transporting all sorts of goods both locally and nationally. Due to the varied needs of the product being transported, they come in all shapes and sizes.
Common Types of Trailers
Flatbed
One of the most common, the come in a variety of sizes from 53 feet long to shorter lengths. They are mainly constructed with a steel frame and either an aluminum or wood deck. All aluminum trailers are available, but they are expensive and easily prone to damage.
Vehicle Hauler
Used to transport passenger vehicles, from a single vehicle to eight or more. They can come in single height or double height but do not exceed 11 ½ feet tall due to overpasses.
Dry Van
This enclosed trailer is the most common type for transporting goods for freight carriers. They are used to haul any goods that need protection but no temperature control.
LowBoy
This specially designed trailer allows truckers to haul taller and heavier loads due to its reinforcement and the fact it is much lower to the ground. It is typically used to haul heavy equipment such as bulldozers or some types of industrial equipment.
Refrigerated
Commonly called a reefer, these trailers are enclosed (like a Dry Van) with a cooling unit attached and insulated walls. It is used to haul frozen food or any other product that requires cooler temperatures, regardless of the weather outside.
Step Deck
These trailers have a drop center (similar to a Low Boy) that allows them to transport goods that may be a little bit too tall for a standard flatbed trailer.
Consetoga
This trailer offers the easy of loading of a Flatbed with the protection of a Dry Van for protection. A Consetoga is basically a flatbed trailer with a rolling tarp-on-frame system. All the materials are protected during transport but the tarp can be unrolled for easy of loading and unloading. It does create other problems with the complexity of the rolling tarp.
Specialty
Trailers can be custom made to haul a variety of products. Whether a tanker trailer for hauling fuel, or a stretch flatbed trailer for longer loads, trailers can come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes for the load requirements.
Tractor Trailer Repair Throughout North Carolina
- Brakes – Just like cars, trucks and trailers need ways to stop. Trailers have their own braking systems to help slow them down. These brakes are larger than your standard vehicle due to the massive weights that they are hauling. Improperly working brakes can lead to a host of issues in any vehicle.
- Lights – Lights on a trailer are a safety device used to alert the other vehicles on the road the intentions of the truck driver. Brake lights, riding lights and turn signals are all important. Any failure of these devices can be extremely dangerous.
- Suspension – The suspension system of a trailer is designed to smooth out the ride, helping to keep the cargo safe and improve the handling of the trailer. Faulty suspension can cause the trailer to lean to one side, be lower in a corner, reduce the ability to properly brake or even damage the internal cargo.
- Doors – All enclosed trailers have doors to get to the cargo inside. Whether a roll up door or a swing out, if the doors do not work properly, then loading and unloading can be a hassle.
- Landing Gear – This is the structural framework of the trailer and damage can be catastrophic.
- Flooring – The floors of a trailer can be made up of steel, aluminum, wood or other materials. Damage to the flooring needs to be fixed to allow the safe transport of cargo.
- Exterior – Exterior damage to a trailer can be minor (cosmetic) to catastrophic (rupture side wall). Damaged exteriors can affect the safety of cargo or the overall integrity of the trailer itself.