Low Loaders - Breaking the Limits of Heavy Load Transportation

Transportation evolves every day and new means of transport appear out of nowhere. The need for more advanced and different transportation methods is always present in the industry of goods transportation. One good example would be the need for transporting goods that exceed in height more than regular trailers can transport. Because of this need, Low Loaders were designed.

Low Loaders or as they’re called in common English, Lowboys, are semi-trailers. They were designed for the first time in 1920 having the gooseneck riveted and the rubber tires more solid than usual. The Low Loader has its deck height dropped two times, one drop after the gooseneck, the other drop close to the rear axles. This low deck design allows the Low Loaders to carry goods up to even 12’ tall which is something regular trailers can’t do.

Low Loader Variations:

There are more variations of the Low Loaders used for transporting all different kinds of goods.
The first variation would be the Low Loader featuring a Hydraulic folding Gooseneck. This variation folds its neck down forming a ramp which is used to load up the goods.

Another variation would be the Low Loader featuring a fixed neck. This is used to give the Lowboys the lightest weight possible. The neck is attacked to the trailers making it impossible to detach from the Low Loader.

The most common of the Low Loader trailers is certainly the Lowboy featuring a Hydraulic Detachable Gooseneck. The Gooseneck can be easily detached with the help of hydraulic cylinders which rise or lower the trailer. The neck is attached to the truck using a smaller cylinder which can be detached in order for goods to be loaded onto the trailer over the front.

Another variation is the Low Loader featuring a Mechanically Detachable Gooseneck, which takes more time and is harder to detach than the Hydraulic folding Gooseneck. This variation is mostly used for special transportations.

Low Loaders Dimensions:

The Low Loaders also come in different dimensions. As stated above, the Lowboy can carry loads whose height is no taller than 12 ft.

The first model would be the NGB-35, which features a removable gooseneck weighting about 35 tons. It can carry loads of up to 70 thousand lbs. It also features 2 axles which measure around 43’ to 11’’. The load deck measures 22 ft. There are also other features included such as the lumber decking measuring 2 inches and 24 twelve inch outriggers. This model also features 8 D rings. The wheels have 11:00 x 22.5 tires.

Another model would be the NGB-50 which also features a removable gooseneck, weighting around 50 tons. The load capacity is bigger of up to 100.000 lbs, featuring 3 axles with a length measuring 48’. Another feature would be the presence of a “self contained hydraulic system”.

The next model is the NGB-60 which features a removable gooseneck weighting around 60 tons. It can take loads of up to 120.000 lbs. This model also features 3 axles, its length being of around 48’. This model also features a load deck measuring 22 inches and outriggers measuring 12 inches. This model has a suspension of the Hutch type H9700.

Another model would be the RG-35 which features a detachable gooseneck. It has a smaller load capacity of around 70.000 lbs. It features 2 axles each measuring around 43’ 11’’. The overall dimension is of 8’6’’ wide. This model also features a hydraulic system and a load deck measuring 22 inches.

The last model we’ll present is the RG 50 which has a big load capacity of up to 100.000 lbs, featuring 3 axes weighting over 48’ long. The gooseneck has also many features such as 24 outriggers, tires measuring 11:00 x 22.5 and a Hutch 9700 spring suspension. The model’s overall width is of about 8’ 6’’.

The Lowboys’ distinct features:

The Low Loaders have other distinct features as well which makes them different then regular trailers.

The type of the suspension can vary from Spring Ride suspension, which is the cheapest one, causing a hard ride for the driver, to Air Ride suspensions which give the driver a smoother experience, also it is easier on the trailer frame increasing its overall life span. You can also customize the height of the trailer.

Another specific feature is the type of the metal which forms the main structure of the Lowboy. The Mill Rolled beams are cheaper but they are also heavier with more than 4000-6000 lbs than the T1 or the A514 which has a more complex engineering structure thus saving on weight and giving the trailer more resistance.

If you wish to buy a Low Loader you can buy it from a respectable seller, the prices ranging from a few thousand dollars to even as much as $100.000. You can also find Low Loaders or tractors for sale on the internet.

Also, if you have any experience driving Low Loaders and if you have the required qualifications you can find jobs related to Low Loader transportation on the internet.

As you’ve seen in the article above, the Low Loaders have revolutionized the ways of transportation allowing the shipping of goods of up to 12 inches tall.