When you need an oversized and heavy piece of equipment moved from one area to another, then many times, a regular flatbed trailer will not be able to do the job. There are height restrictions for vehicles on most highways and setting an oversized tractor or bulldozer on a flatbed will raise it too high for the road. Fortunately, lowboy hauling trailers can transport most over-sized equipment within height restrictions because of their low bed.
How a lowboy trailer works
A lowboy gooseneck trailer has two levels inside the trailer bed. There is a lower section in the middle between the gooseneck in the front and the rear wheels in the back. The load sits in this lowered section. Sometimes a lowboy trailer will have accessories like a winch and a material lift hook to move the equipment on and off.
What types of lowboy trailers are there?
While all lowboy trailers serve the same functions for transporting heavy equipment, they also have some differences. There are three main categories of lowboy trailers:
Fixed Gooseneck - A fixed gooseneck lowboy trailer is lighter in weight and has a longer deck. The main benefit of this configuration is an adjustable gooseneck that makes loading at the rear simple.
Fixed-neck - This type of lowboy has a gooseneck hitch that is fixed and firmly attached to the trailer. A fixed neck is not loadable from the front.
Removable Gooseneck - An RGN trailer is straightforward to operate and load. It facilitates loading from pushing or pulling the load and for driving or rolling it. You can also load an item being dropped in from above. The gooseneck is either hydraulically or mechanically detachable.
Possible suspension categories of lowboy trailers
You can choose different suspensions for your lowboy. These suspension types include hydraulic, independent, spring, and air ride suspensions. The hydraulic option offers the smoothest ride while the spring ride is the least expensive.
Differences between hydraulic and mechanically detachable goosenecks
Hydraulic detachable goosenecks are easy to remove but require more maintenance because of the oil in the hydraulic system. A mechanically detachable gooseneck is light and does not require a pony motor. Folding mechanical goosenecks can fold the deck to the ground when loading.