Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/15908
Spec’ing a trailer more potential payload. Furthermore, for every 300 pounds you eliminate, you gain 0.2 percent in fuel efficiency, Paccar says. The biggest weight saver is spec’ing aluminum, which is also more corrosion-resistant than steel. Utility Trailer’s Chuck Cole says for dry vans you can spec aluminum side posts and roof bows, while reefers are largely of aluminum construc- tion. Reefers also offer more lightweight linings than in the past. Jerry Richardson, product specialist at Wabash Value of add-on technology at resale National, says aluminum can be substituted for steel in cross members that support the floor and for hardwood flooring. Aluminum rims can replace steel disc wheels. “There’s an inverse correlation between get- ting the weight out and cost,” says Mark Kulyk, president of Rogers Bros. “You can change mate- rial from steel to aluminum that removes weight, but it drives up the cost dramatically.” Aluminum also has reduced durability and lesser strength, Gilliland notes, so you will have to protect the floor and walls more during loading and unloading. “For example, in a trailer floor, it has less carrying strength and doesn’t last as long as a wood or composite floor,” he says. nn No $, easier to sell nn Add 0-20% nn Add >20% nn Nothing nn DK/No answer Match tires to the job Choosing the right tires for the application will contribute to lower cost per mile and minimal maintenance costs. For example, for a regional application with lots of backing and turning into distribution centers and tight docks, the appropri- ate tires would have a deeper tread depth and a compound that’s more resistant to scrubbing against curbs and other impediments. For long-haul, the better trailer tire is one that When asked to assess the resale value of spec’ing additional tech- nology, the most common response from trailer buy- ers is that the features will make the trailer easier to sell, even though the features might not boost the actual value. The respondents were polled for the CK Commercial Vehi- cle Research 2010 Trailer Study (www. ckcvr.com). Coatings, such as Great Dane’s CorroGuard, help protect and prolong longevity for landing gear and other trailer components. has a shallower tread depth and is more resistant to temperature buildup. “The pure over-the-road trailer tire is also better for fuel efficiency,” says Don Baldwin, product category manager at Michelin. In turn, for a tractor-trailer combination run- ning long haul, more of the fuel efficiency will come from the trailer tires, Baldwin says. The trailer tires will have shallower tread depth and lower rolling resistance than drive tires, he adds. One advantage of spec’ing wide-base singles on a trailer is the estimated savings of 800 pounds compared with duals, Baldwin says. “For many haulers, that’s an additional pallet,” he says. “Wide base works well because of the stabil- ity and shape of the contact patch.” Another potential benefit of wide singles is their superior cooling effect on trailer brakes. Baldwin says, “We’ve had reports from opera- tors reducing their maintenance costs on trailers because brake life has been extended.” (Continued on Page 67) 42 OVERDRIVE SEPTEMBER 2010 LED lighting Disc brakes Automatic tire inflation system Courtesy of Great Dane Trailers Tire pressure monitoring Trailer tracking Safety/accident prevention Theft prevention Wide-base tires Wider drum brakes On-board scales Aerodynamics Cargo securement