Flats,

hurgoll

Well-Known Member
Who has the best flats and drop deck flats right now.

Are the ones coming out of Transcraft pretty good? I haven't seen any up close any more.
 
The best flatbed is the one that I ain't pulling, LOL. Seriously, not sure who has the best, as all I pull are reefers. I have pulled some dry vans in the past, but for the majority of the 15 years since I got into this, it has been reefers.
 
The best flatbed is the one that I ain't pulling, LOL. Seriously, not sure who has the best, as all I pull are reefers. I have pulled some dry vans in the past, but for the majority of the 15 years since I got into this, it has been reefers.

LOL.. My husband hauls logs or dry van.. I don't think anyone could get him in a refrigerated! he is terrified of screwing something up and destroying the load! A friend of his swears by Transcraft but I personally don't know.
 
We have been using two brands Transcraft and Ravens. I prefer the Ravens, it is lighter and stronger in my opinion. The ravens we have are not 102 wide they are 95,5 to the rub rails, 48 foot long, full aluminum and come in at about 6500 pounds with two aluminum 48 inch storage boxes full of dunnage and straping materials and protectors. The problem with the Transcraft are they crack in all the welds and make terrible noises when they get 45000 on them
 
Holy dead thread batman.

All Aluminum:

Reitnouer.

I like reitnouer. I've even been to the factory. It's really not that big for a company of this size, and kinda made me proud to pull one.

The only problem with them is that they arch so much that when you load light containers, you have to set one end on boards. That's the flats. The steps hardle arch at all.

Transcraft is garbage. I delivered a load of apitong (the south american hardwood used in the decks) to Mt. Sterling once. The combo (steel/aluminum) ones rust out really fast. Check new trailer prices, and you'll find they are quite cheaper than anything else. Like Freightliners and Internationals....there's a reason for that. A real reason.

96" wide....nah. Not these days.

I like the fact that Doonans have container locks, and to my knowledge they are the only brand that does. Chapparal is now owned by Doonan. ATS has lots of Chapparals and Transcrafts. Not impressed.

For Steel/Aluminum combos I like Reinke.

I pulled one at my last company and this thing was tough as could be. The steel frames didn't rust out at all, and the trailer pulled really smooth.

There was also a 1994 model EAST that they used! Man was this thing a tank! They ain't bad either.

It's funny though. Flatbedders are the only group of drivers I've ever met that put sol much thought into what trailer is what, has what, and what they like.
 
Transcraft = junk.

I have owned 2 Transcrafts and both of them were literally coming apart from one end to the other. The only good thing is the frame itself. I bought a new eagle from E&R in Middlepoint, OH in 95. They spec the trailers they sell with every heavy duty option available. I was unloading a 43,000 lb coil at some rathole in Chicago. They got the coil about a foot above the trailer floor when the crane snapped. I was in the trailer close enough to touch the coil when it broke. What a ride! Stakes, bows and boards flew everywhere. You would think the frame would have landed on the floor, but it was not even bent. I had it checked out and it's arch was still in factory specs. Even so, I would never buy another one because of all the other problems.

I had a 95 Benson for 7 years that I bought used and never had anything go wrong with it until the right frame rail snapped with a 44,000 lb coil 1 mile from my house. I won't badmouth it for that because it was a light duty trailer. I scrapped it out and bought a very rough 93 Reitnouer trailer. I used the hubs, brakes and drums, wheels, and dollies from my Benson as well as rewiring and some welding on the Reitnouer. I ran it for a year before I parked my rig. Even though it looked rough, it was still a solid trailer. I had a careless crane operator hit the wrong button and try to drag a 46,000 lb coil off of it sideways. It put a hole in the floor, but I had a local weld shop patch it up. There was no serious damage.
 
Is it Trancraft or Trans Crack? Ours were purchased for a song - thats why we have them, but also to be honest we have made modifications to them to fix their problems.
The Ravens have been great is all I can say, but they are also older trailers. This might sound scary, our Ravens are 1987s and would still look as good as new except for side rails from aggressive fork lift operators. In time we will evaluate our fleet to see if we keep them and replace the rails or just start up grading to new equipment all together. Honestly with the economy and rates where they are, I think the old ones will do for now unless they have a cash for clunker trailer deal.
 
Hi good folks I'm looking for a trailer thats legal for 48/Canada. Thinking 102"x53' Stepdeck Sliding? Spread? Thanks
 
Hi good folks I'm looking for a trailer thats legal for 48/Canada. Thinking 102"x53' Stepdeck Sliding? Spread? Thanks

To be legal in Canada you cant use a 10' 1" spread like we have here in the USA unless its a sliding spread axle.
 
To be legal in Canada you cant use a 10' 1" spread like we have here in the USA unless its a sliding spread axle.
I doubt they would bust you on that , We ran power unit with a spread that was too big . Unless you run into a real hard ass scale dude,They would just tell Ya' "Take off EH" lol
 
The best flatbed is the one that I ain't pulling, LOL. Seriously, not sure who has the best, as all I pull are reefers. I have pulled some dry vans in the past, but for the majority of the 15 years since I got into this, it has been reefers.


Dude iam sorry you have too haul around a helicopter motor behind your bunk

Actually I've done a few loads it ain't that badd

What I don't like are those damn air dryer ever damn 10 seconds jesus h an mother mary of god

I wood like too take out my siage 12 ga. With 12 round clip an end it right there
 
Also how the hell do you slide the spread axle

Why don't u get one of those monsters they use up in michigan like [MENTION=7711]johnday[/MENTION]

And them folks use then you'll have the lengths and wheels on gods green earth

Of course [MENTION=7711]johnday[/MENTION] doenst have skateboards as far as I know
 
Also how the hell do you slide the spread axle

Why don't u get one of those monsters they use up in michigan like @johnday

And them folks use then you'll have the lengths and wheels on gods green earth

Of course @johnday doenst have skateboards as far as I know

Nope, nope, no skateboards for this guy. I'm olde, fat, and lazy, and some think I'm ugly!! LOL
But ya, there are a lot of skateboards with multiple axles.
 
We run On, NB, AND NS WITH 10' 1" spreads every week. The DOT checks us all the time and never say anything.
Well what I have been told is on a 10' 1" spread you had to load it like a closed tandem 34K. I know that all the Canadian flats that I have seen loading at the mills had what looked like a 5 or 6 foot spread.

Also how the hell do you slide the spread axle
You can order a flat where the front axle can be a slider and slid it back to make a closed tandem.
 
You can order a flat where the front axle can be a slider and slid it back to make a closed tandem.

The company I run for has some 53' steps that the rear axle slides forward. Looks kinda weird when that rear axle is up close to the other one with all that deck hanging out there.

Usually the only time I close them up is when I have something going out to Commiefornia.

And if a guy has multiple drops he sure wants to plan it well, so there isn't a bunch of heavy stuff out there on the back by itself.
 

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