Talbert’s 55-ton extendable trailer

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Talbert Manufacturing’s new 55SA-TELE heavy-haul trailer is ready to haul an array of large equipment such as bridge beams, conveyors and tanks — but one of the most innovative features is the way the trailer’s size can shrink for return journeys. The 54-foot decks can be retracted to 32.5 feet; the overall length drops to 53 feet.  

The trailer has a 90-inch swing radius that can be extended to 114 inches thanks to a pinned and hinged gooseneck extension. The 55SA-TELE can be set up as a four-axle close-coupled, 2+2 spread axle or 3+1 spread axle configuration. The third and fourth axles can be flipped or removed, while the 24-inch gooseneck extension can also be flipped.

The trailer features a 29-foot wood deck at the front and a three-foot Apitong platform at the rear, with beams reinforcing the structure. It expands and locks in four-foot increments. The deck itself is 20 inches high, optimizing the headspace for taller equipment, Talbert says.

There’s also an ENitro nitrogen-assisted dampening system, which ensures a stable platform that virtually eliminates spreader bridging, which can happen if an entire load rides on the rearmost axle, the company adds. Other features include an air ride suspension, optional Dura-Bright aluminum wheels, strobe lights at each axle, and a battery backup for the lighting package.

– The manufacturer has corrected information about lengths that were cited in an original version of this story.

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John G. Smith is Newcom Media's vice-president - editorial, and the editorial director of its trucking publications -- including Today's Trucking, trucknews.com, and Transport Routier. The award-winning journalist has covered the trucking industry since 1995.


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