What is a low bed trailer?

Imagine you are transporting a huge load and you have almost reached your destination and are about to make the last turn, but you find that there is a low height restriction, perhaps a bollard or a culvert.

At this point, despite your rush and anxiety, you end up having to take a detour to make your delivery. It suddenly dawns on you that a low bed trailer could save you the headache and unnecessary hassle that you are currently wasting time on.

So what is a low bed trailer? Let’s read on to learn about all its features and benefits.

Design

A low bed trailer has two levels (steps, goose necks) but usually doesn’t have any sides or top. This design means it is very flexible and you can use it to transport a wide variety of things.

When comparing different trailer types, a low bed trailer is suitable for loads where space is a concern. You don’t have to worry about fitting a load based on width, length, or height.

The flat-bed design means you can load the trailer like a flatbed, but the load will be closer to the ground. This is a great option when load height is an issue.

If you need to pass under a lower bridge, you’ll want to keep your load below this height. By lowering the flatbed, you can still hook up the trailer as usual, but the load may be higher.

Size

Lowbed trailers are also called gooseneck lowbed trailers. They can come in a variety of sizes, but there are some restrictions. For example, a gooseneck lowbed trailer cannot be more than 8.5 feet wide (3 meters for an over-the-bottom flatbed trailer and 2.55 meters for a general trailer).

The trailer cannot extend more than 48 to 53 feet long (GB1589-maximum total length does not exceed 13.75 meters), the load cannot be more than 10 feet high (semi-trailers carrying goods, the height from the ground cannot exceed 4 meters, and vehicles carrying containers cannot exceed 4.2 meters), and the maximum load is also 48,000 pounds (42 tons for three axles and 55 tons for five axles).

However, you can find a smaller lowbed trailer. If you don't need the full length, you can find a shorter flatbed so that you can transport what you need.

The standard size of lowbed trailers is perfect for transporting goods over long distances. If you need to move wood or other materials, you can use a trailer to get the job done.

Materials

The most common material for lowbed trailers is steel. It’s strong and durable, and you don’t need an extra ton of steel on your trailer for it to work well.

However, aluminum is less expensive to use on lowbed trailers, so you can save money. But it’s not as durable as steel, so you’ll need more of it to achieve the same effect.

The extra aluminum can affect the height of the lowbed trailer, so you may not be able to get as low as you can when loading your cargo.

Aluminum can be a great option if you need to drive your trailer in the snow. Steel isn’t as good with snow or salt that you might put on the ground to help melt snow or ice.

Both steel and aluminum work well, so you should consider which material is right for your needs.

Use

The biggest reason to compare a gooseneck flatbed trailer vs a flatbed trailer is use. A gooseneck flatbed trailer may look like just another type of flatbed, but there are some key differences.

Flatbed trailers are taller than lowbed trailers, so they’re better suited for cargo that isn’t as tall. If you can spread the load along the flatbed, a flatbed is a better choice.

However, if you need to put a lot of material up high or stack it very high, you should consider a lowbed. The lower height helps with the center of gravity, and it prevents you from exceeding any height restrictions.

If you can afford both a lowbed and a flatbed trailer, you can buy a lowbed trailer. It will accommodate taller and shorter loads, so you don't have to worry about switching between different types of trailers.

If you have multiple trailer types, consider the loads you need to transport. Then, you can load the one that best suits the trip.

Versatility

While you can do a lot with a lowbed, you can also use it as a flatbed trailer. You can raise the lowest lowbed to the highest flatbed position.

Doing this will turn your lowbed trailer into a flatbed, so you can use it however you want. You can load shorter loads onto the same trailer without having to make as many adjustments.

The versatility of a lowbed trailer can be useful if you don't have enough trailers. It can also help you make better use of your trip time.

If you have a load that's a little shorter than the others, you can use the standup plate instead of going back to the warehouse or storage facility. Then, you can save time and money, and you can be more efficient.

Safety

One of the problems with many lowbed trailers is that they don't have a ton of safety features. Since there are no sides or top, you have to secure the load as much as possible.

You can use tie-downs and chains to keep the load from moving around. However, the cargo can become loose or the tie-downs can break.

If you want your lowbed trailer to feel a little extra secure, you need to get one with pins. The fences prevent larger items from moving around too much and keep the load on the trailer.

You can also look for a lowbed trailer with a ramp so you can load everything efficiently. Then, you won’t need to lift the items onto the flatbed and position them.

The way you load your lowbed trailer is essential, and it’s not worth the extra height if you can’t keep everything secure. Make sure to lock it up before you hit the road with taller cargo.

Is a lowbed trailer the right trailer for you? I would say that a lowbed trailer is a great tool for transporting a variety of cargo. You don’t have to worry about the limitations of the side panels and you can increase the height of the load.

However, you should consider what you need to transport and the size and weight of the cargo. Of course, if you don’t have much cargo, you can compare and consider other types of trailers.

Finally, the low-bed trailer can also achieve width widening by extending the structure to both sides, which can play a huge role in the transportation of certain large items, especially ultra-wide items, such as large construction machinery, mining vehicles, etc.