Archive for April, 2009

Seven Things You Need To Know Before Buying A Trailer

Looking for the right trailer for your needs can be tough but following these simple tips will help assure that your next trailer will not only meet your needs but also be affordable and longlasting

  1. Have a clear understanding of what your intending to haul Make sure you know the weight as well as the length and width of what your intending to haul. The weight is imperative because trailers are rated in terms of GVWR or gross vehicle rate ratio. This simply means that the weight of what your hauling the weight of the trailer needs to be less than the GVWR the trailer is rated. When you consider what your hauling be sure to include options with the equipment your hauling such as different buckets etc.

    The width of your equipment is important because usually equipment trailers are manufacturered with 1 of 2 types of deck styles; a deckover and low profile lowboy. A deckover trailer has the bed of the trailer built above the wheels while a low profile has the bed manufacturered between the wheels.

    The maximum width a trailer can be safely manufacturered at is 102″ legal tolerences so the deck can be much wider on a deckover while a low profile deck is narrower but is built lower to the ground for easier loading/unloading plus the low deck height makes for a more stable load.

    The usual width for a low profile deck is somewhere between 77″ and 83″. Then the fenders use the remaining 102″ width and of course the deckover is built at 102″ for optimal use of available space.

  2. How are you going to haul your trailer? Different trucks have different towing capacities. To towing capacity for your truck is usually included in the documentation when you purchase a truck but if your using an older truck call the manufacturer to find out what your towing capacity is. When calling be sure to let them know if you have a towing package and what size engine you have.
  3. Look for FactoryDirect Manufacturers There are two basic ways to purchase a new trailer: A dealer or the manufacturer. The dealer is a person who purchases equipment trailers at a discounted rate then marks the price up and sells them. Depending on the dealer you may be paying a lot more for the trailer and you essentially have to trust the dealer to charge a fair price.

    FactoryDirect means you buy the trailer straight from the manufacturer which eliminates the middle man and can save you money. The only problem with finding a good equipment trailer factorydirect resource is some claim to be factorydirect but in fact are still a dealer. Two true factory direct facilities I know of are Kaufman Trailers and Appalachian Trailers.

    Appalachian Trailers has two locations: One in Manheim PA and the other in Salem OH. All of the trailers are built at the OHIO location and these are tough trailers. In addition to being convenient to the Northeast they also have segmented their equipment trailers into two divisions: The Handyman Series and the Contractors Grade. Handyman trailers are for occasional use while Contractors Grade is good for heavy use.

    The Second true factorydirect manufacturer is Kaufman Trailers. Kaufman Trailers has two locations one in Lexington NC and the second in Beaver City NE. They also have numerous freight options to ship your equipment trailer to you no matter where you are located. Kaufman Trailers is famous for building rugged equipment trailers that last.

    Both of these vendors don’t overload their equipment trailers taking away from the max GVWR you can haul. They also both have a friendly customer service team that can answer all your questions. I like Appalachian Trailers and Kaufman Trailers because they both build a great trailer for the price. Others may be cheaper but I would put a “buyer beware” on quality or price.

  4. Radial Tires Get radial tires if possible. They may cost a little more but they are worth the cost. There are some trailer manufacturers to claim bias is better but simply put bias tires are a cheaper grade tire.
  5. Look for Standard Options A common ploy by equipment trailer manufacturers is to offer a cheap price but not include features such as a lockable toolbox. By the time their adding in all the options that are standard on their competitors trailers they are much more expensive. This again is why I got back to Kaufman and Appalachian Trailers. Their products include all the good options you would want as standard option
  6. Never Trust the Trailer Dealer or Manufacturer to do the Work for You I know its easier to call and ask the dealer to put together a quote for you but if you don’t research your truck’s towing capacities and verify your equipments weight length and width you could end up buying more trailer than you need or worse less than you need.

  7. Compare “Apples to Apples” Sometimes manufacturers will use cheaper tires suspension or wood decking to make their equipment trailers seem like a better deal. Make sure to ask plenty of questions about:

    • Suspension Slipper spring is better than double eye.
    • Tires Radial tires are better
    • Decking treated hard woods are better
    • Hitch I personally recommend an adjustable couple. Fixed couplers can be troublesome.
    • GVWR Make sure the rating is what you need.
    • Options are similar
    • Jacks Drop Foot better than top wind
    • Fenders fenders are a big problem and some collapse very easy. Fenders are best made with Channel or diamond plate.
    • Welding Make sure the welding is strong. Some manufacturers don’t regulate this enough.

Using these simple tips will help you find the best trailer for your needs. Good luck on looking for your new trailer.

About the writer:  I have always been interested in marketing but in a way that’s helping people in an honest and upfront fashion. I try to educate and help consumers make educated decisions.

Reckless Truck Drivers Cause Fatal Accidents

Accidents involving commercial trucks often result in serious injuries or death. Every year thousands of people are killed because of reckless truck drivers.

If you have a loved one that was killed in a commercial truck accident an experienced truck accident attorney or law firm like Bush Lewis P.L.L.C. in Beaumont Texas can help you file a wrongful death claim after a truck accident.

Ken Lewis is an experienced Texas truck accident attorney. I understand the rules and regulations involved when filing a wrongful death claim after a truck accident. This can be a difficult and confusing process for someone without experience says Lewis.

Truck accidents are often more serious than regular accidents because of the size of the commercial truck. A commercial truck accident can involve trucks that are as much as 20 times the size of a regular automobile. This means that the repercussions from a truck accident can be much more serious.

Driving a commercial truck well takes skill knowledge and experience; because of this truck driver are required to follow different rules and regulations. Unfortunately not all truck drivers follow the rules they are supposed to and driving a commercial truck recklessly can lead to tragic accidents.

Reckless driving involves driving a vehicle in an unsafe negligent or dangerous manner. This can include:

Speeding

Weaving in and out of traffic

Tailgating

Disregard for safety

Disregard for property

Disregard for people

When the person driving recklessly is behind the wheel of an 80000pound commercial truck accidents that result can be disastrous. State and Federal Laws limit the amount of time a truck driver can be on the road because when a truck driver is tired or fatigued they may be prone to driving recklessly. If the driver has been driving for too many hours the commercial trucking company the truck driver works for may be held liable for the truck accident.

Also reckless truck drivers may have a history of causing truck accidents. This can show that the driver is a hazard on the road and that they have a habit of driving their truck recklessly.

Filing a wrongful death lawsuit attempts to establish that the reason your loved one passed away was a direct result of the truck driver causing a truck accident. Many different things can cause truck accidents and reckless driving is one of them. Filing a wrongful death claim can be difficult and an experienced truck accident attorney can aid you with the process.

About the writer:  If you have been injured or lost a loved one in an accident involving a truck in the Beaumont or Orange Texas area please contact Bush Lewis P.L.L.C.

Rat Rod Truck

History repeats itself in many forms. Sometimes it repeats itself through clothing fashions such as coats and ties. For instance the double breasted suits of the 40s and 50s are very much in vogue today while the nineteenth century womens maxis made a resounding come back in the 1970s. So is the case with vehicles especially with the Rat Rod trucks. It is really amazing to see how these trucks have made a smashing come back in the 21st century and has actually become a favorite driving vehicle of both the old and young. Another important thing about fashion of any kind is that it also expresses the identity of the buyer and hence communicates a message to the other through its external wear. Hence the fancy displays of the Rat Rod Trucks or Hot Rods as they were then known exuded the zest of driving and the gaiety of life.

The Rat Rod Truck was the rage of the 1920s when a couple of these machines were built. The unique thing about these machines was that they were without the basic necessities of the normal truck basic accessories such as fenders bumpers and hoods; instead the truck had a range of fancy items fixed on the external part of its body and this is what makes the trucks unique.

Today Ram Rod trucks are manufactured by world famous auto branded companies and also assembled by private groups of skilled individuals. Ram Rod Trucks can be custom manufactured to reflect the personality of the owner and in order to do this there is a wide variety of accessories available on our website. All you have to do is scan our website and choose the accessories that best gel with your imagination for the creation of your Rat Rod Truck; or if you wish you can buy a readymade Rat Rod Truck too. Our website also offers some fabulous discounts on your purchases.

About the writer:  Get complete information about rat rod trucks at our online Store and know more about rat hot rods rat rod motorcycles and rat rod parts..

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