Getting Hitched - FOCUS: Trucks & Trailers

Contractors can uncover this riddle in their own parking lot, most likely. The multi-tasking unit attaches to their trucks and tows their equipment. More than a way to haul mowers and transport trimmers, a trailer is a "warehouse on wheels," compared Tony Bass, president, Super Lawn Trucks, Bonaire, Ga.

"For too long, contractors have viewed trailers as only a way to haul their equipment and move their people around," he said. "The trend in our industry today is that they should do more for you than that."

Splashed in company colors, trailers mobilize a logo, morphing it into a moving bulletin board. Their storage abilities allow equipment to be shelved for easy access, which boosts efficiency and cuts down time spent searching for tools. In addition, a bounty of accessories, from storage racks to lift ramps, can customize a trailer to meet specific job needs, making it quite the equipment chameleon.

THE FIGURE. Only tough towing equipment will withstand rough roads, temperamental weather and abrasive work conditions. Trailers carry the burden of heavy machinery – they need a sturdy backbone to support their cargo.

"Landscapers make quite a few stops every day, loading and unloading equipment, so it is important that the trailer is designed and built with durability in mind," noted Larry Huemmer, division sales manager, Wells Cargo, Elkhart, Ind. "You want it to be dependable so that you are not working on the trailer instead of the lawn business, which brings in your income."

Construction covers not only the platform, but also tires, brakes, lights, hinges and inside compartments – both the obvious and the obscure, noted Fred Ballowe, regional sales manager, Supreme Corporation, Goshen, Ind. "For instance, something as simple as rear access, where you have the ramps hinged, is important," he said. "I’ve seen a number of ramps that aren’t spring-loaded, and you’ll see contractors straining to get the ramps up."

Inside enclosed trailers, heavy-duty sidewall lining reinforces the structure, he added. This provides a solid mounting board for racks, bins and pegs to hold equipment. Stabilizer jacks fixed on the rear corners anchor the trailer so contractors can take advantage of the mobile tool chest even when it is not hitched to a truck, Huemmer noted.

Depending on its contents, a contractor can decide whether to outfit a trailer with a wood or steel platform, said Tony DeSantis, owner, DeSantis Landscapes, Salem, Ore. "When we have a trailer where we are loading a lot of fine materials, like topsoil or sand – something that might slip through the cracks on a wood floor – we want steel floors," he explained, noting that wood floors generally are a less-expensive, suitable option for hauling equipment that won’t fall through wood seams.

Job requirements also play into which material fits a company’s needs, Ballowe pointed out, noting that lawn care providers might choose stainless steel over painted black steel platforms since they deal with fertilizers.

In conjunction with the platform’s material, Ballowe recommended low floor heights – accessibility means convenience. "Contractors are working on the side of the vehicle as well as the back, so the low bed height and low floor height is important," he said.

Furthermore, the support underneath the floor – the wheels that keep business rolling, so to speak – must be balanced, DeSantis stressed, noting that trailers with wheels too far forward can pull dangerous road antics.

"You can imagine driving down a road, and all of a sudden the trailer is going side to side with a heavy load," he described.

This fishtail effect can occur if 7,000 pounds of a 10,000-pound load is positioned on the front of the trailer, for example. "You really need to look at how you are going to load the trailer to keep it from getting too heavy or too light," DeSantis added, noting that distribution tops scale figures. "Balance is critical."

This equilibrium encompasses more than alignment. All of these structural considerations – frames, platforms and axles – cooperate to form a sturdy trailer. Price determines quality, so contractors are wise to invest their dollars. "You can buy a wrench for 89 cents or you can buy a wrench for $4," Ballowe related. "It’s what you can afford, but you get what you pay for."

THE BODY. Trailer bodies might be tall and covered, stout and open – or even a hybrid, like DeSantis’ combination trailer.

"We had just open trailers before, but we needed to have some enclosed to keep things dry and safe," he described. "There was room in the front of the trailer to make a stationary area and still leave the back open for other equipment. The enclosed portion is a walk-in area that holds blowers, small tools and fertilizer, and has a drop-down ramp from the side."

This model works for DeSantis – he tailored the design to fit his applications, a primary step in determining what style trailer best suits a business. The shop area of DeSantis Landscapes houses more than one trailer model, however. Flat bed trailers with sideboards haul compost and topsoil, and the combination models hold maintenance equipment. Both open and enclosed designs serve as functional transportation tools, he said.

However, as theft incidents multiply, some sway toward enclosed versions, Huemmer said, noting that open trailers are often open targets for damage, despite equipment restraint chains. "More and more, I think people in the industry say that theft and vandalism is a real problem," he identified. "Enclosed trailers allow landscapers to keep their equipment locked up, not only when it is in storage, but also on the job site or when they go for lunch, for instance."

This lock-it and leave-it convenience doubles at the end of the day, when contractors can treat enclosed trailers as their warehouse instead of unloading all of its contents and returning it to the shop, Huemmer added. Though DeSantis said he usually parks trailers indoors, he finds that keeping the equipment on board lessens the warehouse clutter.

Those who deal with harsh snow, wind or rain also might choose enclosed models, Ballowe added.

Then, there are options to the enclosed trailer, such as enclosed cab-over trucks, which also gain interest from contractors looking to conceal and organize equipment in a vehicle that is large enough to store many machines. The enclosed body is permanently mounted on the truck, minimizing backing, mobilizing and wiring complications, Bass said.

These enclosed trucks also tend to be taller – more than 7 feet high – offering headspace and room for equipment like ladders, pole pruners and back-pack blowers, Bass added.

However, depending on a company’s equipment mix, a contractor might prefer a smaller attachment. Contractors who only need to haul basic tools and want a less expensive option might turn to open trailers or smaller, enclosed wagons.

"Are you just cutting grass or fertilizing as well?" Ballowe asked. "What are the dimensions of your mowers? What else are you carrying? How big are your crews? Once you have your pieces you can figure out your square footage.

"What are you doing in the off-season?" he continued. "Are you shutting down? Is the enclosed trailer of value to you?" These questions should accompany an equipment inventory to determine the appropriate trailer style.