Talbert Manufacturing’s 40-ton lightweight trailer can be customized for customers who need to remain below the superload weight limit in states with 120,000-lb. (54,431 kg) gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) restrictions.
Each state has separate laws surrounding superloads. Generally, once a truck reaches superload status, route surveys and engineering reviews are required on roads and bridges to ensure the superload can travel the desired route without causing a hazard. Even after the permit is issued, there are further restrictions regarding when the load can move, usually on weekdays during daylight hours. Further, a permit is commonly valid for one trip only. Given these rules, the need for escorts and the cost of permits, most operators strive to stay below superload level for all the states through which a load will travel.
The 40-ton lightweight trailer can be designed for the transport of excavators, small to mid-sized dozers and other construction equipment, and it weighs just over 18,000 lbs. (8,164 kg). When paired with a truck, the unit can transport equipment at full capacity — up to 80,000 lbs. (36,287 kg) — while remaining under the 120,000-lb. superload limit.
To best accommodate the height of an excavator, Talbert can customize the trailer with a 22-in. (56 cm) deck height and a deck boom well. This 6 ft. (1.8 m) long recessed portion in the rear of the trailer is roughly 6 in. (15 cm) deep and plated for the bucket of an excavator. This lowers the overall height of the boom to ensure the load is a legal height.