Fruehauf Flat /Still in serivce?

[ModelsR4me]

HI!

I'm back from a long break. The question I have is, (there are actually two of them) are the 40 foot flats still in service? Also, can someone give me an general ideal of when 40 foot trailers were replaced by (an time line)45,48, and 53 foot tailers?

thanks

JC

[highway]

HI!

I'm back from a long break. The question I have is, (there are actually two of them) are the 40 foot flats still in service? Also, can someone give me an general ideal of when 40 foot trailers were replaced by (an time line)45,48, and 53 foot tailers?

thanks

JC

Welcome back to building, John.

As for your question, a general timeline might be maybe around the mid 80s for 48 foot trailers becoming industry standard, and maybe around the early 90s for 53 footers. I know when I started driving in 1998, vans and reefers were all either 48 or 53 footers, and at that time, most every new trailer was a 53'.

Now, as for 40 foot flatbeds, it would really depend on exactly what you were building. The industry standard seems, since I very rarely hauled flatbed, to be 48 footers, with a few 45's and 53's thrown in the mix. A good friend of mine hauled flatbeds for probably about 10 or 15 years, and all the trailer I remember him pulling were all 48 foot spread axle trailers. The small amount of flatbedding I did was for a local distribution warehouse, and they only needed the flatbed for one or two products they hauled, and they used, ironicly enough, the same 40' Freuhauf flatbed as the AMT kit, and they used it all the way until 2005. They finally retired that trailer and bought a used Transcraft 48' spread axle to replace it, which was overkill for the 20 foot long cardboard we hauled on it! By the way, the old 40 footer was sold to a local towing company, and they fixed it up and still use it on occasion even today.

I'd say if you are building a 70s style truck, stay with the 40 foot, and it would also work for a modern trailer for a costruction or towing company rig, since those wouldn't usually see everyday service. A modern day over the road style truck, I would suggest modifying the kit to a 48 foot trailer, and I'm almost sure there are aftermarket resin casters who offer appropriate air ride axles to convert it to a modern spread axle as well.

I hope this helps, and I hope I didn't get you confused!

[Semi Trailer Mechanic]

The length of the trailer all boils down to the owners (company) needs.

[ModelsR4me]

Thanks guys,

I bought the kit which is missing 8 pices so, I'll problably end up buying another to turn this into an 45-48 footer. Does AMT have an number to get these patrs or,am I out of luck?

Isn't it wierd that no one has done a book on trailers and trailer history like they have on tractors? Mabey someday there will be enough interest to publish one.

JC.

[SpreadAxle]

You'll still find shorter trailers like 40 footers being purchased for local use. Often by private carriers. That would be steel mills and distributors, or other building material suppliers that have their own trucks, at least for local delivery in larger cities.