Operator Safety, Ease of Maintenance, Key Elements In Felling's Re-Engineered Utility Pole Trailer

Mon November 06, 2017
Truck and Trailer Guide

No matter the industry, operator safety and ease of use and maintenance, are key elements that are taken into account when a company is looking into equipment acquisition. All of these elements were paramount in Felling's re-engineering process of the utility pole series trailer line. The first of these revamped models, an FT-10-1 PT, was released to the market this fall at the ICUEE (International Construction & Utility Equipment Exposition) show in Louisville, Ky.

The newly designed pole trailers are a fully engineered and documented product that an operator can be assured many years of trouble-free service, according to the manufacturere. This model has a retracted length of 24 ft. (7.3 m) and can extend to 40 ft. (12 m) with one adjustment point midway.

The model line offers several payload capacities and can be manufactured with a single or tandem axle configuration, both with dual wheels. 10,000, 12,000, 15,000 or 20,000 lb. axles are available, and all can be equipped with airbrakes if needed.

Ease of Maintenance

One of the more common maintenance issues on extendable pole trailers is with the lighting and electric brake wiring along with airlines, when equipped with air brakes. To remedy this issue, Felling Trailers uses an industrial grade energy chain (cat-track). The energy chain houses both the electrical cable along with the airlines. There is no operator intervention ever needed when extending or retracting the trailer tongue, virtually eliminating the possibility of damaging the electrical cord or airlines.

Several pole trailer manufacturers place a trailer plug receptacle in the tongue extension at each adjustment point and a pigtail with a plug attached to the fixed portion of the tongue. This method is thought to have a few flaws in its design. For example, if an operator forgets to pull the plug and goes to extend the tongue, either the plug will break, or the wires will pull out. An even bigger issue is when the operator forgets to plug it back in after extending or retracting the tongue and going back on the road. If this occurs, they will not have trailer lights or braking capabilities. Even more concerning, if the trailer separates from the tow vehicle, there wouldn't be any emergency break-away capability possibly causing a serious accident.

Keeping a trailer clean and free of debris benefits the operator and those on the road with them. Felling's Pole trailer's design makes this task easier, between the mainframe rails, from the center bolster back is a 12 gauge steel floor with grouped perforations in each corner for drainage and small debris clean out.

Ease of Use

Equipped with a 2 in. (5 cm) cold rolled steel, positive locking adjustment pin, an operator will never have to be concerned with the pin shearing or losing the pin and clip assembly. Designed with a notched flange welded on the pin, the flange notches have to pass through two tabs welded 90 degrees from each other assuring a positive locked position. No need to worry about the additional keeper pin on the other side. Furthermore, the 2 in. positive locking adjustment pin is attached to the trailer with a chain, so the operator never has to worry about the pin getting lost or misplaced.

Safety in Design

The utility pole trailers are equipped standard with center and rear, full width, 5 in. x 6.7# double c-channel bolsters with sliding, lever locking removable stanchions. There is a lynch pin with a lanyard attached at each end of the bolster. This is a key element, in the case where an operator would forget to lock the stanchion in place the pin will make sure it does not slide off the bolster when in transit.

A 45 in. (114 cm) wide front bolster with a 4 in. (10 cm) strap and binder also is standard on single axle models. The tandem axle models offer a 95 in. (241 cm) wide double c-channel bolster with a 4 in. strap and binder, and sliding stanchions are included. Multiple load securement points are located down the mainframe rail, three d-rings provide ideal tie-down points for the material being carried in the cargo area.

Felling's utility pole series have an overall width of this trailer is 95 in., being no wider than the truck pulling it, makes it easier to get into tight situations. No matter if it's down an alley, a narrow easement or trying to get it through gates, if the truck fits, so will the trailer.

For more information, call 800/245-2809 or visit www.felling.com.