Also, if I was to Purchase a 60 Ton Fontaine, I would Go for The Classic 60 Ton with The Option for a 36” Flip Neck, for 138”-142” of Swing Clearance to Load a Set Forward Axle 305-340”+ WB 4-5 Axle Truck and Actually Scale Out a 60 Ton Trailer. without a Jeep or Multi Axle Stinger Setup.
The Problem is there is Very, VERY, Few States that will Actually Allow you to Axle Out/Scale 60 Tons in 4 Axles, and unless you are running a 60 Ton Load/Piece of Machinery down the road, Most/Almost All Loads will Cross State Lines. I live in Illinois, One of the Few States that will Actually Allow Us the Right Amount of Weight to Axle/Scale Out a 60 Ton Trailer. They allow us #25,000’s Per Axle, but in 35 Miles I am in Missouri and they won’t allow us anymore than #22,000’s on a Good Day depending on the Setup. Long Story Short, We are The United States of NOTHING when it comes to Heavy Haul (and Many Other Things), what needs to Happen is we need to do some Serious Lobbying to Get States on the Same Page for Heavy Haul Weights and Permits, especially on Federal Highways & FBL Formula for Guys who are Running Cross Country. It is Crazy How BIG of a Trailer can be needed to Move Something/A Item Across this Country. One State might give you #20,000’s, 22,000’s, 22,500’s, 23,000’s, and 25,000’s, so when you can have a #5,000 Per AXLE Weight Difference between States, in 4 Axle your at #20,000’s and next thing you know it you need another 2-4 Axles just to move the Same Load that you need in a Different State. So, between the SCRA-Specialized Carriers and Riggers Association & Manufacturers, I would like to see More Lobbying for States to get on the Same Page when it comes to Axle Weight Allowances. There is NO Reason why a State like Missouri should be Allowing #3-5,000’s Less Per Axle Compared to Illinois, when Missouri has Bed Rock, and Illinois is Fluffy Farmland Soils.
Fontaine has the Opportunity to Be a Great Trailer Manufacturer (in my opinion they have The Best Lowboy Design), but their Non-Customizable Approach to Trailers, & UnWillingness to Build Trailers Exactly How The Customer Wants them is where Fontaine Loses A LOT of People. The Heavy Haul is The Most Customized Trailer Segment of ALL of Trucking. Almost ALL of Reefer, Dry Vans, & Most Flatbeds are Built Identical, The Specs are Largely The Same. Fontaine won’t Build a 10’ Wide 70-80 Ton Lowboy, which is Close to Industry Standard, won’t Build a True 9’ Wide Trailer in the 55-60 Ton Trailers, Only a 9’ Wide Deck, NO 9’ Wide Axles those are Only 102”. The Competitors, ALL of Them will build a True 10’ Wide Ton Lowboy Trailer (Deck & Axles), Won’t Build a True 9’ Wide 55-60 Ton Lowboy Trailer, Only The Trailer Deck, NOT The Axles as well. In Canada, 10’ Wide 55-90 Ton Lowboy Trailers, Slide Axle Trailers, Flip Tail Trailers are also 10’ Wide, that is The Normal Trailer & Lowboy Trailer Industry Standard for them.
