“There are more people trying to emulate us now, than us them,” says Shane Gigstad, Product Manager of Load King Trailers. , President of Load King.
And with good reason. The company, an iconic name in the trailer manufacturing sector, has a distinguished track record as a key player in the trailer marketplace. Their story goes as far back as 1956.
“We all knew it was going to be something special and realized the impact it would make on the industry,” recalled Parris Erickson, a 54-year Load King veteran, about the company’s early days.
Founder, O.D. Hanson, set out to reconfigure the trailer market nationwide. That mission came to life with Load King now, 64 years later, offering a complete line of custom designs as well as standard model trailers.
“As far as 55, 60, and 65-ton trailers go, we are as forward thinking as anybody in the industry right now, if not more,” says Shane Gigstad. “Our customers are the real experts, and they will continue to drive us to develop premium products that set us apart from our competition.”
Even after the company became a subsidiary under the Custom Truck One Source brand umbrella, it stayed true to its historical commitment to find practical innovations that eliminated pain points for operators in the field. Load King has won multiple prestigious awards, proving that the response from its growing list of customers has been enthusiastic.
In 1966, Load King won “Patent of the Year” for the E-Z Fold Mechanical Folding Gooseneck Trailer, which it has innovated and improved on ever since. In 2018, Construction Equipment Magazine awarded Load King a place in the 100 New Products Award list for its 60-Ton Lowboy Trailer in the Signature Series.
“The majority of our trailer customers are from the infrastructure sector,” continues Gigstad. “Road and bridge builders, heavy haulers, utilities, pipeline and oilfields… And our product range is proactively customized to fulfil their special needs.”
If a haul involves a tough, irregular load, like demolition debris, the job may call for an end dump trailer instead of a standard dump truck. Typically, their sides are higher than other dump trailers, which allows them to carry more load by cubic yardage (though not necessarily more weight) and discharge them quicker.
Load King’s End Dump Trailers
Features
A tilting trailer makes loading heavy equipment onto a trailer so much easier, because there is no need for a ramp. The trailer simply tilts. Axles are located further forward, so when the trailer tilts, it does not come into contact with the tires.
The biggest advantage of owning a tilt trailer is ensuring the safety of expensive equipment (such as construction machinery) during the loading/unloading process. Another benefit of a tilt trailer is that it can carry a wide variety of heavy goods.
Load King’s Tag/Tag & Tilt Trailers
Features
Bottom dumps are dump trailers that have a gate on their underside. When the gate parts open like a clamshell, the load material inside drops down in a controlled fashion (left to right or front to rear, as desired). Typically, they are used for three types of applications: stockpiling, material transport, and asphalt paving. Learn more about the differences between Bottom Dumps and End Dump Trailers.
Load King was the manufacturing company that introduced the industry’s first bottom dump trailer in 1960. They continue to build durable bottom dumps that offer the best value with a life expectancy far beyond the industry standard.
Load King’s Bottom Dump Trailers
Features
Gooseneck trailers get their name from the `neck’ of the equipment that extends into the bed of the towing vehicle and attaches with a ball hitch. The biggest advantage this kind of trailer offers is stability. This allows for a heavier payload to be carried and offers safer transportation on the highways. They also have better load transfer ability, enhanced maneuverability, and, when loaded properly, distribute weight optimally for the towing vehicle.
Types of Gooseneck Trailers
Detachable goosenecks are a lowboy design in which the trailer can be detached from the back of the towing vehicle and dropped to the ground to create its own ramp for easier loading and unloading. They are ideal for hauling both tall and heavy equipment like cranes, power shovels, and tractors.
Load King’s Hydraulic Detachable Goosenecks (Signature Series) – 35-65 Ton
• 352-SS
• 553SS,
Features
• Low-profile, scraper style Gooseneck which allows clearance when loading scrapers without the need to block up the machine. High-relief upper provides additional clearance.
• 26” self-aligning V-Trough makes quick work when reattaching the Gooseneck.
• Rear-facing LED work lights mounted on the rear of the Gooseneck improve visibility and safety while loading and unloading.
• Spring-assisted front flip ramps reduce operator risk.
• Full-depth outriggers tied into the upper and lower flange.
• Protected wiring and air lines.
• Lowest bucket well in the industry.
• Open tailgate area.
With goosenecks that are collapsible, these trailers are very popular in heavy duty industrial applications, as they make loading and unloading much simpler.
Once upon a time, mechanical folding goosenecks were the norm, but they have been overtaken by the modern, hydraulic version (with a retractable pedestal) which is faster without lifting cables and, therefore, less unwieldy. The folding mechanism allows the bed to be lowered horizontally to the ground and laid flat. Ground engaging pads are used to adjust it on uneven ground, which makes it all-terrain friendly.
Load King’s Folding Gooseneck Trailers
Features
• In 1966, as mentioned above, Load King won the “Patent of the Year” award for the E-Z fold mechanical folding gooseneck trailer and has been innovating and improving this design since.
• PowerFold technology uses hydraulic cylinders to raise/lower the trailer for fast and safe operation.
• Side-to-side leveling of the trailer for easy hook-up in uneven terrain.
• Driver’s side controls.
• The ground-bearing design of the Load King folder allows high capacity operation without the severe stress imposed by non-ground bearing designs. This is one of the key reasons why you still see 50-year-old Load King folding goosenecks on the roads today.
• Perimeter frame deck without the redundancy of center beams.
• Easy loading with the 24-degree slope from the lower deck to the subframe.
• Re-designed tailgate to offer ease of use when performing maintenance.
Rigid gooseneck trailers have the deck over the wheels and include a fifth wheel king pin hookup.
The Load King Crown Series is designed for simple and fast rear-loading of equipment up to 50 tons. Innovative rear ramps make it easy to load and unload equipment safely from the trailer. The Load King Crown Series also keeps your load height at the absolute minimum with a lower than industry standard deck height.
Built with Load King quality, the Crown Series is a cost-efficient way to safely move your equipment. With optional gooseneck and beavertail styles available, you can haul motor graders, bulldozers, and even paving equipment.
Load King’s Rigid Gooseneck Trailers
Features
• Accurate payload carrying capacity. Competitors rate their trailers at payload plus empty weight (GVWR) which provides an actual payload capacity less than the rated capacity.
• The 32 ¼” deck height is one of the lowest in the industry. With a lowered deck height, the load angle is reduced, making the operation of loading/unloading much safer.
• All Crown Series trailers are equipped with 10”-wide flange and high-tensile I-beams for maximum strength.
• Spring assisted ramps are a standard feature in all Crown Series models for ease of lifting and safer ramp handling.
• Option of steel traction paths or wood-filled ramps are available to accommodate different kinds of equipment.
• A chain tray between main beams in the neck is a feature that allows the storage of chains, binders, and small tools.
POLE/REEL TRAILERS
Pole trailers, attached to towing vehicles with a pole, are purpose-built to transport goods with length, such as poles, pipes, beams, lumber etc. They often have an adjustable length between the front dolly and rear axles, and some units may offer the feature of telescopic extenders to increase length if necessary. Utility companies use pole trailers as an important part of their fleets.
Reel trailers are similarly useful to move material to electric supply jobsites. They carry paying cable, for example, single reel or multi-reel, for cable installation.
Load King’s Pole/Reel Trailers
Features: Pole Trailers
• Completely sandblasted prior to painting.
• Two-part polyurethane topcoat.
• Heavy duty ratchet type winch binders
• 8”x 4” extendable tongue made with ¼” steel.
• Tongue has sealed extension assist roller and replaceable wear pads.
• 6 position adjustable hitch plate.
Features: Reel Trailers
• One of the latest trailer additions to the utility industry.
• At 10,500 lbs. GVWR, Load King’s single reel trailer allows for an 8,500 lb. payload and reel capacities up to 120″ in diameter and 60″ wide.
Specialty trailers, as the name suggests, are built for specific purposes, and the design depends on the needs of the industry that will use them. Weight limit for specialty trailers can be up to 200,000 pounds and operators typically need a special license permit.
Load King’s Specialty Trailers
Features:
Load King’s Custom Trailers and Hauling Systems are always designed and manufactured with safety and productivity as the driving factors. Because the heavy haul industry is continuously changing, Load King is committed to initiating advancements through ongoing research and development to stay one step ahead of the industry requirements.
Features:
• Available deck styles include standard flat deck and optional beam deck, drop side deck or perimeter frame deck, and optional telescopic deck.
• Hydraulic and mechanical, detachable, folding, and rigid goosenecks in lengths from 12-25 ft. Manual and hydraulic flip neck extensions are also available to accommodate deep dollies when needed.
• The Load King Lateral Pin Design provides shimming capability at the deck to subframe connection. This enables an easy change of decks or an additional deck extension.
• Standard with shims at every connection point including the gooseneck extension, deck to subframe connection, and the axle extension, making axle equalization easier in the field.
• A 4-position gooseneck ratchet offers an adjustable deck height for different load or road requirements while providing a Positive Safety Lock when the rachet is set.
