Talbert Manufacturing’s trailer hauls large equipment

The trailer’s deck is 54 feet in length when open.


Talbert Manufacturing, a manufacturer of specialized heavy-haul solutions headquartered in Rensselaer, Indiana, introduces its 55SA-TELE heavy haul trailer. The deck length of this innovative unit is 54 feet when open, which allows users to haul large equipment, such as bridge beams, conveyors, generators, pressure vessels and tanks. Operators can then retract the trailer to 32 feet 6 inches. This shortens the overall trailer length to 53 feet, eliminating the need for permits.

“Our customers have always played an integral role in the development of our product line and the 55SA-TELE is no exception,” says Troy Geisler, Talbert Manufacturing vice president of sales and marketing. “Our customers needed a way to minimize costs to remain competitive when transporting the ever longer loads, and the retractable deck helps them do that. The 55SA-TELE gives customers the long deck length they need to transport equipment, yet offers the retractable option to fall within legal length on return trips.” 

Talbert designed the 55SA-TELE with a 90-inch swing radius that can be extended to 114 inches with the use of a gooseneck extension. This optimizes the deck length while keeping it within the legal 53-foot limit when retracted. 

Users can set up the trailer as a four-axle close coupled, 2 by 2 spread axle or 3 by 1 spread axle configuration. The third and fourth axles can be flipped or removed, plus a 24-inch pinned and hinged gooseneck extension can also can be flipped. This, along with its 24-inch flip-up extension, shortens the deck to 32 feet 6 inches. 

The unit features a 29-foot wood deck in the front and a 3-foot Apitong platform in the rear with beams stretching between. The trailer expands and locks in 4-foot increments. 

The 55SA-TELE also is equipped with Talbert’s ENitro nitrogen assisted dampening system. ENitro provides a safe and stable platform that virtually eliminates bridging of the spreader, which can occur if an entire load rides on the rearmost axle. The system’s nitrogen accumulator oscillates around a central self-tracking pivot point to provide proportional weight distribution in each axle grouping. It sets the axle load capacity and keeps it there as the system equalizes up and down articulation.    

The trailer also features a 20-inch deck height and an air ride suspension. It can be equipped with optional Dura-Bright aluminum wheels, strobe lights at each axle and a battery backup that powers the lighting package when the trailer is disconnected from the truck power.

The trailer is built with high strength 100,000 pounds per square inch minimum yield steel, designed to give it the durability to withstand harsh day-to-day environments.