Sterett Crane & Rigging, Owensboro, KY., has successfully transported a 140-ton vessel from Tennessee to Michigan using a combination of 6+8 axles Scheuerle Highway Giant with 150 ton-capacity bolsters. The Highway Giant’s integrated folding mechanism allowed Sterett to load the vehicle modules on standard trailers at the company’s facility in Owensboro, transport them to Clarksville, Tenn., to pick up the load without any special permissions, and bring them back to Owensboro. These inexpensive approval-free empty runs result in cost savings for Sterett.
It was the first time Sterett used a Scheuerle Highway Giant combination of this scale. With one tractor ahead and one behind, the combination started to move once loading was completed.
“This vehicle concept has put us ahead of the competition as a freight forwarder,” said Tres Sterett, owner of Sterett Crane & Rigging. “We can react faster to customer requests and, what has become very important in our market, pass on our savings to the customer to offer him the best possible price”.
Due to its low tare weight, the Highway Giant dual-lane trailer has been approved for use in most U.S. states, and was developed as a flexible vehicle concept to fulfill North American requirements. The design accommodates the variable vehicle widths (16, 18, and 20 ft.), and provides the possibility to safely widen the vehicle under load.
Adapting to meet the different regulations in the states to be crossed can be easily and economically made with just one vehicle. Thanks to the folding technology, the trailer can also be inexpensively transported over long distances when folded up.
In order to achieve an optimum payload/tare weight ratio, the chassis is manufactured using a stable lightweight construction. As a connection to the towing vehicle, a gooseneck or drawbar can be used while equipment such as spacers or deck can easily be fitted.
The centerpiece of the Highway Giant features the proven pendulum axle technology from Scheuerle. The hydraulic cylinders in the pendulum axles have the largest displacement volume in the market, thus facilitating driving under and picking up loads. The pendulum axle mounting guarantees, in connection with the precise and smoothly-operating steering system, easy maneuvering even when negotiating tight bends.
On request, the Highway Giant is available as a PowerBooster (PB). With this version, an additional aggregate provides extra thrust when driving and allow the use as a self-propelled vehicle without a tractor. Thus, under certain circumstances, a second tractor is not required during the transport assignment and the cargo can be shunted into position at the final destination even in confined spaces.