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ABF | Three axle trailers

T

Tater Chip

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What is the 3 axle trailers for? We had one here at 005 at one of our regular customer's dock. One of the guys told me that ABF bought about 90 of them for hauling up north. Would someone go into detail about those trailers? I also seen one of those covered trailers hooked to an empty set that came into our yard. What is that all about?
 
We run tri-axles out of 051/Winston regularly. I guess they are just another van to load.

The rag tops are used for some customers that need to load heavy frieght with over head cranes. I know we have a customer some where around Wytheville, Va that has to have them.
 
Seems to me that the tri axle trailers were used for 188 out of 042 at one time. Back then we couldn't make it there with doubles, so they used them to go the back roads from albany to burlington?
 
i was told the tri axle was put in service to compensate for the single axle tractors we use, i dont know if thats true or not, just what one of the old timers said...
 
Yes, that could be. I remember something about when they wanted to run a van, abf didn't want to use jiff locks? When the original tri axles came through, the 3rd axle was too far forward, I think it might have been fruehoff? Anyway, abf insisted on having it moved further back. We are the only ones that have it like this as far as I know? Roadway and others chose to stay with jifflocks?
 
ttman said:
Yes, that could be. I remember something about when they wanted to run a van, abf didn't want to use jiff locks? When the original tri axles came through, the 3rd axle was too far forward, I think it might have been fruehoff? Anyway, abf insisted on having it moved further back. We are the only ones that have it like this as far as I know? Roadway and others chose to stay with jifflocks?
Click to expand...

Roadway is the last to use jiff's. They were outlawed a number of years ago. We are allowed to keep them and purchase new ones because our entire system is based around them.
 
TTman - at 188 when they send them up to us now, we just use them for spotting and loading to 042 when we run out of pups. Few years ago we used to run Plattsburgh and Champlain NY with them everyday, but they finally figured out a 48x102 rollup van worked a lot better for peddling over there! Only have 1 on hand now for spotting mowers at Country Home Products when the other vans are all used up. But they were better than the 42' x 40' x 96" vans we had...
We even have a liftgate now...things are looking up...except for IB volume!
 
Trubigtymer,
You're right in your assumption...
ABF bought the first tricycles in the late 80's when they began getting rid of their last tandem tractors (the 15 series or '85 model Fords)...

ttman,
You're right, too. When ABF got their first order of the tri-axles, the axle spread was too much and they would tear up or outright blow tires off the rims while trying to make turns with them...
 
:TR10driving03: I think there ugly don't like to pull them. and they will make your truck go all over the road they are a poor make but that is only my thought on this trailer.......
 
oh man, try backing them in between two 53' trailers and you have limited pullup space. With the tight space, that extra 3rd axle will make the trailer go whichever way it feels like. I spent quite a bit of time trying to get it in there, sweat pouring off me as I held up traffic, only to find I had one shot left. It would either go in, or I would be in too far to get it back out if it wouldn't go all the way. Panic. I sat there not knowing what to do and the JB Hunt driver came out and said he was leaving and took one of the 53's away. Whew! They just don't back up very well in tight spaces.
 
junction said:
Roadway is the last to use jiff's. They were outlawed a number of years ago. We are allowed to keep them and purchase new ones because our entire system is based around them.
Click to expand...

Great! I was always afraid abf would start using them with the new 53' trailers we have. I'm glad they are outlawed.
 
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