Flatbed trailer with hoppers

Western Trailer, in Idaho, builds them. Has for many years. The main beams are at the outside edges of the trailer, not under the middle. They are called a convertible flatbed.

 

Good for lumber and grain. Not so good for commodities that don't bridge over the cross members.

 

Seems like the middle of the floor would be very weak?

http://www.westerntrailer.com/hopper-flat.aspx

 

There was one member here a couple years ago who built himself a flabed that was easily to convert to a hopper. He said the conversion time was 1hr from flat to hopper and did it for the ability to haul all types of loads. I do not recall his name but I am sure BHW or Brick would know. If I recall right, he had it in the "trucks section".

KH

 

Lots of people put floor traps in regular flats then run side kits. You use more stakes and run a chain across the back and have tarps that drape each side of the inside of the kit that run out on to the floor. When you unload you use the traps then sift the load redo the traps, then jump in with your grain shovel and push the rest of the product out through the traps. Seems lots of operators run this setup out of Iowa. Run grain east to Chicago, northwest Indiana and haul steel back west.

 

Elevator I haul into st Paul has a truck lift. Guys use a standard flatbed with a grain side kit.

Lots of guys out if the Dakotas do this so they have something to haul out of there.