America’s Aging Trailer Fleet Gets a Lift from Stertil-Koni Kingpin Crossbeam Adapter

Mobile Column Lifts can easily be brought directly to where the trailers are stored –typically out in the yard

As large trucking operators grapple with how to conserve costs associated with maintaining an extensive fleet of trailers in a lackluster economy, one cleverly engineered piece of equipment from bus lift and truck lift leader Stertil-Koni has taken on new prominence – the Kingpin Cross Beam Adapter.

The stakes are high, particularly as net U.S. trailer orders for Q2 are down 71% year-over-year, as highlighted by ACT Research’s State of the Industry:  U.S. Trailer Report. While the slump is expected to be temporary in an otherwise growing multi-billion dollar industry, the implications are clear: Operators are relying on existing trailers to cover more loaded miles than ever before.

As a result, experts agree that preventative maintenance will be key to keeping these trailers safe and profitable.

Explained Peter Bowers, Technical Sales Manager for Stertil-Koni, “As hubs, brakes, air lines, and suspension components age, the need for inspection and maintenance increases. Trailers sitting idle due to current slower demand also need maintenance to keep them at-the-ready. Otherwise, when the economy accelerates, poor maintenance could impede competitive performance at a point of maximum opportunity.”

That’s where the Stertil-Koni Kingpin Adapter for Mobile Column Lifts rises to the occasion.

“This product,” Bowers continued, “can be essential to safely lifting trailers when independent of the tractor. And that happens all the time.”

Here’s why it is so important: The majority of trailers are serviced and inspected outside – detached from the cab. Further, in contrast to the more straightforward requirement of lifting a full rig — which can be accomplished with a range of options including Mobile Column Lifts, axle engaging scissor lifts, platform lifts or in-ground piston lifts — lifting a trailer on its own presents a number of unique structural demands.

The Stertil-Koni Kingpin Crossbeam, supported by two Mobile Column Lifts, engages directly with a trailer’s kingpin coupling, while two, rearmost Mobile Column Lifts directly raise the trailer’s wheels. The result is a safe, ergonomically sound, simple, synchronized 3-point lift of an otherwise ungainly trailer when independent of the tractor.

What’s more, Mobile Column Lifts can easily be brought directly to where the trailers are stored –typically out in the yard – again increasing efficiency.

Stertil-Koni also has other crossbeams that can be used in conjunction with Mobile Column Lifts for vehicles with low ground clearance, including buses and extra heavy military vehicles.

In closing, Stertil-Koni President, Dr. Jean DellAmore adds, “The Kingpin Cross Beam Adapter can be an essential accessory for trailer fleets and one that easily broadens the applications for Stertil-Koni’s award-winning Mobile Column Lifts.”

Category: Accessories, Equipment, Featured, Fleet Maintenance, General Update, News, Shop Stuff, Tools, Vehicle Lifts