Great Dane is displaying a variety of new and/or enhanced trailers at the Mid-America Trucking Show: the all-new Everest series of refrigerated trailers, the Freedom flatbed, and the all-new, dry-freight Champion.
The entire series of Everest reefers, including TL and SS models for long-haul truckload carriers and CL for specialized, foodservice and multi-temp applications, has been re-engineered with stringent standards to be tougher, last longer and operate more efficiently than its predecessors and competitors.
New standards for all Everest reefers include reinforced features like a stainless steel rear frame for superior strength and corrosion resistance, a patented corrugated aluminum roof that adds stiffness to the structure, and PunctureGuard interior lining, a lightweight, puncture resistant, glass-reinforced thermoplastic material produced exclusively by Great Dane. Also standard are aluminum doors with a unique dual-sealed gasket, which eliminates moisture intrusion and locks in refrigerated air. The industry’s highest-rated flooring system features aluminum ducts and full-width composite floor sills to protect the trailer from moisture damage from the inside and out.
All Great Dane trailers, including Everest models, now come with Stemco’s Platinum Performance Plus wheel-end system backed by an extended six-year warranty. Grote Micro Nova DOT LED lamps improve visibility and safety for drivers. And Great Dane’s Long Life Light System combines the flexibility of a custom wiring system with the durability of a fully sealed modular harness. The Long Life Light System prevents moisture intrusion and is truly a maintenance-free solution accompanied by a ten-year warranty.
The two Everest reefers in Great Dane’s exhibit booth showcase these new standards and an array of options available for additional thermal efficiency, weight savings, corrosion resistance and maintenance reduction. The stainless steel rear doors on the 53-ft. Everest TL display trailer have a triple-sealed gasket for peak thermal performance. Interior walls are lined with ThermoGuard, produced using a revolutionary patented multi-layer design that extends the useful life of a trailer as it ages by effectively increasing thermal efficiency. Using ThermoGuard lining, available only from Great Dane, also reduces cooling unit run time for greater fuel efficiency. Because it is manufactured using a similar process, upgrading to ThermoGuard from the standard PunctureGuard lining is a simple, cost-effective way to increase the life of the trailer and resale value.
The undercarriage and support gear of the Everest TL on display is also armed with CorroGuard, the key component in Great Dane’s comprehensive corrosion prevention package. CorroGuard, was developed specifically for trailer underbody protection from rock and stone impingement, de-icing chemicals and road hazards.
The Freedom, offered in steel, combination steel and aluminum, and all-aluminum models, is designed to meet the needs of all types of platform operations.
The Freedom SE is a heavy-duty all-steel trailer with available straight, drop or extendable body styles. It is also a corrosion-buster with structural steel side rails and other steel components that are shot blasted and then protected with a high quality two-part paint process composed of an epoxy primer and black urethane topcoat. The Freedom LT combo steel and aluminum trailer is exceptionally lightweight but built for performance with unique features that offer weight savings and reduced maintenance costs. The versatile, ultra-lightweight Freedom XP is rated to handle up to 120,000 pounds of uniformly distributed loads but designed to be 1,000 pounds lighter than its combination counterpart.
Standard lighting on all Freedom platform models includes LED lamps for improved visibility and longer service life and the Great Dane Long Life Light System, a maintenance-free, fully modular and sealed system covered by a ten-year warranty.
Twin versions of the Freedom XP model, Great Dane’s newest platform trailer, are now on display in the company’s Mid-America Trucking Show booth. The XP is an all-aluminum trailer that weighs in at just 8,200 lbs when equipped with aluminum wheels, making it nearly 1,000 lbs lighter than a comparable combination steel/aluminum trailer. Rated to handle 60,000 lbs loads concentrated in four feet and up to 120,000 lbs of uniform distributed loads, the Freedom XP maximizes payload versatility. This model is available in 48- and 53-ft. lengths and is equipped with a full-length built-in sliding winch track.
Due to the popularity of the entire Freedom platform line, Great Dane has established its Dallas company-owned branch location to serve as a distribution hub for flatbeds beginning April 1. This branch, located at 4115 Port Blvd. will serve as the go-to site for Freedom sales, factory and aftermarket parts and accessories.
The Champion SE model offers quality design and heavy-duty productivity for fleets that mean business; the CL can be highly specified for a variety of hauling applications; and the CP boasts Great Dane’s proven composite panel technology.
A noticeable improvement on all Champion models is Great Dane’s new standard dry van rear frame, EnduroGuard, which combines superior strength with corrosion resistance to withstand the elements and last a lifetime. The strongest in the industry, extruded aluminum bottom rails are securely fastened with aluminum rivets to I-beam crossmembers. Galvanized steel, anti-snag roof bows offer unmatched durability and longevity. Standard composite swing-type rear doors with dual-seal gaskets have galvanized steel skins and a resilient polymer core, which eliminate corrosion associated with moisture absorption in plywood cores.
Available in aluminum and stainless steel exteriors, composite panel designs, FRP and insulated models, and shallow or deep drop configurations for high-cube hauling applications, Champion dry freight vans offer the versatility to serve all types of operations.