Helping gather the wind in Iowa
May 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Wind farms are big in Iowa, and so are the specialized trailers that haul the huge towers for wind power generation. The newest model shown
at the Mid-America Trucking Show was the TowerMate II that has been redesigned from 13 feet wide to 12 feet wide for easier return trips. It is a half-schnabel design that cradles the tower on six axles at the rear. These six air-suspended axles of 25,000 lb capacity ride on 17.5" wheels and tires to bring load height down to 21". The schnabel mounted on the trailer gooseneck is in the top left corner of the picture and brings empty length of the TowerMate II to over 54 feet. The forward three axles can be raised on return trips so that the trailer rides on the three rear self-steering axles. XL Specialized Trailers Inc is an Iowa company, located in Manchester and Oelwein.
