Talbert Manufacturing celebrates Hydraulic Detachable Gooseneck trailer’s 75th anniversary

Talbert Manufacturing, a North American leader in specialized heavy-haul solutions, is celebrating the 75^th anniversary of the release of its non-ground bearing hydraulic detachable gooseneck trailer. First introduced in 1962, the hydraulic detachable gooseneck technology revolutionized safety in the trailer industry.

“Safety is the hallmark of our innovative trailer designs,” said Troy Geisler, Talbert Manufacturing's vice president of sales and marketing. “Austin Talbert designed the first gooseneck trailer to address the troubling number of injuries and deaths occurring when loading and unloading equipment. Talbert has always been on the leading edge of safe, durable trailer designs.

The non-ground bearing hydraulic detachable gooseneck trailers have undergone a series of design adjustments since their inception in 1962 to increase safety throughout the loading and unloading process by offering ample clearance and stability.

In years past, the trailer would sit upwards of 50 in. off the ground and load in the rear. The loading and unloading angle was so steep that the tipping point could be reached quickly without warning. But designers realized that the lower the trailer deck is, the better and safer the loading angle—that’s why Talbert Manufacturing's hydraulic tail series decks can be lowered to ground height or raised to meet a shipping dock for safe loading.

Hydraulic goosenecks utilize a series of hydraulic cylinders to safely and easily lower and lift the deck when the trailer is attached to the truck. Over the last 75 years, the design of the hydraulic detachable gooseneck has been adjusted by Talbert Manufacturing to meet the requirements of operators.

In 1970, Talbert Manufacturing raised the bar with the launch of a new, patented hydraulic design called the Hydroneck.

The Hydroneck creates additional customization options for balancing weight distribution. The trailers are customized with shims to help balance weight loads and safely distribute loads based on the load needs without having to rely on preset weight or height limits.

Both the double drop series and the lowboy series can feature the Hydroneck. Beyond the Hydroneck, Talbert also developed the ratchet neck design, which features safety pins to secure the gooseneck with five or seven customizable preset heights.

In the field

Jacob Jones of Rock Bottom Excavation, based out of Knoxville, Tennessee, owns one of these later trailers.  Jones initially purchased his 1980 tandem axle 35-ton Talbert in 2004 and has been using it ever since.

“We've never really had to do anything other than replace the deck when it fades away,” said Jones. “Its seals and maintenance has never had any problems. You put the tires on it and hit the road.”

For Jones, the Talbert’s durability and flexibility have been tried-and-true assets as Knoxville has continued to grow around them, filling otherwise accessible street corners with buildings and businesses that might otherwise be difficult to maneuver around. Yet this flexibility never compromised the trailer’s capacity to bear any and every load Jones asked of it, assisting the company out of some heavy situations.

“We had a truck break in the middle of a highway, and it was fully loaded,” Jones remembered. “And no record service was hooked to it because it was loaded. So, we had no way of getting the load off of it. We had to load the truck and its cargo on the on the on the trailer to get it off the highway, and it was definitely pushing the weight limits of the trailer.”

And yet, Jones said, his Talbert has retained its spring, arc and flexibility in the deck as if it were new. Jones is currently working to spec out a 50-ton replacement for his trailer, but with increased customizability for the weight as his equipment gets heavier.

“That’s why each trailer is built to the needs of the operator,” Geisler explained. “Each trailer we build and each innovation we come up with focuses on balancing operators’ needs when it comes to productivity and safety.”

For Jones, he expects this same consistency of quality as he switches from a tandem axle to a tri-axle trailer.

“I expect the same quality [from my new Talbert],” Jones agreed. “And that's helpful that that they have not changed their quality since 1980.”     

Constant improvement

Indeed, products don't sell for 75 years without customer input and the ability to meet those expectations—and Talbert has built more 25,000 removable gooseneck trailers since its inception in 1947. 

“When it comes to our trailers, there’s so much to consider outside the type of neck or trailer weight capacity. That’s why each trailer is built to the needs of the operator,” Geisler said. “Each trailer we build and each innovation we come up with focuses on balancing operators’ needs when it comes to productivity and safety.” 

To deliver, Talbert’s manufacturing process continues to improve with the addition of high-capacity hydraulic press brakes, lasers and programmable machines to accurately cut and fabricate parts, Giesler noted. Enhancements in jigs and fixtures continue to evolve to meet increased demand for higher-capacity trailer designs.

Talbert offers a wide variety of base model trailers, such as 10- to 30-ton tag-a-longs, hydraulic tails, oilfield, heavy hauls and traveling axles. The company has also built thousands of custom units and prides itself on the trailers’ durability and longevity; 92% of the Talbert Trailers built since 1985 are still on the road today, according to the company.

"Talbert has been blessed with long-tenured employees on the floor and in the office, all of whom work tirelessly to maintain Austin Talbert’s legacy and vision of durability, high resale value and safety," Geisler said.