Both curtainside and sliding bow (roll-top) trailers are designed to expand your freight options in a single adaptable trailer. Both open up the bed of a standard flatbed to new profit opportunities that extend far beyond the conventional flatbed&#;s potential. And, perhaps best of all, curtainsiders and sliding bow trailers eliminate the time-consuming, hazardous requirement to tarp large loads&#;a perk that also makes it easier to recruit and retain professional drivers in an era of high turnover.
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What's The Difference Between a Curtain Side Trailer and Sliding Bows?
A curtainside trailer consists of a solid, fixed bulkhead up front, fixed swinging or roll-up rear doors and a hard-shell roof overhead. Both sides are a retractable, heavy-duty curtains instead of solid walls like a conventional trailer. The curtainside configuration is typically constructed on either a standard flatbed trailer or a step-deck model.
A sliding bow trailer resembles a curtainside, except with a soft roof and movable rear bulkhead mounted on sliding bow supports in a track. When slid forward or to the rear, the entire unit compresses somewhat like a concertina. The soft, flexible sides and soft roof can be moved all the way forward, compressing against the front bulkhead, or all the way to the rear. This flexibility opens the entire bed to rapid loading from both sides or above. Once the load is strapped, the sliding structure is returned to its original position, totally enclosing the load and eliminating the need for tarping.
Shared Strong Points Between a Curtain Side Trailer and Sliding Bows
The advantages shared by both the curtainside and the sliding bow trailer&#;versus an open flatbed or conventional box van&#;are numerous:
- Rapid two-side loading/unloading at facilities without a standard loading dock or where ground access by forklifts is faster.
- Accommodates large flatbed-style freight that can only be side-loaded and is not appropriate for a conventional enclosed van.
- No more time-consuming tarping on flatbed-style loads. Just load from either side, strap down and close the curtains or slide the bow structure closed. No injury potential to drivers and more time moving down the road instead of tarping.
- Provides access to all freight at any time&#;just retract the curtain or slid the bows forward or backward&#;accommodating multiple partial shipments in one trailer. Because back-to-front freight sequencing is eliminated, curtainsides and sliding bows permit addition of haulbacks for additional revenue while still preserving access to pending deliveries anywhere on the trailer.
- Shippers of certain large specialized freight often prohibit any contact with tarps&#;for example, large machinery with milled surfaces, robotics, and aircraft and aerospace components. These shipments make flatbed transport unfeasible and a curtainside or sliding bow is the only option.
Contrasting Characteristics Between a Curtain Side Trailer and Sliding Bows
Curtainside trailers incorporate advantages specific to certain freight requirements. These include a hard shell roof for greater security and protection of freight in the event of a rollover. Translucent roof panels also illuminate the interior of the trailer for safer loading without additional lighting. Dual swing or roll-up doors in the back allow conventional back-in dock loading.
The sliding bow option, conversely, offers an extra dimension of access not provided by a curtainside: The soft retractable roof opens up the entire bed to crane loading from above. For large freight that can&#;t be side-loaded into a curtainside, or loaded through rear doors into a conventional van, only a sliding bow can fully eliminate the need for an open flatbed trailer.
Product Pages:
- RolaBow - Roland Curtains version of the Sliding Bow Trailer
- RolaLoad - Roland Curtains version of a Curtain Side Trailer
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One of the most common forms of truck and trailer (or semitrailer) a curtainsider has canvas curtains down each side which can be drawn back to allow a forklift to load onto the deck. It&#;s a flat-bed truck with a roof structure supported by a headboard and tailboard that has roof rails and supports.
Checking all the straps on this curtainside road train would take an eternity
They are most useful for palletised freight, i.e. freight that can be lifted using a forklift. However, large bags and other types of loads can be carried if secured properly &#; basically, anything that can be loaded from the side that is contained within itself or can be contained using dunnage or by other means.
Some curtainsiders also allow loading from the top and can be used to carry woodchips and other loose freight.
Options to load from the side or the top in this curtainside truck
The curtains themselves will provide some level of load restraint (the curtains are rated), although not as much as a box body trailer, therefore loads need to be restrained properly using straps or chains. They are mainly designed to provide security and aerodynamics to the trailer, and to protect the load from the weather.
The curtains are kept tight by buckles down the side which hook under a rail.
Buckles and the front ratchet for tightening the curtain
At the front of the curtain is a curtain pole which sits in a hole in the roof rail and over a ratchet at the bottom, allowing it to be tightened.
Rear ratchet with the handle stowed
Some curtainsiders have a mezzanine or &#;mezz&#; floor which means they can load more when carrying freight that can&#;t be stacked very high.
Mezzanine floor
The curtainsider could have a rigid rear or container doors that open. Where there are rear doors, this gives added flexibility, especially if there&#;s a taillift option.
You can load from the side or from the rear container doors
You can get refrigerated curtainsiders for shipping fruit and other perishable goods.
How to use a curtainsider
If you&#;re buying, using or hiring a curtainsider, then you need to know how to open and close them and what to check for as it can be dangerous:
- Don&#;t open a curtainsider which is bulging &#; freight could have moved and might fall on you. Open it from the back or the opposite side to check
- In strong or gusty winds, open the lee side of the trailer first (i.e. the side that&#;s not exposed to the wind
- When opening any curtain in gusty winds, take care as the wind can take the curtain pole and swing it into your head, knocking you out
- Loose buckles can flap around and hit passing cars &#; make sure all buckles are tight
- Make sure you check the rating and the expiry date on any curtains to make sure they will be fine for what you are carrying
- Make sure you have enough load securing restraints available to restrain the load properly
- Watch where you are going while you&#;re walking backwards as you slide the curtains back &#; it&#;s easy to trip.
In the same way sticky tape is often called Sellotape (a brand name), curtainsiders are often called tautliners by people who drove in the UK because the company that invented the concept in used that name.
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