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Fontaine Trailers

clansing1

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Joined
Oct 30, 2008
Messages
146
Location
Iowa
I am looking at buying a 2008 Used Fontaine 51 Ton Magnitude Tri-axle NGB Detachable trailer with air ride. I have been told that they are a lighter trailer and might not be as durable as Load King, Trail King, or Talbert. I was wondering what some of the heavy haulers think of this brand. You can PM me or post here.

The heaviest load I will haul is 65K. We are an owner operator.

Any opinions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
 

Construct'O

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Joined
Feb 18, 2007
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928
Location
SW Iowa
Occupation
Dozerwork,tiling plus many more!!!!!!!
I just bought mine so can't answer as of yet,but i have done my research and liked what i found and saw.Mine is a 2000-TH55FLD-55ton 3 axle.

They are built rugged and i like the low trough in the rear and the way the neck connects too the deck.By there website the TH55 weighs around 20,800 lbs???

If you check on the internet Liddell and Fontaine are made almost identical.By design, they look to have some connection with each other:beatsme.:usa
 

clansing1

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Joined
Oct 30, 2008
Messages
146
Location
Iowa
Fontaine

Yeah, the one we are looking at weights around 20,400#. I also like the trough for boom placement. This fontaine has an air lift 3rd axle also.

We have a lot of 2ndary gravel roads around here. Do you have a problem with reattaching if you are not completely square up with the goose neck and the detachable trailer? I've heard with some RGN that can be a problem if your road or shoulder is not very flat.
 

2stickbill

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Joined
Nov 1, 2009
Messages
677
Location
Romayor Texas
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Sniffin diesel fumes.
I just bought mine so can't answer as of yet,but i have done my research and liked what i found and saw.Mine is a 2000-TH55FLD-55ton 3 axle.

They are built rugged and i like the low trough in the rear and the way the neck connects too the deck.By there website the TH55 weighs around 20,800 lbs???

If you check on the internet Liddell and Fontaine are made almost identical.By design, they look to have some connection with each other:beatsme.:usa

I was told owner of Fontaine sold Fontaine then started Liddell.The company I sed to work for had a Fontane about 15 years old with no problems.Hauled on county roads lots of sharp turns.Never rebushed the axles which were air ride.Air ride makes tires last longer and you do not smoke them with the brakes like on a spring set up.
 

Will Musser

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Joined
Dec 19, 2009
Messages
54
Location
Oklahoma
Occupation
Heavyhauler/ Truckbuilder
If it were me I'd jump up to the TH55 instead of the 51. Much stronger, and more room to grow. I love my TH55. I haul 100K on it alot, and have to bend and twist with that weight on some too. No problems!
 

2stickbill

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2009
Messages
677
Location
Romayor Texas
Occupation
Sniffin diesel fumes.
There is a lot of good Low Boys trailers out there.But there is all so a lot of cheap built junk to watch out for.Most of the big heavy haul companies will use the good ones.Some small companies and independents use the cheap ones and keep their fingers crossed.
 

mikef87

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2007
Messages
433
Location
waltham
Occupation
owner/operator/mechanic/laborer/truck driver
I have a Fontaine TL 55 and a Talbert 55, the Talbert is like 500 lbs more but it seems so much stronger. But all the big lowbed guys I know have either Talbert or Fontaine.
 

2stickbill

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2009
Messages
677
Location
Romayor Texas
Occupation
Sniffin diesel fumes.
I have a Fontaine TL 55 and a Talbert 55, the Talbert is like 500 lbs more but it seems so much stronger. But all the big lowbed guys I know have either Talbert or Fontaine.

Hyster was a good low boy but I think now it is Load King.Some of the Cat dealers sell and use them.
 

mikef87

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2007
Messages
433
Location
waltham
Occupation
owner/operator/mechanic/laborer/truck driver
Hyster was a good low boy but I think now it is Load King.Some of the Cat dealers sell and use them.

Now that I think of it, my buddy has a big 75 ton entyre blackhawk low bed. He does a lot of heavy hauling so he needs it. I never really run over the 55 ton weight.
 

JBlackwell

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2009
Messages
100
Location
Daingerfield, Texas
I am not big on Fontaine, but they are a good trailer. With you hauling 65K you will never know the difference between the 51ton or 55ton. They can handle abuse pretty well. I prefer Etnyre and XL, but Fontaine will work for you just fine. I would not be the least scared of a Fontaine with 65K. Their flanges are T1 steel like all the other major manufacturers. They use 50K structural steel in the webbing which isn't a concenern, XL, Trail King, etc. use 80K in the webbs. I have learned is basically is no difference. What to watch out for are Eager Beavers (no T1 flanges) and the Witzco's, etc.

To answer other people's questions on these threads, Fontaine and Liddell are the same. Mitch Liddell (died in '05) who owned Liddell and Birmingham sold out to Fontaine in 1991 and signed a "no-compete" clause not to compete vs. Fontaine for 7 years. In 1998 he came back and started Liddell again and got Entyre to build most of his trailers, but with Liddell's design. That is why Fontaine and Liddell look the same...because they are. Liddell is still in business but barely hanging on by a thread at the moment.

Etnyre bought out Hyster trailers in 1989 so Etnyre owns Hyster's designs. They hardly use any of their old designs because they are "out-dated", but Entyre bought them out to get started in the lowboy manufacturing.
 
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