b'TRUCKING EQUIPMENTSidedumps,ontheotherhand,areeasilyputintopupthingisdailymaintenance.Onyourwalkaroundmakesure applications, can accommodate large aggregate, are more stablethe chains are oiled. Make sure your conveyor is cleaned out than end dumps and can handle nearly any type of material. Butandoiled.they cant be used for asphalt/hot mix paving applications and weigh more than bottom dumps. LOCAL CUSTOMSBottomdumpsofferthelightestoptionandcanhandleLivebottomshavebeenincreasinglypopularinCanada,but aggregate up to three inches in diameter. Their light weightsMichelson said in the aggregate business, local customs play a big make them ideal for longhaul applications thanks to better fuelpart in trailer selection.efficiency or increased payload, but the designs have limited axlePeople dont realize there are applications where different configurations available and require more room to unload. trailer styles that are a better solution will work in their area, but LIVE BOTTOM TRAILERS they dont use them because of culture, he said. For instance, Live bottom, or walking floor, trailers are an increasingly popularthere are regions where side dumps are a better fit than end optionespecially in Canada. dumps, but operators continue to use end dumps because theyve always done it that way and everyone else does, too.Live bottoms work great for those who want to be able toWhen the trailer type is decided on, plenty of customization work with hot mix and asphalt, Michelson said, noting they allowcan be done to spec out the equipment for its intended purpose. for better-controlled and smoother unloading than otherdesigns. Popularcustomizationsincludeathickerhopperliningand Youcanunloadonunevensurfaces,addedBarryWells,abrasion-resistant steel for greater durability, Michelson said.sales manager with live bottom trailer manufacturer Trout RiverLightingsystemswerealwaysanupgradeKitchingfound Industries. They have a lower centre of gravity so the trailerworthwhile: LED lighting all around and strobe lights for better is not tippy. Theyre quicker to unload and you reduce the risknight-time visibility at construction sites. Optional access ladders of striking any kind of overhead obstacles, such as a power line ortree. and even walk-through man doors at the front of end dumps provide easier operator access to the dump body. And electronic But live bottom trailers have their drawbacks as well. They costtarping systems and automatic greasing systems also made the the most, weigh the most, and require the most maintenance. drivers job easier.MaintenancecomesintothatefficiencyandutilizationWe always found if you bought good equipment and kept the equation, Michelson said. The maintenance on live bottoms isdrivers happy and comfortable, youd keep the drivers around the greatest. Side dumps and end dumps have hydraulic systemslonger, Kitching said.but theyre very simple. Bottom dumps have a couple of pneumatic air cylinders, so theyre very simple maintenancewise. James Menzies is the editor of Todays Trucking. This article was firstpublishedontrucknews.comandisreprintedherewiththe MichaelKitchingwasfleetmanagerofJFKitching&Sonpublications permission.beforesellingthefamilybusinessin 2019.HesnowpresidentofKitching Transportation Consulting, helping fleets procureandspectherightequipment for their businesses, and is a fan of live bottom trailers.Theyrequiteabitmoreversatile andsaferthananenddump,hesaid. The downside to them is you cant haul anything larger than six inches in diameter in them. That would damage the chain underneath [the conveyor] over time.Specinglivebottomtrailerspaired with semi-tractors also allowed Kitching to use the same tractor to pull flatdecks when aggregate work was slow or rates wereunderpressure,givingitgreater utilization of its power units.Sealsandbeltsarewearitemsona livebottomtrailerthatwillneedtobe monitored, said Wells. Other than that, typicalseasonalmaintenance.Thebig FALL 2022AVENUES 19'