Choosing an equipment trailer starts with the load. An excavator moving between construction sites may need a very different trailer than a long industrial component, paving equipment or machinery that must be loaded frequently in difficult jobsite conditions.
Terms such as gooseneck, lowboy, step deck, float and equipment trailer can also mean different things from one industry to another. Fleet operators should look beyond the name and consider what they are hauling, its dimensions and weight, how it will be loaded and where the trailer will operate
GINCOR Werx manufactures heavy equipment trailers and heavy-haul trailers, including Float, Step Deck, Tag Along, Flatbed and specialized Extendable Tanker Step Deck configurations.
What Is an Equipment Trailer?
“Equipment trailer” is a broad term for trailers designed to move machinery, vehicles, materials and oversized or specialized loads.
Choosing the right configuration requires several pieces of information:
- Equipment weight and dimensions
- Load distribution
- Overall loaded height
- Loading and unloading method
- Towing vehicle and connection
- Highway and jobsite conditions
- Required deck length and width
- Axle configuration
- Ground clearance and deck height
- Oversize or specialized transportation requirements
No single equipment trailer suits every fleet.
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Gooseneck and Lowboy Trailers for Heavy Equipment
Buyers looking for a heavy equipment trailer often search for gooseneck and lowboy trailers. A gooseneck describes the trailer’s front connection and neck arrangement. “Lowboy” commonly refers to a heavy-haul trailer with a low main deck that keeps large equipment closer to the road during transport.
GINCOR’s JC-Series Float Trailer is built for demanding heavy-equipment applications. It has a removable, non-ground-bearing hydraulic gooseneck and is available in tandem, tridem, tridem +1 and quad configurations. Deck and axle options vary by application.
Float trailers are commonly used to move:
- Excavators
- Loaders
- Construction equipment
- Mining machinery
- Forestry equipment
- Other large or heavy vocational equipment
Their low deck can help when equipment height and overall transport height are concerns.
When Does a Step Deck Trailer Make Sense?
A step deck has decks at different heights, making it useful for equipment and loads that do not fit well on a conventional flat deck.
GINCOR offers standard and heavy-haul Step Deck configurations. The standard line comes in multiple lengths with tandem or tridem axle configurations. Available options include ramps, winches, different deck dimensions and axle-lift systems.
A step deck may suit an operation when:
- The load needs a lower deck height
- Machinery must be driven or winched onto the trailer
- The fleet transports several types of equipment
- The fleet needs a versatile trailer for regular equipment moves
- The load does not need the specialized design of a heavy float trailer
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What About Tag Along Trailers?
A Tag Along Trailer is another option for construction, paving and other vocational fleets.
GINCOR Tag Along Trailers come in several axle configurations. Available features include tilt decks, drive-on beavertails, air ramps, outriggers and different deck widths. They can work well for fleets that regularly move equipment between jobsites and prioritize straightforward loading and unloading.
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When Is a Flatbed Trailer the Better Choice?
Some loads do not need a low deck or a specialized heavy-haul configuration. A Flatbed Trailer provides a simple, open deck for equipment, materials and other loads that do not require the clearance or loading features of a Float or Step Deck.
GINCOR Flatbed Trailers come in different lengths and axle configurations, with options such as decking and galvanized finishes.
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Specialized Loads May Need a Specialized Trailer
Some loads fall outside the usual equipment-trailer requirements. GINCOR’s Extendable Tanker Step Deck, for example, combines a low-profile design with an adjustable deck for long and oversized tanker loads. The standard configuration is approximately 57 feet long when collapsed and more than 77 feet when extended. Other configurations are available for specialized applications.
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Gooseneck vs. Lowboy vs. Step Deck: Which Do You Need?
The transportation requirements matter more than the terminology.
| Requirement | Configuration to Consider |
| Large, heavy machinery with height considerations | Float or heavy-haul configuration |
| A “lowboy” style heavy-equipment solution | GINCOR Float Trailer |
| Removable hydraulic gooseneck | JC-Series Float Trailer |
| Versatile equipment hauling with a lower deck | Step Deck |
| Frequent construction or jobsite equipment moves | Tag Along |
| General open-deck hauling | Flatbed |
| Long or specialized tanker loads | Extendable Tanker Step Deck |
Use this table as a starting point. The final configuration should be based on the actual load.
Start With the Equipment You Need to Move
Before requesting a trailer quote, gather as much information about the load as possible.
What are you hauling?
Identify the machine, equipment or load and note how it will normally be configured during transport.
How much does it weigh?
Use the actual operating or transport weight instead of relying only on the equipment model.
What are its dimensions?
Length, width and height can determine deck dimensions, clearance needs and whether the load requires an oversize configuration.
How will it be loaded?
Account for ramps, drive-on access, detachable deck requirements, winching and any other loading methods.
What will tow the trailer?
The towing vehicle and connection will influence which trailer configurations are suitable.
Where will it operate?
Highway travel, construction sites, mines and forestry roads place different demands on a trailer.
These details give the manufacturer a sound basis for recommending a deck, axle and trailer configuration.
Choosing the Right Heavy Equipment Trailer
There is no universal answer to whether a gooseneck, lowboy, step deck, Tag Along or another equipment trailer is best. A contractor moving excavators may care most about deck height and loading access. A fleet carrying different kinds of machinery may put more weight on versatility. A specialized heavy-haul operator may need additional axles, a longer deck or a custom configuration.
GINCOR Werx offers equipment trailers for standard equipment transport and demanding heavy-haul applications. Each configuration can be matched to the machinery, towing vehicle and operating environment.
Need help determining which equipment trailer fits your load? Talk to GINCOR Werx about your equipment trailer requirements.
