Barker flat-top trailer 2022 Review

I'd allowed an extra half-hour travel time, just in case traffic heading west out of Brisbane was slow. Thankfully it wasn't, and my modest hire car made good time on my westward journey. The Toowoomba Bypass, indeed, shaved even more time off the trip. Enough time, in fact, to stop at the local bakery for sensational pepper steak pie and coffee.

I was to meet up with the Barker flat-top B-Double on a farm northwest of Oakey, where it was scheduled to load hay.

The sparsely populated farming community of the Darling Downs rely heavily on the comprehensive freight service provided by Auchenroad Haulage. Shane agrees that the Barker flat top B-Double is well suited to general freight demands of rural commodities.

The trailer floor is a heavy-duty checker plate, and it needs to be, too, to support heavy machinery along the rugged western interior runs where the road conditions are now notoriously rough.

Each trailer runs winch tracks loaded with a generous number of winches to guarantee each load gets securely fastened. Both trailers have dual spare wheel carriers, while the lead trailer has one deep-tool box on either side.

The rear trailer has one toolbox and stainless-steel water tank on the right-hand side and twin deep toolboxes on the left side. Furthermore, judging by the lack of dirt and dust inside the deep toolboxes, they are relatively well sealed.

Right-Weigh scales fitted to each trailer are attached to the trailer's air suspension. When weight is applied or removed from the trailer, the ride height changes and triggers the height control valve to increase or decrease the air pressure into the system to return to the optimal ride height.

This pressure reading is transferred into a weight reading of each trailer's axle group that gets displayed conveniently on the Right-Weigh digital reader.

These trailers have Jost forged alloy wheels, which are fast becoming a preferred choice with many long-haul operators. In addition, they are half the weight of a conventional steel wheel; consequently, their durability is backed by a five-year warranty.

The landing gear is Jost Modul. Road train operators particularly favour these legs because of their durable winding mechanism, thanks to the Double-D crank that transfers crank torque directly into the shaft. The high gear moves the legs one inch for every 3.5 turns. Low gear is purposely designed for lifting heavy loads requiring 32 turns to move the legs one inch.

Meanwhile, a Colas control valve adjusts the BPW Suspension ride height. The system also allows for manual raise and lower functions of the trailer deck height. A Colas valve's main feature is that it performs the part of many other components and fittings. In addition, it can be used on either single or dual suspension valve systems.

The Colas valve has an auto reset to ride height function as an added safety feature. When the handle is 'pulled' outwards, the trailer returns to the ride height determined by the ride height control valve. This feature eliminates operator error to reset the valve when the vehicle moves because the colas value will automatically pop out once the vehicle begins rolling.

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The list of high-end components combined with the extensive optional extras put this B-Double unit in the premium price bracket, but according to Shane, it's money well spent.

"We purchase only the best parts and equipment and look after those components to prolong the life cycle of the fleet,” he said.

“That means replacing items such as bushes, bearings and seals before they cause damage. This way, we minimise the chance of a breakdown.

"Downtime can be massive for us, not just in repairs but the cost to our customers. We need the confidence of knowing our vehicles can consistently run on time," Shane said.

As Shane explained that using quality equipment and well-proven brands saves on his maintenance costs. In the long run, there are far fewer expenses of replacing parts, along with the savings associated with minimising service downtime.

"In my opinion, though, there's no substitute for quality such as the Jost components or BPW running gear which is found on most of our trailers. BPW's axles, ECO plus hubs, airbag suspensions, EBS, and disc brake technology make our maintenance task far more straightforward because the BPW system is simple and quick to work on and their gear. But thankfully, it doesn't require servicing too often.

Shane specifies Kenworth's T9 powered by a 550hp Cummins with 1850lbft torque running through an Eaton RTLO20918B transmission for his rural operations.

The rear end is a Kenworth eight-bag air glide running Meritor RT46-160 with a ratio of 4.11:1.

"We invest a lot in acquiring our equipment and spend a lot to ensure we maintain the best transport gear on the market,” Shane said.

“The innovative BPW package on these Barker trailers has never let us down. For us, however, it's the bottom line that keeps Auchenroad Haulage at the forefront of our industry," he concluded.

And, given another season with La Niña weather of heavy road-destroying rain is forecast for Queensland, Shane's decision to invest heavily in quality equipment should pay dividends.

Truck Specs
Model: Kenworth Legend T9
Engine: Cummins X15 Euro-V
Horsepower: 550hp (410kW) at1800rpm
Torque : 1850lb/ft (2508Nm) at 1100rpm
Main Transmission: Eaton RTLO20915B 18-Speed
Air Cleaner: Dual stainless Cyclopacs,
Front Axle: Meritor MFS73LA 7.3t capacity
Front Suspension: 7.2T Taper leaf
Power Steering: TRW Ross TAS 85
Rear Axles: Meritor RT46-160 with DCDL
Rear Axle Ratio: 4.11:1
Rear Suspension: Kenworth Airglide 460
Brakes: HD (P-type) drum brakes with auto slacks
Windscreen: Two piece flat
Turntable: Jost JSK37
Interior: Crimson cab trim, HD Diamond pleat vinyl

Barker Flat-Top B-Double Specs
Model: Barker 12x22
Axles: BPW
Suspension: BPW air
Landing Gear: Jost Moduls
Rims: Jost 285 PCD ten-stud
Brakes: Drum
Scales: Right-Weigh
Toolboxes: Deep x 2
Water tank: Stainless
Extras: Dunnage tray, Fire Extinguisher, Gate Rack, Dual Spare Wheel Carrier.