Hydraulic Self-Lowering Precast Trailer

North American P.Eng. only.

We are exploring a way to transport precast concrete wall panels standing upright on a pallet. The maximum panel size would be roughly 16 ft wide × 11 ft tall, with a maximum weight of 8 tonnes.

The concept is similar to this setup, where the wall sits vertically on a pallet.

Right now, the only available solutions are large inloaders that require a semi-truck. These cost around $200K, which is a significant investment. The big advantage of the inloader-style handling is that no crane is required for loading or unloading—removing one of the most expensive steps in the process.

I believe there may be a more cost-effective, “middle-ground” solution: a trailer that can carry one wall at a time using something like a Ford F-550 paired with a gooseneck self-lowering trailer.

For reference, this is what the industry currently uses; two major European companies dominate the inloader market:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkaVj7vst7g&t=30s

From what I’ve seen, pallets can be lifted either by:

1. Lowering the axle/suspension, or
2. A hydraulic cylinder system that raises and lowers the deck.

Here are some examples of self-lowering trailers with different mechanisms that might be adaptable for our use case:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUe25iCzDqU&t=2s
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXF4acPqaKc&t=30s
• https://www.jakobthaler.com/product/tta-35019

This one is intended for spools, but a similar concept could potentially incorporate 2–4 hydraulic cylinders for lifting a precast pallet.

Experienced with Trailer design will be plus.