Fontaine Double Drop Expandable Trailers For Sale

Fontaine double drop expandable trailers are built for operators hauling taller, longer, and heavier equipment that will not sit comfortably on a standard flatbed or fixed double drop. The key advantage is the combination of a low main deck and an extendable well, which gives you more room for machines with long track width, attachments, or uneven weight distribution. In this category, buyers usually focus first on deck length closed and extended, loaded deck height, ground clearance, and rated capacity over a stated section of the deck. Those numbers matter because they determine how easily the trailer can handle excavators, pavers, crushers, drill rigs, and other over-dimensional loads without creating unnecessary permit or routing problems.

Fontaine’s double drop expandable designs are commonly spec’d with a mechanical detachable gooseneck, steel frame construction, apitong flooring, and air ride suspension. A typical setup in this class includes a 102-inch overall width, tandem axle group, 255/70R22.5 tires, and a main deck height around 20 inches with roughly 6 inches of ground clearance, though exact dimensions vary by model and capacity. Many trailers in this segment also include removable swing-out outriggers, multiple D-ring tie-down points, side rail lighting, and compatibility for a flip axle or third axle configuration when heavier legal or permitted payloads are part of the job. Buyers should also pay attention to kingpin setting, closed tandem setting, and fifth wheel height requirements to make sure the trailer matches the tractor and the intended turning radius.

The expandable feature is what separates this category from a standard lowboy. A well that runs in the high-20-foot to mid-30-foot range when closed may stretch significantly farther for longer equipment, reducing the need to put weight on the rear deck or create awkward axle placement. That matters for both load securement and bridge law planning. If you regularly move machines with long wheelbases, pipeline equipment, or components that vary from one haul to the next, an expandable Fontaine can give you more loading flexibility than a fixed-deck trailer. Removable outriggers and a full-width neck platform also help when hauling wider machines or supporting extra cribbing, chains, binders, and accessories.

Condition and spec matter more than age alone in this category. On a used Fontaine double drop expandable trailer, inspect the neck connection points, deck extension system, crossmembers, suspension, floor condition, and signs of concentrated stress around tie-down zones and axle group mounts. On a new trailer, the decision usually comes down to capacity rating, mechanical versus hydraulic detach preference, axle configuration, and how much extension you truly need. Buyers who understand their freight profile before shopping usually make the best choice, because the right double drop expandable trailer is less about maximum advertised length and more about carrying the load low, balanced, and legally.