Wabash Dry Van Trailers For Sale

Wabash DuraPlate vans use steel-skinned composite sidewall panels, while conventional aluminum vans use aluminum sheet sidewalls supported by posts. Inspect DuraPlate panels for damaged skins, corrosion and separation, particularly around previous repairs. Confirm acceptable repair procedures with Wabash before accepting patched panels, and verify the original build specification rather than treating DuraPlate HD branding as proof of a particular floor rating.

Roll-up doors suit frequent delivery stops, while swing doors usually provide a larger unobstructed rear opening on a Wabash dry van. A roll-up door can be opened after backing into a dock, but its tracks and overhead hardware reduce usable clearance. Measure the actual opening against the tallest load, and inspect roll-up cables, springs and rollers or swing-door hinges, locking rods and seals.

Match the Wabash dry van floor rating to the heaviest loaded forklift's front-axle load, not just the freight weight. Obtain the original floor specification using the trailer identification information, and confirm that the intended loading equipment falls within that rating. Repeated forklift traffic, narrow wheel contact areas and deteriorated flooring can make an otherwise suitable trailer a poor match for the loading operation.

A 53-foot Wabash dry van is not legal on every road in the United States or Canada. State kingpin-to-rear-axle restrictions, local access rules and provincial dimensional requirements can affect routing and tandem position. The trailer's GVWR does not establish legal highway payload; gross combination weight, axle weights, axle spacing and tire ratings also matter. Check the intended jurisdictions and scale the loaded combination.

The U.S. 12% federal excise tax generally applies to the first retail sale of a new Wabash dry van trailer with a GVWR over 26,000 pounds. An ordinary resale of a used trailer does not trigger that same new-trailer tax. Canadian purchases follow Canadian tax rules rather than the U.S. rule, while cross-border transactions require separate review of tax treatment and import requirements.