The Felling Trailers’ drop-deck Pan Tilt model has undergone design modifications to increase operator ease of use and safety. The Pan Tilt is a gravity tilt trailer, using gravity and a center pivot point for tilting the trailer bed. Felling’s engineering team recently reviewed the Pan Tilt’s design for ways to improve operator ease of use as well as production efficiencies. In the end, Felling made modifications to the Pan Tilt’s locking mechanism, lighting, and license plate mount position and location.
3 MODIFICATIONS
The tilt locking mechanism is the most notable of the modifications. It’s the most notable because it improves the production process, flexibility to function with optional features, and most importantly, operator ease of use. The previous locking mechanism, a purchased part, mounted to the front of the trailer; it required modification as well as multiple latches. These latches depended upon a trailer build’s selected features, power up/down, or a toolbox.
“The goal was not to have a longer hitch length if they (the end-user) optioned cylinders (power up/down) or an extra latch for a toolbox, making the base design more modular, streamlining the manufacturing process,” says Felling Trailers’ engineering team lead, Cathy Voge.
The new locking mechanism is located on the front roadside of the trailer, operating as a lever that releases a lock bar located under the front deck frame. Further, Felling sources all the components for this locking system internally, improving fit and function.
Additionally, Felling completed lighting and license plate mount modifications with an emphasis on production efficiencies. Lighting modifications resulted in a reduced number of weld components needed. The modifications replaced the front marker lights as well as mounting plate with bullet lights that mount into the hitch channel. The bullet light mounted into the hitch channel also provides better wiring protection. Felling uses the license plate mount on the pan tilts across its other tilt deck lines. This style mount prominently displays the license plate without obstruction from the taillights or cargo, promoting operator and towing safety.
Find out more, visit www.felling.com.
