Heavy haulage is about providing transport solutions for clients with challenging over mass and/ or over dimensional logistical problems. For Advanced Cranes, the solution came in the form of a Drake steerable – engineered to make light work of the industry’s bigger lifts.
The Steerable Trailer, designed in close collaboration with the team at Drake Trailers, shows how one of Australia’s leading trailer manufacturers continues to solve industry problems with purpose-built engineering.
For Byron Foss, Sales Manager at Drake Trailers, the project reflects the company’s commitment to building robust, simple and reliable equipment that heavy haulage operators can count on.
“Advanced Cranes came to us with a problem,” Byron said. “They needed a safe way to move a Liebherr LR1750 crawler crane, which meant a long enough trailer with the right capacity and features to make loading and unloading safer. The result was a ten-row steerable platform built specifically to meet that need.”
The Steerable Trailer supplied to Advanced Cranes is configured as a 7+3 – meaning it can be used as either a seven-row or ten-row platform. With a legal on-road payload capacity of 140 tonnes and up to 240 tonnes payload capacity off-road, the platform is suited to carrying some of the heaviest equipment working in Australia today.
But it was the details that made the difference. To handle the loading angles of the LR1750 safely, Drake engineered custom clip-on “slipper ramps.” “These ramps reduced the load angle, which means the crane can be driven on and off the trailer with greater control and less risk,” Byron said. “It’s a simple addition, but it improves safety dramatically.”
What makes the ramps even more valuable is their interchangeability. Advanced Cranes can use them not only on the new steerable, but also across other trailers in their fleet – including Swingwides and Swingwing trailers.
“That compatibility means they’re not locked into a single application. It’s a safety investment that multiplies across their whole fleet,” Byron said.
Central to the design of Drake’s steerables is the steering system itself. Drake has deliberately kept things straightforward.
“The system is based on hydraulic master and slave cylinders,” Byron said. “Wherever the prime mover goes, the trailer follows. It’s simple, bulletproof, and easy to operate.”
For operators pulling a ten-row platform stretching up to 35 metres with a dolly, reliability is non-negotiable. “Our customers appreciate the simplicity,” Byron said. “You don’t need an electronics degree to maintain these trailers. Anyone with mechanical experience can get them going again. That’s why our Steerable Trailers have a reputation as being rock solid and virtually unkillable.”
Safety as standard
Drake has long emphasised building for Australian conditions, and the new Advanced Cranes trailer was no exception. Beyond the ramps, the steerable came equipped with full fall protection, walk platforms on the gooseneck, and safe access to the power pack and spare tyres.
“Not every company asks for that level of safety integration,” Byron said. “But Advanced Cranes has always pushed for it across all its Drake and O’Phee trailers. It makes them safer to operate and more attractive to their clients.”
The steerable also offers 16 metres of clear deck space, giving it versatility beyond carrying crawler cranes. “It’s not just about one application,” Byron said. “It can handle counterweights, heavy components, or even be used for on-site shuttling. That’s the advantage of a steerable – it’s a workhorse that adapts to the job.”
A complete package
Since acquiring O’Phee Trailers in 2015, the Drake Group has broadened its offering to crane and heavy haulage companies. Today, its portfolio covers low loaders to counterweight trailers, drop decks, skels and flat-tops.
“What we can do now is provide a complete package,” Byron said. “We don’t just sell you the trailer to move the crane – we can supply the trailers for your booms, your jib sections, your counterweights, and all the support equipment. That’s what makes us valuable to companies like Advanced Cranes. They know they can come to one supplier and get everything they need.”
Drake’s steerable range has evolved over decades, built on more than 65 years of trailer manufacturing experience. With capacities from 5×8 up to 12×8 line configurations, hydraulic widening up to 4.88 metres, and a reputation for durability, these trailers have become the benchmark for heavy haulage.
“At the end of the day, our job is to make sure operators can do their work safely and efficiently,” Byron said. “That’s what this trailer achieves.”
The steerable’s delivery coincides with Drake’s decision to take a more active role in the crane industry. This year, the company is exhibiting at the Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA)conference in October. “The crane industry has really supported us over the past decade,” Byron said. “We’ve gained more crane customers than ever before, and we wanted to give back. That’s why we’re going to CICA – to support the industry that’s been supporting us.