I am looking to buy a secondhand sliding skelly trailer and there are obviously loads about. The majority I’ve seen are dennison’s and that’s what I’ve mostly pulled. What are the montracons like and sdc’s. is there anything I should look out for or avoid with any particular make. To the untrained eye, ie mine, they all look very similar just different arms, locking pins etc. any help would be greatly appreciated
Nick
for me, Dennison have the better build quality, but, as you say, they are all very similar
on a Dennison, if it has got the surelock button, you push one button to make the trailer slide, on an SDC, you have to push/pull three buttons
Montracon just look cheap in the way the locking pin is set up
you have a pm
How is the montracon pins different? I presume you mean the chassis pins. I thought they were just rectangle instead of round
shuttlespanker:
on a Dennison, if it has got the surelock button, you push one button to make the trailer slide, on an SDC, you have to push/pull three buttons
Only two buttons on our SDC’s, park brake & pin release, I do like the way the park brake comes off when the pins lock open on the Dennisons with ‘surelock’ tho.
Montracon pins tend to have trouble unlocking when the rollers get worn, could be something to do with the rectangular pins?
Ross.
If you can find one, get a Fruehauf, they have no silly locking pins and buttons, just a simple 5th wheel handle and the relevant 5th wheel jaws at each end, simplicity itself to shrink/stretch and you will not get a bettter trailer than a Fruehauf from any other manufacturer, fact 
Bollox!
bigr250:
shuttlespanker:
on a Dennison, if it has got the surelock button, you push one button to make the trailer slide, on an SDC, you have to push/pull three buttonsOnly two buttons on our SDC’s, park brake & pin release, I do like the way the park brake comes off when the pins lock open on the Dennisons with ‘surelock’ tho.
Montracon pins tend to have trouble unlocking when the rollers get worn, could be something to do with the rectangular pins?
Ross.
On all the SDC’s I have pulled, there is the park brake, pin release and a load transfer button
On SDC’s when stretching to running position with a heav y 20’ box, you have to start sliding it, then get out and push/pull the pin button for the pins to come out, the carry on moving forwards, then get out again to release the park brake
On Dennisons, pull the button and when the pins are out, it will release the park brake from a valve located on the pin mechanism
Dennison always were the best, and avoid any Ravens still knocking around, I owned a Raven once and they were a wonderful trailer… when they were working right, but get a wrong un and the lock and go system could be painful.
They were considerably lighter than the Dennisons and co of the same era, and in comparison to the Dennison carried a 40’ container 4’’ lower over the fifth wheel, all of which must of helped MPG a bit, but continous use with heavy 20’ boxs caused chassis cracking just past the fifth wheel rubbing plate.
The get out once/push one button auto lock and go system was also light years ahead of Dennisons tecnology, which entailed jumping onto the catwalk and swapping the red airline from one port to another to stretch/shrink, then back onto the catwalk to reverse the procedure when the chassis was in the right position and it was time to move off.
Big Joe:
Dennison always were the best, and avoid any Ravens still knocking around, I owned a Raven once and they were a wonderful trailer… when they were working right, but get a wrong un and the lock and go system could be painful.
They were considerably lighter than the Dennisons and co of the same era, and in comparison to the Dennison carried a 40’ container 4’’ lower over the fifth wheel, all of which must of helped MPG a bit, but continous use with heavy 20’ boxs caused chassis cracking just past the fifth wheel rubbing plate.
The get out once/push one button auto lock and go system was also light years ahead of Dennisons tecnology, which entailed jumping onto the catwalk and swapping the red airline from one port to another to stretch/shrink, then back onto the catwalk to reverse the procedure when the chassis was in the right position and it was time to move off.
I always thought the Ravens were very innovative in their designs…and well built aswell. The Ray Smith group took them over,but they went burst also. I wonder if anyone picked up on their designs…They were ahead of the competition with low ride chassis which I am told made a great improvement to MPG figures…and I did like their locking systems…no rattling or banging as you round turns, corners, roundabouts etc…just a nice solid following trailer.
Dennison for me are the best quality then SDC next. Like the one button operation of the Dennison but it’s an extra option you have to spec. I wouldn’t entertain any of the others
Thanks for all the replies and advice. I’ve been to look at a few now including and old freuhauf with the claw arm locking device. Strangest thing I’ve seen in a while. Anyhow I’ve decided on some ex wincanton montracons which are all straight and seem to be well maintained. There’s a choice of 50 as well which will take some looking over!
Personally I now wouldn’t touch anything other than a dennison.
Bpw on drums, surelock.
Tried Pretty much everything else.
Unless you want the expense of the dutch stuff which I do like, broshuis/nooteboom.
Is this the same goaty from this weeks CM? Strange names in trucking or something? I never thought about the Dutch skellys. I just presumed they would be those low profile trailers or do they make sliders too? Plus where on earth would you get a decent second hand one.
durknp:
Is this the same goaty from this weeks CM? Strange names in trucking or something? I never thought about the Dutch skellys. I just presumed they would be those low profile trailers or do they make sliders too? Plus where on earth would you get a decent second hand one.
Don’t know about the Dutch ones but a mate of mine bought a new Schmitz slider a few years ago & that looked really well made, also, he could slide & lock it without getting out the cab!!
Ross.
durknp:
Is this the same goaty from this weeks CM? Strange names in trucking or something?
The very same!
durknp:
I never thought about the Dutch skellys. I just presumed they would be those low profile trailers or do they make sliders too?
Generally based on the same chassis style as the splitters, using a “spine” instead of a ladder. Still not convinced about carrying a top weight 20’ on one though.
durknp:
Plus where on earth would you get a decent second hand one.
Rocking horse ■■■■ mate.
Goaty:
durknp:
Plus where on earth would you get a decent second hand one.Rocking horse [zb] mate.
Here’s a Krone & I definately wouldn’t fancy an ISO tank with 27 ton in it on the back if this, check out the neck!!
bastrucks.com/search/vehicle … Full-Image
Ross
durknp:
Is this the same goaty from this weeks CM? Strange names in trucking or something? I never thought about the Dutch skellys. I just presumed they would be those low profile trailers or do they make sliders too? Plus where on earth would you get a decent second hand one.
Try Kleyn trucks in Vuren or Bas Trucks in Veghel.
Advantage of a chassis for the Dutch market is, much lower than a Uk Spec.
The need to stay under 4 mtr with a box on it, even the high cubes cannot be any higher than 4 meter.
This means a substantial lower point of gravity, and much less stress on your chassis.
By the way, love Dennison for a slider, but the oading but is substantial higher than what we are used to.
caledoniandream:
durknp:
Is this the same goaty from this weeks CM? Strange names in trucking or something? I never thought about the Dutch skellys. I just presumed they would be those low profile trailers or do they make sliders too? Plus where on earth would you get a decent second hand one.Try Kleyn trucks in Vuren or Bas Trucks in Veghel.
Advantage of a chassis for the Dutch market is, much lower than a Uk Spec.
The need to stay under 4 mtr with a box on it, even the high cubes cannot be any higher than 4 meter.
This means a substantial lower point of gravity, and much less stress on your chassis.By the way, love Dennison for a slider, but the oading but is substantial higher than what we are used to.
The disadvantage of a Dutch skelly is that because they extend, rather than slide you cannot carry a 20’ box of more than about 25.5 tonnes legally in the UK. When in the 20’ position they no longer meet the 8 metre king-pin to rear axle requirement we have in this country. The extending chassis makes them much stiffer than a slider and therefore more durable, and you will save some fuel because of the reduced running height; unfortunately however, in my opinion, they are totally useless here because you can’t carry any and all boxes on them.
Well I was about to say I feel a euro trip coming on with the Bulker and maybe swinging by a couple of places to look at some euro skellys. However I saw some one with a krone skelly in Felixstowe a couple of days ago. I spent about 5 mins trying to figure out where the different boxes sit on all 20 twist locks or however many there are on them. Also I see a single 20 has to sit almost directly over the axles which at 8 ton an axle - axle and trailer weight leaves for not really a large payload? Perhaps I wasn’t looking at it right!