Fruehauf's Classic Vans
The Fruehauf Dry Freight van semi-trailer changed over the 85 years they were produced. They included customized semi-trailers for every industry with modifications tailored to order. Freight vans came in corrugated steel vans, drop-frame furniture vans, lightweight aluminum vans and stainless steel vans. Fruehauf's chassis and light wall system gave customers a competitive edge. In the late 1950’s, Roy Fruehauf emphasized, “Our large research and engineering department is constantly making improvements and suggesting changes. And we are always trying to increase payload capacity by decreasing the weight of the semi-trailer without sacrificing strength.”
The early Fruehauf Trailers were extremely heavy as they were made from durable steel and wooden materials. As the practicality of the semi-trailer concept caught on with customers they requested modifications to reduce weight and expand their payload. The early and beautiful rounded nose trailers were eventually abandoned in favor of square nosed trailers. The rounded nose trailers had reduced jack knifing and also gave the truck and trailer a greater turning radius. As technology improved the rounded nose trailer became obsolete as customers complained of dead cargo space in the nose.
Stainless Steel, aluminum and steels were used to provide varying strengths for industries needing them for a wide range of hauling jobs like livestock, race cars, carpets, newsprint, boxed merchandise, food products, beverages, appliances and almost every thing that is used, worn or purchased traveled by truck transport.
Other classic hallmarks of the Fruehauf Trailer are the I-beam axle, torsion bar suspension, self lubricating brake lines, and other engineering advances. For details on these Fruehauf innovations and other patents click here.......
The early Fruehauf Trailers were extremely heavy as they were made from durable steel and wooden materials. As the practicality of the semi-trailer concept caught on with customers they requested modifications to reduce weight and expand their payload. The early and beautiful rounded nose trailers were eventually abandoned in favor of square nosed trailers. The rounded nose trailers had reduced jack knifing and also gave the truck and trailer a greater turning radius. As technology improved the rounded nose trailer became obsolete as customers complained of dead cargo space in the nose.
Stainless Steel, aluminum and steels were used to provide varying strengths for industries needing them for a wide range of hauling jobs like livestock, race cars, carpets, newsprint, boxed merchandise, food products, beverages, appliances and almost every thing that is used, worn or purchased traveled by truck transport.
Other classic hallmarks of the Fruehauf Trailer are the I-beam axle, torsion bar suspension, self lubricating brake lines, and other engineering advances. For details on these Fruehauf innovations and other patents click here.......
