What's the difference? And why care?
The Ox Trailer chassis profile is 180mm x 65mm x 5mm 350 grade C-Section Channel.
The 350-grade steel used is higher tensile strength than the usual box section (RHS). With a greater mix percentage of Cobalt (gives a higher elasticity ratio) and lesser mix of Iron (less prone to rust), the physical properties of the steel make it give a stronger resistance to wear and tear.
This high-strength profile is the backbone of our trailers and is also used for strengthening cross members. This allows the chassis to flex and move when it negotiates rough road terrain.
Traditionally, trailer chassis frames are built from a formed-closed box section with the standard chassis profile size for a 3.5t trailer being between 75mm x 50mm x 3mm and 150mm x 50mm x 5mm 250 grade steel.
You cannot access the inside of the frame with any protective coatings meaning it is vulnerable to weathering, rust and corrosion which inevitably leads to the weakening of the drawbar and the chassis. This is typically known as the area where the front of the tray or load area meets the drawbar/chassis.
This area of the trailer is subjected to intense pressure from the forces of motion, which include pulling, pushing, lateral, vertical and torsional forces. The Drawbar/Chassis is a critical engineering aspect that must be executed correctly. Here at Ox Trailers when we say our trailers are Engineered, FEA-tested and Compliant, we mean it!
This is a crucial factor to consider when purchasing a trailer, confidence starts from the ground up. If the drawbar/chassis has not undergone engineering and the manufacturer cannot supply compliance documents any product failure falls back on you as an end-user. Why fall prey to this?
So, what makes our 180mm x 65mm x 5mm 350 grade steel C-Section fabricated chassis the strongest and safest out there?
PRECISION FIBRE LASER CUT:
Giving tolerances of up to +0.1mm and -0.1mm enable our fabricators and assembly staff perfect alignment and consistency across all our trailers, resulting in seamless retrofit of accessories at a later date.
PRECISION CNC PRESS BRAKE FOLDING:
Having complete control over the inside and outside radius of our chassis prevents material failure, maintaining structural integrity, and ensuring the longevity of the product enabling us to use less material yet achieve industry leading tare weights.
WELD ACCESS:
Providing access to the inside of the chassis sections gives our fabricators ease-of-access enabling the correct structural welds on gussets, cross members and also gives us the ability of achieving a fully welded chassis.
POWDER COATING:
By far the biggest plus of the C-Section chassis is the ability to protect the inside. With our in house 3P powder coating process and high spec Dulux coating powder; durability takes a whole new meaning.
ASSEMBLY:
Debunking the myth that bolts/fasteners are a weak and cheap way of manufacturing a product has never been squashed until now, with our ability to fasten parts to the chassis it means they can be retrofitted or removed later down the track enabling end-user customisation integration and upholding strength properties in the welding process.
We consider our 180mm x 65mm x 5mm 350 grade steel C-Section chassis to be the strongest and safest offered in the market. With over 35 Years of experience in the transportation sector, we provide a product that put simply…. It just works.
