To haul a tractor with a lowboy trailer that is 1.5 ft. narrower than the tractor, you need to attach special equipment that acts as an expansion support system. Such equipment is called an outrigger and is used to increase the surface area of the trailer deck so that the trailer can support wider heavy equipment. Outriggers are very useful when shipping heavy machinery that have wider separations between the wheels. They make trailers become more versatile and help trucking and delivering heavy and wider loads efficiently and safer.

When it comes to wheeled agricultural heavy equipment hauling, it’s a common occurrence to see trailers use outriggers. The reason why heavy equipment transport experts use outriggers on a trailer is twofold. First, outriggers are used to widen the base of the trailer for stability reasons. They make the heavy equipment harder to tip over or rollover during hauling. This means that the trailer can carry heavier and wide equipment without compromising safety. Secondly, the outriggers are used to hold the wheeled heavy machinery rigidly. If the outriggers are not used, parts of the heavy equipment will be suspended on the edges of the trailer. Which means, the strains and chains used to secure the load will be under high tension when the truck hits the road. As such, the heavy equipment transport will be at risk of wobbling back and forth as the truck accelerates, moves on an even terrain, and breaks. With outriggers in place, it will be difficult for the heavy machinery to swing back and forth, making the trucking and towing smooth and safe.