Utility to Offer Accuride’s Trident Drum Brakes as Standard
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Utility Trailer Manufacturing will offer Trident composite steel shell drum brakes from Accuride as standard on all its trailer models, the company said Sept. 17.
City of Industry, Calif.-based Utility said the Trident brake drums would reduce weight by 24 pounds per wheel end, totaling 96 pounds for a dual-axle trailer. The original equipment manufacturer said the Trident drums would be lighter than standard cast iron drums, allowing fleets to maximize payloads and lower costs.
Utility made the Trident drum standard on all its flatbed models in 2020 and is now offering refrigerated and dry van trailer customers the same option.
All 2026 model Utility reefer, dry van and flatbed trailers will come with the Trident as a base specification.
The Trident® composite steel shell brake drum from Accuride is now standard on all Utility trailer models. Reducing weight by 24 pounds per wheel end, totaling 96 pounds for a dual axle trailer, this makes them lighter than standard cast iron drums, enabling fleets to maximize… pic.twitter.com/ngcew4jT1O — Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company, LLC (@UTMCorporate) September 20, 2024
“Our continuous testing programs, both in the field and in the lab, have proven the Trident to be the highest quality drums on the market. It comes as no surprise that the Trident drum has been an overwhelming success on our flatbeds, and as an option on our reefers and dry vans,” Chief of Sales Mark Glasgow said.
“While air disc brakes are the gold standard when it comes to trailer braking, steel shell drums, and specifically the Trident drum, provide an excellent alternative without the added cost,” Glasgow added.
Meanwhile, Utility is also set to begin offering the Cargobull Liftgate Battery Charger as an integrated option with Cargobull 625 single-temperature and 655MT multi-temperature hybrid transport refrigeration units on its 3000R reefer trailers.
Debuting on display at this week’s #IFDASolutions Conference, Utility is excited to unveil its new Cargobull Liftgate Battery Charger as an integrated option with Cargobull 625 & 655MT Hybrid TRUs. The Liftagete Battery Charger helps keep trailers’ liftgate batteries topped off… pic.twitter.com/TpK1cmrymE — Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company, LLC (@UTMCorporate) September 24, 2024
The charger helps keep trailers’ liftgate batteries topped off, Utility said. It takes 480 volts of electrical energy from the Cargobull 625 or 655MT TRUs to provide liftgate batteries with low-voltage charging with a maximum output of 40 amps or 480 watts of power, it added.
“During delivery routes requiring a dozen or more operations of the liftgate, keeping batteries fully charged can greatly increase the serviceable life of the liftgate battery, especially if they also provide power to interior and exterior lights,” Utility Chief Operating Officer Steve Bennett said.
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“Consistently running batteries down to low levels dramatically reduces their lifespan. For example, from what could be as low as a six-month life span, this system can double — if not quadruple — the battery’s service life,” he added.
Utility and Schmitz Cargobull launched a joint venture in September 2023 pairing the 3000R line and 625 or 655MT TRUs. Schmitz Cargobull plans to open its first manufacturing plant in North America in 2026.
