It goes without saying that the past few years have been filled with tremendous change. The U.S. economy and political scene have been wrought with ups and downs. The trucking industry, in particular, has been significantly impacted by regulatory changes handed down by lawmakers. These factors, along with a multitude of others, create a looming uncertainty about the future.

Instead of allowing today’s circumstances determine our path, Great Dane has opted to boldly forge ahead; to gallantly accept the challenges we face and create an opportunity to revolutionize the truck- ing industry; to redefine standards for business partnership and raise the bar for quality craftsmanship, sales performance and exemplary service.

As a pioneer of our trade, Great Dane has always delivered innovative products. Our trailers and our people have set the benchmark for quality for nearly a century. Over that time our customers have been our driving force, so we’ve constantly challenged ourselves to be even better. We’ve leveraged experience, ingenuity and our own advances in technology to stay ahead of the needs of the trucking industry. As part of our long-term commitment to delivering the world’s best trailers and in response to the ever-changing requirements of our customers, we at Great Dane are thrilled to reveal some exciting changes that are at the heart of our company’s evolution. They are the culmination of 100 years of research, engineer- ing and the pursuit of excellence in our field.

Over the past year or so, our sales team has worked tirelessly with our engineering and manufacturing groups to not only streamline our products but to incorporate the very latest high-tech innovations into our base models. The result is an all-new, completely redesigned core product lineup that includes Everest refrigerated trailers, Champion dry vans and Freedom flatbeds. Each series consists of three models to meet a variety of target markets and a wide range of specifications. You will learn more about what makes these new trailers so unique, the new standards for each and how they will improve your bottom line in this issue of Evolving Trailer Technology.

Great Dane’s transformation extends outside the box, with an updated look for the corporate image. While our products were being re- engineered, our marketing department was hard at work rejuvenating the appearance of our trailers and our brand, which are now sleeker and more modern. The iconic chrome dog and red oval logo received a makeover with the addition of a reflective background and polished chrome rim. All trailers, regardless of model, will now be adorned with a redesigned red wing plate, and the modern red oval will garnish the rear doors of refrigerated and dry van trailers in lieu of a parallelogram. The all-red markings honor the history of the brand, which has been red since 1951.

Meanwhile, Great Dane’s aftermarket parts department has just launched Emergency Road Service (ERS) available 24 hours a day, seven days a week exclusively for AdvantEDGE customers. AdvantEDGE, Great Dane’s popular National Accounts Parts and Service program introduced just over a year ago, connects cus- tomers with cost-effective, streamlined access to parts and service at more than 100 participating Great Dane distributors throughout North America. AdvantEDGE has no enrollment fees, but does offer users a single point-of-contact, consolidated invoicing, consistent parts pricing, standardized labor times, and customizable purchas- ing controls. Services included in the new emergency component of the program include towing, trailer and tractor repair, maintenance on reefer units and tires, and drop-lot facilities.

Great Dane is proud of its history as the industry leader in innova- tion and plans to continue its legacy as the unrivaled worldwide leader in trailer manufacturing, sales and service. More revolution- ary changes will be announced in the coming months. Find out more about them in the next issues of Evolving Trailer Technology, our website, www.greatdanetrailers.com and Twitter, _greatdane.

Designed for a variety of refrigerated trucking operations, the line of Great Dane Everest reefers incorporates design features aimed at providing exceptional cargo protection, reducing weight
and lowering maintenance costs.

Everest reefers are built from front to back with strength in mind. Extruded aluminum Z-post uprights support fully welded aluminum refrigeration unit bracing in the front wall, eliminating the use of dis- similar metals to significantly cut the chance of galvanic corrosion.

Wall panels for Everest reefers are constructed in a temperature regulated press using a computer-controlled urethane injection process that insulates components, producing flat linings and skin with void- free foam for maximum thermal efficiency.

An aluminum roof manufactured using a patented corrugation process is standard in Everest reefers, adding stiffness to the structure and controlling thermal expansion and minimizing the potential for delamination from the insulation.

Rear frames constructed of satin-finish stainless steel are used on Everest reefers for maximum strength and minimum maintenance. Resistance to corrosion and the overall enhanced appearance of stainless steel also increases resale value.

All aluminum doors on Everest models are completely sealed, inside and out, to eliminate moisture intrusion into the insulation. A unique gasket design uses a dual-lip outer seal and a separate inner compression seal to lock in refrigerated air. All rear door hardware is installed with stainless steel bolts. Lock rods are galvanized steel and incorporate anti-seize bushings between the lock rod tube and the bearing plates to ensure smooth operation.
Great Dane’s reefer floor system combines the industry’s highest floor rating with the strongest support features. The aluminum duct floor is robotically welded full length to seal out all moisture. The floor’s insulation is further protected from external moisture by a one- piece thermoplastic sub pan that is extremely impact resistant. Employing Magnicoated fasteners to install the floor and full width composite floor sills, which are located over each crossmember for extra support, also enhances corrosion protection. Composite sills also lessen the chance of weld breaks caused when wood sills are crushed or deteriorate due to moisture.

Everest reefer models are equipped with Grote MicroNova DOT LED lamps, designed to improve visibility and service life. Also stan- dard is the industry’s best wiring harness. The fully modular Great Dane Long Life Light System is a maintenance-free solution backed by a ten–year warranty. This sealed harness prevents moisture intrusion, is extremely durable, and combines the flexibility of a custom wiring system with the reliability and simplicity of a sealed harness.

Great Dane offers the latest advancements in all LED interior lighting in Everest reefers for better performance, greater illumination and ease of replacement.

Great Dane’s complete package of comprehensive corrosion prevention solutions are available on Everest reefers. A key component of this package is Great Dane’s exclusive corrosion protection, CorroGuard, a superior trailer undercoating that was developed specifically for trailer underbody protection from rock and stone impingement and chemical resistance to current de-icing chemicals and road hazards.

Everest reefers can be enhanced with special packages, including a Meat Railer Package that is designed for suspended load applications of up to 40,000 lbs, a tridem axle configuration and air-ride suspension package for operations where weight laws permit added payload through weight distribution, and a widespread tandem axle configuration with an air-ride suspension that allows for an increase in per axle weight providing flexibility of load placement.

Great Dane’s reputation as the industry leader in reefer innovation is firmly in place in the line of Everest Reefers, including Everest TL, Everest SS and Everest CL models for long-haul truckload customers, specialized haulers and multi-temp carriers.

Great Dane Freedom flatbed models include the all-steel Freedom SE, the combination steel/aluminum Freedom LT, and the all-aluminum Freedom XP. Freedom flatbeds combine versatility and innovation with quality workmanship, strength and durability in designs that meet the needs of flatbed trailer users.

Competitive in weight without sacrificing strength and durability, Freedom flatbeds feature main beams fastened securely with attachment clips used in place of welding to prevent common stress cracking caused by twisting. Heavy-duty outriggers on the models transfer load weight from the side rails to the lower main beams and are securely attached with specially designed fasteners.

The Freedom XP’s suspension features designed in strength for extend- ed frame life. The combination of galvanized steel and aluminum reinforcements between the main beams provides durability and protection against corrosion. Bolt-on “K” bracing reinforces the front axle, to help prevent stress cracking from side-to-side loads.

All Freedom flatbed models are designed to fight corrosion. Heavy-duty structural steel components on the trailers are shot blasted prior to the application of a two-part epoxy primer to ensure superior adhesion of a black urethane topcoat designed to provide pro- tection and corrosion resistance. Also fighting corrosion are powder-coated, sliding winches.

A 1.25-inch aluminum floor is standard with four apitong nailing strips and a safety-grip
surface for positive traction when walking on the deck and to help restrain cargo movement. Twelve pairs of pull-up chain ties are recessed in the floor for additional cargo securement.

Standard on all Freedom flatbed mod- els is Great Dane Model 60 Landing Gear. Featuring a constant mesh gear
box to keeps gears engaged for consis- tently smooth shifting, the gear’s construction includes a floating nut design, which protects the elevating screw from damage caused by dock walk. Supported by angle bracing at the front and rear, the Model 60 has a lift capacity of 55,000 lbs and is mounted to spread the load over five crossmembers. Steel gus- sets ensure extra support, stability, and strength. Completing the design, Great Dane’s proprietary replaceable shock-mounted sand shoes reduce stresses in the mount by 50 percent.

The standard Hendrickson INTRAAX air-ride suspension is not only lightweight. In addition, its tapered-beam design combines with Hendrickson’s Large-Diameter Axle (LDA) for increased bending stiff- ness and improved durability. This system also features long-life Tri-Functional® pivot bushings for a smooth ride and Quik-Align® for fast and easy axle alignments.

An additional standard feature on Freedom flatbed models is the Six- Year Stemco Platinum Performance Plus Wheel End System. The entire system, which includes Guardian HP oil seals, PRO-TORQ spindle nuts and integrated Sentinel hub caps, is warranted for five years for parts and labor and includes an additional year of coverage on parts that can be extended another three years with regular maintenance.

The Freedom standard lighting package features MicroNova® DOT LED lamps, designed to improve visibility and service life of lights. Also standard is Great Dane’s Long Life Light System, a maintenance- free, fully modular system backed by a ten-year warranty. This sealed harness prevents moisture intrusion, and combines the flexibility
of a custom wiring system with the reliability and simplicity of a sealed harness.

Versatility is a hallmark of the line of Great Dane Champion dry vans. Available in aluminum and stainless steel exteriors, composite panel designs, FRP and insulated models, and shallow and deep drop configurations for high-cube hauling applications, Champion dry freight vans offer the flexibility to serve all types of operations.
Durability and quality workmanship that lead to reduced maintenance costs, long service life and a quick return on investment are among the attributes of Great Dane Champion dry vans. The heaviest and strongest in the industry, extruded aluminum bottom rails on the trailers are securely fastened with hardened aluminum rivets to I- beam crossmembers. Exceptional front-end durability comes from an outer top rail splice plate that adds strength to the front-to-sidewall top rail connection and provides protection from water intrusion.

To help prevent moisture intrusion into the cargo area, the floor on Champion dry vans is pre-undercoated on the bottom and sides and caulked at the joints. Also as a corrosion preventative, crossmembers are pre-coated with wax, including end clips, allowing for full coverage of both the floor and crossmembers.

The Great Dane Champion dry van’s roof offers unmatched durability and longevity with its galvanized steel, anti-snag roof bows that are permanently bonded with a premium two-part epoxy. The tension-mounted roof sheet is joined to the top rail with an extruded aluminum molding. The attachment is closely riveted, bonding a foam sealing tape between the roof sheet and top rail, and is finished with a neoprene sealant to prevent moisture intrusion.

Standard composite swing-type rear doors on Champion dry vans have galvanized steel exterior and interior skins with a resilient polymer core, which eliminates corrosion issues associated with moisture absorption in plywood cores. Composite roll-up rear doors are avail- able as an option.

Several flooring options are available on Champion models including laminated hardwoods in various thicknesses, composite floors, and aluminum dry cargo floors. The laminated hardwood floor, installed with screws in an alternating pattern for increased strength and featuring a patented zigzag joint, is pre-undercoated on the bottom and sides. It is also available with Waxin floor protection to further extend its service life.

Various interior linings options are offered on Champion dry van models, including plywood in various thicknesses and fiberglass-rein- forced plastic. The extremely durable SSL lining, consisting of a layer of galvalume steel over a rigid core to produce an interior lining with a greater puncture strength and more corrosion resistance is offered, and Great Dane’s incredibly thin and puncture-resistant PunctureGuard liner is available.

Champion dry vans are equipped with an exterior lighting package that uses all LED lights and the industry’s best wiring harness. The Great Dane Long Life Light System is a maintenance-free, fully modular and sealed system that boasts a ten-year warranty.

For added versatility, Champion dry vans can be specified with various side door locations and quantities, and a variety of steps and grabhandles. A range of cargo restraint options is also available. A lightweight version of composite models is designed especially for heavy floor loading operations. The package incorporates a high base rail with a lighter weight side panel, a composite front wall, aluminum crossmembers, and other weight saving components.
Great Dane’s complete package of comprehensive corrosion prevention solutions available on Champion dry vans includes CorroGuard, the exclusive trailer undercoating developed specifically for protection from rock and stone impingement, and chemical resistance to de-icing chemicals and road hazards.

The unparalleled design standards and proven manufacturing techniques that provide quality in all Great Dane trailers are evident in the line of Champion Dry Vans. Designed to meet a variety of dry freight hauling needs, Champion vans are versatile and built to last.

Great Dane dry freight vans have a newly designed rear frame for swing and roll-up doors that has replaced the previous carbon steel design. The new EnduroGuard rear frame features a combination of galvanneal and stainless steel components and offers strength while providing greater durability and long-term corrosion protection.

Subjected to road debris and exposed to potential damage from loading docks, as states and municipalities are increasingly using more caustic winter road chemicals – untreated carbon steel rear frames were prone to the corrosive nature of these chemicals. Great Dane has now addressed that concern for customers with a unique and proven, highly effective combination of materials.

The new EnduroGuard rear frames for dry vans incorporate galvanneal, a hot-dipped zinc alloy coating that is chemically-bonded over carbon steel, and stainless steel components. In particular, all frame members that are 7-gauge or thinner in thickness are made of galvanneal. Thicker components, typically those around high impact zones such as upper corners and tail lights, are constructed of stainless steel.

Research and development of the new Great Dane EnduroGuard rear frame indicates a high degree of confidence in the construction of the design and the ability of both materials to be painted with an epoxy primer/urethane topcoat system. A review of existing trailers, built ten years ago with these specifications, was also very favorable.

The new rear frame, EnduroGuard is used on all stock, high- spec and composite dry freight vans with roll-up or swing doors, providing lasting quality for customers for many years to come.

The results speak for themselves. While competitive OEMs have presented unfounded assertions to customers rebutting the efficiency claims of ThermoGuard, Great Dane has the data that shows conclusively how the exclusive glass-reinforced thermoplastic interior liner’s advanced thermal properties lead to long-term efficiency and costs savings for users of refrigerated trailers.

Available to Great Dane customers for more than six years, ThermoGuard samples were submitted by Great Dane to an independent third party laboratory that specializes in permeability testing. In these tests, ThermoGuard was evaluated against several competitive lining materials for permeability of water vapor and HFC 245fa, the blowing agent used in trailer urethane foams. These results agree with inservice test data confirming that ThermoGuard lining has the lowest permeability, protecting trailer insulation better and helping maintain performance and save fuel over the life of the vehicle.

The innovative ThermoGuard lining’s barrier layer reduces “out gassing” of the polyurethane foam used in reefer trailers for insulation. This key component seals the trailer’s insulation, significantly reducing the insulation degradation caused by normal aging in trailers with traditional interior linings.

With ThermoGuard, cooling units do not have to work as hard to make up for degrading insulation performance, reducing cooling unit run-time, saving fuel and refueling time, extending refrigeration unit life and lowering maintenance costs.

Great Dane’s testing of in-service Classic reefers with ThermoGuard has indicated a loss of thermal efficiency comparable to just one year after more than seven years of service. In this customer operation, identically specified units without ThermoGuard exhibited rapid loss of thermal efficiency in the first two years of service and then continued to degrade over the life of the trailer. Earlier evaluations of the same
ThermoGuard equipped trailers after 6, 8 and 20 months of service indicated an almost insignificant loss.

ThermoGuard addresses the need for stiffness in a trailer’s interior liner, helping to prevent the force from pallets, cargo or forklifts during loading and unloading from damaging the foam insulation in the trailer walls, causing it to lose mechanical and ultimately, thermal integrity. The inherent stiffness comes from the high-glass content in ThermoGuard and its placement in the glass-reinforced, thermoplastic liners. With more glass than any other product on the market, and a design that orients the glass close to but not too near the surface, this unique liner combines significantly better strength and increased stiffness as compared to similar thickness or thinner liners. In addition, the liner remains resilient, so impacts from loading equipment are less likely to puncture or tear the material leading to trailer maintenance or insulation degradation.

Adhesion characteristics are also addressed in the design of ThermoGuard. The proprietary and unique adhesion system creates a specialized layer that serves as a highly effective anchor into the foam insulation. This very strong mechanical bond helps protect against de-lamination caused by gouging, rubbing or denting that can damage the foam attached to the liner and cause the liner to separate from the insulation inside the trailer’s walls.

As tests indicate, ThermoGuard extends a refrigerated trailer’s useful life by performing extraordinarily well for Great Dane customers over longer periods of time. In all areas, this revolutionary liner is proving to be superior to all other options currently available on the market.

Great Dane’s all-new line of reefer trailers, the Everest Series, come standard with floor systems utilizing anti-corrosion features consisting of composite floor sills, organic-coated floor and sill screws, and an improved sub-pan. These three distinct technologies combine to form a comprehensive solution for protecting trailers from moisture and corrosion.

Corrosion in reefer floors with wood sills results when water enters the floor insulation cavity and is soaked up by the cellular, natural wood Apitong sills. Great Dane’s Everest Series reefers utilize composite floor sills, which do not act like a sponge and do not absorb water.

Moisture can also corrode traditional floor and sill screws allowing for further water penetration into the floor cavity. At Great Dane, the use of organic coatings helps reduce the possibility of these screws corroding. Composite sills are secured to the cross-members using sill screws that employ a special three-layer coating system to prevent corrosion. The system includes two-layer inorganic zinc and polymer base-coats as well as aluminum and polymer organic topcoats. Combined, the characteristics of these materials provide both an excellent barrier to corrosion and a sacrificial layer, effectively doubling the protection of conventional treatments.

The same or similar organic coatings are proving highly successful as barriers against corrosion in several carefully selected and extensively tested fastener applications on Great Dane trailers, such as nuts, bolts, screws and other types of hardware. In addition to attaching reefer floors to composite sills and sills to cross-members, other areas where these screws are now in standard use on Great Dane reefers is for attaching cargo track and scuff-bands to walls.

A third and equally important component in addressing corrosion in reefer floors is an improved subfloor pan. The insulated floor cavity of a refrigerated trailer is an especially critical area because it is continuously exposed to the environment, including exposure to road de-icing chemicals and cleaning agents.

Great Dane’s reefer subfloor pan, in use since 2008, is stronger and less porous, not to mention lighter weight. In terms of puncture resistance, testing has revealed that the glass-reinforced polypropylene sub pan has exhibited more than twice the strength of competitive offerings, making it less likely to be punctured or cut and provide an entry path for moisture. In addition, permeability tests have shown an exceptional ability to prevent moisture intrusion, all with a weight savings of 40 lbs per 53-foot trailer.

By employing several proven technologies as a system, Great Dane is effectively and proactively addressing corrosion in reefer floors.

An ongoing challenge, corrosion on trailers is being addressed at Great Dane in many ways, including the smallest of details. In particular, along with larger components, the fight against corrosion is being waged on fasteners, with substantial benefit.

Among the latest weapons in Great Dane’s corrosion fighting arsenal are organic coatings, which are proving highly successful as barriers against corrosion in several carefully selected and extensively tested applications.

Organic coatings consist of a layered solution that typically employs zinc and polymer basecoats as well as aluminum and polymer topcoats. Combined, the characteristics of these materials make both an excellent barrier to corrosion and provide a sacrificial element, effectively multiplying the protection of conventional treatments, such as zinc coating or galvanizing.

Used on fasteners, such as nuts, bolts, screws and other types of hardware in some applications on Great Dane trailers, organic coatings are undergoing continuing and extensive evaluation. Included are common salt spray resistance along with more severe cyclical tests involving dry, mist and immersion cycles of typical road chemicals. With impressive results, evaluations have also covered the organic coating’s resistance to aluminum brighteners and other cleaning chemicals that if used improperly would strip conventional electroplating.

Great Dane is also continuing to evaluate the mechanical durability of organic coatings. Historically, the weak point in organic coatings is their relatively brittle undercoat, meaning they could lack chip resistance, especially during installation. These evaluations have included repeated installation and removal cycles, industry standard drop tests, and even the use of a rock tumbler designed for polishing stones. Even after multiple abuses to the fasteners, those with organic coatings continued on thru corrosion testing to again yield impressive results.

Organic coatings complement Great Dane’s wide-ranging approach to corrosion resistance. In use are corrosion-resistant undercoating compounds like Valspar’s Val-Flex and Dry-Flex for steel components of the underbody of dry freight and reefer trailers. Also standard is Valspar’s R-Cure, a two-step epoxy primer and urethane topcoat for dry freight rear frames and platform trailers.

CorroGuard with Technology by GatorHyde is the latest exclusive Great Dane product designed to fight corrosion. This polyurea elastomeric coating was developed specifically for trailer underbody protection from rock and stone impingement and chemical resistance to current de-icing chemicals. This impact-resistant barrier is designed to withstand de-icing chemicals, as well as road debris, climate fluctuations, and ice and snow. Airtight and water tight, CorroGuard will not peel, crack, warp, flake or split under even the harshest of conditions.

Today, in some ways, that challenge is even greater. With new road deicing agents comes an increase in corrosion on vehicles. Winter road traction and deicing materials also create a “sandblast” effect on the understructure of trailers, potentially compromising traditional protective coatings. For customers, this adds up in higher costs for repair and replacement to structural members, suspensions, landing gear and other components impacted by corrosion.

To further the goal of providing continually better corrosion resistance, Great Dane is evaluating and adopting new solutions like organic fastener coatings.

Corrosion is an ever-present enemy to trailers. At Great Dane, proactive research and development— even for the smallest of details– is addressing this challenge very effectively.

Great Dane’s many unique product offerings for refrigerated trailers include PunctureGuard and ThermoGuard linings. These advanced solutions are superior to other high performance options currently available in the key areas of stiffness and foam adhesion, two critical elements in a reefer’s long term durability and thermal integrity.

While strength and light weight are key attributes in any reefer lining material, PunctureGuard and ThermoGuard also address the need for stiffness to help protect the foam insulation in a trailer’s walls. This characteristic is very important because the forces from pallets, cargo, or forklifts during loading and unloading operations can be transmitted to and damaging to the foam insulation in the trailer walls, causing it to lose thermal integrity.

The inherent stiffness of PunctureGuard and ThermoGuard comes from the high glass content and its placement in the glass-reinforced, thermoplastic liners. With 70 percent glass by weight, more than any other product on the market, and a design that places the oriented long glass fibers close to, but not too near the surface, these unique liners offer significant stiffness. In addition, the thermoplastic liners remain pliant over time, so impacts from loading equipment will not cause the material to curl away from walls.

Adhesion characteristics are equally important and are addressed in the design of Great Dane’s PunctureGuard and ThermoGuard reefer linings. The proprietary and unique adhesion system consists of a specialized layer that serves as a highly effective anchor into the foam insulation. This very strong mechanical bond helps resist delamination caused by gouging, rubbing or denting that can damage the foam immediately behind the liner and cause the liner to separate from the insulation inside the trailer’s walls.

At .070 inches, PunctureGuard is incredibly thin and considerably lighter than plywood and conventional FRP linings. In distinct and comprehensive tests measuring strength and impact resistance, PunctureGuard was found to be one fourth to one third stronger than competitive products. Other tests revealed it has up to 50 percent more impact resistance. PunctureGuard is also easy to repair, lowering maintenance costs, and it’s easy to clean, making it simpler to maintain the appearance of the liner’s smooth, glossy finish.

ThermoGuard, also thin and lightweight, helps maintain the thermal efficiency of Great Dane reefers. Containing a revolutionary composite layer that seals the trailer’s insulation, ThermoGuard significantly reduces “out gassing” effects that cause foam insulation to degrade over time. The improvement in thermal integrity helps maintain excess cooling capacity, reducing cooling unit run-time by significntly over five years, as well as lowering resulting maintenance and fuel expenses.

PunctureGuard and ThermoGuard, two exclusive refrigerated trailer linings from Great Dane stand above alternative and competitive solutions in terms of strength, stiffness, adhesion and light weight. The result of Great Dane’s continued commitment to research and development of products and unique and innovative manufacturing processes, these high performance linings are helping customers eliminate damage and enhance cargo protection while also increasing productivity, extending the useful life of trailers, and improving resale value.

One of the many technologies on Great Dane trailers that have continuously evolved are LED (Light Emitting Diode) lamps. Initially these lamps were not popular when they were first introduced to the trucking industry in 1990. Now, these longer lasting and more durable lamps are the lighting solution of choice for customers and have been specified as standard equipment on most trailer orders.

LED lamps have a number of advantages over incandescent lighting, including a much longer service life because they do not produce heat and are much less susceptible to shock and vibration. Unlike an incandescent bulb with a thin white-hot filament, LED lamps produce light when electricity passes through a silicon crystal. This helps give LED lamps an expected life of six times longer than traditional incandescent trailer light bulbs.

For Great Dane customers, longer life lamps will add up in replacement cost savings. Fewer replacements also lower maintenance expenses and reduces the potential for injury when replacing bulbs or lamps in top rails and rear frames. In addition, the recessed mounting and smaller size of today’s trailer clearance/marker LED lamps— about the size of a quarter in some cases— significantly reduces the potential for damage.

LEDs also offer a safety advantage over incandescent lamps because they generate brighter light and do so more quickly. This capability can make a trailer more visible, and when used in signal and brake lamp assemblies, LEDs provide not only brighter light, but take only a fraction of a second to reach full illumination.

Using only about one tenth the power (measured in amp draw) of an incandescent lamp, the lower power consumption of LEDs may make a difference for operations that outfit trailers with specialized equipment or extra interior and exterior lighting. There is also the potential to use lighter gauge wiring in trailers equipped exclusively with LEDs, and in the process lower the cost of future wiring harnesses without sacrificing integrity or durability.

Great Dane has continuously enhanced its trailer wiring harnesses. Improvements include ground return wiring through the 7-pin connector, and bullet terminal plugs at lamps to bolster moisture and vibration resistance as well as make servicing easier if parts are damaged. The elimination of chassis grounding means that there are no contact points between terminal ends and the trailer body that could become corroded and fail over time.

LEDs have been the lighting choice for a growing number of Great Dane customers, with a high percentage of trailer orders already including the lamps. As even more trailers are equipped with LEDs, prices for the lamps continue to drop. Today, the cost difference between LED and incandescent lamps is at its lowest level; and the slightly higher cost of LEDs is easily outweighed in most applications by their longer life and maintenance expense savings.

For many good reasons, more and more Great Dane customers have been switching to LED lamps to meet trailer lighting needs. Now set to become standard on all Great Dane models, these premium lights coupled with a premium wiring harness are a perfect fit for the industry’s highest quality trailers.