A truck head is an engine that pulls the rest of the truck. Be it in SUVs or trailers. It is something that must be taken into consideration lest you risk having a truck that cannot perform the intended tasks efficiently. But before we go into the essential aspects of a truck head and look at the importance of a truck head, we should be in a position to know what it is.
A truck head is sometimes called a towing head, and it is specifically designed to tow a trailer. In some places, you will get people referring to it as a prime mover. In Japan, one of the leading manufacturing countries called a trailer head.
The different types of truck heads
Truck heads come in a range of designs that are meant to meet specific needs. However, the two broad types are the semi-truck head and the full truck head.
- Semi-truck head
As the name suggests, these types cannot support the entire trailer on auxiliary wheels. They are usually fitted on their rear wheels of the trailer to be fully supported.
- Full truck head
A full truck head can move along even without the support of the rest of the trailer. They have both the front wheels and the rear wheel that make movement possible. They are very common designs and are ones that are mostly used to tow hefty cargo trailers. Some models lack the engine to self-propel while others have.
The functionality of the truck head
Mot tractors and trailers are built to carry heavy loads ad tons f cargo over long distances. So the essential thing to look for in a truck head is always the loading capacity. The coupler and kingpin of a truck head are the parts that shoulder the weight of the trailer once it is connected. The containers are not fixed with engines, so they are loaded on truck heads to be propelled.
The part that connects the trailer to the truck head is called a fifth wheel, which is the part that plays the role of cargo connection. This par brings forth the force that can pull up to 10 tons of cargo. When buying a truck head, it is essential to look out for this part. It always bears the maximum towing weight of the truck head.
Single vs. double-truck head
These are some of the terms used to describe truck heads. Here are their meanings.
- Single truck head: this is a truck head with only one differential gear. They come with six wheels and two axels.
- Double truck head: these ones have three axels, ten wheels, and two differential gears.
The terms single or double are only used to indicate the number of differential gears in the truck head.
Final words
The world of logistics and transportation at large is very much dependant on trucks. It is essential to have the necessary knowledge of trucks because you might find yourself in a situation where you need one even if you are not in it to buy.
