Trailer Glossary

Trailer Glossary

Does trailer terminology have you confused? No problem! The Trailer Technician Trailer Glossary provides the definitions of commonly used terminology from the heavy-duty truck and semi-trailer industry.

Glossary

A

B

  • B-Train
  • Blink Codes
  • Bobtail
  • Bogie
  • Bolster Plate
  • Bolster Plate Height
  • Brake Actuator
  • Brake Chamber
  • Brake Controller
  • Brake Drag
  • Brake Fade
  • Brake Force
  • Brake Monitoring System (BMS)
  • Brake Stroke
  • Bridge Formula
  • Brinell Hardness
  • Bulkhead

C

  • C-Train
  • Camber
  • Center-of-Gravity
  • Chassis, Container
  • Class 1 Truck
  • Class 2 Truck
  • Class 3 Truck
  • Class 4 Truck
  • Class 5 Truck
  • Class 6 Truck
  • Class 7 Truck
  • Class 8 Truck
  • Clearance Lights
  • Clevis
  • Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)
  • Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMVs)
  • Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA)
  • Commercial Vehicle Safety Plan (CVSP)
  • Commercial Trailer
  • Compliance, Safety, Accountability Program (CSA)
  • Conestoga
  • Connector, Bullet
  • Connector, Butt
  • Conspicuity Tape (DOT Tape, Reflective Tape)
  • Container
  • Continuity Tester
  • Crossmember
  • Curbside
  • Cushion Foot

D

  • Department of Transportation (DOT)
  • Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC)
  • Dielectric Grease
  • Dock Lock
  • Dolly
  • Door Hold Back
  • Door Seal
  • Door, Overhead
  • Door, Swing
  • Doubles
  • Doubles, Rocky Mountain
  • Doubles, Turnpike
  • Driver Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR)
  • Drop and Hook
  • Drop Deck Trailer
  • Dry Van Trailer

E

  • Electronic Braking Systems (EBS)
  • Electronic Control Unit (ECU)
  • Electronic Logging Device (ELD)
  • Extendable Double Drop Trailer
  • Extendable Flatbed Trailer

F

  • Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
  • Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS)
  • Fiberglass Reinforced Composite (FRC)
  • Fiberglass Reinforced Plastics (FRP)
  • Fifth Wheel
  • Fifth Wheel Height
  • Fifth Wheel Top Plate
  • Fixed Tandem
  • Flaps
  • Flash Code
  • Flat Rate
  • Flatbed Trailer
  • Float Trailer
  • Floor, Composite
  • Floor, Laminated
  • Floor, Shiplap
  • Floor, Tongue & Groove
  • Foundation Brake

G

  • Galvanized
  • Gladhand
  • Gooseneck Trailer
  • Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
  • Gross Combination Weight (GCW)
  • Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
  • Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
  • Ground Bearing

H

I

  • ICC Bumper

J

  • Jackknife
  • Johnson Bar

K

  • Kingpin
  • Kingpin Lock
  • Kingpin Plate

L

  • Landing Gear
  • Lash Ring
  • Less-Than-Truckload (LTL)
  • Lift Axle
  • Lift Gate
  • Load Concentration
  • Load Locks
  • Long Stroke
  • Lowboy Trailer
  • Lumen

M

N

  • Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR)
  • Non-Ground Bearing
  • Nose Cone

O

P

  • Payload Capacity
  • Piggyback
  • Pigtail
  • Pintle Hook
  • Placard
  • Platooning
  • Pounds Per Square Inch (PSI)

Q

R

  • Rear Impact Guard (RIG)
  • Red Tag
  • Refrigerated Trailer (Reefer)
  • Relay
  • Removable Gooseneck Trailer (RNG)
  • Ride Height
  • Rigid Fifth Wheel
  • RoadRailer Trailer
  • Roadside
  • Roll Axis
  • Roll Center
  • Rub Rail

S

  • SAE J560
  • SAE J1939
  • Safety Measurement System (SMS)
  • Sand Shoe
  • Scuff Liner
  • Semi-Trailer
  • Short Stroke
  • Side Rail
  • Side Skirts
  • Sidekit Trailer
  • Slack Adjuster
  • Slide Travel
  • Sliding Fifth Wheel
  • Sliding Tandem
  • Smart Trailer
  • Specialty Trailer
  • Spindle
  • Spread Axle
  • Standard Repair Time (SRT)
  • Stationary Fifth Wheel
  • Step Deck Trailer
  • Stretch RGN Trailer
  • Stretch Single Drop Deck Trailer
  • Super Single
  • Suspension
  • Suspension, Air Ride
  • Suspension, Leaf Spring

T

U

  • United States Department of Transportation (USDOT)
  • Upper Coupler

V

W

  • Watt
  • Wheel Base
  • Wheel End
  • Wheel Speed Sensor
  • Wheel Torque

X

Y

  • Yard Check
  • Yard Jockey
  • Yard Management System (YMS)
  • Yard Tractor
  • Yoke

Z