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.
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A
Actuator
Aggregate Hopper
Air Brake
Air Dryer
Air Spring
Air Tank
Annual Inspection
Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)
Apitong
Axle
Axle Weight
B
Blind Rivet
Blink Codes
Bobtail
Bogie
Bolster Plate Height
Bottom Rail
Brake Actuator
Brake Chamber
Brake Controller
Brake Drag
Brake Fade
Brake Force
Brake Monitoring System (BMS)
Brake Stroke
Bridge Formula
Brinell Hardness
Buck Rivet
Bulkhead
C
C-Train
Camber
CAT Scales
Center-of-Gravity
Class 1 Truck
Class 2 Truck
Class 3 Truck
Class 4 Truck
Class 5 Truck
Class 6 Truck
Class 7 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)
Continuity Tester
Corner Radius
Crash Plate
Crossmember
Curbside
D
Dead Axle
Department of Transportation (DOT)
Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC)
Dielectric Grease
Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF)
Dock Leveler
Dock Lock
Dolly
Dolly Legs
Door Hold Back
Door Seal
Door, Overhead
Door, Swing
Doubles, Rocky Mountain
Doubles, Turnpike
Drawbar Eye
Drayage
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)
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
Extendable Double Drop Trailer
Extendable Flatbed Trailer
F
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS)
Fiberglass Reinforced Composite (FRC)
Fiberglass Reinforced Plastics (FRP)
Fifth Wheel Height
Fixed Tandem
Flaps
Flash Code
Flat Rate
Flat Spotting
Flatbed Trailer
Float Trailer
Floor, Composite
Floor, Laminated
Floor, Shiplap
Floor, Tongue & Groove
Foundation Brake
G
Galvanic Corrosion
Galvanized
Geofencing
Gladhand
Gooseneck Trailer
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
Gross Combination Weight (GCW)
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
Ground Bearing
H
Harness, Wiring
Heavy Duty Truck
High Base Rail
Hours of Service (HOS)
I
Intermodal
J
Jackknife
Johnson Bar
K
Kingpin
Kingpin Lock
Kingpin Plate
L
Lash Ring
Leaf Spring Suspension
Less-Than-Truckload (LTL)
Lift Axle
Lift Gate
Load Concentration
Load Locks
Logistic Seams
Logistic Track
Long Stroke
Longer Combination Vehicle (LCV)
Lowboy Trailer
Lumen
M
Multi Meter
N
Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR)
Non-Ground Bearing
Nose Box
Nose Cone
O
P
Pallet
Payload Capacity
PDI Inspection
Pick-up and Delivery (P&D)
Piggyback
Pigtail
Pintle Hook
Placard
Platooning
Pop Rivet
Pounds Per Square Inch (PSI)
Pre-Trip Inspection
Predictive Maintenance (PdM)
Pup
Preventive Maintenance (PM)
Q
R
Red Tag
Refrigerated Trailer (Reefer)
Relay
Removable Gooseneck Trailer (RNG)
Rigid Fifth Wheel
RoadRailer Trailer
Roadside
Roll Axis
Roll Center
Rub Rail
S
SAE J2228
Safety Measurement System (SMS)
Sand Shoe
Scuff Liner
Semi-Trailer
Sheet & Post
Short Stroke
Side Rail
Slide Track
Sliding Tandem
Sidekit Trailer
Slide Travel
Sliding Fifth Wheel
Sliding Tandem
Smart Trailer
Solid Rivet
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
T
Tandem
Tanker
Tare Weight
Tautliner
Telematics
Terminal Tractor
Thermal Event
Tire Load Rating
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Tone Ring
Top Rail
Towed Vehicle Weight (TVW)
Transportation Management System (TMS)
Tri-axle
Truckload (TL)
Turnpike Doubles
U
V
Van Trailer
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards (VMRS)
VIN Tag
Vertical Load Capacity
Volt
W
Watt
Wheel Base
Wheel End
Wheel Speed Sensor
Wheel Torque
X
Y
Yard Check
Yard Jockey
Yard Management System (YMS)
Yard Tractor
Yoke