Fontaine Modification has developed a new lowered roof modification for Peterbilt 348 trucks that improves overhead clearance for transporting chassis mounted cranes in areas with low bridges and overpasses.

The Peterbilt 348 6x6 with extended cab is often used to mount an overhead crane for use by utility and construction companies. The extended cab provides room to store tools and equipment, but its roof design also increases the overall cab height. This causes a crane in transportation mode to sit too high to safely travel under 14-foot bridges found in western U.S. states, forcing fleets to potentially plan travel routes that avoid such bridges, according to Fontaine.

To address this issue, Fontaine developed a modification to lower the cab roof by 5.5 inches to accommodate bridge clearance for a truck equipped with a chassis-mounted crane that has been folded over the cab roof for transport. This modification allows the truck’s overall height to be low enough to pass under 14-foot bridges while maintaining the same amount of headroom as in the day cab.

This modification is has applications for fleets that require:

• An extended cab to carry more equipment or people.

• A crane arm or other aerial equipment to be transported over the cab roof in locations with a 14-foot bridge law.

• Driver headroom clearance that is comparable to the standard day cab.

Fontaine developed the modification in the company’s Charlotte Innovation Center. The initial two trucks were also modified at the Charlotte facility. Current production has shifted to the Garland, Texas, modification center near the Peterbilt manufacturing plant.