Ridge Corp. says it has a solution to help prevent trailer front-end top rail and corner damage due to limb strikes and impacts from other trailers being moved around in the terminal lot.
Ridge Corp.'s Trailer Helmet is designed to protect the top edge and corners of the trailer -- and is aerodynamic.
Photo: Ridge Corp.
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Ridge Corp. says it has a solution to help prevent trailer front-end top rail and corner damage due to limb strikes and impacts from other trailers being moved around in the terminal lot. These impacts can cause repairs, downtime, and, if unreported, lead to wet-freight claims days or months later due to leaks.
The Trailer Helmet is made out of a resilient, reinforced high-impact polymer that absorbs the impact and rebounds to the original position. The trailer front corners stay protected, and the cargo stays dry.
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In addition, the aerodynamic shape of the Trailer Helmet has been shown in the wind tunnel to provide aerodynamic drag reduction, according to the company. It weight about 50 pounds.
This video still shows how the Trailer Helmet compresses on impact — and then it bounces back to its original shape.
Photo: Still from Ridge Corp. video
Ridge says the Trailer Helmet, with more than seven years of development and prototyping behind it, is the result of direct interaction with customers to understand their problems, apply its knowledge of advanced composite materials, and create an engineered solution.
One of those customers is Virginia-based carrier Estes Express Lines. Estes VP of Fleet Services Mike Palmer, a former HDT Truck Fleet Innovator, was working on an early design with Ridge at the time he was honored in 2020 and told us damage to trailer corners was one of his most vexing problems.
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Since then, the concept has been further refined and Ridge has tooled up for full commercialization. For instance, a “chin strap” slotted hole feature on the side allows movement during impact and prevents the Trailer Helmet from being pulled forward.
The Trailer Helmet mounts to the front trailer posts using 5/16” Torx bolts and uses an interior rubber bonded washer and exterior sealing tape to prohibit moisture intrusion.
Trailer Helmet is part of the AeroGreen family of aerodynamic solutions from Ridge Corp. and is manufactured from the same high-impact material used in the Green Wing V-Brace.
Manufactured at Ridge’s facility in Central Ohio, Trailer Helmet is available in multiple colors from a number of major trailer manufacturers.
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