Freighter “Strapper” Trailer – Where It All Began

Sitting atop a display trailer at the recent Melbourne Truck Show was the Freighter Strapper trailer, a single axle flat top from 1951 and restored to its original glory by its original manufacturer to demonstrate how far the industry has come in the last fifty years.

The brand advertising emphasises it: “Freighter – Behind trucking Since 1946” and making its return to public display for the first time in a long time, the restored Strapper is an insightful example of the early Freighter design and innovation that has helped shape the road freight industry from post-war times, to how we know it today.

Built in 1951, the Strapper Trailer was developed to assist transport operators to overcome the immense difficulties and challenges faced using post-war highways. The trailer would have been state-of-the-art at the time with the Strapper’s high manufacturing standards including timber floors, single axles and vacuum-hydraulic brakes.

The trailer managed a payload of about 10 tonnes but needed to be tensioned, using two large turnbuckles to put a bow in the deck before loading with an extra heavy load. As Freighter point out, there’s no way you could ask drivers today to undertake such a task.

And with all the current focus on Load Restraint regulations, today’s generation would find it difficult to comprehend how road transport operators were able to secure their freight to the strapper trailer using only tarps and ropes.

Yet it was this very Strapper trailer, probably towed by an ex-army prime mover or a Commer “Knocker”, that helped build Australia and consolidate the future of the road transport industry. Restored by Maxitrans’ Hallam Repairs and Service division, the Strapper Trailer doesn’t look out of place amongst its Freighter family members including the EziLiner, K8 skel and Load Hold Curtains on the show stand.