Haulmark trailers, built in Queensland, have long carried a reputation for doing things properly. Not just well, but properly. From their livestock trailers to the pioneering through loader system, Haulmark has always shown a knack for looking at a transport problem and calmly engineering a solution that makes everyone else wonder why it was ever complicated in the first place.

So when the call came into Haulmark’s Rocklea office asking for a specialised low loader to move brand new combine harvesters, there was no panic, no sucking of teeth, and certainly no suggestion that it could not be done. Instead, the engineers sharpened their pencils, cleared a bit of bench space, and got to work.

John Deere combine harvesters sit firmly at the large end of the agricultural machinery spectrum. The S680 Combine featured here weighs 16.38 tonne, stretches 6.68 metres in length, stands 3.98 metres tall, and spreads to a formidable 4.28 metres wide. That is before it ever climbs onto a trailer, at which point things usually start getting expensive very quickly.

Once you step outside the comfortable world of standard dimensions and into the realm of over dimensional transport, the cost curve does not rise gently. It rockets. Every extra millimetre of height, width, or weight drags paperwork, permits, escort vehicles, and additional personnel along for the ride. Push past five metres in width or 4.6 metres in height and suddenly the job involves more planning than a small military operation. Costs climb accordingly.

For Haulmark’s engineers, the key challenge was obvious. Get the overall travelling height of the S680 under 4.6 metres while sitting on the trailer. Do that, and the transport task becomes simpler, cheaper, and far more practical. At the same time, this could not be a single purpose trailer. John Deere does not sell one of these machines every day, so the design had to remain flexible enough to handle a variety of agricultural equipment and general freight.

Flexible

Fortunately, combine harvesters and tractors are large but not outrageously heavy, at least not compared to earthmoving machinery. That made the standard Haulmark drop deck trailer an ideal starting point. The existing deck widening option in the drop deck range was already well suited to the task, and the option list also included bi fold ramps and a compact petrol powered electric start hydraulic power pack.

Lowering the deck height was the first hurdle. Haulmark achieved this by fitting FUWA K Hitch KT250U fabricated air suspension paired with low profile 215 75R17.5 tyres. The KT250U suspension offers ride height settings from as low as 140 millimetres up to 356 millimetres. In practical terms, the engineers pushed the deck height down to just 960 millimetres. That is comfortably under one metre and impressively low for a trailer of this capability.

Even so, adding 960 millimetres to the S680’s 3.98 metre height still left the combination about 340 millimetres too tall. This is where the clever stuff happened. The solution was to scallop wheel wells directly into the deck floor, allowing the combine’s massive tyres to drop into the trailer rather than sit on top of it. With that, the overall height slipped neatly under the 4.6 metre threshold.

These wheel well sections are removable, which is important. They include forklift tine slots so they can be lifted out and replaced as required, depending on the machine being carried. The sections are pinned and secured using hitch pins with locking spring clips, making the process straightforward without sacrificing strength or safety.

At the rear, hydraulic bi fold ramps are mounted to the widening section of the deck, moving in and out as the deck width changes. Fully extended, the deck widens to four metres. Retracted, it returns to the standard 2.5 metre travelling width. Chain tie down points and container twist lock pins are integrated into the deck floor, adding further flexibility. Container lock stands are stored neatly on either side of the chassis, allowing containers to be secured over the gooseneck when required.

Fold Down Ramps

The gooseneck itself includes fold down ramps, enabling smaller machines to drive directly onto it. While the gooseneck does not widen, there is ample room to carry a compact machine such as a John Deere 1025R tractor or a Gator utility vehicle. Meanwhile, larger but lighter equipment like the R4023 John Deere self propelled sprayer fits comfortably on the lower deck.

As you would expect, the practical details have not been overlooked. A chassis mounted toolbox sits on the left side, with a single spare wheel carrier on the right. All lighting is Hella LED for durability and ease of maintenance. There is a 60 litre plastic water tank complete with hand cleaner, and the landing gear is two speed Holland with S type feet.

Haulmark is one of the few Australian trailer manufacturers that can genuinely trace its lineage back to the very beginnings of road transport in this country. From the start, the company has followed a simple philosophy. Continual innovation. They have never been interested in copying what others are doing. Their focus has always been on developing better transport solutions that deliver real world benefits to operators, customers, and the wider community.

Their early innovations in livestock transport changed the face of outback cattle hauling. Those big six deck triple road train cattle trailers did more than move stock efficiently. They reduced transport times and improved animal welfare, a rare example of productivity and responsibility pulling in the same direction.

Optimise Productivity

Today, that same engineering mindset is applied to highly specialised modern transport tasks. From their Rocklea headquarters, Haulmark designs and manufactures custom trailers that optimise productivity while keeping whole of life operating costs firmly under control. This combine harvester transport trailer is a perfect example of that approach in action.

Their reputation for quality is further reinforced by the extensive range of specialised equipment supplied to the Australian Defence Force. This includes trailers designed to transport tanks, armoured vehicles, engineering plant, fuel, ammunition, containers, and mobile shelters. You do not earn that sort of client without doing things properly, every time.

Every Haulmark trailer is backed by a complete and detailed set of engineering and manufacturing drawings, ensuring traceability and long term support. This forms part of their ISO9001 quality assurance process and confirms compliance with Australian Design Rules, design integrity, and suitability for purpose.

And so, with permits sorted and measurements satisfied, the towering John Deere S680 combine harvester rolled out of the yard atop its Haulmark widening drop deck. Big, clever, and unapologetically well thought out. Just as it should be.

Trailer Specifications:

Model:                                    Drop Deck Widener
Type:                                      3×4

Axles/Suspension:               FUWA K-Hitch KT250U Hydraulics: 6.5hp Honda pull- Power-pack Starter:            Electric/Pull
Storage:                                 Toolbox left-hand-side
Ramps:                                  Bi-Fold Hydraulic
Spare wheel carrier:            1 x right-hand-side

Lights:                                    Hella LED
Kingpin:                                 50mm fixed
Skid plate:                             Fixed

Gooseneck:                           Fold down ramps