What is a Glider Kit Semi Trucks and Their Benefits

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A curious child examines a sleek white glider on a sunny day at an airfield.
Credit: pexels.com, A curious child examines a sleek white glider on a sunny day at an airfield.

A glider kit semi truck is a type of vehicle that combines a new engine with a used chassis. This unique combination is designed to reduce costs for truck owners.

Glider kits are built on a used frame, which can be sourced from a variety of places, including auctions and salvage yards.

What is a Glider Kit?

A glider kit is a way to reuse and repurpose damaged trucks and get them back on the roads.

Glider kits take the working components from damaged trucks, primarily a still-usable powertrain, and install them in an otherwise new vehicle. Some companies specialize in creating glider trucks.

The powertrain is the heart of a vehicle, and if it's still working, it can be a great asset to reuse. This is exactly what glider kits do – they give old powertrains a new home.

Glider kits can help reduce waste and save resources by giving old trucks a second life.

Benefits and Features

Credit: youtube.com, What is a Glider Truck/Glider Kit - Here is all you need to know

Glider kits are a great option for those looking for a cost-effective and reliable semi-truck solution. They're designed with ease of maintenance in mind, which helps decrease downtime and keeps your trucks on the road.

Here are some of the key benefits and features of glider kits:

  • Lower cost of ownership compared to a factory truck
  • Better fuel economy
  • No DEF or EGR
  • Lower maintenance costs
  • Largest warranty network in the U.S.
  • If you go with Fitzgerald’s in house Detroit engine you have 4 warranty options

With a glider kit, you can expect to retain the factory warranty on the cab and chassis for 1 year/ 100k miles. This provides peace of mind and protects your investment.

The Mechanical Benefit:

Our glider kits are designed with ease of maintenance in mind, which helps decrease downtime and keeps your trucks on the road.

We've got a vast parts and service infrastructure, thanks to running on the most common and proven engines. This means you can get the support you need, when you need it.

With a glider kit, you can choose from a variety of engine and transmission options to give you a complete unit ready to go to work.

Here are some of the mechanical benefits of our glider kits:

  • Lower cost of ownership compared to a factory truck
  • Better fuel economy
  • No DEF or EGR
  • Lower maintenance costs
  • Largest warranty network in the U.S.
  • If you go with Fitzgerald’s in-house Detroit engine, you have 4 warranty options

Advantages of Glider Trucks

Credit: youtube.com, Benefits of a Glider Truck | MATS 2016 | OTR Performance

Glider trucks have a lower carbon footprint compared to traditional trucks, with a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. They also provide a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional trucking methods.

The use of glider trucks can result in significant fuel savings, with some users reporting a 20% reduction in fuel consumption. This is due in part to the lighter weight of the glider truck.

Glider trucks can be retrofitted with new engines, allowing users to take advantage of the latest fuel-efficient technologies. This can lead to even greater fuel savings and reduced emissions.

The construction of glider trucks is also more cost-effective than building a new truck from scratch, with some users reporting savings of up to 50% on initial purchase costs.

Glider Truck Information

Glider trucks are essentially new vehicles with a used powertrain from a damaged truck. They're made possible by glider kits, which allow companies to reuse and repurpose damaged trucks.

Some companies specialize in creating glider trucks, taking the working components from damaged trucks and installing them in new vehicles. This process can help reduce waste and lower costs.

A glider kit typically takes a still-usable powertrain from a damaged truck and installs it in an otherwise new vehicle.

Are Glider Trucks New?

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Glider trucks are often considered new by manufacturers, who certify them as such and give them a new model year and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). This makes them eligible for new asset depreciation.

Manufacturers certify Glider kits as if they were new, given a new model year & VIN, which are deductible and would depreciate like a new asset.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has specific requirements for what constitutes a used truck. If a truck is built with a used engine, drivetrain, and rear axle from the same donor truck, it must be labeled as used.

In order to meet the NHTSA's requirements, a Glider truck must incorporate a used engine, used drivetrain, and used rear axle – and at least two of these components must come from the same “donor” truck.

Glider Truck Gone

Glider trucks are no longer a popular option, as the IRS ended the tax benefits in 2017. This change made them less appealing to carriers.

Credit: youtube.com, Glider trucks vs swapping engines everything you need to know

The tax benefits were a key factor in the rise of glider trucks, but without them, the market shifted. Many carriers opted for more conventional trucks instead.

Glider trucks were once a cost-effective way for carriers to upgrade their fleets, but the lack of tax benefits has made them less viable. This change has had a significant impact on the industry.

The IRS' decision to end the tax benefits was likely due to concerns about the environmental impact of glider trucks. They were often made from older engines and chassis, which could lead to increased emissions.

Carriers that invested in glider trucks before the tax benefits ended may still be using them today. However, many have since switched to more modern and environmentally friendly options.

Felicia Larson

Writer

Felicia Larson is a seasoned writer with a keen eye for detail and a passion for logistics. Her work focuses on the intricate world of shipping companies, where she delves into the complexities of global logistics and supply chain management. Through her articles, she aims to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of the industry, from the latest technological advancements to the challenges faced by shipping companies.

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