Low loader finance
Low loaders carry the machines nothing else can, and funders assess them on the heavy haulage work behind them rather than on generic trailer values.
Whole-of-market — 60+ lenders searched, including
Can you finance a low loader?
Yes. A low loader is funded as a trailer asset, either alongside a tractor unit or entirely on its own facility. Used low loaders fund well because heavy haulage demand is persistent and a sound deck lasts a very long time. The complication is regulatory rather than financial: moving large plant frequently brings abnormal load notification, escorting and route planning into play, and funders who know the sector will want to see that the operator has the licence, the insurance and the experience to run legally. That is often the real gate, not the trailer.
Used kit: Yes — used low loaders fund readily and to a considerable age, provided the main beams and extendable mechanism are undamaged.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
What would a low loader cost per month?
Asset finance is quoted on a flat rate, so that is what the buttons show, with the equivalent APR beside it. Your exact rate depends on the asset, the term, the deposit and the lender.
Prime is an established, profitable business with clean credit. Specialist covers newer businesses and credit that needs explaining — the asset itself carries part of the risk, which is why finance is often available where an unsecured loan is not.
Representative example: on Hire Purchase, borrowing £25,000 over 48 months at a 5.15% flat rate (equivalent to 9.9% APR representative), you would repay around £628 a month; total amount repayable approximately £30,150, of which £5,150 is the cost of finance. This calculator is for illustration only — it is not a quote or an offer of finance, and the rate and repayments you are offered will depend on the asset, term, deposit and your circumstances. CW Asset Finance is a credit broker, not a lender, and will receive a commission from the lender that funds your agreement. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Rates shown are indicative flat rates with the equivalent APR alongside — the two are not the same number. Indicative only and does not constitute a quote or an offer of finance. Subject to status and lender approval.
How lenders treat it
Low loaders hold value unusually well — a well-built step frame or double extendable from Nooteboom, Faymonville or King stays in demand for decades, and funders know a repossessed one would sell. That supports good appetite on the asset. The scrutiny falls on the operation: abnormal load work requires notification procedures, specific insurance and often escorts, and funders check that the operator is genuinely set up for it rather than hoping to learn. Established heavy haulage firms are read from accounts and fleet. Plant hire firms moving only their own machines are assessed on the hire business. Declines usually involve operators buying a low loader speculatively with no heavy haulage experience, or extendable decks with damaged or repaired main beams.
Makes and models we fund
Examples of the machines we are asked to fund. This is not an exhaustive list — if what you are buying is not here, it does not mean we cannot fund it. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.
| Machine | What it is |
|---|---|
| Nooteboom MCO step frame | Step frame low loader for plant moves |
| Faymonville MegaMax | Low bed semi trailer for tall machines |
| King GTS44 step frame | British low loader for heavy plant |
| Broshuis extendable semi | Extending trailer for long loads |
| Montracon step frame low loader | Step frame trailers for plant haulage |
| Dennison low loader trailer | Heavy haulage trailer for machinery |
| Goldhofer modular trailer | Modular platform for abnormal loads |
| Volvo FH 540 8x4 heavy haulage | Tractor unit rated for heavy trailers |
| Scania R650 heavy haulage unit | High power unit for abnormal loads |
| Andover step frame trailer | British-built step frame for plant hire |
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Who buys one
Heavy haulage operators, large plant hire fleets moving their own excavators and dozers, crane hire firms shifting counterweights, and agricultural contractors transporting combines. The trigger is usually a machine purchase that outgrows a beavertail, or a hire fleet that has been paying a specialist haulier per movement and can now justify owning the capability. Crane hire and piling contractors buy them because their own rigs simply cannot be moved any other way.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
How it is treated for tax
Bought on hire purchase, business plant and machinery normally qualifies for capital allowances on the full cost even though you pay for it monthly, which is a large part of why hire purchase is the common structure. On a finance lease you generally set the rentals against profit instead. The rules change between budgets and your position depends on how you trade, so treat this as the direction of travel and get your accountant to confirm the detail before you commit.
Low loader finance questions
Do I need abnormal load approval before financing a low loader?
Not before applying, but funders will ask how you intend to operate. Moving loads above normal limits brings notification requirements, route planning and sometimes escorts. An operator who has that process in place, with the right insurance, is a straightforward proposition. One who has not thought about it raises questions about whether the trailer can actually earn.
Can I finance a low loader on its own?
Yes. Low loaders are funded as standalone trailer assets and plenty of operators buy one to pull with an existing unit. Residual values hold up well, so funder appetite is healthy. Just make sure the unit you plan to pull with has the rating, the axle configuration and the fifth wheel height the trailer needs.
Is a step frame or a full low loader better for plant?
Step frames suit most tracked and wheeled plant and are easier to run day to day. Full low beds handle taller machines that would otherwise exceed height limits. Extendable versions carry longer loads. Which you need is dictated by the machines you move; funders are comfortable with all of them from recognised builders.
How old a low loader will a lender fund?
Considerably older than a tractor unit. A sound deck with good running gear stays fundable for many years because heavy haulage trailers are built to last and the market wants them. The limiting factors are main beam damage, previous accident repair to the chassis, and worn or seized extendable mechanisms.
Can I fund a low loader and the machine it carries together?
Often yes. Funders who write plant and heavy haulage will consider the trailer and the excavator or dozer on linked facilities, which simplifies the administration and gives them a fuller picture of the business. If you have machines on order at the same time, tell us and we will approach it as one structure.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
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Not an offer of finance. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
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Tell us what you’re looking to fund and Conor will come back to you personally — usually the same day.
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