Effects of Trailer length

[pat32rf]

I have an old tandem boat trailer that was converted to flatbed. 7000lb axles, 14 1/2" rims Been using it for 20 years, the past ten to tow my 4300JD behind either a Jeep liberty, Grand Cherokee or 1/2 ton Ram. Carries 6000lb great but empty it is the roughest riding rig I've ever towed. That is with the tires balanced etc...Maybe if I air down a bit...

 

[breadtrk]

Don't buy it unless you can load YOUR load and pull it with YOUR rig to see how it does. Like someone else said, this is a very competitive business, if they won't let you test pull, move on. Nearly every city in America has at least 2 trailer sellers, bet there 10 times more within 100 miles of you.

 

[debo1683]

Don't know because there is no way I would hook that up to any of my 3 trucks.

Chris

OK, I'm clueless ... why would this tow bad?

 

[schmism]

OK, I'm clueless ... why would this tow bad?

It might not tow bad depending on what and how you loaded it. the worst issue is massive overhang and like 6" clearance on the rear. means you basically can not go over any bumps as the rear of the trailer would drag.

cut 5' off the rear and you have a decent 20' flat deck trailer.

assuming tires arnt an issue (inflation, type, ballanced) then the rest of the time bad trailer manners is a function of loaded correctly. eg sticking to the 10% tongue weight rule and not being significantly over or under that number.

 

[debo1683]

Thanks ... makes sense. I saw a trailer the other day that had proportions similar to that. The paving company had it full of orange barrels.

 

[Diamondpilot]

OK, I'm clueless ... why would this tow bad?

The standard for trailers is 65% before the axles and 35% behind. That one looks to have as much if not more behind the axles.

Chris

 

[pat32rf]

The standard for trailers is 65% before the axles and 35% behind. That one looks to have as much if not more behind the axles.

Chris

Are you referring to weight or distance? Just relocated the axle on one that went by distance but the weight was WAY off. Result was a bent tonque and the trailer donated to me.

 

[travlitt]

The setup I posted earlier - the F150, 14k PJ, 8600lbs, radial tires, weight distributing hitch. I took that from Virginia to California. Never a hint of sway or bounce. At the speed limit pretty much all the way, including windy days in Texas and Oklahoma. As others have said, a lot depends on the entire setup and how it all works together.

You mean you had some wind in Texas??

 

[rd_macgregor]

It sounds like the issue is with this particular trailer (maybe brand). Here is an unusual cause of similar issues: Last year on a trip towing an empty horse trailer to Virginia from our home in PEI (Canada), I noticed a lot of jerking/surging/clunking. I thought it was just because the trailer was empty, but found the hitch ball nut had backed off a turn or so and the ball was rocking. I had a local trailer shop weld it in place for me; problem solved.
Bob

 

[Tomtint]

I have a 20' DownEastern tilt deck "lowboy" trailer and a 18' beaver tail Andersen trailer. My 18 pulls like it is not even there behind a F350 drw 4x4 dump. The lowboy with the same load, bangs around and I can absolutly feel it behind the truck. I think because the pinel ring is all the way at the top of the neck, and the trailer itself sits lower than the hitch, it may cause this. My 18' sits in almost perfect alignment with the hitch and deck rails of the trailer.