Orange 08
Bronze Member
On a tandem axle trailer with leaf springs does the weight equalize between the front and back axles so the front axles don't carry more weight? Do axles with torsion suspension also have a way to equalize the weight?
Weight on axles question.
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Diamondpilot
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In theory the leaf spring suspensions equalize out. From my weighing well over 50 trailers the usually are within 10% of each other.
Torsion axles do not and because of this I see 10 to 1 blown tires. I also see 3 times as many bent axles and spindles. I have weighed a trailer that had torsions and constantly blew front tires. It had 70% of the weight on the front and 30% on the rear. Needless to say I am not a fan.
Chris
Torsion axles do not and because of this I see 10 to 1 blown tires. I also see 3 times as many bent axles and spindles. I have weighed a trailer that had torsions and constantly blew front tires. It had 70% of the weight on the front and 30% on the rear. Needless to say I am not a fan.
Chris
Steve in MT
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Diamondpilot is correct that leaf spring suspension with a walking beam is for the most part "Load sharing" The torq flex axles are not and can't be made to be load sharing that I know of. I have seen very few tandem axle trailers with the torq flex axles and would not own one. Torq flex axles work very well on single axle trailers. My .02 cents
Steve
Steve
I was looking a tilt bed trailers. One large, very long, 14,000# bumper pull one had the axles set back very far back. Dealer said it would clear the loaded car door better. Trailer had torsion axles. That got me thinking about axle weights. Looking at more tilt bed trailers they all had torsion axles. Are torsion axles used on tilt bed trailers to get a lower deck height? Any other reason?
Steve in MT
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Mike, you could be right about the lower deck height on a tilt bed trailer. With leaf spring sprung suspensions you are limited to only so much drop on the axle itself, usually around 4" to 6" drop. With the torq flex axle a lower deck can be had because you dont have the extra height of the spring , saddles and the walking beam. Dexter Axle - Trailer Axles and Running Gear Components - Home
Can you post a link to the trailer mfg and/or a few pictures of the trailer that you are looking at? A really long bumper pull trailer with the axles set way back? Thats a bunch of weight on on the receiver, better off to have a 5th wheel set up if the axles are that far back. My .02 cents
Steve
Can you post a link to the trailer mfg and/or a few pictures of the trailer that you are looking at? A really long bumper pull trailer with the axles set way back? Thats a bunch of weight on on the receiver, better off to have a 5th wheel set up if the axles are that far back. My .02 cents
Steve
BHD
Veteran Member
I would really rather not mention brands in case I am all wrong. I'm trying to educate myself here. If I do go by there again maybe I can take some measurements. I am sure, as you mentioned, with this size and configuration a 5th wheel or goose neck would be better handling.
Steve in MT
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Orange08, You never mentioned what type of vehicle that you are going to use for pulling a trailer or what you want to haul. I only asked about the brand name to see if I could find one on the internet to get a better idea on what you are looking at.
Steve
Steve
Towing truck is a F350 diesel.
I was thinking of a tilt trailer to load a fairly low BMW. Probably only need a 10,000# trailer for that. I did need to tow the Ford once to get it fixed but that would be over 10.000# if I ever had to do it again. That time I had to get a friend who had a trailer for his back hoe to move it. I suppose for as many times as I would need to do that I could call a wrecker.
Looking at the long trailer the dealer had got me thinking about axle weights.
I was thinking of a tilt trailer to load a fairly low BMW. Probably only need a 10,000# trailer for that. I did need to tow the Ford once to get it fixed but that would be over 10.000# if I ever had to do it again. That time I had to get a friend who had a trailer for his back hoe to move it. I suppose for as many times as I would need to do that I could call a wrecker.
Looking at the long trailer the dealer had got me thinking about axle weights.
mikehaugen
Elite Member
Not sure what your budget is, but check out Imperial Trailer, they are pricey I hear. I had one( about the same as the one in the link), but had bought it used. It was a nice trailer. If you get either their lowboy or or split deck lowboy, they have equalized leafs... the car haulers have torsion axles it seems.
Imperial Trailer contact form for custom built trailers
Imperial Trailer contact form for custom built trailers