Moving trailer axles forward on my "new" hauler

[Mattman347]

Just picked this up last night and for my 3/4 ton there is an excessive amount of pin weight! My plan is to move the axle forward to help with the weight distribution some. It tows great on the road, just needs less on the pin! What do you guys think? I can get some air bags and level it out but im worried about the single wheel not being able to take it!

 

[Mattman347]

Re: Moving trailer axles forward on my "new" hauler

 

[wizzo]

how long is it? the photo chops off after the tires

 

[Mattman347]

It might be a foot after that it ends. Im thinking of taking the rear most axle and moving it in front of the other and calling it good. The trailer is 39' long.

 

[wizzo]

i'm sure you could get away with some air bags but it won't handle the load like a dually would. but you gotta work with what you have and as long as your take'n it easy i'm sure it'd be fine.

you put'n living quarters up front i'd imagine? or they already there?

 

[Mattman347]

They are already somewhat there, I have some stuff im going to change this weekend and try to get it ready for next weekends shamrock run. I may just leave it how it is for now and see how it acts with my rig on the back of it. The interior just has a bed, table and closet space. The back "room" is un finished but I think I am going to put a shower in there and a toilet.

 

[Lil ugly]

Pirate has some good threads in the tow rig section on determining axle placement by formula but in general the axles in a dual axle trailer should be set at around 2/3 of your trailer length. Assuming that your 39' measurement included the goose section this would put the axles at around 26 feet from the pin. With your rig on the back you want atleast 1200 lbs of pin weight to keep the trailer from getting squirrelly. Cannot tell if you can get that from where the axles are at now by just moving the rear axle to the front.

 

[TBItoy]

A load distributing hitch would make a huge difference on that.

I've been putting off getting one for a while, I have a 34' Kaufman bumper pull that I haul 2 rigs on all the time behind a 2500HD chevy.

 

[Mattman347]

I put a tape on it tonight. it pulls down the road just fine, a little bumpy but not terrible. My biggest concern is blowing a truck tire. Ill check out pirate and see what I can find! thanks!

 

[paradisepwoffrd]

Re: Re: Moving trailer axles forward on my "new" hauler

Most of the numbers i have seen & used are:
- tag along, center of axles 60% back from front of deck
- goose, center of axles 70% back from front of deck

That being said, i would load it up & scale the axles & move them based on where the weight needs to be

 

[ALLJ]

60 and 70 % is what I have found to be correct also I have built several trailers from small to large and they all pulled great

 

[rr41mag]

I used to build trailers. It's 60% from the front

 

[Mattman347]

Re: Moving trailer axles forward on my "new" hauler

Well I think it's going to tow ok with the rig loaded up. It doesn't squat as much. Moving the axles looks to be a pain so I'm just going to tow it like it is down to the shamrock run and see how it goes!