Freakin trailers

"HammerheadFistpunch" (hammerheadfistpunch) 10/07/2016 at 13:35 • Filed to: None

0

25

Me this morning, trying to get a trailer solution sorted.

I’ve got a camp trailer and it’s wearing the tires badly causing me to burn through tires REALLY fast. The tire wear looks like this on both tires on the axle.

The trouble, as I see it, is that the trailer was designed badly. Its a huge trailer that should be double axle but is single, as a result, its a 2800 lbs trailer with a 3000 lbs axle. They claim a GCWR of 3350 because 350 lbs will be tongue weight. Which, btw, if you do the math means that at load there is only 10% tongue weight which probably explains why it likes to sway like crazy on the freeway even when properly loaded.

Basically, they are on the design limits in every possible way to make it work. You have to get the strongest possible tires in the size spec’d to meet the axle rating...which is insufficient for the weight of the trailer...that’s so delicately balanced that it doesn’t tow well because you can’t add enough tongue weight to make it inherently stable without overloading the tires/axles. Its garbagesauce .

I thought about putting a new axle in so I call an axle place and they have the time to get it done. I bring it down there annnnd ...no go, there isn’t enough room to put in a larger axle without raising the trailer up several inches (new axle would be thicker and hit the frame. So add stupid tight clearances to the list of things that have no margins on this trailer.

Raising the trailer up several inches means getting a new hitch with a new tab for the sway arm welded on and it means moving the step up an unacceptable amount for the kids (hey, its a camp trailer, gotta keep the kids and wife happy... thats its job), something I already tried to convince the family to do (to allow the trailer to have better angles) and failed.

Sooo. Im back to sqaure 1. My new plan is to have the axle alligned , and replace the tires (bias) with Radials of the same size but a 1710 lb rating and then just keep anything heavy in the truck that doesn’t mind the load.

Also, I need new front control arm bushings for the cruiser...I tore one it looks like after bashing the chassis side mount into a rock a while back... ooops .

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > HammerheadFistpunch 10/07/2016 at 13:42

0

Looks like you’ve got some decent solid steel under there. Could you not weld in four plates with flanges and fit 4x 1100lb independent suspension units?

Tristan > HammerheadFistpunch 10/07/2016 at 13:45

0

C-notch the frame for the bigger axle?

HammerheadFistpunch > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 10/07/2016 at 13:45

0

I could, and I thought about it, but the ones I was looking at are $300-350 a side. Nope to that.

HammerheadFistpunch > Tristan 10/07/2016 at 13:47

0

Possibly, more trouble than its worth though. They axle man said that despite the label on the axle claiming 2970 lbs load, its actually a 3500 lbs axle (bearings and hubs confirm this). Not sure why its 3000 lb rated, (tires most likely) and if thats the case why it acted like it was overloaded if it wasn’t/

Comes over to help work on your car and only drinks beer > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 10/07/2016 at 13:48

0

“it means moving the step up an unacceptable amount for the kids (hey, its a camp trailer, gotta keep the kids and wife happy...thats its job), something I already tried to convince the family to do (to allow the trailer to have better angles) and failed.”

Based on your description of it swaying like crazy on the interstate even when properly loaded, sorry dude, you have to be able to lead your family here...”Us all not dying trumps you having to step up another few inches”. It’s happening. You don’t have to be a dick about it, but you do have to be a leader here.

Tristan > HammerheadFistpunch 10/07/2016 at 13:52

0

Is there even a remote possibility of adding a second axle without getting into reconfiguring the interior, cutting the floor, etc? Or fitting a larger tire? Or selling it and buying a better-engineered camper?

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > HammerheadFistpunch 10/07/2016 at 13:53

0

I don’t know how you load your trailer, but when I ran a long single axle trailer I used to find it was most stable when it was loaded with the heaviest weight over the axle with weight decreasing towards the front, then weight decreasing still from the axle back to the lightest weight items right at the back. I don’t think that’s a particularly good description, but it kept tongue weight down and majority mass forward of the axle therefore retaining stability, especially at speed.

HammerheadFistpunch > Tristan 10/07/2016 at 13:53

0

No chance on a second axle, larger tires don’t fit and we wont be selling it anytime soon (shared with another family)

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > Comes over to help work on your car and only drinks beer 10/07/2016 at 13:56

0

Wrong dude

Tristan > HammerheadFistpunch 10/07/2016 at 13:57

0

:/ Buy lots of tires? I just sold a 6x12 cargo trailer for this reason almost exactly. When loaded, it ate tires and the axle had roughly 1" between it and the frame. It ate through 3 tires on a trip across the US.

HammerheadFistpunch > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 10/07/2016 at 13:57

1

I like to load trailers in the 13-15% tongue range which would mean ~400-650 lbs on the tongue, of course my hitch has a tongue max of 500 lbs so thats my hard limit. plus if I put 250 additional lbs on the tongue, I would be over my axle limit. Its a vicious cycle. It tows okay with the sway controller as is, but it can get away from you pretty easy if you aren’t careful. Keep in mind that when I’m doing 70, I’m going 10 UNDER the speed limit.

HammerheadFistpunch > Tristan 10/07/2016 at 13:58

0

Yeah, hoping the axle alignment and D rated tires helps.

Tristan > HammerheadFistpunch 10/07/2016 at 14:00

0

I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > HammerheadFistpunch 10/07/2016 at 14:03

0

Is it one of those weight distribution hitches or just a sway controller?

HammerheadFistpunch > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 10/07/2016 at 14:07

0

Sway control. like so.

Its just a variable friction plate to dampen the oscillation like a poor mans shock absorber.

vicali > HammerheadFistpunch 10/07/2016 at 14:07

0

Looks like the half way down one;

Sell it and buy a dual axle? It’s RV buying season right now.. I wouldn’t be able to tow it like that knowing it’s so close to the limits. Plus single axles are no fun if one of those tires goes.

What kind of trailer is it?

Our Hideout 19flb GVWR is 6800lbs based on two 3500lbs axles. It weighs under 5000lbs loaded up.

Xyl0c41n3 > HammerheadFistpunch 10/07/2016 at 14:13

0

How does that gif expression differ from your normal expression?

(Please don’t ban me).

HammerheadFistpunch > vicali 10/07/2016 at 14:14

0

Coleman poptop . We really like the trailer, but the design of the chassis leaves a lot to be desired.

I can’t realistically pull anything more than 3500 lbs max with the cruiser. Even with that I was over GCWR pulling it to here.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > HammerheadFistpunch 10/07/2016 at 14:18

0

It’s really not a thing over here. For trailers up to 3500KG you get over-run brakes with a dead man’s cable and that’s about it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a mechanical sway controller fitted before, and I’m genuinely curious as to how the weight distribution hitches work on single axle/badly weighted trailers.

HammerheadFistpunch > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 10/07/2016 at 14:20

0

This dealy doesn’t take any vertical loads, its just an oscillation damper, as for Weight distributing? I’ve never used one, but I hear its miles better than loading bearing.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > HammerheadFistpunch 10/07/2016 at 14:21

0

Googling....

vicali > HammerheadFistpunch 10/07/2016 at 14:23

0

ah, it’s a pop top.. that explains it.. Can you flip the axle?

80 series tow limits are somewhere around 5500lbs aren’t they?

check these out;

http://popupexplorer.com/forum/index.php?topic=72127.0

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/tow-rigs-trailers/996190-axle-upgrade-my-coleman-pop-up.html

http://popupbackpacker.com/our-trailers/2006-fleetwood-niagara/axle-upgrade-and-lift/

HammerheadFistpunch > vicali 10/07/2016 at 14:27

0

Yes I technically CAN flip the axle, no I am not allowed to. Tow limits for the 80 are 5000 lbs, but even with 4.56 gears It doesn’t like towing more than 3500 at my elevation, plus with the additional weight of gear and passengers, I run out of GCWR before I run out of trailer limit.

HammerheadFistpunch > vicali 10/07/2016 at 14:33

0

That 3rd link perfectly illustrates my problem. If you want to uprate the axle you are in for a pound if you are in for a penny. Im notready or willing to make that tradeoff. I think I will ask the alignment guys to put some positive castor on the trailer so that it bows properly with the weight. I think with that, and the stronger tires...and keeping the trailer load down to a minimum it will solve my issues.

NJAnon > HammerheadFistpunch 10/07/2016 at 21:50

0

Thats my face when folks keep asking me questions to things I just told them a day ago at work.