Trailers - Tandem

Submitted: Thursday, May 19, 2005 at 10:10
ThreadID: 23118 Views:5576 Replies:6 FollowUps:8
This Thread has been Archived
I wanna / will be building my own tandem 8 x 5 box trailer (2 tonne capacity), not for bush use.

I have/had a couple of questions;

No. 1. was the drawbar length, but research in the archives answered that question.

No. 2. is positioning of the axle/s, are they placed centrally or set back to the rear and if so what is this measurement?

Thanks
Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator

Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Thursday, May 19, 2005 at 10:19

Thursday, May 19, 2005 at 10:19
Why not call a trailer place, pretend your shopping for one, adn ask them all the specs ;) Ive done this before on things.

FWIW, my 7x4 single axle has 6ft draw bar.
AnswerID: 111907

Follow Up By: Shaker - Thursday, May 19, 2005 at 23:07

Thursday, May 19, 2005 at 23:07
No wonder they say "buyers are liars"

When salespeople supposedly tell lies they are lambasted all over this & other forums .... yet it seems perfectly OK for buyers to lie!
0
FollowupID: 368365

Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Sunday, May 22, 2005 at 21:02

Sunday, May 22, 2005 at 21:02
But hes not a buyer. ;)~
0
FollowupID: 368631

Follow Up By: Shaker - Monday, May 23, 2005 at 09:14

Monday, May 23, 2005 at 09:14
But, why pretend .... why not be honest & just ask for advice, most business people are helpful & not as seems suggested many times on this forum, just there to rip people off!
0
FollowupID: 368658

Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Monday, May 23, 2005 at 10:46

Monday, May 23, 2005 at 10:46
I myself have tried being "Honest" with some companies... If your not buying most dont wanna waste their time with you.

EG one company that makes rear bars with wheel carriers.

Its easier most times to just play them, you will get more information out of 99% of them this way over saying,

"hi, I have no interest in buying your insanely overpriced item, which I want to have a mate make for about 1/5th the price of yours.. Would you be ever so kind as to let me measure it up and take him the plans, with 200 odd photos from every angle"...

0
FollowupID: 368668

Reply By: Rod W - Thursday, May 19, 2005 at 10:34

Thursday, May 19, 2005 at 10:34
Found it at http://www.championtrailers.com/UTILITY_TRAILER_KITS.HTM
AnswerID: 111909

Reply By: Member - Ed. C.- Thursday, May 19, 2005 at 10:34

Thursday, May 19, 2005 at 10:34
G'day Rod,
Axle position would depend on what you intend to be carrying, & how the load will be distributed... You'll notice that horse floats generally have their axles set back closer to the rear....
Many, many years ago, I built a few (8x5 tandem) box trailers for different people, the one that I still have in my backyard I made in 1984.. (It still does the job of collectin' the "farwood" each winter)....
The trailers that I built all had the axles located centrally, with the weight of the A-frame providing sufficient ball load when empty... then it's up to the user how it's loaded to maintain balance... IMO, ball weight on a tandem trailer is less critical than it is with a single axle, but you still want *some* weight on the ball.... YMMV ...

Regards, Ed. C.

Confucius say.....
"He who lie underneath automobile with tool in hand,
....Not necessarily mechanic!!"

Member
My Profile  Send Message

AnswerID: 111910

Follow Up By: Rod W - Thursday, May 19, 2005 at 10:58

Thursday, May 19, 2005 at 10:58
Thanks Ed. C.

Info on the site I have listed above has the axle placing as a ratio of 60% / 40%. With 60% to the front.
0
FollowupID: 368257

Reply By: Nick R - Thursday, May 19, 2005 at 13:21

Thursday, May 19, 2005 at 13:21
ADRs are available online, it tells you everything
NickR
Carpe Cerevisi

Lifetime Member
My Profile  Send Message

AnswerID: 111928

Follow Up By: Rod W - Thursday, May 19, 2005 at 13:43

Thursday, May 19, 2005 at 13:43
Thanks for that Nick.

I've checked them out, they have a Vehicle Standards Bulletin National Code of Practice Building Small Trailers. It dosen't address the axle position/s specifics... well not by what I can read anyway.
0
FollowupID: 368281

Reply By: ianmc - Thursday, May 19, 2005 at 22:33

Thursday, May 19, 2005 at 22:33
Maybe U need to check what you are putting under it. My local spring supplier tells me that its hard to get the old 45mm wide springs & fittings and that they break easier than the 60mm which also have thicker leaves & fewer of them.
AnswerID: 112003

Follow Up By: Rod W - Friday, May 20, 2005 at 09:01

Friday, May 20, 2005 at 09:01
Yep good point thanks.
0
FollowupID: 368386

Reply By: Coops (WA) - Friday, May 20, 2005 at 13:17

Friday, May 20, 2005 at 13:17
8x5 won't follow the same tracking as your fourby but if it's not for off road use them that won't matter anyways. Just thought I'd offer the point anyway
cheers
AnswerID: 112074

Follow Up By: Rod W - Friday, May 20, 2005 at 13:19

Friday, May 20, 2005 at 13:19
Observations... thats what I like observations.
0
FollowupID: 368430

Sponsored Links