Alternatively, a triple single axle gooseneck looks kinda doofus, and probably doesn't turn as well, but it seems like those axles "spread out" like that would be better for distribution of the weight on the ball. GVW is actually slightly more with the triple axle and price is typically $1,000 less.

One advantage that I see with the three axles is that it would make tire changes a whole lot easier.I looked at a tandem dually the other day and noticed the tires have an "D" load rating which is adequate,but I would prefer the "E" load rating for a little more money if I had a choice.The triple axle should have "E" rated tires on them.

It would seem to me that the GN hitch would distribute the weight better than a pintle hitch as my GN hitch ball on my Dodge 3500 is located about four inches away from the rear axle towards the cab allowing the truck to carry some of the trailer weight if the trailer was loaded properly.

But then another guy says he also had tire scrubbing problems on his triple, but changed the tires from 75 to 85's and that solved the problem. So, now I don't know what to think

I happened to talk to the man who built my trailer about three weeks ago. He said that triples were quite bad to tear up because of their obvious tracking problem. Down here, there are lots of plant nurseries. They run triples, and he builds those type of trailers. At the time, he happened to be building his first one with dual tandems. The reason he said the singles were popular for that type trailer is that they have a small wheel well area, as these are not over-the-axle trailers used for this field, so there's a slight loss in cargo area.

He didn't mind the triples busting up, as he gets paid to fix them! He's had people ask him to make a quad axle (I've seen them!) and he refuses.

When I'm a long way from home, I have NO desire to mess with my trailer's underbelly. I remember being about 275 miles from my place with a light dual-axle/single-wheeled trailer years ago, welding up the undercarriage's gizzard and innards in a driveway! I just HAPPENED to break down right in front of a one-man-fix-it shop. The owner was too old to crawl around under there. I paid him for the use of his tools and welder though! That's my advice. To each his own, I suppose.

Richard

Was at an auction yesterday, where I ran into someone with a triple axle PJ gooseneck. I asked about tire scrubbing issues in tight turns and he says that hasn't been a problem at all. He said he also had a dual tandem of same length, and both he and his partner said they preferred the triple axle by a slim margin...something about it being lighter, tracking better and less bounce.

OTOH, someone on another forum mentioned the annoyance of toll roads, where they charge per axle, so that's yet another consideration. If they were the same price, I'd go with the dual tandem on that issue alone, but at over $1,000 price difference, that's pay for alot of extra tolls, so I'm still wishy washy back and forth on this issue

Btw, here's a photo of the Diamond trailer, which shows just how far back the axles are.

I guess the pic doesn't show too much, but mine has a split beaver rear that can be put in the up (level) position and down in a beaver tail position to load wheeled vehicles. I have loaded up to an #8000 capacity forktruck on there already. Had to use an #8000 Warn winch and snatch block, but....

Tight loaded turns doo squish the tires, but I haven't had any problems with that yet, and I seem to find PLENTY of tight places to get into whenever I do use it.

By rights you need a class three CDL in Ohio anyhow. Seems crazy to me, but I wear a Johny deere hat and play dumb farmer. Take my ticket and go home. I looked through the CDL training book a number of yrs ago and it is 99% related to fleet drivers. And IMO paperwork doesn't make you a better driver. OH to see some of the drivers that come in here.... (roll eyes)

Mine is made by Jamies Welding in ... Arkansas? If you are interested I can probably get you a town.

Mine is three #7000 axles. You being concerned about placing a #10,000 load on that trailer is of no concern. BTW mine is 30'. You want your load centered ahead of your center axle! You want more than net tongue weight on your hitch! Keep in mind that a few feet ahead of the axle centerline is still a LONG way from your hitch! If you have a 1 ton truck I don't think you are going to have any problems just buying one that is like everyone elses. I went long to get better ride and handling.

I have had well over 20K net on it before for short distance. Can haul 15K with ease. (just watch out for those bridge entrences around Joliet Ill. !) I pull with a duelly Cummins. (It came with a free Dodge truck too. LOL!)

BTW, I have no idea what they are atlking about as far as the brakes on the tripple not as good. I can't even set mine at all untill I put about #4000 on so it doesn't slide the tires with the controller set low.

Think snow Eh!
Ox

Ox, I'd like to see your beavertail...is it hydraulic or a manual deal ? A Trail Eze gooseneck with hydraulic tail is a mere $12,000. Trail King version is $16,000 !! And then there's the ultimate, the Ledwell (below pix)...$20,000 !!

Just trying to see what it is you really want, that's all. It sounds like you're trying to save rigging bills or something. Not sure. If you DID take a forklift to your auction sites, wouldn't you lose the payload of bringing it back? At one auction, some little dictator that worked for the auction company and remained for "security purposes" caught me unhooking machinery myself and wanted to have me kicked off the property because I didn't have any proof of insurance for rigging. What would you do about that? Are you going to carry the 1 million plus insurance they require?

Where are you going with all this, Don?

Re the forklift senario, your right that the delimma of hauling a forklift to pick up auction iron is any forklift capable of doing so properly is so heavy itself that your potential load of goodies is then severely limited. My needs in that regard are hauling a forklift from one place to another locally, as I have "stuff" stored in 3 different buildings within 5 miles of one another. Also, every once in a blue moon a forklift will go cheap at an auction, and I'll buy it just to upgrade what I have or resell, so it'd be nice to have the capability of hauling one. I've even bought forklifts just to do my own loading at an auction, and then sell the forklift for a little more than I paid for it, hence saving $1,000 in loading cost and making a small profit too.

But that's pretty rare really, forklifts tend to sell higher at machine tool auctions than you can buy them any day of the week at a forklift wholesaler. Barry and I saw a rusty, worn out tires, Hyster 15K solid tire propane lift sell at auction this past Tuesday for $19 or $20,000. I happened to be interested in this same model a year ago and know for a fact you could buy the same lift, sans rust with good tires for ~half~ that much at a wholesaler in Charlotte, NC any day of the week...they have plenty of that model all the time.

(edited the "over $20,000" on the Hyster forklift when I remembered this was one of the rare auctions without a buyers prem)

I don't currently have any other pics of it that I can think of....wait a minute.... Here, not quite what you were hoping for, but better than the other. LOL!

This trailer was quite cheap compared to many, (I don't remember anymore just how much) but like I said it came with under rated tires. It also came with cheap wood, but that isn't a biggy. At the time I bought that I was skimping, so to have to replace the wood in a few yrs is better than paying out the nose then. IYKWIM?

If a guy was to order one and spec certain tires I am sure it wouldn't be a problem. If you are real interested, I can get more/better pics in a few days probably. I'm sure he would build a T/D too.

BTW, I had it in Charlotte last fall at an auction. Nov/Dec? Absolutely no comparisson to pulling a bumper trailer! I hate bumper trailers for anything bigger than sleds, say #5000 or so. If you are serioous about hauling anything, G/N is the only way to go!

edit: Sorry, I lied, I got to thinking that I didn't have my trailer with me down there. I was after a barfeed and that would have easily set on my flatbed.

I believe that mine was more in the $4-6K area.

Think Snow Eh!
Ox

[This message has been edited by Ox (edited 04-24-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Ox (edited 04-24-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Ox (edited 04-25-2003).]

If you're going with a new building, interest rates are okay, BUT the insurance is unmerciful, as my other earlier post decries. Of course, since you pay cash for everything, I guess this is not a problem.

Anyhow, good luck. One more thing. The things I regret about dovetails or beaver tails as people up North call them, are: A.) Extra expense. B.) To be worth a dog-gone, they've gotta be heavy enough to stand up to the loading/unloading demands. This decreases payload. C.) Certain kinds allow deck-like loading after folding them, but remember, the weight's still there.

I declined one, and went 30 feet of pay-space. I rarely haul any forklifts or vehicles. Undoubtedly worth it if needed, but not in my case. As I know you have multiple plans, keep this in mind. I went through Compromiseville a while back myself.

Richard

I went to Atlanta this morning and picked up a Bridgeport.I hardly made it out of my driveway as it had been raining and my trailer and truck were sitting on some red dirt that turned into red goo overnight.I finally got it on my driveway and got some traction on the gravel going uphill.I made it out of the driveway and spun the wheels in 2-3 inches of mud up the dirt road to the top of the hill where it is flat again.When I came home,I knew I would only have one try to get it into the driveway with ditches on both sides and slick mud going downhill.Barely made it in the driveway,as I only have about a foot of extra space if I make my turn from the far side of the dirt road at correct time and I kept the momentum of the truck steady to avoid sliding in the turn.If my trailer was a triaxle,one side would have been stuck in the ditch,but the inside tires on the dually were still on firm ground when I made my turn which saved the day.

The Bridgeport that I bought has a wide knee which is a little different;I guess it was a special order.It was made in 1983.I thought the way that I rigged the BPT to trailer worked well.I put a 4x6 in between the knee screw and mill base.Brought down the knee against the 4x6 and locked the knee.I criss-crossed the chains in front of the knee screw and went over the 4x6,stuck two short 2x4's in front of the knee screw where the chains crossed,and layed two 4x4's on the table with the criss-crossing ratcheting nylon webbing over them with some old leather gloves under the webbing to prevent any abrasion.

quote:

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In regard to three axles vs dual tandem trailers just look at what is going down the road and look at the loads. Dual tandem goosenecks are vastly better for heavy loading, easier backing, better brakes. Three axles are for amateurs and yard maintenance guys

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Ox, are you am "amateur" ? Actually, I suspect half of the guys "going down the road" in dual tandems are doing so because they assumed triples would scrub the tires too much and they wanted a trailer that looked sort of like a semi trailer (the "cool and tough" syndrome )

After reading, the responses here, responses on the Ford diesel forum, and talking with dual and triple folks, my conclusion is that the triple axle trailer will "do" just as much as the dual tandem, and do so well, as long as you don't have to make alot of tight turns. It's also the most cost effective, typically costing $1,000 less.

Macho, macho, macho man. LOL!

BTW, I don't remember anything about a price diff when I ordered mine. I went with the tripple b/c I got #7000 axles which yielded me another #1000 payload, over twin #10's. You can also get tripple 6's for #18,000 gross.(plus tongue weight, which on a 1 ton is probably about #4000 too.)

Think Snow Eh!
Ox

Great information. I am also trying to keep Don from going that single tire route, but it's up to him. My girlfriend's horse trailer with tandem singles needs brake work right now, and I'd hate to have a third axle to worrry (note 3rd "r" in worry to represent the unnecessary axle!) about.

Richard

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