Tilt vs Ramps

[Tacoma747]

I don't think the axles are different widths, just the trailer decks themselves. You usually get 102" with a full deck over, some offer 96" with driver over fenders, and equipment trailers are 82" wide decks.

If you can't keep an equipment trailer on the road, you don't need to go dragging a deck over around....it's a chore to keep those wide bastards in your lane unless you're on the highway or interstate!

Fender trailer axles are normally a little wider, deckover axles have to be narrower so the tires don't hit the outer frame rail. Not always but common. My fender trailer I just sold was 104" to the outside of the tires with the 17.5's, but the wheels had a touch more offset than normal 16's.

@YellowjeepCj why did you go with greaseable axles instead of the oil bath?

 

[YellowjeepCj]

Fender trailer axles are normally a little wider, deckover axles have to be narrower so the tires don't hit the outer frame rail. Not always but common. My fender trailer I just sold was 104" to the outside of the tires with the 17.5's, but the wheels had a touch more offset than normal 16's.

@YellowjeepCj why did you go with greaseable axles instead of the oil bath?

We’re only offered on tandem duals not on singles as I understood it. Plus I like the ez lube option with the grease fitting

 

[shawn]

Plus I like the ez lube option with the grease fitting

Careful with "EZ-Lube" axles. Most times the hub is mostly full of grease anyway. Couple of pumps from the grease gun once in a while, and now they're puking grease out the back side of the hub and fouling the brakes.

I pull the hubs once in a while, do a proper grease/brake check/etc, and put them back together again. Once a year is probably more than enough unless you're pulling it every day.

 

[Tacoma747]

We’re only offered on tandem duals not on singles as I understood it. Plus I like the ez lube option with the grease fitting

Shoot. Well I am glad I saw this. I called Gatormade and although the pictures on their website show oil bath axles, they in fact don't come with oil bath. Pretty pathetic how many different stories I got from Gatormade (one person told me they are Dexter axles, they are in fact Lippert).

Anyways, I canceled the order and just mailed a check to Kraftsman. What am I going to do for 6-7 weeks without a trailer...

The Kraftsman will be about $1000-1200 more, but it will come with a lockable storage box in the tongue, tire basket for a spare underneath, and Dexter oil bath axles. They also use the 4-bolt flange pintle mount instead of the 2-bolt style so that was a big plus.

 

[Tacoma747]

Careful with "EZ-Lube" axles. Most times the hub is mostly full of grease anyway. Couple of pumps from the grease gun once in a while, and now they're puking grease out the back side of the hub and fouling the brakes.

I pull the hubs once in a while, do a proper grease/brake check/etc, and put them back together again. Once a year is probably more than enough unless you're pulling it every day.

That's why I wanted oil bath, I pull my trailer a LOT and it's nice to just walk around and visually see the oil level and know you are good to go. Just have to check for play every once in awhile.

 

[CasterTroy]

Those trucks are duallies. Best of both worlds.

Just giving you shit. Swift being the WORST drivers on the road

 

[Scooter402]

... and the neck is 3" higher to accommodate my 41" ball height ( ) ...

Nice wish!

 

[Stuntman Autoworks]

If you can't keep an equipment trailer on the road, you don't need to go dragging a deck over around....it's a chore to keep those wide bastards in your lane unless you're on the highway or interstate!

Not if you can drive.


Haha congrats on getting the trailer ordered.

 

[Croatan_Kid]

I also was sad to find out that the 8k axles under my trailer aren't oil bath either, but oh well. It'll be fine.

 

[Tacoma747]

I talked with someone higher up with Gatormade (on Facebook of all places). They claimed they had issues with Dexter and Libbert 8k oil bath axles spewing oil past the seals, so they switched to only greaseable axles. Then i got worried wondering what I had done so I did some searching. It seems the problem (in theory) arises from a last of vent in the hub, the build pressure and of course start leaking. The 'fix' seemed to be to make a small hole (toothpick) in the rubber cap so that it allows pressure to escape. That will be the first thing I check, will likely also have a complete spare set of bearings/seals in the truck.

 

[YellowjeepCj]

For all of you ordering the Kaufman (good trailer) goosenecks be sure and check the size of the I beam used for the main frame and the neck. Make sure it is adequate for the trailer rating. Also, ask about the cross supports under the deck, the size and spacing are critical to a good performing trailer.

Lots of talk about the stock tires on the 16 inch wheels. When looking at the 7K setups most of the tires were rated at 3100 # for a total of 12,400 pounds on the ground but trailer was rated at 14K #’s. IMO, one should have more capacity on the ground than the trailer is rated. Hence, why I upgraded to 17.5 inch wheels and 16 ply Canadian tires with a 6k# rating for each for 24k# on the ground for a trailer rated at 20k#. These tires had reviews where folks are getting over 100k miles on a set on over the road hot shot trailers. Due to the concern of finding matching replacements in the middle of no where late on a Sunday night, I ordered two matching spares.

As far as the axles and oil bath vs. greaseable, most of us do not pull these trailers enough to worry much about the difference. I check mine for heat and only re pack them once every two years or when I have to change the brakes. I will wear out the brakes long before the bearings ever go dry.

 

[Croatan_Kid]

- 6 in. channel main frame with 6 in. channel doubler from axles forward
- 8 in. channel uprights and neck
- 3 in. channel cross members that are on 16 in. centers

The standard load E 235/80-16 trailer tires are usually rated for 3520 lbs. The 14 ply Load Gs are usually right at 4080 lbs per tire. Sailun does make one that's rated to 4400 lbs though.

A 215/75-17.5 Load H 16 ply is going to be 4805 lbs per tire. I haven't found any that were more than that. The only way you're getting 6k per tire is if you're running a 235/75-17.5 Load J 18 ply.

What make and size tires are on your trailer?

 

[shawn]

Sailun does make one that's rated to 4400 lbs though.

I have some of those. They're bad ass. And they only cost about $165/ea. But yeah, standard ST 235R16 is good for 3500/ea.

And everybody should be carrying two trailer spares. Period. I'd say half the times that I lost a trailer tire, its buddy went TU within the next couple hundred miles.

 

[YellowjeepCj]

- 6 in. channel main frame with 6 in. channel doubler from axles forward
- 8 in. channel uprights and neck
- 3 in. channel cross members that are on 16 in. centers

The standard load E 235/80-16 trailer tires are usually rated for 3520 lbs. The 14 ply Load Gs are usually right at 4080 lbs per tire. Sailun does make one that's rated to 4400 lbs though.

A 215/75-17.5 Load H 16 ply is going to be 4805 lbs per tire. I haven't found any that were more than that. The only way you're getting 6k per tire is if you're running a 235/75-17.5 Load J 18 ply.

What make and size tires are on your trailer?[/QUOTE

- 6 in. channel main frame with 6 in. channel doubler from axles forward
- 8 in. channel uprights and neck
- 3 in. channel cross members that are on 16 in. centers

The standard load E 235/80-16 trailer tires are usually rated for 3520 lbs. The 14 ply Load Gs are usually right at 4080 lbs per tire. Sailun does make one that's rated to 4400 lbs though.

A 215/75-17.5 Load H 16 ply is going to be 4805 lbs per tire. I haven't found any that were more than that. The only way you're getting 6k per tire is if you're running a 235/75-17.5 Load J 18 ply.

What make and size tires are on your trailer?

See photos. I am checking my build sheet with dealer concerning these now. I don’t think they are as specified. They are the 215/75-17.5 H 16 ply which puts only 19,220 on the ground. It was pouring rain last Saturday and freezing cold when I picked it up and last thing I want to do was check the tire rating....I should have. Anyway,the Gatormade main frame is a 10 inch I beam with a 12 inch I Beam for the neck. Another feature I liked when comparing pricing to Kaufman options. I did just check the spacing on the cross deck supports and they are on 16 inch Centers as specified. So that was correct.

 

[shawn]

See photos. I am checking my build sheet with dealer concerning these now. I don’t think they are as specified. They are the 215/75-17.5 H 16 ply which puts only 19,220 on the ground. It was pouring rain last Saturday and freezing cold when I picked it up and last thing I want to do was check the tire rating....I should have. Anyway,the Gatormade main frame is a 10 inch I beam with a 12 inch I Beam for the neck. Another feature I liked when comparing pricing to Kaufman options. I did just check the spacing on the cross deck supports and they are on 16 inch Centers as specified. So that was correct.

That math doesn't make sense. You have 8k axles with 9600# of tire capacity per axle. Seems legit.

I wouldn't get too hung up on the moment of inertia between sandwiched channels vs W sections vs HSS. My gut says HSS is better because they're stronger off-axis, in twisting, etc, but it all depends on the specific steel sections and how they're used. Related, the stiffest trailers seem to be the ones with torque tubes. It's just a big stupid piece of pipe, but it addresses the twist problem really well.

 

[Croatan_Kid]

Had I gone with a deckover, it would have used I beam instead of channel.

Concerning the tires, I wouldn't let it bother you too much. It's still better to not have the tires as the limiting factor and that's mostly why I wanted 17.5s. I know the axles can probably handle more than 8k, but that wouldn't matter if the tires couldn't.

The one I got is rated at 17k...but two 8k axles is 16k...and then the tires can support 19k. It's like trailer manufacturers don't math real good or something. Whatever...

 

[Croatan_Kid]

My trailer should be done some time between now and next Friday, the 23rd. I'm kinda excited!

 

[ord.sgt.26NC]

who is the salesman you are dealing with?

 

[Croatan_Kid]

Mark Hedrick, real nice guy. He's been very helpful.

 

[Croatan_Kid]

They emailed me yesterday (Tuesday, March 20th) and said my trailer was ready. I'm headed up Friday to pick it up Then, more than likely, heading right back out early Saturday morning for Waynesboro, Georgia to pick up a piece of equipment!

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Post up many pictures!

 

[Croatan_Kid]

Pictures are in my 2500HD build thread and there's some in the "show your tow rig and trailer" thread.

 

[No fries]

Tilt! I've used flat trailers, dovetail trailers, manual tilt, full length hydraulic tilt, and hydraulic drop deck (designed for scissor lifts or other cool stuff like moving milling machines). My next trailer will be a full length hydraulic tilt. The drop deck is cool, but too narrow inside, too wide outside, and too limiting. With a flat deck, the rear is too high. With a dove, the rear is too low. My neighbor had an 8x24 14K PJ deckover full length hydraulic tilt, and it was invaluable when moving my shop. No issues loading 5 tons of forklift on it (and a bunch of other stuff too). Hydraulics lifted it right up, and the transition at the rear was as smooth as it could be. Wouldn't have worked with a flat or dove because of the breakover angle. Also, for winching stuff onto the trailer, full tilt is the way to go. You don't have that funny transition from angled to flat. Just winch to where you want, secure the load, then lower the trailer. That's why rollbacks are that way.

@jeepinmatt
We are looking to buy a new trailer at work, was wondering if you've put a scissor lift on a tilt deckover before? We have a tilt car hauler now and want to go to a deck over for ease of loading materials but I am worried about the angle. The PJ we are looking at has a 15° tilt, and a 19' JLG electric lift will work on a 25% grade which is 14°. Moving lifts is what the trailer is used for but occasionally material is loaded with a fork lift and the fender really get in the way.

 

[jeepinmatt]

@jeepinmatt
We are looking to buy a new trailer at work, was wondering if you've put a scissor lift on a tilt deckover before? We have a tilt car hauler now and want to go to a deck over for ease of loading materials but I am worried about the angle. The PJ we are looking at has a 15° tilt, and a 19' JLG electric lift will work on a 25% grade which is 14°. Moving lifts is what the trailer is used for but occasionally material is loaded with a fork lift and the fender really get in the way.

I see no reason it wouldn't work. it just has to have enough power and traction to get up the ramp. Hit it faster

 

[Croatan_Kid]

They make a tilt deckover?

I'm definitely glad I went with ramps...it would have been much harder to load up this past Sunday with a tilt trailer and the way I had to walk it up on the trailer with the arm.