 |
09-01-2009, 04:36 PM
|
#1
|
|
Pro
Trade:
Construction and Remodeling
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 1,689
|
Tandem axle trailer questions
Hey guys,
I really have never hauled anything excessivly heavy in my dump trailer until a few weeks ago. I was hauling some dirt and gravel. The heaviest load being 3 tons of gravel. What I noticed is when I was backing into places and turning the wheels of the trailer were tilting in and out as the trailer turned. I know the tires scuff a little when turning, but that looked a little weird to me. The trailer was not over loaded its a 10,000lbs GVW and empty weighs 2700lbs. Any info from you trailer pros would be great  The trailer is only 7 months or so old.
Edit: The lugnuts are tight I already checked  But there is play in the wheel when you pull from top to bottom, like when checking ball joints on a car.
Thanks, Dave
__________________
"Pay now or Pay later"
Last edited by dkillianjr; 09-01-2009 at 04:39 PM.
|
|
|
Warning: The topics covered on this site include activities in which there exists the potential for serious injury
or death. ContractorTalk.com DOES NOT guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information contained on this site. Always use proper safety precaution and reference reliable outside sources before attempting any construction or remodeling task!
Join the #1 Contractor Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
ContractorTalk.com - Are you a Professional Contractor? If so we invite you to join our community and see what it has to offer. Our site is specifically designed for you and it's the leading place for contractors to meet online. No homeowners asking DIY questions. Just fellow tradesmen who enjoy talking about their business, their trade, and anything else that comes up. No matter what your trade is you'll find that ContractorTalk.com is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally free!
Join ContractorTalk.com - Click Here

|
09-01-2009, 04:41 PM
|
#2
|
|
Pro
Trade:
Construction
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: VA
Posts: 877
|
Yep thats normal. Sometimes mine look like they are as much as 2-3inches in difference and it does worry me but i heard thats it's fine. Im sure it wears down your tires faster though. I leave lovely black marks all over the road when i reverse my trailer in every day.
What type of axles do you have? and do you have leafs or torsion?
|
|
|
|
The Following User Says Thank You to BCConstruction For This Useful Post:
|
|
09-01-2009, 05:27 PM
|
#3
|
|
woodchuck2
Trade:
Electrical Contractor&Home Maintenance
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Chestertown, NY/Lower Adirondacks
Posts: 1,020
|
All of my trailers have leaf sprung suspensions and do the same thing. You will see they do this to some degree when loaded heavy as the tube of the axle is flexing with the load, when turning this is magnified due to the leverage of the wheel and tire. You will see this on a torsion bar suspension too but not as much as leaf springs.
__________________
06 Chevy D-Max ECSB, 8' Fisher plow, 6' Salty Dogg in bed sander,
06 Chevy D-Max RCLB, 8' Fisher plow, 98 Sumitomo mini excavator, 96 7k 16' Phoenix car trailer, 06 12K 18' Cam-Superline equipment trailer
04 7k 6'X10' Kristi dump trailer, 07 7k 7X14 Continental V-nose enclosed trailer
|
|
|
09-01-2009, 07:17 PM
|
#4
|
|
Pro
Trade:
Remodeling & Decks
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Bergen County, NJ
Posts: 1,747
|
Mine does it too. I freaked out the first time like you, now I just don't look!
|
|
|
09-01-2009, 08:37 PM
|
#5
|
|
Pro
Trade:
Construction and Remodeling
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 1,689
|
Thanks again guys for the info!
BC, I've got dexter axles with leaf springs.
Now I just can't look either
Ok, now for the next problem, I'm getting a pretty decent squeak from the wheels. If I remember right, the trailer has done it since it was new. I'm gonna pull the wheels on friday and check everything. Is there anything in particular I should look at? I have kept everything well greased and it dosen't sound like brake noise.
Thanks, Dave
__________________
"Pay now or Pay later"
|
|
|
09-01-2009, 08:49 PM
|
#6
|
|
Member
Trade:
Mason Contractor
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Long Island NY
Posts: 51
|
I would check to make sure that the lug bolts are seated properly on the back side of the hub, a squeek from the wheels usually means something is not right..............good luck...
Last edited by DJ9222; 09-01-2009 at 08:54 PM.
|
|
|
09-02-2009, 08:20 AM
|
#7
|
|
woodchuck2
Trade:
Electrical Contractor&Home Maintenance
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Chestertown, NY/Lower Adirondacks
Posts: 1,020
|
Be sure the wheel bearings are properly greased too, clean the grease seals of any dust as this will cause a squeal when under motion.
__________________
06 Chevy D-Max ECSB, 8' Fisher plow, 6' Salty Dogg in bed sander,
06 Chevy D-Max RCLB, 8' Fisher plow, 98 Sumitomo mini excavator, 96 7k 16' Phoenix car trailer, 06 12K 18' Cam-Superline equipment trailer
04 7k 6'X10' Kristi dump trailer, 07 7k 7X14 Continental V-nose enclosed trailer
|
|
|
09-02-2009, 03:49 PM
|
#8
|
|
Contractor
Trade:
Remodeling & Home Additions
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Delaware
Posts: 1,354
|
your mention of the wheel moving (jacked up is the only way to check) would indicate loose bearings. The wheel should spin freely, but not too freely.
this is a great question about the wheels-some of us just pick up on this stuff without 'learning' it. I take softer turns especially when loaded down. if possible, make your sharper turns on soft materials (less friction). make sure your tire pressure is correct-for your 10k trailer (guessing it's rated at 14k) the 16" tires are probably rated to 80psi-sure does take a long time to pump them up on a Wawa compressor :-(
|
|
|
09-02-2009, 10:47 PM
|
#9
|
|
Pro
Trade:
Construction and Remodeling
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 1,689
|
Thanks again guys,
72chevy, yup I am deffinetly gonna check the pressure and from now on try and turn softer when I'm loaded.
I think friday I'm gonna inspect the trailer and check everything. Around here they have acctually been having random trailer inspection stops. The police pull you over and a state motor inspector inspect your truck and trailer right there! We have had so many trailer related accidents around here I guess they are cracking down a bit. I wanna make sure I find stuff before they do
Dave
__________________
"Pay now or Pay later"
|
|
|
| Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
|
| Display Modes |
Rate This Thread |
Linear Mode
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
|