What makes the difference ?

[antique fisherman]

I have two boats and trailers . One trailer is a single axle and the other is a dual axle . It seems to me that the single axle waits to start a turn ( while backing ) and then tries to turn all at once . The dual axle turns much smoother which makes it be easier to control . What makes the difference ?
Any Info Appreciated

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: What makes the difference ?

Wheel contact patch with the ground, of course tongue length makes a difference as well. But you are correct dual axle trailers normally back up easier, at least in my experience.

 

[wbc1957]

Re: What makes the difference ?

The second axle with its two additional tires making contact, will create extra sideways resistance intially, which gives you more time for a smoother transition in a turn, versus a quick reaction of the single axle, single set of tires, which would respond immediately to any slight change of coarse. Just MHO.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: What makes the difference ?

If you look at it from the prospective of a person who snow skis, the longer the ski, the longer and easier the turn, the shorter the ski, the quicker and sharper it turns, also look at cars with short wheel bases and long wheel bases, longer =slower smoother, shorter=quicker and sharper..

 

[j_martin]

Re: What makes the difference ?

The only factor that affects this characteristic is the distance between the hitch and the axle, or center of dual axles. The shorter the distance, the quicker the trailer turns.

It's just plain geometry in motion.

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: What makes the difference ?

The only factor that affects this characteristic is the distance between the hitch and the axle, or center of dual axles. The shorter the distance, the quicker the trailer turns.

It's just plain geometry in motion.

Thats the answer in a nutshell.
The tires and all the other yammer have no bearing on it all.

 

[PKomrowski]

Re: What makes the difference ?

What J Martin said, all the rest dont count....

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: What makes the difference ?

Yammer?

Wow!

Of course we all know what they say about opinions!

I will agree it is simply geometry, but there are many factors that come into that geometry...that actually makes geometry complicated...for the average person.

 

[dbkerley]

Re: What makes the difference ?

Yes on the geometry part
But, a double or triple axle trailer will want to pull straighter than a single if the axles are properly lined.

My single axle will turn quicker because it is shorter than my triple. The single doesn't wear tires as quickly either. That is just a quirk though. I have a relatively light boat on the single compared to the triple.

 

[foodfisher]

Re: What makes the difference ?

Friction! My single axle boat trailer starts to move when I just think about turning. The dual axle travel trailer slides the front tires in a tight corner, allowing me to follow the skid marks when comming home.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: What makes the difference ?

Come on people, think about this. There are two axles on a tandem trailer neither of which is capable of steering. Ever try to tow your car around a corner without turning the steering wheel. Or did you ever watch the tires on a semi-trailer as it goes around a sharp corner? There is no steering on tandem axles so the tires need to be literally dragged arround a corner. That fact and only that fact is why a tandem trailer tracks a little better and exhibits less sway than a single axle. If you let a tandem trailer go freely downhill it would track very straight (provided it was aligned properly). A single axle trailer would be very unpredictable in the same scenario as it is free to pivot either direction. Yes, a long tongue trailer is easier to back than a short one but as was mentioned, the short one can turn shorter just as a short wheel base vehicle can turn shorter than a long wheel base vehicle.

 

[PopsRacer]

Re: What makes the difference ?

The only factor that affects this characteristic is the distance between the hitch and the axle, or center of dual axles. The shorter the distance, the quicker the trailer turns.

It's just plain geometry in motion.

... x3 .... I was a Truck Driver for several years and a 52' trailer was the easiest to back up while a 28' Pup was the toughest... I could park a 48'-52' trailer in a dock door with alot more speed than a small 28' because the shorter wheel base would cause it to overreact and get out of hand much faster than the longer wheelbases would allow, regardless if the 28' trailer had a single axle or tandem axles.

BTW, you've just discovered one important reason why Semi-Trailers have their axles close to the back.

 

[antique fisherman]

Re: What makes the difference ?

Thanks for the replies guys . I knew that I had rather to back my tandem axle for a mile than to back my single axle for 50 feet.

Happy Boating to all.

 

[dlngr]

Re: What makes the difference ?

Short trailer-long trailer. Make a sharp turn on pavement with a multi axle,backing or forward-then get out and inspect the pavement. You will have just left some of your tires there on the road. A lot of semi trailers have the ability to lift the front axle for tight turns-makes them turn quicker,and saves rubber.

 

[PopsRacer]

Re: What makes the difference ?

Short trailer-long trailer. Make a sharp turn on pavement with a multi axle,backing or forward-then get out and inspect the pavement. You will have just left some of your tires there on the road. A lot of semi trailers have the ability to lift the front axle for tight turns-makes them turn quicker,and saves rubber.

Maybe some when empty, the ones I hauled didn't.. If fully loaded, the down axle could get overloaded.. The ones I hauled were loaded until I finished the route, they laid rubber w/o an axle coming up when full or empty. Either way, hitch to axle distance always seemed to make the biggest difference, much more than a little bit of extra friction does.

You can have the same 48' trailer, slide the tandems all the way forward on the slides, then it'll handle MUCH differently than having them slid towards the rear regardless if the trailer is empty or loaded.


If you wanna test the theory of friction, just remove the wheels from the front axle on a tandem axle trailer and try it for yourself... It might make a difference on these small trailers, I can't imagine it'd be much to notice though..

 

[barbosam]

Re: What makes the difference ?

Longer is definately easier to back up, less reactive. But their is a friction factor with multiple axle trailers. Try moving an empty single axle boat trailer by hand it will steer very easily. Then try moving an empty dual axle trailer by hand, it will move in a straight line just as easy as a single axle but when you try to make a turn with it it is extremely difficult by hand, you will need to lift weight off the front axle to get it to turn. I have to do it all the time, I hate moving the dual axle. I would think that this would play some role in how reactive the trailer is although I do agree that the length plays a bigger or at least more noticeable role.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: What makes the difference ?

The difference in ease of backing any trailer is also effected by the difference between tow vehicle rear axle to trailer axle distance.
And also how close the hitch point is to the tow vehicle axle.

 

[dlngr]

Re: What makes the difference ?

Maybe some when empty, the ones I hauled didn't.. If fully loaded, the down axle could get overloaded.. The ones I hauled were loaded until I finished the route, they laid rubber w/o an axle coming up when full or empty. Either way, hitch to axle distance always seemed to make the biggest difference, much more than a little bit of extra friction does.

You can have the same 48' trailer, slide the tandems all the way forward on the slides, then it'll handle MUCH differently than having them slid towards the rear regardless if the trailer is empty or loaded.


If you wanna test the theory of friction, just remove the wheels from the front axle on a tandem axle trailer and try it for yourself... It might make a difference on these small trailers, I can't imagine it'd be much to notice though..

Yeah Pops,I know what you're saying. What I haul are 40 ft dumps loaded[with scrap iron] 40,000 on a spread axle. A tight turn on concrete looks like it's gonna pop the tires off the wheels.With the front axle off the ground,sure it's over loaded[40,000 on one axle!] but it makes the turn... Another load I do often puts me at 39-40 thousand on a tri-axle dump[35 footer] When I get to end of trip I need to make a u-turn on concrete-I lift the front axle before making the u-turn onto the scale.

 

[dlngr]

Re: What makes the difference ?

The difference in ease of backing any trailer is also effected by the difference between tow vehicle rear axle to trailer axle distance.
And also how close the hitch point is to the tow vehicle axle.

Yeppers jeepers,we all agree with that fact!!

 

[PopsRacer]

Re: What makes the difference ?

Yeah Pops,I know what you're saying. What I haul are 40 ft dumps loaded[with scrap iron] 40,000 on a spread axle. A tight turn on concrete looks like it's gonna pop the tires off the wheels.With the front axle off the ground,sure it's over loaded[40,000 on one axle!] but it makes the turn... Another load I do often puts me at 39-40 thousand on a tri-axle dump[35 footer] When I get to end of trip I need to make a u-turn on concrete-I lift the front axle before making the u-turn onto the scale.

Sheesh, those are the huge dump trucks.... Every axle counts on those bad boys..

The difference in ease of backing any trailer is also effected by the difference between tow vehicle rear axle to trailer axle distance.
And also how close the hitch point is to the tow vehicle axle.

Good point!!!! Now that you mention it, the Tow Vehicle's wheelbase does too... It's easier to back my boat with the short wheelbase Armada than a longer wheel base Titan... Now that throws another factor into the mix, could there be a Tow Vehicle wheelbase to Trailer hitch to axle ratio calculation that's more accurate than the trailer's length alone???

Interesting topic here.....