Whats up with my Axel Spacing?!?!

[jserb]

I have a question for you trailer guys. I have a 1985 ?slip on trailer? it?s a triaxel and I have noticed something very odd about this trailer. The last axel is not equally spaced with the front two axels. I don?t know the exact dimensions but for purposes of explaining; lets say the distance between axel 1 and 2 is 9 inches, and then the distance between axel 2-3 is 14??. They aren?t all axels equally spaced??now I took a really good look at the trailer and it looks like is was never tampered with over the years. Everything looks 100% stock. The axels, shackles, bolts, all look original. So my question is there a reason they built this trailer this way? It?s the trailer the boat came with when bought new, so is there a reason as to why they spaced the last axel further to the rear of the trailer???? If you look in the photo below you can see that the last axel is slightly further out than the other two.....also not that the "spring" is a larger longer one than the front two Thanks for your two cents!

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Whats up with my Axel Spacing?!?!

I think you've just stumped the band with that one...
Nice boat though!

 

[Thad]

Re: Whats up with my Axel Spacing?!?!

"Whats up with my Axel Spacing?!?!"


Not enough speed going into the leap and you need more distance on the landing

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.:redface:


Could it have something to do with the way the trailer turns? A tandem lets the tires roll over pretty good. Maybe with third axle you need a little more room as to not really bind it up in tight turns like at the ramp.?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Whats up with my Axel Spacing?!?!

Take a picture of the spring setup. There should be an equlizer between the center axle and the front and back. This should be the same size as well as the size of the springs.

 

[DuckHunterJon]

Re: Whats up with my Axel Spacing?!?!

Just a guess, but maybe the rear spring has a higher spring rate to take more weight when loading/unloading. At some point, the front two are going to be loaded less than the rear one, so possibly the spring was changed to account for it. As for the spacing, maybe just a space constraint if the rear springs are longer than the other two. Otherwise, dunno.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Whats up with my Axel Spacing?!?!

We won't know unless we see close up pictures taken between each axle showing the equalizer/spring setup.

 

[indy440]

Re: Whats up with my Axel Spacing?!?!

i can't help with the trailer, but thats a cool boat.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Whats up with my Axel Spacing?!?!

That set-up is called a "half-spread" axle arrangement.

 

[jserb]

Re: Whats up with my Axel Spacing?!?!

is this good, bad, do they still do it, any info on it would be nice, just intreted in learning about it

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: Whats up with my Axel Spacing?!?!

This completely a guess but I would say that the boat manufacturer may specify where the rear axles are placed depending on the boat or setup they put on the trailer to insure proper tongue weight. Are the rears adjustable?

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Whats up with my Axel Spacing?!?!

A buddy of mine had a similar boat on an aluminum triaxle trailer a few years ago. The two front axles had an equalizer in between the springs, but the rear axle was mounted independently of the other two. The rear axle appeared to be a bit heavier sprung, most likely to compensate for the two big block Chevy engines and Mercruiser drives.

The impression I got when I first looked at it was that the last axle was added to correct the overweight issue. All spring attachment points were welded right to his frame on that trailer. The last axle had different springs, and what appeared to be fresh welds, not anodized as the rest of the trailer was. It was my guess they made the trailer work with the stern heavy boat. Whether or not this was the norm with that style boat, I don't know, but it never gave any trouble. Both forward axles also had brakes, the rear axle did not.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Whats up with my Axel Spacing?!?!

If you don't have equalizers that one axle that is by itself is going to take a lot of the weight or too little weight unless the trailer is perfectly level.

 

[jserb]

Re: Whats up with my Axel Spacing?!?!

Well like I said you guys sound to be 100% right, the trailer was built this way as I said before it all is stock. The rear spring is larger than the front two (which would hold more weight), however they are all connected by shackles between each spring(to answer your question bruceb58 yes each spring has an ?adjuster? and they are all connected together to allow for equal weight distribution.
But for the most part I think you are all right, you have to remember Wellcraft took this exact hull and made both inboard and outboard versions, this trailer was designed for both. With that said the inboard version with the weight of the big blocks in the back weighed almost 2500LBS more (all in the stern mind you)than my version. Thus I assume they put a larger axel in the back to compensate for the amount of weight that would cantilever over the position of the wheels.
So I think we know WHY they did it, and that it isn?t JUST my trailer that has it, but now I wanna know?.Do they still build them like this? OR was this an old style thing that just died out and they have now just relocated the wheels with larger axels? What is there remedy now?
Just so you all know I cant get a photo of the springs right now because the trailer is in storage, but I assure you the last spring was longer than the first 2 sets and they are all are connected together which ?shackles? and it looks 100% stock. (Also another way I know its stock and it just wasn?t an added ?third axel? is look at the wheel well?the fender was designed for a triaxel and it too looks 100% stock, no cut welds or grinded off brackets?.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Whats up with my Axel Spacing?!?!

Could it have something to do with the way the trailer turns? A tandem lets the tires roll over pretty good. Maybe with third axle you need a little more room as to not really bind it up in tight turns like at the ramp.?

Naw, the longer the spread, the tougher it corners because the tire has to move further sideways.

A longer spring would have to be heavier to have the same rate. Odds are good all the springs are loaded the same on the level, but the longer spring would be able to "kneel down" to the blocks when overloaded without damage, for instance when loading or unloading.

It's not a mistake, but a deliberate design.