[SEL] Tandem Trailer

[Bob Jacobs]

Hey Andy

Primary rule of trailers is to always have 60% of your load on the tongue.  
That stops almost 100% of the "wagging" problem and gives much better
control of the trailer overall.

Using that as a guide I built my last trailer with the center of the tandem
axle spread 60% back from the front of the deck.  ie: 10 ft deck, center of
the spread was 6ft back.  The nose weight added by the tongue really was
negligable in the overall picture and I countered the difference by how I
loaded the equipment on it.

Also, using this as a basis the trailer pulls like a dream even when empty.

Another quirk I ran into was to be sure no two distances between the axles
are the same.   The length from your steering axle to your drive axle should
be different than the length from your drive axle to the trailer's axle(s). 
If you have the same distance the trailer becomes almost impossible to tow
at speed, or to back up.
 
 
Bob 
Some people call me Sweet Ole' Bob,
others just use the initials!
-------Original Message-------
 
From: The SEL email discussion list
Date: 09/29/04 20:39:48
To: sel at lists.stationary-engine.com
Subject: [SEL] Tandem Trailer
 
Hello All, I remember a while back, there was talk about Tandem Trailers.
I'm in the process of building one, and I need some help with the
configuration of the spring hangers and a method/style of a tailgate. The
springs I've seen, some are hanging down and some are up on the shackle
side, with the spring shackle in the up position it looks like the rocker
will hit the spring, the way I'm inclined to do it is have the spring
hanging down from the rocker, and the shackle plates angled back, so when
the weight comes off ( i.e. going over a bump) the axle, the shackle will
hang straight down and won't flip over above the rocker? Also where to mount
the Rocker mount in the centre of the main frame or just back of-centre, I
think the idea is to have a positive weight on the draw bar, if I have the
rocker mount in the centre of the frame, won't the weight of the draw bar
(and spare wheel) give it the correct positive weight I need? The Tailgate,
I'd like to incorporate a ramp in it as well, so it will be fairly long, or
high when in the up position, how would I do the hinges? I don't have an
idea on this one, I was going to build the trailer, and then work out what
to do. This trailer is going to be use for my engines and/or a Section Car
(Speeder) or would it be simpler to just have two ramps, but how do I attach
them to the end of the trailer easily? to take the different widths of the
Engine trolleys. Any help would be great.
Andy........
 
Andy Nicholson
Exmouth W.A.
Oz.
rustyiron at bigpond.com
 
 
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