My question is can you add this to a truck that doesn't have one or do you need to order a truck that has one? Do you need to have a certain wheel base length?

 

I know alot of guys around where i live that run 10wheelers put lift axles under them for a tri axle.

 

You can have one put on if you have a long enough wheelbase, or you can have it stretched and put one on. About $5 grand give or take.

 

Hi! Just curious as to what kind of truck you're talking and why you need another axle? I've driven a single drive axle road tractor with a pusher lift before and presently have a single axle sleeper I might be adding a tag lift to. We have a dead single axle daycab with a tag that I've been getting parts off of but the tag is a spring lift dayton wheel axle and I'd really like an air lift hub piloted wheel axle. I might end up not adding the axle after all as I can presently load up 38k or 40k in a 53 foot van in the states I run in (Northeast). I do have trouble with drop and hook trailers as they are usually loaded too nose heavy to properly axle out - even with the tandems slid fully forward. If I load a trailer I can usually get it right by leaving space in the middle using logistics bars to keep the rearmost part of the load from shifting 8) .

 

You can add one to any truck that has the clear frame length. There are some out there that need as little as 16" using small tires.Steerable axles will need more room than non-steerable.

If you do not have enough frame it is fairly common to stretch a frame.

I would suggest you go with a steerable lift as it dramatically increases tire life and you have less to worry about going into turns and scrubbing the tires.

You should pay attention to where you are going to run as different states have different rules as to the location of the lift axle switch. For instance if you run in Maryland the switch can be inside but down force control must be outside the tractor. And some states even require the switch to be outside of the tractor.

 

I was wanting to find out because I plan on driving for Sherman Brothers out of Oregon on a multi-axle fleet. I will be starting out as a company driver but will become an O/O after I drive for them for awhile. I look on truckpaper all the time and finding a used truck will the extra axle is kinda rare. Sherman Brothers hauls a-trains / b-trains and mulit-axle 53' trailers as well.

 

FourH....Like was said already, you can add a lift axle to just about anything. A single screw tractor with a 210" wheelbase can accept a 20k fixed lift axle no problem. For longer wheel based tractors (260" +), the only time you would put on a 20K tag axle would be for HEAVYHAUL....like a lowboy operation. Being in the NorthWest like you are, you can find used trucks out there fairly easily, that have factory steerable lifts already on them. Gordon sells a dozen or so used trucks with them, every year, up at Pacific WA at VFI, their Freightliner dealership. KW and Pete Dealerships as well as TEC Equipment, usually have used available as well.

 

Thanks for the info Orangetxguy!!

 

Hendrixson suspension sells drop axles check their web page.

 

I saw a guy the other day with a flat bed spread axle and the front axle was lifted. Seems like like good idea to me. I think it was a Routineer (sp?)