question on dump valve on spread axle flat
#11
Originally Posted by heavyhaulerss
i live on the al/ tn line.. i just got it out of shop from decatur al wed. they do great work on welding. thats all they do. had 1 inch steel plate welded where the stress points are. i think it's almost impossible to prevent one from breaking ever. if both trailer tires could pivot & turn with the steer tires .. that invention may do the trick. i do think most of my breakage came from a while back when i daily had to jacknife trailer while backing into a dock while going down a steep hill. my trailer would twist every time & it looked like the tires wer going to come off the rims.
I work for PGT and we pull aluminum Reit's and MAC's with rear dump. I just hooked to a brand new Transcraft in Laredo Tuesday with front dump and as much as I like the trailer in general I'm missing that REAR dump already...
#13
Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Mid Michigan
Posts: 155
Hi Heavyhauler I pull three different trailers, all spread axles. All of them have the dump valve on the rear axle.
I think with you hauling a coil in the middle of the trailer and then dumping the bags on the front axle it is putting way to much stress on the trailer. The trailer is probably flexing enough that the front axle bags are bottomed out inside and still carring allot of weight. That might true with a flat bed because the bags are so tall, two of the trailers I pull are step decks an those bags are really short and they will bottom out. I put 48,000/50,000 on my aluminum flat, dump the rear bags as close to the turn as possible and fill them back up when I am 2/3's the way (takes a good 10 seconds for the bags to fill up) through the corner. Tires roll just a little. I think if you switch your dump to the rear you will be pleasantly surprised. Just corner slow an on and off as quick as possible with the switch. Thanks Mike
#14
My reefer was a sliding spring ride tandem in its beginning. I have made an air ride spread axle out of it, with dumps on both axles, with individual switches. (I can dump either or both) I had to re-inforce the frame between the spread rather drastically but I've never had any cracking or breaking problems yet in 3 years. You would be amazed at the different turning radius when you dump the rear as opposed to the front.
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1999 FL Classic, N14+ 525 hp, RTLO16-9-13A 1997 Van's Aircraft RV-6, IO-360 |
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