I'm in the market for a bigger trailer, 8-12 ton to haul a 12000lbs excavator. I've seen a couple of single axle tandem trailers with a 10 ton axle. Any real cons to just having a single axle? I imagine making tight turns would be easier on the axle.
Are you talking about a single axle fifth wheel? I would like to find one i cant see any thing wrong with one.
They tend to dance a bit more than tandem axles, and do a bigger dribble bounce on bridge joints etc. BAM! instead of bam bam. Other than that they do steer easier.
Only thing that's turning me off to it is that it's probably air brakes so I wouldn't have brakes when pulling with my f350.
If i could find something like that cheap i would make it a little longer and build a neck on it. If your going to pull it behind a F350 i would find something else . No brakes and alot of bumper weight.
X2 - a trailer like that has no business behind a 350.
I am not sure why anyone would want a trailer like that. Your chance of overloading your hitch/bumper capacity is very high. It would be much like a teeter totter. Probably why you seldom see them. It would turn easy, but I wouldn't buy one simply for that reason.
Also not much capacity, even if it's a 12k axle it's a super heavy trailer that trailer looks like it's built heavy enough for 2 12k axles, 2 7k axles are far superior in everyway. Single axle trailers in anything over 3500lbs have become extinct for a reason.
Tandem is Twin axles, Duals is doubled tires. Unless do not ability to steer or stop a Single Axle makes no sense, been a few companies around here had them built but were for Bulky Oversized LIGHT Loads, large Simple Structures as Guard Shacks or Fiberglass Ground Vaults, one used a single axle for hauling new empty tanks of plastic, fiberglass and steel. Tandem 12k axles is a safer bet over 7k axles, less chance of overloading tires or suspension parts.
I think i would be ok with a single axle for hauling scrap. 90% of the time its more bulky than heavy. I saw a like new single drop 30 foot single axle forsale for $7000.00 before things got crazy i should have bought it and sold 2 smaller trailers i have. I dont have to have a trailer wright now but if i could buy a trailer like john V is looking at lengthen it and build a neck on it i would. Its hard to look at a trailer and think it needs tires thats over a $1000.00 a axle. I have looked at some trailers that could be fixed up but wouldnt make it home with the tires they have on them plus they need other stuff its a toss up what to do.
Meant to say Need ability to steer towing truck or stop the load. Type slow think faster forget to add explanation words!!
I have an f800 and an f350. Main use would be pulling the 12-13k excavator with the f800. Also have a 7k excavator I currently pull with a 6 ton trailer and the f350. Hoping to find a 16k trailer that’ll work for both situations. Don’t feel like dealing with 8 tires as my biggest load will be 12-13k lbs. It’s a 10 ton axle, 20k lbs.
Tires will be least of issues in dropping to Single Axle even on duals. The LESS weight per tire means LESS heat buildup at any speed even on duals, it also with Extra Axle gives another set of friction surface to stop it and distributed weight to take OFF the towing machine, add again Stability in corners or stops and starts as not pivoting on Single axle. Can walk this thru a hundred different basis points plus or minus and if only tire expense is the killer then you are pinching pennies the wrong way. Argued with a fella I worked with as he was complaining a Dual Tire Tandem Trailer was eating tires and pulled harder than a Single Tire tandem as looked to replace first with last, turned out it had a Bent Spring Hanger and was out of line so bad to drag like a concrete block grinding tires. He knew was correct yet traded anyway, where single tires more prevalent to blow out due to max weight ALL the time during hot weather use and complained of low capacity to up hauled weight.