Is running a singled dually rim on a trailer a bad idea?

[Lonesome715]

I have this old military trailer I am making new again. One of the things I want to do is get rid of the fender well inside the cargo area. I want the sides smooth for more cargo space. I borrowed a dually rim just to move the trailer until I can get my own and I liked the huge cap it crated. As you can see on the other side of the trailer I have a conventional rim and it will not give me the room the tire needs to travel if I smoothed out the cargo area. I heard a long time back that running a single dually rim facing out like that is bad. I doubt I will ever test this trailer’s true load capacity to it limits so does it really matter if I run single dually rims that way?

 

[deuce_09]

Are those split rims?

 

[Lonesome715]

No it is a regular later model eight lug rim. If I do this I will get a hold of a matching set of later model rims anyway.

 

[deuce_09]

I don't think you should have any problems. Trailers like that are too small to have that much weight in them anyway. I'm not saying you couldn't pack enough in it to break it I'm just saying most people don't.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Old? looks like a 101a3 to me.

 

[Lonesome715]

That is what I am thinking as well. I just wanted to make sure becuase I remember being told many years ago that running one dually rim that way is bad. But that does not mean it is in this situation.

 

[Lonesome715]

I say it is old becuase if its condition.

 

[deuce_09]

Old? looks like a 101a3 to me.

Probably "not new"="old"

 

[Lonesome715]

 

[M543A2]

The newer 1 1/2 ton trailer I have, I believe it is an M105A3, has rims on it that set the tires out so the inside of the bed has no fender wells. They put this offset wheel on the standard axle used on the M105A2 trailers that use the deuce wheel and rim, which offsets the tire inward, making fender wells necessary. You will not have any problems.
Regards Marti

 

[jasonjc]

It's the load on the breaing not the rim thats bad. It's like useing a cheater pipe. The load is meat to be between the 2 brearings. When you use a rim with that much off set, the load is way off center. That will put a lot more load on the breaing and waer them out a lot faster.

Just a thought but cut the axle and exten it 6-8" and use the same wheels.

 

[Chief_919]

It's the load on the breaing not the rim thats bad. It's like useing a cheater pipe. The load is meat to be between the 2 brearings. When you use a rim with that much off set, the load is way off center. That will put a lot more load on the breaing and waer them out a lot faster.

Just a thought but cut the axle and exten it 6-8" and use the same wheels.

Yup.

By changing the geometry, you are increasing the load on the wheel bearings.

Now are the 101A2/A3 wheel bearings overengineered enough to handle the change? Most likely- but be aware you are putting more stress on them.

 

[Lonesome715]

I think I remember hearing that before. I thought about making the axle wider but I would prefer that to be a last resort.

 

[197thhhc]

If you were going to use this trailer commercially or for very heavy loads I would be concerned about flipping the wheels. For just regular short trip hauling I would'nt have any issue with flipping the wheels.

 

[Lonesome715]

I think you are correct.