Knoxville TN, Broke down TN i-40 eastbound near Knoxville

[rickf]

I have to agree with Jeff, 14,000 lbs. is 3500 per tire and you will not find many 16" tires rated that high. I am pretty sure the highest rated axle I have seen with 8 lugs is 6000 lb. so you may want to check that axle rating. You are into the 14.5" tire size to get that kind of rating, or triple axle.

ON edit, I need to correct myself here. I just went to E-trailer and they list not only 7000lb 8 lug axles but also 8000 lb. 8 lug axles! Now where do you find a 4000 lb. plus 16" tire?

 

[rickf]

I did find some tires rated that high but they are 16.5. Here is a linky.
http://dexteraxle.com/i/u/6149609/f/600-8K_Cat_1-12/Wheels___Tires_1-12.pdf

Look at the product literature, then the 600-8K drop down and then tires are at the bottom.

 

[tigger]

I have to agree with Jeff, 14,000 lbs. is 3500 per tire and you will not find many 16" tires rated that high. I am pretty sure the highest rated axle I have seen with 8 lugs is 6000 lb. so you may want to check that axle rating. You are into the 14.5" tire size to get that kind of rating, or triple axle.

ON edit, I need to correct myself here. I just went to E-trailer and they list not only 7000lb 8 lug axles but also 8000 lb. 8 lug axles! Now where do you find a 4000 lb. plus 16" tire?

Not in NJ aparently!

 

[Csm Davis]

Also rickf I think that the axles rated that high are meant to use dual wheels.

 

[doghead]

7000# single wheel is about the highest I have seen/owned.

 

[AMGeneral]

Link to the spec page for the exact trailer I have,I did get the dual jacks as an option for stability.

24Ft, 18,000 lb. Standard Duty Deluxe Gooseneck

 

[rickf]

I was looking at buying that very same trailer! It was rated at 12,000lbs.. I guess it depends on where they are selling it but you cannot claim tongue load in the GVWR. That would be a 14,000 lb. trailer assuming it has the 7000 lb. axles under it. I would like to see a pic of the data/weight tag on the frame. If they are claiming 17K on 14K axles I would love to know how they expect it to pass a DOT check. I am pretty sure that rating label would not even be legal. Keep in mind Brandon, this is nothing against you. I am only talking about the trailer. The one I looked at was 4800.00 with no options. That is why I say to check the axles, price is pretty close for that much of a weight difference.

Rick

 

[m16ty]

You can get a fairly high capacity singled out axle. My Dad's horse trailer has 9,000 lb singled out axles. He is running 17.5 load range H tires on it though. They are rated for 4,800 lbs each.

You can find 8 lug 17.5 wheels if you want to upgrade to a heavier tire. The 17.5 tires are the same tires that are used on some big truck trailers and they aren't much (if any) taller than most 16" trailer tires.

 

[bigugh20]

March on soldier(or sailor).

I think it's safe to say, there are a bunch of us that are looking forward to helping you get that bed swapped out at the rally.

BTW, I recommend that Craig, get a psychiatric evaluation.

It was a whitenuckle ride for sure, and I was just a passenger. Most of the anxiety however was due to the fact that neither of us had ever pulled a load using a gooseneck. It's a different feel than I'm used to, and knowing that we were slightly overweight, combined with all the problems that Adam and Brandon had already experienced combined to produce alot of concern. I honestly don't think that we were ever close to having problems once we got a good set of tires installed. Keeping the road-speed down and avoiding as many potholes as possible, stopping frequently, etc. was good insurance. The down-hills were the most fun, well that and stacking up a dozen tractor trailer rigs behind us.

 

[goldneagle]

I bought a car hauler trailer a few months ago and was ripped off. It was advertized as a 7000lb capacity trailer but I later noticed the plate said 5000 GVW. It has 2 3500# axles but only one has electric brakes. I was told in LA they derate the trailer if it does not have the electric brakes on both axles! It was also missing the breakaway brake switch and battery assemblies. I don't know how they can legally sell a trailer without the breakaway feature. i thought it was mandatory in most states!

Upon further examination I found that they used 1/8" bent sheet-metal to fabricate 4x2 angels for cross-members every 2 feet. The diamond plate is also flimsy for the spacing. It seems that they cut a lot of corners in construction just to save a few dollars!

I plan to add 4x2 C channels every 2 feet (spaced in-between the existing supports) to beef up the platform. I have already installed the breakaway system. I plan to add a second set of electric brakes to the trailer as well.

The reason i brought this up is to comment on how lousy they seem to construct trailers these days! No pride in your product.

 

[porkysplace]

I have to agree with Jeff, 14,000 lbs. is 3500 per tire and you will not find many 16" tires rated that high. I am pretty sure the highest rated axle I have seen with 8 lugs is 6000 lb. so you may want to check that axle rating. You are into the 14.5" tire size to get that kind of rating, or triple axle.

ON edit, I need to correct myself here. I just went to E-trailer and they list not only 7000lb 8 lug axles but also 8000 lb. 8 lug axles! Now where do you find a 4000 lb. plus 16" tire?

Dexter makes a #7000 but it uses 12.00 x 16.5 tires 8 lug .

 

[rickf]

Dexter makes a #7000 but it uses 12.00 x 16.5 tires 8 lug .

Yup, I saw that in the link I put up. They also make an 8,000lb. but you have to go up to 17.5 tires and wheels, BIG, BIG bucks!
7,000 lbs. is the break point between light car/landscape trailers and the more robust equipment trailers. There is generally a large difference in price. Kaufman seemed to have some really good prices and that is why I was looking at them. Probably why Brandon bought his. Problem is the old saying, "you get what you pay for" pertains here. To give a low price they have to cut corners somewhere to keep the profit margin, I just don't know how they can do some of the stuff legally. I mean, how do you cal that a 17,000 lb. GVW trailer? The Gross Vehicle Weight is exactly that, the maximum weight of THAT vehicle fully loaded. Not assuming part of the weight will be on the hitch. That is determined by how it is loaded. The proper way to scale a trailer setup is to weight the front axle, rear axle and the trailer axles. This way you know how the weight is distributed.

Rick

 

[Recovry4x4]

This whole deal with cheap tires and de-rated trailers makes me think of John Ruskin's Common law of business balance.

“There is hardly anything in the world that someone cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price alone are that person’s lawful prey. It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money — that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot — it can’t be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better.”

 

[rickf]

Words to live by for sure. That being said do we not all violate that rule buy purchasing stuff from G/L? I have a pickup at Mechanicsburg next week and now I will be thinking about that paragraph all dang week.

 

[m16ty]

I don't know how they build trailers as cheap as they do.

Awhile back I thought I'd build my own trailer to save some bucks and get what I want. After I priced the axles, hitch, wheels and tires I was already at the price you can buy a trailer for. I haven't even bought the steel yet or figured any of my labor. I checked everywhere and those were the cheapest prices I can find.

They must be getting the things mentioned above for far less than the average joe can buy them for. Also if you look at any of the major manufacturers the craftsmanship is real shoddy.

 

[AMGeneral]

I did crawl under the trailer today after unloading it,it does have 2 ea 7000 lb axles.

I visually inspected every weld and bolt,spring and mount as well as both axle tubes for distortion,none noted at all.

I noted that after unloading the trailer only raised up about 2 inches,I also noted that there was at least 1 1/2 inches between the axle U bolts and trailer frame on a level surface with the trailer loaded.

I doubt I will ever haul anything this heavy again,I'll limit myself to 10K max weight.

Here are a few pics of the unloaded bed resting on the outriggers,it is chained off at all 4 corners,so barring an earthquake it isn't going anywhere.

 

[rickf]

Glad to hear it has the correct axles, are they Dexters? Also glad to hear no damage. I still may get the Kaufman but your experience has shown me many things to specifically look for when I do. ESPECIALLY the tires!!!!
Are those outriggers hydraulic or mechanical? If they are hydraulic I would worry about one bleeding down more that the others and unbalancing the load. It would also put a lateral strain on the other legs. If they are mechanical that is moot.

Rick

 

[AMGeneral]

They are definetly not Dexters,I've never heard of this particular axle manufacturer myself,it escapes me at the moment.


The outriggers on every M series wrecker are mechanical screw down outriggers(unfortunately) so no danger of them leaking off our moving overnight.Ferro will be here early AM to commence loading the bed on the M270 then be enroute to the GA rally.

 

[rickf]

I was just looking at Kaufman's site and at the trailer you have. There are some notes at the bottom of the sales pitch that I would bet were not there before. I know I didn't see them but I was looking at the 14K trailer. Note the "Popular Optional 8'000 lb. axle" note. Also note the UPGRADED "AMERICAN MADE" 17.5 TIRES.

What is the difference between that base trailer and the 14K unit on the same page?
Edit, sorry go back to the gooseneck page for the 14K.

24Ft, 18,000 lb. Standard Duty Deluxe Gooseneck

 

[Csm Davis]

Brandon I just want you to know I was not slamming you or your trailer. I do not approve of the deceptive practices that a lot of manufactures and dealers are using to sell trailers.