Just another 6 x 12 cargo conversion

[ottsville]

Do you really think that is an issue?

Probably not. You've got one tire spinning up and one down, so it most likely just roll until it fell out, even in muddy conditions. I'd be more concerned with the gap closing up in extreme one-axle-up-one-axle-down situations, but again not likely to be an issue and even if it were it would be not prolonged and at a slow speed.

 

[honda250xtitan]

************** setup. tandem axles are awesome on little trailers. my next project is a short'ish tandem axle flat utility trailer to haul a SXS. or a bit longer so i can load the side by side up with the camping trailer hooked to it and pull the whole setup with my f250 lolol.

 

[ITTOG]

Probably not. You've got one tire spinning up and one down, so it most likely just roll until it fell out, even in muddy conditions. I'd be more concerned with the gap closing up in extreme one-axle-up-one-axle-down situations, but again not likely to be an issue and even if it were it would be not prolonged and at a slow speed.

This is my concern, but also at higher speeds. Also, at higher speeds, I wheel can become elongated due to the centrifugal force. I doubt the two tires can grow a combined 1" but I am not a tire expert so I am not sure. I would like to know what the gap is on his set up.

 

[ottsville]

This is my concern, but also at higher speeds. Also, at higher speeds, I wheel can become elongated due to the centrifugal force. I doubt the two tires can grow a combined 1" but I am not a tire expert so I am not sure. I would like to know what the gap is on his set up.

You could always jack the trailer upoff the ground, put it on stands, then put your jack under one spring and see how it affects the gap.

 

[Mischief]

You guys are creating theoretical problems that don't exist in reality. The leaf springs are anchored to the frame fore and aft. The distance between the axles doesn't change. With 265/75 16 tires I have almost 3" of space between the tires but any space would be enough

 

[Deleted member 9101]

What kind of fuel mileage do you get with the trailer running 75? What is normal?

I have a 6x12 vnose and at 70 I get about 11.1 and at 80 I get 7. Normal for the truck without towing is abouyt 22. I have a 2018 F150 with the 3.5L ecoboost. I was shocked at how much the fuel mileage dropped? Power is no problem though.

1. All that power requires fuel.

2. Watch your boost gauge. Sometimes slowing down a few miles an hour will keep you from spooling up the turbos and save you on fuel.

 

[john61ct]

I would not go much under a 1" gap

 

[honda250xtitan]

You guys are creating theoretical problems that don't exist in reality. The leaf springs are anchored to the frame fore and aft. The distance between the axles doesn't change. With 265/75 16 tires I have almost 3" of space between the tires but any space would be enough

Not always true. but in this situation I'd agree....

 

[ottsville]

You guys are creating theoretical problems that don't exist in reality. The leaf springs are anchored to the frame fore and aft. The distance between the axles doesn't change. With 265/75 16 tires I have almost 3" of space between the tires but any space would be enough

You made me laugh at myself. Possibly/probably overthinking things.

But(and I'm open to learning something here, so if my thinking is wrong please point it out):

Didn't feel like going out and crawling under my trailer so I pulled up a picture:

The only place for movement is the middle, so as the springs compress and effectively lengthen, the axles will move towards the centerline of the setup by half the distance that the spring elongates on each spring. @Mischief your 3" is probably plenty but I wouldn't be comfortable with @ITTOG 's calculated 1".

 

[ITTOG]

You may be right but I would rather overthink it while it is in storage than not know until I am out on the road.

One other thing I want to look at is the distance between my the shackles. I am wondering if mine are closer than they are supposed to be and this is the reason Mischief has more distance between his 32's.

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[Mischief]

As one spring compresses, the other elongates. But if you check actual measurements I don't think you will measure much change and they cancel each other

 

[ITTOG]

As one spring compresses, the other elongates. But if you check actual measurements I don't think you will measure much change and they cancel each other

That is the way I see it as well.

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[Mischief]

The bottom line is that everyone should use the setup that they feel comfortable with.

 

[ottsville]

As one spring compresses, the other elongates. But if you check actual measurements I don't think you will measure much change and they cancel each other

Yes, when one spring is loaded and the other isn't. But when both are loaded - think when you hit a bump driving down the highway and the trailer bounces up and then down or when the trailer is heavily loaded - both elongate. At that point the equalizer(rocker part) doesn't come into play and only the shackles move which takes us back to my last statement.

I'm not trying to argue and I hope it doesn't come off that way; I'm just testing what I think. I do agree with your bottom line.

 

[Mischief]

The thing about a tandem set up is that the axles/tires "walk" over obstacles. The first one goes up but only raises the trailer by one half of the wheel travel. That's what the equalizer is for. As it is going down the other is coming up but the trailer stays only half up. The springs should not be compressed as a pair anymore than they are sitting still. Even if they are, you're still only talking about the flattening of one half of the spring nearest the fixed hanger and the resulting elongation of that spring. In your diagram, the difference in the length of the spring between the fixed hanger and the axle when flat or curved, nowhere near an inch. Personally, I don't have any worry at all about it. At most it would produce a quick skid if the tires did touch. My concern for clearance is in the event of a tire tread failure. If you're worried about it do like you said and set a jack under one axle and see how much it moves by the time the other axle is raised. By the time the movable eye of the spring touches the frame that should be your worst case scenario