Question on trailer ratings...?

[Glen1978]

Looking at buying a new dual tandem gooseneck around 27-32' long to haul my JD 550G LGP around on or haul hay to the farm, etc. Im thinking I need two 12k axles under it. Seems that I can find trailers (just looking on Ebay, etc) that say 24k rated but then in description it says two 10k Dexter oil bath axles......yeah the hitch is rated for 24k. Is this just a marketing scam? I just dont think two 10k axles are gonna cut it. Even two 12K is getting REAL close.

[dzlnut]

from what I hear if you get pulled over by DOT and the axles are rated at 10K but the trailer is rated at 24K your in for a bit of trouble

[Asphalt/Dirtman]

I'm no trailer expert but here is the way i understand it.
You have the 10k of the axles plus the 4 or 5 k of the truck so thats how they get 24k. 10k+10k+4K= 24k
Meaning you have to put it ahead of the trailer axles slightly and get weight on the truck.

Thats my understanding. If I'm wrong, so be it haha

[KSSS]

Depending on the trailer OEM and how they rate the trailer you have to subtract the weight of the trailer to get what the available load capacity is. Towmaster I know lists their trailers by what they can actually carry. Not their Gross capacity. There might be others that do that as well.

[stumpjumper83]

deere specs say that a 550g lpg tc weight is 18,500# so a 9 ton trailer should do fine. You figure that your going to want to have at least a ton on the hitch of the truck, leaving 16,500 on the trailer. I know my eager beaver 9 ton is 9 tons on deck and the trailer weight is 5k. Now I use a ford f800 to pull it, so I can transfer as much as i want onto the truck.

[Randy88]

Its simple, weight if over a scale loaded, forget marketing and all that bull, your looking at a 20,000 lb trailer, thats what the axles are rated at and your carrying a 18500 lb dozer, account for dirt and junk hung onto it and add another 1000lbs and also the weight of the trailer, most weigh in around 5000 and you'll transfer about a ton or 2000 tongue weight to the truck, your already over axle weights and most likely over tire rating as well, if you've got a single tired truck your really in a bind, dually, maybe iffy probably overloaded as well, find a bigger trailer with enough axles to carry the load, and also a larger truck that can handle the load behind it, can you do it yes, legally probably not anywhere, spend some more and do it right from the start and eliminate the problems with the dot and axle weights and load ratings on tires, 17.5 tires carry a lot more weight than 16 or 16.5's will by far, 19.5 or 22.5's on the truck will solve your problems there as well, keep in mind load carrying capacity of each tire and also duals.

[fast_st]

Yeah, as mentioned, I asked this question of the MFG, about axle weights and such, a properly loaded trailer puts a bit more than 10% on the hitch, so 2000 -3000 on the hitch for proper balance. Traction and stability for the tow rig. So two axles and the tongue weight come up with the GVW.

[Glen1978]

Well my end plan is to buy a decent size trackhoe in the next year or so. Im gonna pass on the gooseneck for now. I can buy a decent old haul truck and lowboy or a dumptruck and pintle for not toooooo much more than a new gooseneck w/12K axles under it. Ive owned 18 wheelers before so I can do alot of the work myself, plus I always wanted an old truck to tinker with. Seeing some decent ole lowboys for sub $10K.....some sub $5k, but need tires, brakes and few boards, etc.

[Glen1978]

What does it take to pull a 20T or so excavator behind a dumptruck? Can I go bigger? Im wanting to stay very small and deversified if possible. Here is what I mean. With a dump truck it can make money too, a haul truck and low boy cant. So wanting a setup that could pull a future good size excavator and my JD550G.

[Randy88]

Your allowed 34,000 lbs on tandems, 20,000 on a single axle and you have bridge laws to worry about as well, if your going to buy say for example a 10 ton excavator its not really a problem behind a tandem dump truck with a descent tag trailer, a 20 ton or 40,000 lb excavator you'll overload a tag, both on axles and there isn't enough distance between the axles on the trailer and truck to haul the load for bridge purposes, you can go to a triple dual wheeled trailer but doubtful if you could still do it legally, if your going to gear towards a 200 size you better be looking at a semi and lowboy. I'm not sure what your end result is to be but get hold of a dot book and study the weight limits for the axles and bridge laws, most states have overweight and over width permits as well, or else call your state dot office and ask questions, states vary slightly on what they allow.

[Glen1978]

Yeah Im wanting to stay in an excavator that I dont have to permit every move. Dang hard to read that bridge table unless you already have a truck and trailer sitting in front of you to go measure. No guessing!! Hmm, I had forgot about bridge laws since I hadnt been to Commifornia in SEVERAL years. I definetly want more than a 10T excavator. I wouldnt mind buying a haul truck and lowboy as they seem to be cheaper to buy than a dumptruck and pintle that are "capable" of carrying 20 tons worth of weight (legal or illegally). I can find decent old haul trucks all day long for $5-8K and trailer about the same. Of course they need some work but I can do that. Just wanted to be able to make money with every piece of equipment I bought....only reason I even ask about a dump/pintle combo.