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Single vs Tandem 10-15k lb trailer

spitzair

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May 4, 2007
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Squamish BC (Home), Slave Lake, AB (Work)
Hi guys,
Stupid question I'm sure but I'm just wondering why we never see any single axle flatdeck / utility trailers in the 10 to 15k lb range? I can see on something like a bobcat trailer where you want the deck height as low as possible you'd have a very narrow deck between the tires... just wondering why you never see deck-over style trailers with a single axle with duallies...

On edit I meant for the title of the post to say single axle vs tandem axle...
 
Last edited:

suladas

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Jun 30, 2016
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Canada
Single axle trailers pull like crap, I believe that is why you won't see them above about 3k except for a rare use. Also terrible if you blow a tire, etc. 10k axle are also super pricey and heavy, 2 5k much cheaper, lighter and pull better. Much harder to balance weight also.
 

CM1995

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Jan 21, 2007
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Alabama
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Running what I brung and taking what I win
I remember seeing single axle tilt trailers that were built heavy - heavy enough to pull a D3 with air brakes. That's been 30 years ago, can't remember the last time I've seen a single axle trailer heavy enough to carry much more than a stump grinder.
 

Truck Shop

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Dec 7, 2015
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WWW.
Well it never fails that people will try and haul more than a twin axle can carry so there is no purpose in a single axle trailer. Plus control is a big factor, twin axles just tow better.
 

Old Doug

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Oct 16, 2013
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Mo
I have been looking for a trailer and saw 2 trailers i think 30 feet long with single axle 22.5 tires. One is like new built in Iowa $7000.00. I would real like to have one.
Well it never fails that people will try and haul more than a twin axle can carry so there is no purpose in a single axle trailer. Plus control is a big factor, twin axles just tow better.
With my c70 chevy i dont think overloading it would be a big problem.There is a guy that has a gooseneck single axle single tires horse trailer. He has had it several years i think got it new he uses it alot. I built a car trailer years ago and i had 1 axle so i built it thinking i would find another axle but never did i built 2 more like it later. They worked ok i hauled right at 3.5 tons on one of them several times but that was years ago when there was a speed limit.
 

Tenwheeler

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Dec 15, 2016
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Georgia
I remember seeing single axle tilt trailers that were built heavy - heavy enough to pull a D3 with air brakes. That's been 30 years ago, can't remember the last time I've seen a single axle trailer heavy enough to carry much more than a stump grinder.
There is one still running around here local yokal. I have seen it with a Cat 920, large tellehander, 444 Deere and such on it. It was factory made in the 70's. Single axle with 4 15.5 tires. Axle is welded into the I beam frame. Sounds really bad but I have pulled it myself, not bad at all. Doubt it would be good on a concrete slab interstate.
However you do it I still want two tires on each side.
Equilizers or torshen axles ride and work much better.
 

gwhammy

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Nov 20, 2013
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602
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missouri
Real big construction Co. In Columbia Mo. runs around with a fairly short single axle dual wheel behind a single axle semi. It's a slide forward axle and the neck hinges to let the tail down on the ground. I see them all the time moving the smaller equipment around town. Trailer deck maybe 25 foot. Seems to work great for what they do with it.
 

colson04

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Apr 11, 2016
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Delton, Michigan
Real big construction Co. In Columbia Mo. runs around with a fairly short single axle dual wheel behind a single axle semi. It's a slide forward axle and the neck hinges to let the tail down on the ground. I see them all the time moving the smaller equipment around town. Trailer deck maybe 25 foot. Seems to work great for what they do with it.

I'd like to see a pic of that setup
 

hvy 1ton

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Jul 24, 2006
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Lawrence, KS
Real big construction Co. In Columbia Mo. runs around with a fairly short single axle dual wheel behind a single axle semi. It's a slide forward axle and the neck hinges to let the tail down on the ground. I see them all the time moving the smaller equipment around town. Trailer deck maybe 25 foot. Seems to work great for what they do with it.

Local contractor has a ~36', 25' of main deck, hydraulic tail trailer they pull around with a single axle M2. It moves around CTL's, 3-8 ton minis, 1 yard loaders, or some combination thereof. They have a triaxle sliding axle and a heavy spec tractor that moves all the bigger stuff. I'm not even sure they still own a lowboy, I think their sister company moves all the truly big stuff now.
 

gwhammy

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Nov 20, 2013
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missouri
Got a photo of the trailer today just to dumb to get it from my phone to here. Talked to the guy driving it's a single sliding axle tilt. He loaded a 305 excavator and a 299 cat skid steer on lower deck. Said that's about all he can scale with the single axle truck pulling it. I think he said he could scale 54,000 legal. Truck had a small engine and automatic.
 

dixon700

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pa
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heavy truck mechanic
I'm pretty sure it's all about more axles having more brakes.
 

gwhammy

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Nov 20, 2013
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missouri
There deal is easier to get in and out of jobs sites and a heavier truck than the typical one ton or ton and a half trucks.
 

Old Doug

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Oct 16, 2013
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Mo
I saw a trailer yesterday it had 1 axle at the end of a 20foot bed 22.5 tires it was a pintle hitch. The axle end was about 10 inch off the ground and the hitch end was just over a foot off the ground. It was pulled by a dump truck witch powered the hyd rams on the tongue to raise the tongue and unhitch then lower the tongue to the ground. The tongue was narrow so the backhoe it was hauling could be driven off over the tongue. The backhoe was longer than the trailer so the backhoe bucket rode on the axle tube it had no springs.
 
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