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Split duals?

NepeanGC

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Mar 18, 2017
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203
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Ottawa, Ontario
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#dirtherder
What's this config called - never seen one of these before in Ontario. I've seen something similar before on lowbeds in California, but wasn't sure what the proper name was.

Looks like it has lots of brakes, but might tow like crap because of the fact the wheels don't sit in the grooves of the pavement? Anyone towed or owned something like this before?
 

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funwithfuel

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Mar 7, 2017
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Will county Illinois
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Mechanic
Looks like sawed off dexter axles with electric brakes. Sure wouldn't wanna drag one of those around. Looks like a lot of unnecessary scrubbing and dragging in tight turns as well.
 

colson04

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Apr 11, 2016
Messages
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Delton, Michigan
Looks like "Multi-Max" suspension which is an abortion Econoline trailers dreamt up. Sure is fun changing and inner blowout with a JD 310 on it on the side of the Interstate..

https://econolinetrailers.com/super-max/

I'm looking for a tag trailer to haul a 310...

There's a few for sale locally and I'm not gonna bother looking at them. All I can see is a blown inner tire on a busy street in the rain.
 

CM1995

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Jan 21, 2007
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13,247
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Alabama
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Running what I brung and taking what I win
Econoline's are made here in AL as well as Betterbuilt. Betterbuilt trailer makes a good trailer. I have a BB 55K dual tandem tag special ordered from them. It's been a good trailer.
 

suladas

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Jun 30, 2016
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Canada
Wonder what sort of weight that's legal for? I can't see each tire being good for 3,500lbs. I wonder if most places even have a regulation on what weight it's good for. 2 12k axles would be much better.
 

NepeanGC

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Mar 18, 2017
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Ottawa, Ontario
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#dirtherder
I don't have any intention to buy it. I'm quite happy with my CAM 12 ton...this was just up for sale cheap...Looks like the previous owner has solved the inner tire change problem. I do like the idea of more braking force, but swapping my 12k axles to hydraulic disc would probably solve that.
 

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repowerguy

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Mar 18, 2015
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810
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United States southern Ohio
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mixer truck mechanic
Looks like "Multi-Max" suspension which is an abortion Econoline trailers dreamt up. Sure is fun changing and inner blowout with a JD 310 on it on the side of the Interstate..

https://econolinetrailers.com/super-max/
Yeah what CM said. Econoline Backhoe Pro's generally used 14.5" Dayton style wheels that melted like ice cream in July because alignment was impossible to maintain due to the short axle span. Most guys regretted ever buying one due to blowouts at the worst possible times. Lots of guys resorted to using mobile home tires because they lasted just as long.
 

Willie B

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Jan 2, 2016
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Mount Tabor VT
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Electrician
CM mentioned Econoline trailers. I had a triaxle 9 ton. It had odd sized tires I could only find Chinese. I couldn't keep a tire on it!.
I bought a staggering number of new tires! Each trip was another blowout. Sidewall seemed to belly, then It'd pop off the rim.
Last trip I lost a wheel. Didn't know for several miles. I can't see tires in the mirror until I turn.

Ultimately, I decided I was going to kill someone. Now I have a 2006 Cam Superline, Budd wheels, new tires, heaviest I can buy, made in USA.

I don't know a lot about those 4 short axle trailers. They seem to always be electric brakes, 10 or 12 ton. Crawling under beside the highway to change a tire does not seem fun. I've seen a couple with the suspension ripped loose.
 

RTSmith

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Oct 23, 2008
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420
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Middle Tenn.
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Amateur demolition & dirt pusher
I sold the Econolines years ago. Their sales pitch for the Multi-Max suspension is it gave you a lot of brakes, the frame was wider for more stability, and the axles could float better in rough terrain. All probably true points. The axle had a way to align it on the spring saddle, and yes changing tires was awful. As mentioned here they carried a 14.5 mobile home tire, that Econoline had welded a Budd style rim to a solid center drilled with lug holes. But all in all, it was rated at 12 tons, and was substantially cheaper than a traditional dual tandem. 4 little 6,000 axles would be cheaper than 2 10Ks. So they sold. Back then, there just weren't as many manufacturers out there as now. A lot of folks around here bought them because that's all that was available. That's my history lesson of the day.
 

DMiller

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Feb 21, 2010
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Hermann, Missouri
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Cheap "old" Geezer
Only saw ONE and walked away from it as well, nothing better than a standard Tandem Dual Wheel axle system.
 

Willie B

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Jan 2, 2016
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Mount Tabor VT
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Electrician
I sold the Econolines years ago. Their sales pitch for the Multi-Max suspension is it gave you a lot of brakes, the frame was wider for more stability, and the axles could float better in rough terrain. All probably true points. The axle had a way to align it on the spring saddle, and yes changing tires was awful. As mentioned here they carried a 14.5 mobile home tire, that Econoline had welded a Budd style rim to a solid center drilled with lug holes. But all in all, it was rated at 12 tons, and was substantially cheaper than a traditional dual tandem. 4 little 6,000 axles would be cheaper than 2 10Ks. So they sold. Back then, there just weren't as many manufacturers out there as now. A lot of folks around here bought them because that's all that was available. That's my history lesson of the day.


The triaxle 9 ton had a weird linkage in the suspension. It seemed to me the axles were always floating out of alignment. Spring hangers were a severe weak point.
One day it was dragging hard on a gravel road. I stopped to see the middle axle moved back enough to rub tires with the rear axle. Drove the backhoe home after binding the axle with no tire on it, then limped the empty trailer home.
I turned it upside down, and overhauled the spring hangers, replacing some, reinforcing others.
All said & done it was a very expensive trailer. I can't remember a successful trip with it.
 

dixon700

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May 11, 2014
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210
Location
pa
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heavy truck mechanic
I've seen that on super loads, but never a little pickup trailer.... o_O. I have a '16 load trail 7ton dump trailer that has been excellent to me. If I were to get something bigger it would be another load trail or load Maxx(same company, different divisions) I could only go to a 8 ton trailer to stay out of CDL class A and needing a larger truck to be legal.
 

Willie B

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Mount Tabor VT
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I've seen that on super loads, but never a little pickup trailer.... o_O. I have a '16 load trail 7ton dump trailer that has been excellent to me. If I were to get something bigger it would be another load trail or load Maxx(same company, different divisions) I could only go to a 8 ton trailer to stay out of CDL class A and needing a larger truck to be legal.
Huh? Vermont law, I thought was same as everybody else. Here a trailer over 10,000 loaded capacity needs CDL. The law is specific.
Then, later it says if truck & trailer exceeds 26000.
As the law isn't specific which is the case, I'm not clear how the enforcement types handle it.
 

colson04

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Apr 11, 2016
Messages
2,057
Location
Delton, Michigan
I've seen that on super loads, but never a little pickup trailer.... o_O. I have a '16 load trail 7ton dump trailer that has been excellent to me. If I were to get something bigger it would be another load trail or load Maxx(same company, different divisions) I could only go to a 8 ton trailer to stay out of CDL class A and needing a larger truck to be legal.

Just get the CDL. It cost me less than $500 for written tests, skills test and truck rental for my skills test, and about 6 hours total doing everything broke up over a couple different days.

Regulators and law makers are revamping the commercial drivers licensing program to mandate 3 weeks classroom training for new CDL applicants. From what I was told, this is supposed to begin in 2021 or 2022, which will make the cost of getting a CDL substantially higher than it is today.

Also, if you only need a HD pick-up and trailer, test with that. You just won't have your air brakes endorsement.
 
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