tri axle trailer question

[wingnut]

I have a tri axle factory built trailer that has had a deck and dove tail added on it to make it a backhoe trailer . It seems to be to lite in the front and when loaded with the backhoe it tends to want to fish tail about 40mph .
What my question is
Would it be better to just add weight in the front or move the axles back aways to give it tongue weight ? :beatsme

I have added gravel in the dump truck when I pull the backhoe down the road and it pulls better , but I dont want to carry rock every where I go . I have tried different ways on possitioning the hoe on the trailer (tilting front loader bucket one way or another to get more of the hoe towards the front of the trailer) and it seems to help a little but its still not right .
I will post pics later of it so you can see the trailer to give a better idea of what Im talking about .
Thanks in advance ,
Wingnut

 

[wingnut]

Here is some pics of the trailer I am talking about

 

[Kgmz]

First important thing, is the trailer level when loaded?

Tri-axle trailers need to sit level when loaded or they do funny things. Also it will minimize tire scrubbing, when level the trailer should pivot on the center axle with the front and rear tires sliding slightly in a tight turn. Tongue to high and it will pivot on the rear tires and the front tires are really sliding hard sideways, tongue to low and the opposite.

Was just wondering about this because you said it pulled better with some gravel in the box. Which could mean the tongue was high when empty.

Second thing, usually on backhoe trailers the axles are farther back because if built right the tongue should be able to take the weight and transfer that to the truck and because backhoes are heavier on the rear.

We have a old Eagar Beaver B9DOW tri-axle backhoe trailer and the axles are way back compared to yours.

Go to this link and you can see a PDF drawing of our trailer and specs.
http://www.eagerbeavertrailers.com/pdf/B9%20DOW.pdf



And from the what little I can see of the tongue on your trailer, I don't think you are going to be able to pull the axles back.

Also go and look at the picture of the Eagar Beaver B9DOW at the link below and you will see what I mean about the tongue.
http://www.eagerbeavertrailers.com/easy.html

 

[amunderdog]

Looks to me?
Move the forward axle to the rear positon.

 

[DigDug]

Make sure trailer is dead level when loaded for best results. Move front axle to rear like said earlier . Are the axles on springs or solid?

 

[Willis Bushogin]

trailer

I have a tri axle factory built trailer that has had a deck and dove tail added on it to make it a backhoe trailer . It seems to be to lite in the front and when loaded with the backhoe it tends to want to fish tail about 40mph .
What my question is
Would it be better to just add weight in the front or move the axles back aways to give it tongue weight ? :beatsme

I have added gravel in the dump truck when I pull the backhoe down the road and it pulls better , but I dont want to carry rock every where I go . I have tried different ways on possitioning the hoe on the trailer (tilting front loader bucket one way or another to get more of the hoe towards the front of the trailer) and it seems to help a little but its still not right .
I will post pics later of it so you can see the trailer to give a better idea of what Im talking about .
Thanks in advance ,
Wingnut

I agree with the other guys, move the front axle to the back and load it level. Should I tell you about the time one of my drivers, got stopped, hauling a backhoe, with a load of dirt HUMMMM why not
Not pretty, 2 DOT cars, on the side of the road for about 4 hrs, had to wait for a DOT officer, to bring the scales.
Overweight ticket $1000
Loss time $400

They had to disconnect the trailer/backhoe, go dump the load of dirt, come back and connect everything back up. What a day, lots of blue lights that day
MAKE sure your tires, are rated for the weight
MAKE sure you have proper tonque weight and you have the proper rated hitch.
Im really not up to par on the weight thingee, but I always used a 9 ton tandem/dual wheels to haul my backhoe. I think I was just below my limit. Any idea what size axles you have, I really cant tell much, but they look a bit light
Good Luck

 

[Kgmz]

Do you guys see the tongue on that trailer and how it is attached, it looks like 2 x 4 tube. I don't think I would be moving a axle back and putting any more weight on it. It looks dangerous the way it is with a backhoe on it.

My 12,000 GVWR trailer we use to haul a small JD 4310 tractor has a more substantial tongue than that, 6" and part of the main frame. Not just added under the main frame.

And our Eager Beaver tri-axle 18,000 GVWR has a 12" I-beam tongue which is part of the main frame. See specs at link in previous post.

 

[willie59]

Should I tell you about the time one of my drivers, got stopped, hauling a backhoe, with a load of dirt HUMMMM why not
Not pretty, 2 DOT cars, on the side of the road for about 4 hrs, had to wait for a DOT officer, to bring the scales.
Overweight ticket $1000
Loss time $400

They had to disconnect the trailer/backhoe, go dump the load of dirt, come back and connect everything back up. What a day, lots of blue lights that day

In North Carolina...Yep, uh huh. It's like that weigh station on the west side of Asheville...them boys eat truck ball bearings for breakfast.

 

[Willis Bushogin]

trailer

In North Carolina...Yep, uh huh. It's like that weigh station on the west side of Asheville...them boys eat truck ball bearings for breakfast.

Thats a good one and very very correct. One of my drivers got pulled last week for a regular license check and the DOT officer, told him to have a tire changed, when he finished work that day. Of course the driver had to tell him, the tire was OK, so Mr DOT said, get the tire changed or the next time I see you, you will have a full inspection and you will not like it. This is probrably one of the best examples, at least he gave a warning that time. They can always find something.

 

[wingnut]

Kgmz , Thanks for the links on specs on a REAL backhoe trailer .
As far as being level after being loaded , it looks to be level .
The rear wheels (on the backhoe) are just in between the mid and rear axle (aprox 14 ft from backboard on trailer) which leaves weight over the rear axle .
The center of the mid axle is in the middle of the bed of the trailer(tongue not included) "12.5 feet" .....

The tongue is made of 3x3inch angle iron that is 3/8 thick angled from the sides of the trailer towards the center of the trailer hitch , then out of the same iron (3x3 angle) 2 pieces angle iron is welded together to form a chanel iron running the center of the trailer from the hitch 3/4 down the length of the trailer towards the rear of the trailer .
I will try to get some pics of the tongue and other shots in the next day or so .

The axles on the trailer are on springs , they are 8 lugged wheels and I couldnt find any I.D on the trailer or axles to find out what rating they are , the guy I got the hoe from said he used the trailer as well for the same reason , but I dont know how he could have with out having the same problems that I am having , He said it was a factory built trailer w/the deck added on at a later date , but I dont know .:beatsme

As far as front and rear tires sliding slightly , they slide but not as slightly as I think they should (leave tire marks on the pavement) , but like I mentioned before Ive never owned a triple before so I am not sure .

Thanks to everyone for your help , and knowledge and input on this mater . :notworthy
Wingnut

 

[tonka]

well your trailer tires scrubb because its a tri, and the tires are not trailer tires from the looks of them they look like light truck tires I'd check them out real good.

 

[Willis Bushogin]

trailer

well your trailer tires scrubb because its a tri, and the tires are not trailer tires from the looks of them they look like light truck tires I'd check them out real good.

Same here Tonka, he needs to check the tires out.
HUMMMM lets see here
1. Trailer light on the back end
2. Possible wrong rated tires
3. Tongue not strong enough, for backhoe
4. Brakes??
5. Emerengcy brake, brake away box??
"I THINK THIS IS A ACCIDENT GETTING READY TO HAPPEN"

If I were to guess, they are probably 5000 lb axles, if Im correct thats 15,000 lbs they are hauling maybe a 13,000 lb machine and the weight of the trailer. Im pretty sure the tongue, is not strong enough, to handle a full size backhoe and I dont remember reading, what kind of backhoe it is.
Wonder what the hitch on the truck is rated at?
Does the trailer have brakes? How many axles? Electric or air? I borrowed a trailer from a friend of mine, about 2 years ago, it was a 10 ton trailer in good condition, my trailer was on a job and I had to move another piece of equipment. I loaded the equipment, headed to the job site, knowing I was legal, got stopped by the DOT, checked everything, gave me my licenses back and he was walking back to his car and noticed the trailer didnt have a brake away box (electric brakes) Now it gets ugly, out of service sticker. I didnt have a lowboy then, so I had to call a lowboy, load the trailer on a lowboy, go get my trailer and put the equipment on it
Not pretty, I think that was another $1000 fine:Banghead


I bought a 3 axle trailer, about 7 years ago to haul my backhoe and keep it 3 weeks. Every time I made a sharp turn, it would roll one of the tires off the rim. This was a factory trailer, but I think it was something wrong with it, I dont like 3 axle trailers.

 

[wingnut]

Thanks for all your honest oppions , wisdom , and advice !!
:notworthy :drinkup

Guess I am going to be on the look out for a REAL backhoe trailer as money allows ... One thing that I cant afford is tickets , or even worse , a accident :Banghead

I have disliked this trailer from the very start but its all that I could afford (came with the backhoe , owner financed) with no money , bad credit , and just starting out in business :Banghead

I tried to post a picture of the JCB 1400B loaded on the trailer but for some reason the site says I have already used it once and cant use the same photo again :beatsme
ANY HINTS ?????


https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=10833&page=2
This might work , Im not to computer savvy .

The trailer is setting up a little high in the front in this photo because the truck is on a hill , it doesnt set this way on a flat surface , it sets level ......

 

[Willis Bushogin]

Everyone is struggling, and trying to hang in there. Its hard to do this, but we try to do it without accidents. That would wipe most of us out completely. I think I would get someone to move your backhoe, its cuts into the profit, but its cheaper than a law suit.
Good Luck and hang in there, we hope its going to get better.

 

[hvy 1ton]

You must have uploaded the pic before. I think you can pull it out of your attachment gallery our resize it slightly to trick the site.

 

[Cretebaby]

I tried to post a picture of the JCB 1400B loaded on the trailer but for some reason the site says I have already used it once and cant use the same photo again :beatsme
ANY HINTS ?????

You can either go to your "user cp" and post a link to the picture, or go back to the thread and post a link to the single post that the picture is in.

 

[spitzair]

From the looks of that picture you've got way to much weight in the back! At one place I worked at a few years ago we had a guy load 6 drums of jet fuel in the very back of a 28' van trailer... He made it about 3 miles down the road before the trailer ended up upside down in the ditch... I have no idea how he managed to keep the truck upright...

 

[4x4_Welder]

Wow, I have a heavier duty tongue setup on my 10k car hauler.
If you're on a budget, build your own trailer. Use mobile home axles and tires, the axles are rated at 6k, there are used tires available around $45 each on rims with a 14ply/3300lb rating, 12" electric brakes are standard as well. I have hauled 9k at highway speeds on this trailer for 750miles twice now with no ill effects.