Trailer: single or twin axle - Page 2

John Kennett · 15 January 2007, 20:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biggles

Hit the drums really hard with a Hammer. If you already knew that just ignore me.

In my experience you might need to jack the wheel off the ground before hitting it, and you may then find you only need to tap the drum gently.

Don't lose your temper and hit the wheel studs with a hammer. It won't free the brakes, and makes it difficult to get the wheel nuts off.

Oh, and don't ask me how I know . . .

John

Downhilldai · 15 January 2007, 20:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Kennett

In my experience you might need to jack the wheel off the ground before hitting it, and you may then find you only need to tap the drum gently.

Don't lose your temper and hit the wheel studs with a hammer. It won't free the brakes, and makes it difficult to get the wheel nuts off.

Oh, and don't ask me how I know . . .

John

Leave the wheel on.

Get behind the wheel and give the backplate of the brake a bit of a tap. This will usually release it.

The problem stems from the brake lining material rusting to the drum. The drum is cast iron and fitted to a heavy stubaxle, so can only move in its intended direction of travel, not laterally. The backplate, on the other hand, is mild steel and will move laterally if given a bit of a touch with the old persuading tool. Tapping the backplate causes it to move slightly towards the drum and as the shoes rest against the inside of the backplate, the shoes will, in turn, move slightly and release themselves from being rusted to the fixed drum.

Simple!.........well, most of the time it is

Downhilldai · 15 January 2007, 20:42

My old man would charge a tenner for such a fix. £1 for hitting it and £9 for knowing where to hit it

I'll collect the £9 royalties on his behalf, if anyone adopts this method successfully

Nos4r2 · 15 January 2007, 23:21

A twin will sink a lot less when you're launching somewhere like Warsash too. You'll have to make sure you're all lined up and don't try to turn though unless you've got mudpluggers on the car or you'll rapidly come to a halt.

Stoo · 16 January 2007, 01:49

I use a single axle and tow long distances (4-500 km) at high speed (120+ kmph) regularly. I have suffered two blown tires and one seized bearing in 9 years with this setup. I would guess I have put perhaps 30,000 km on the trailer in that time. My boat is 6m, but perhaps heavier than the Humber... especially when loaded down with dive gear.

Sometimes I wish I had a double axle because I "feel" it would be more secure, but in truth, I really haven't had much trouble. I also need to manouver the thing in a really tight arc behind my house, and I suspect that twin axles would rip the stuffing out of my grass!

Daibheid · 16 January 2007, 09:28

I've used both 1 and 2 axle and agree 4 wheel tows better but it's twice the maintenance hassle. The security factor is significant too. Having been stuck with a failed (i.e. fell off) suspension unit on a single axle, a 2 axle trailer would at least have made it a lot easier to get to the margin and on to safe parking.

As an aside, how many of us stop to consider how we'd be fixed for security if we had to leave the rig parked overnight at the side of the road?

The point about maintenance eliminating the benefit is true - up to a point. As someone already pointed out and I experienced, box section, even galvanized can be badly corroded from the inside. I now use expanding foam on box sections but still slightly concerned that could compound the risk. Maybe the old Landy chassis preventative of filling the box sections with a mixture of grease and old engine oil!

However if one axle fails becasue of corrosion depsite careful maintenance the other axle is probably similarliy corroded and the sudden additional load my take it out too.

One other advantage of two axles is it can significanlty lower the rig height and CoG which is safer for towing.

I think a reasonable compromise is a single axle but with larger wheels for a smoother ride.

Anyway, the real reason I thought to reply on this thread is I found my one-time car insurer did not cover twin axle trailers under the standard policy so you might want to check with your insurers on that point.

PS -IMHO there's no such thing as carryng too many spares/tools where trailers are concerned!

Downhilldai · 16 January 2007, 12:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daibheid

One other advantage of two axles is it can significanlty lower the rig height and CoG which is safer for towing.

Errr - how's that then? Do you mean by using smaller wheels and tyres on the two axles than you would on a single?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daibheid

I think a reasonable compromise is a single axle but with larger wheels for a smoother ride.

Maybe not

pathalla · 16 January 2007, 13:25

Somewhere in the hills of Pennsylvania rests a 16 inch trailer tire and drum. I lost a wheel off a tandem axle trailer pulling a boat on the P.A. turnpike due to bearing failure and didn't even notice it. Some lady pulled along side honking and waving and yelled over informing us of the loss. Strangest thing was I never heard or felt anything at all while towing. I shudder to think what would have happened to the boat at 65 mph with a single axle. Check your bearings regularly!

mdt · 16 January 2007, 16:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by pathalla

Somewhere in the hills of Pennsylvania rests a 16 inch trailer tire and drum. I lost a wheel off a tandem axle trailer pulling a boat on the P.A. turnpike due to bearing failure and didn't even notice it. Some lady pulled along side honking and waving and yelled over informing us of the loss. Strangest thing was I never heard or felt anything at all while towing. I shudder to think what would have happened to the boat at 65 mph with a single axle. Check your bearings regularly!

We lost a front wheel from a Jensen Interceptor while it’s back wheels where on a spec lift on a recovery truck doing 60mph.

I was in the car in fount and it took 3 miles for the car behind to make us aware (yes I feel this focused his driving for the rest of the day) all the wheel studs had snapped. It had managed to do the 3 miles on the disk. No other damage was cause. Never did find it.

PeterR · 16 January 2007, 16:08

Tim,If the boat you have in mind will safely suit the braked single axle trailer and you use it with a family car with two or one person .Get a single axle trailer.If you have a well maintained good order trailer you will eliminate most of the reasons to have a twin axled one.On the road you can easily manouver a single axle caravan by hand .try that same weight caravan with 4 wheels.Twin axle trailer will be harder on you car as well twice as much maintenance and cost prob third as much to buy.I think front wheel drive car will struggle more sometimes with a twin axle trailer loaded

Tim M · 16 January 2007, 17:08

Thanks Peter. Purchase price is something I've considered; I'm looking at Degraff to supply this trailer and it's going to be 3 or 400 quid more for twin axle. And yes, twice the maintainance is another negative issue.

The main thing for me for getting a twin axle was increased stability and less stress on the car. Doesn't sound like that's too much of a thing if it's set up properly.

Downhilldai · 16 January 2007, 17:31

Tim M,

Just get a single axle trailer and use some of the money you save to buy a spare hub/drum with (well greased) wheel bearing fitted. Keep this in the car, as a security measure, should a bearing set fail on you and make sure you also carry the tools needed to change it

. The advice given to carry a spare bearing set is fine, but do you really want to be drifting knackered bearings out of a hub at the side of the road, in the wet, dark, etc...? Just change the whole hub/drum and fit a new bearing set to the old one when you get home. That will then be your spare.

Jimbo · 16 January 2007, 18:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

do you really want to be drifting knackered bearings out of a hub at the side of the road, in the wet, dark, etc...?

I think I can safely say you are correct, he doesn't.

(With grateful thanks to Pete7...)

Neil Harvey · 16 January 2007, 19:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

Tim M,

The advice given to carry a spare bearing set is fine, but do you really want to be drifting knackered bearings out of a hub at the side of the road, in the wet, dark, etc...? Just change the whole hub/drum and fit a new bearing set to the old one when you get home. That will then be your spare.

I never bother changing bearings any more since I found out that complete hubs from my local trailer palace are £1 or so more than a set of bearings. Does not seem worth the hassle.

Now I'm wondering if they artificially inflate the price of the bearing sets for some reason, as suchh a small price difference seems odd.

Nos4r2 · 16 January 2007, 22:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil Harvey

I never bother changing bearings any more since I found out that complete hubs from my local trailer palace are £1 or so more than a set of bearings. Does not seem worth the hassle.

Now I'm wondering if they artificially inflate the price of the bearing sets for some reason, as suchh a small price difference seems odd.

I do the same-I know the studs aren't rusting away either then.

Pete7 · 17 January 2007, 07:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

but do you really want to be drifting knackered bearings out of a hub at the side of the road, in the wet, dark, etc...? Just change the whole hub/drum and fit a new bearing set to the old one when you get home. That will then be your spare.

Ah, yes but what happens if its a sealed bearing type?

Pete

Nos4r2 · 17 January 2007, 09:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete7

Ah, yes but what happens if its a sealed bearing type?

Pete

Simple answer Pete-Don't buy a trailer with 'sealed' bearings...

The choice must be there if it's a new trailer, surely.

Pete7 · 17 January 2007, 09:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Simple answer Pete-Don't buy a trailer with 'sealed' bearings...

The choice must be there if it's a new trailer, surely.

Thankfully DeGraff don't fit sealed wheel bearings because they know boat trailers are going to be submersed it water. Wonder why RM and SBS fit sealed bearings? must be good for business I suppose

Pete

Downhilldai · 17 January 2007, 12:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete7

Ah, yes but what happens if its a sealed bearing type?

Pete

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

.......and make sure you also carry the tools needed to change it

In your toolkit, make sure you have a 32mm socket (3/4 drive preferrably), powerbar and 3 foot pipe to get the hub nut off. Should also keep a new hubnut and some loctite with the new hub/drum, for re-fitting

Pete7 · 17 January 2007, 22:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

In your toolkit, make sure you have a 32mm socket (3/4 drive preferrably), powerbar and 3 foot pipe to get the hub nut off. Should also keep a new hubnut and some loctite with the new hub/drum, for re-fitting

Its 36mm, but even with a 4 foot bar they only just come off. The likes of Jimbo and Tim have no chance unless they go down either the Gym or chippie. Rogue Wave has the physique you need for this job

Pete