Double Axle Trailers ?

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by fred bolton

Legally??

No, your licence will look distinctly dirty if you're caught doing more than moving to the nearest safe position.

[BruceB]

There is no "right" answer betwen the two types until you get forced by weight to use multiple axles.
It depends on where you put your priorities and sense of risk related to towing either type.
Single axles are cheaper and less hassle to buy, use and maintain, double axles are the opposite.
The question of how many axles really comes down to application and risk which is personal and has no right or wrong answer.
I intend to tow some very long distances, sometimes to very isolated places and decided to go double for peace of mind despite the disadvantages. I have used single axle trailers to the same places without issue so a single would do as well, its personal choice.
I have seen two trailers come to grief at speed which is why I decided to go the way I did but proper maintenance and a yearly chage of hub and bearings each year no matter what did the trick for me and I didn't ever have any problems, so far!
You pays your money (literally) and takes your choice and whichever choice is correct.

[9D280]

Couple of observations: (based on twin axle by choice rather than a legal rquirement)

- If you have specified the axle / wheel / tyre combo correctly for a twin axle to give a smooth ride to the boat, you instantly overload the remaining wheel when your tyre pops. If you rate the wheel / tyre for the full "single axle load", you still overload your suspension, and if you rate that to handle it on it's own..... so realistically "running on three" is not going to be the best idea other than a slow crawl to the nearest layby. (and have you seen the price of small diameter high load tyres????? ) Also, if you have a blow-out, your tyre's gubbed anyway.....

- I had a tyre blow out on my old trailer. All I noticed was a noise increase & the boat sitting at a funny angle in the rear view mirror. Into the hard shoulder & 15 mins later I was on my way again. Yes, the wheel rim was trashed, and no, I never saw the tyre ever again (I drove past the location the following morning en route to work & no debris), but there was no catastrophic spinning, rolling, snaking or anything else.

[BruceB]

I have been behind a 6m RIB when the full hub disintegrated and fell off, just luckily as it was pulling in due to excessive vibration as it came apart.
60 secs before it was going downhill fairly fast where the crash would have been quite spectacular on the windy road!
I cary a full set of bearings, all the tools and stuff to change them plus a full spare wheel/tyre. I also intend to replace all the bearings once a year as before plus a sevice each year or in addition any other time I feel its required. This is even though I have twin axles. Call me Mr Paranoid but we do go some trips to pretty remote places in Scotland where a breakdown means hours till someone comes!
Incidentally I have four 13" wheels on my trailer, not small diameter by any means

[BOG RAT]

Originally Posted by BruceB

I have been behind a 6m RIB when the full hub disintegrated and fell off, just luckily as it was pulling in due to excessive vibration as it came apart.
60 secs before it was going downhill fairly fast where the crash would have been quite spectacular on the windy road!
I cary a full set of bearings, all the tools and stuff to change them plus a full spare wheel/tyre. I also intend to replace all the bearings once a year as before plus a sevice each year or in addition any other time I feel its required. This is even though I have twin axles. Call me Mr Paranoid but we do go some trips to pretty remote places in Scotland where a breakdown means hours till someone comes!
Incidentally I have four 13" wheels on my trailer, not small diameter by any means

Me too,
I carry 2 spare wheels, new set of bearings, trolly jack, loads of tools, I think safe towing is a must, and I know I'll get there.. Means a lot!!!

[9D280]

The spare hub etc was half the reason I was looking at twin 8" instead of a single - It meant I could live with two spare hubs instead of three (I could combine it with the laser trialer with all the advantages that Yofuoj stated). I also needed to keep the height down to get the A- frame through the garage door! I settled on a single axle 10" wheel which is nicely interchangeable with my box trailer.

So have you got "soft" suspension on each axle? If not your boat must be getting thrashed on every pothole & bump. (think towing an empty trailer and how often it goes airbourne 'coz there's no mass to oppose the suspension springiness)

I can see the point of carrying an entire workshop if you are towing to the back end of nowhereville, but I do have to ask, assuming the bearing has been looked after & changed at appropriate intervals, realistically, what are the chances of it spontaneously disintegrating on you? Any bearing I've ever had that has fallen to bits has given plenty warning in the form of noise & vibration and so was changed before the wheel fell off.....

Horses for courses, as they say......

[BruceB]

Originally Posted by 9D280

The spare hub etc was half the reason I was looking at twin 8" instead of a single - It meant I could live with two spare hubs instead of three (I could combine it with the laser trialer with all the advantages that Yofuoj stated). I also needed to keep the height down to get the A- frame through the garage door! I settled on a single axle 10" wheel which is nicely interchangeable with my box trailer.

Assuming yours is unbraked a full set of four hubs with bearings, if the same kind I used to have, should rush you more than about £70.

Originally Posted by 9D280

So have you got "soft" suspension on each axle? If not your boat must be getting thrashed on every pothole & bump. (think towing an empty trailer and how often it goes airbourne 'coz there's no mass to oppose the suspension springiness)

My old unbraked 750kg trailer was harder on the boat, this one is rated for the boat which admittedly is quite heavy for a 5.8m hull.

Originally Posted by 9D280

I can see the point of carrying an entire workshop if you are towing to the back end of nowhereville, but I do have to ask, assuming the bearing has been looked after & changed at appropriate intervals, realistically, what are the chances of it spontaneously disintegrating on you? Any bearing I've ever had that has fallen to bits has given plenty warning in the form of noise & vibration and so was changed before the wheel fell off.....

You'd be surprised when things go sometimes. I had a wheel disintegrate once that I just caught before it fell apart. The paint hid the crack right round the hub and only an annoying "clicking" noise on corners alerted me to it, just!
Up here everywhere is "nowhereville"

I wouldn't try to claim 4 wheelers are perfect and everyone should use one, it depends on application and where the risks are perceived to be by the user. In certain circumstances I would go single for the same boat.
I intend to tow some very long distances and into some pretty remote areas and took the purchase and maintenance costs as justified in my circumstances.
Horses for courses is also my view

[9D280]

Yeah, I did originally look at unbraked, but if / when I change my car the currenly "legal to tow 750Kg unbraked" status could change. Boat weighs in at 460Kg fully fuelled, which doesn't leave a lot of breathing space for the tir. - I weighed the current setup - 732Kg! It wasn't the hubs / wheels that were the problem - 8" tyres rated to carry even 1/4 the weight of the rig (with a safety margian) were going to cost about £80 a tyre! Having said that, if I could have found braked hubs to take 8" wheels.......

i.e. Properly set up! Be interesting to know what each suspension unit is rated to carry.

I live on the edge of said low population density, which is why I carry more tools if I head north or west than i would if I aim for Port E or Largs..... Both the box & laser trailers I use have done literally tens of thousands of miles each on the same set of bearings - (box probably over 100K) and the Laser uses those sealed bearings. Admitedly, neither go swimming in salt water every other weekend!


It's a risk assessement with constraints!

[mike]

I have a dixon bate twin axle with disc brakes and have to say they are very good indeed re cleaning down and inspection speed I would go for them now every time and agree that a spare jockey makes all the differnce as we had one fitted to my 8.5 tornado and are about to do the same this week for ease of use.
I had a blow out and indeed saw the rubber rim roll past me on the thanet way as I slowed but the fact it was twin meant we did not end up with a brand new rib spattered all over the central reservation, I made the last two miles on three wheels and now ensure the trolley jack is actually with me each time! The rim travelled 300 metres before falling over and to be frank there was a shake which caused me to slow then see the tyre then stop, no drama at all single would have been a different story, all said I have to have twins due to rig weight.

[BogMonster]

Originally Posted by BruceB

Incidentally I have four 13" wheels on my trailer, not small diameter by any means

Mine's got four 7.50x16 mud-terrains on it