Proper Loading of Triple Axle Trailer to Minimize Sway

Question

Question:

Im thinking of buying a trailer that has had a third axle without brakes installed in front of the original two. the trailer now stands level without using the jack stand, no weight on the tongue with no load. Will this affect how this trailer handles on the road as far as swaying goes at highway speeds? Any thing else I should be concerned about? Three 7000 lb. axles, 18 Ft. OA flatbed, pintle hitch. Thanks.

asked by: Wayne M

1

Helpful Expert Reply:

The fact that your modified trailer has a third un-braked axle added in front of the two braked axles will not directly affect sway. Nor will the fact that it seems to balance pretty well on its own without a load.

Trailer sway, or the lack of it, is mostly a function of load distribution. If the loaded trailer is too light at the tongue (too heavy at the rear) the rear of the trailer will tend to swing like the pendulum on a grandfather clock. Tongue weight (TW) should always stay in the range of 10 to 15% of gross weight to keep sway under control. We offer a tongue weight scale # e99044 which can read up to 2K. This is a handy way to know for sure how well your load is distributed.

Other methods to measure TW are outlined in the linked article.

Multi-axle trailers, especially triple axle trailers, tend to pivot on the front axle, because this axle is closest to the tow vehicle, and this can cause what is called "scrubbing" of the rear axle's tires as they kind of get dragged along for the ride as the trailer pivots on the front and center axles. For this reason tires on the rear axle of a triple axle trailer can sometimes wear out faster.

Also please note that if the trailer was manufactured with two axles its rated weight capacity will be based on those two OEM axles, as determined by the manufacturer. There is no guarantee that the addition of the third axle has increased the trailer's actual weight carrying capacity. It is entirely possible that the trailer's frame could be its weakest part.

If this were the case the additional axle would certainly reduce the load on the two OEM axles but this cannot be assumed to have increased the trailer's load capacity above what the manufacturer indicates on the VIN/capacity sticker.

expert reply by: Adam R

1

Answer 1

The difference between the Class II and Class III hitches has to do with their Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), their Tongue Weight (TW), and their Hitch Receiver Size. Class II trailer hitch receivers have a 1-1/4 inch receiver and can be rated up to…

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Answer 2

A 4-Way trailer connector has the basic lighting functions only; running lights, left turn signal and brake lights, right turn signal and brake lights, and ground. A 7-Way has these functions and a 12 volt circuit, a circuit for electric trailer…

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Answer 3

In order to determine the torque rating for the lug nuts on your trailer you will need to know check out the chart I attached that shows all of the torque specs for all the trailer lugs available based on stud size, wheel material and wheel size.

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Answer 4

That's a very good question, we tend to be extra cautious and say to use 10 gauge wire because that would be more than enough. When you get into longer trailers that will end up using a lot of wire the heavier gauge wire becomes more necessary.…

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Answer 5

It sounds like you are speaking of the wires for the brake magnets. If this is correct, you will need to connect one of the wires to the brake controller output wire on your trailer connector and the other wire will need to be grounded to a clean…

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Answer 6

Typically 4-way wiring consists of 18 and 16 gauge wires. For a 4-way that has all 16 gauge wire you would want the Wesbar 4-Pole Flat Connector #W787264. The part #HM38138 uses 18 gauge for all wires but the white that uses 16 gauge.

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Answer 7

The only difference between 7-Way Utility and 7-Way RV is the color of the wires. The pin outs are the exact same so either would work just fine with the other. If you check out the picture I attached you'll see that the functions are all the…

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Answer 8

Hey Mike! Sounds like you're needing the Easy Grease Trailer Idler Hub Assembly for 2K Axles #AKIHUB-545-2-EZ-2K. If you're wanting something with a better protective coating the Galvanized Hub #AKIHUB-545-2-G-EZ-2K will do the trick, but…

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Answer 9

Since both a ST145/R12 size tire, like the Kenda Karrier S-Trail #AM10130, and a 5.30-12 size tire, like the Kenda K353 #AM10068, fit a 12 inch wheel, a ST145/R12 size tire can replace a 5.30-12 size tire. Keep in mind that these tires do have…

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Answer 10

Yes, 14 gauge wire seems too small. I would go with 10 or 12 gauge. For 10 gauge you can use #10-1-1 and for 12 gauge use #12-1-1. These wires are sold in increments of 1 foot. So if you needed 20 feet of wire you would enter 20 in the quantity box.…

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Answer 11

The reverse light pin on a traditional 7-way trailer connector, like part #PK11893 or a factory connector if that's what you have on your 2018 Ram, is the center pin. Take a look at the picture I attached that shows all the pin functions. To add…

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Answer 12

Great question, William! The Karrier ST225/75R15 #KE63KV is a KR35 while the Karrier ST225/75R15 #AM10303 is a KR03 according to Kenda. There is a slight variation in the tread pattern and from what Kenda says about them it looks like the KR03 is…

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Proper Loading of Triple Axle Trailer to Minimize Sway

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