Where Do I Place the Axle on a Trailer?

Updated 07/10/2025 | Published 07/04/2025

Question:

Question about axle placement on a tilt bed utility trailer. I am making a 84 x 51 utility trailer that will have a tilt bed. The piviot point for the tilt is 21 from the front of the frame. The tongue is 42 from front of frame to the hitch ball. This will be a gravity tilt. Where is the best placement of the center of the axle on the frame? I know there will be counterbalance weight on the rear of the trailer.

asked by: Richard

Expert Reply:

That's a great question Richard. I have attached a help article below that will walk you through the math and how the tongue weight and total weight of your trailer will determine the placement of the axle.

What capacity axle do you plan on using and how wide do you need it to be?

expert reply by: Jerred H

Richard

7/9/2025

The estimated axle capacity is 2,000 lbs. The axle width is 72 inches(measured from spindle to spindle). The attached artilce appears to be for trailers that the tongue is permanently attached. The tilt trailer axle, should be about centered balanced, so that when I push down on the rear of the trailer, the bed should stay at that tilt and (possibly) not slam down back to horizontal. The tilt design will be for loading and unloading a ATV quad.

Jerred H.

7/10/2025

@Richard Thanks for the information! We do have a 72" wide axle that comes with 5 on 4-1/2 bolt pattern spindles already installed. It's the Trailer Axle with Idler Hubs item # e37YR. The spring seats are mounted at 58" center to center. As far as axle placement you're going to want to push it towards the back of your trailer farther than normal. More 70/30 than 60/40. This will create some sway issues when you're towing so you'll want to make sure your tongue weight is closer to the 20% range when you're loading up.