Single Axle vs. Multi-Axle...Is there as much difference as would appear?

[SeaKaye12]

Let me start by saying that I've never towed a multi-axle trailer; only single axle. When observing the trailer with a single axle I notice a lot of pivoting of the boat up and down as the tow vehicle enters into and pulls up out of dips in the road. Just like the motion you get if you stood there and raised and lowered the trailer's tongue.

My question is this: On multi axle trailers...is the dipping markedly reduced? It would see as if it would have to be; since with two or more axles it would be much harder to create the dipping effect. For that matter; is it even possible to raise the tongue of a multi-axle trailer to any extent? (Assuming that the tongue wait was not too heavy to lift?

Is the general towing experience better with multi-axle trailers because of this?

Hopefully I'm expressing myself adequately. Thanks for reading, Chuck

 

[BaileysBoat]

Re: Single Axle vs. Multi-Axle...Is there as much difference as would appear?

I have both kinds.

Tandems are better on the highway. They track very well and resist sway.
Ride the bumps better.

Downside is harder to turn and maneuver. Tires scrub.

All things being equal the tandem tongue is harder to lift but past horizontal, but easier to lift up to horizontal.

Kind of a moot point, the biggest single you can get is about 3700lbs, and tandems start at 4000, most are around 6000

 

[BIGALF]

Re: Single Axle vs. Multi-Axle...Is there as much difference as would appear?

I think the duel axel trailer is the only way to go if you like trailering your boat and want safety. I trailer my 240 Sea Ray just about every weekend the last 8 years since I live in sunny Florida. My trailering speed is going 60/65 miles an hour on most of my trip to the water. My blowouts in the past has made me very thankful that I had a duel axel trailer and a spare tire.
I just purchased a 10,000 GVW Tandem Axle trailer with Kodiak SS disc breaks and torson axles and 15 inch 8 ply tires. I know this might be some overkill but the safety and confort feeling will be very good.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Single Axle vs. Multi-Axle...Is there as much difference as would appear?

Regarding pitching motion, it doesn't matter if you have a single axle or a tandem. As you drive through dips in the road something has to move so the movement you observe is a non-issue. That is unless you have a tandem torsion axle. On a spring style tandem, the walking beam (the equalizer) is the device that connects the back end of the front spring and the front end of the rear spring on each side of the trailer. That equalizer pivots in a bracket welded to the trailer frame. Therefore the front and rear rear wheels can step into or over road deviations. That is no different that a single axle. It isn't the trailer design that causes the up and down motion. It is physics. As the front wheels of the tow vehicle drop into a depression, the rear of the vehicle rises which raises the tongue of the trailer. As the rear wheels of the tow vehicle drop into the depression the tongue of the trailer goes down. There is absolutely no need for a tandem trailer if your boat weight doesn't require one. You have twice the maintenance, twice the number of tires to keep an eye on and twice the suspension parts and wheel bearings to maintain. If your boat weight is at the top of or very near the top of the weight capacity of a larger single axle trailer, you might then want to look at tandems. Tandem torsion axles have an issue in that there is no equalizer so it is possible when driving across a depression that one or both wheels on one of the axles unloads (drops) into a depression, thus causing the other three to absorb that weight. It is possible for a wheel or wheels on a tandem torsion axle trailer to actually come off the ground. The other wheels (and axle) are therefore required to absorb that load which can bend spindles and blow tires if the trailer happens to be loaded at or near their rated capacity.

 

[mrdancer]

Re: Single Axle vs. Multi-Axle...Is there as much difference as would appear?

...
Kind of a moot point, the biggest single you can get is about 3700lbs, and tandems start at 4000, most are around 6000

Huh?? I have a 5200lb single under my trailer.

 

[drrpm]

Re: Single Axle vs. Multi-Axle...Is there as much difference as would appear?

My single axle trailer is rated for 5,000 lbs. A lot depends on the wheel and tire size.

 

[whitjohn]

Re: Single Axle vs. Multi-Axle...Is there as much difference as would appear?

Yes you can get a 5000lb single axle. Most can be identified by the 6 lug hubs. My pontoon trailer was a single spindly little 2000lb axle U-bolted to the trailer frame. I dropped it off into an unseen hole on the side of a narrow road and ripped the entire right side nearly off. Destroyed the axle.

I put two 3500lb tandems back on and welded all the brackets and hangers.
Difference is night and day. As stated earlier, it's a little more difficult to maneuver but a dream to tow on the highway.