Trailer: dually to heavy singles, on 10k/12k axles...stability etc?

[Hay Dude]

I’m 100% sold on 17.5’s. They are a super tough tire.
Have great success with my Double Coins on my Kaufman.

 

[nisaacs]

For the 8k axles, the 10&12k axles are all the same width whether duals or SS. At least for Diamond C

Correct, and why I am not interested in their 10-12k singles on the deck overs. I assume they do that so they can be shipped with either style. The FMAX 207-208 have the wide frame.

I am not a fan of singles on a 12k axle. The tires are maxed out. 10k axles are fine.

Like Hay Dude, I am a fan of 17.5's and would like to upgrade my equipment trailer (14k) to them and 8k axles, but dang they are spendy. I do run the 14 ply 16's.

I also prefer the 235's over the 215's and upgrade when the oem's wear out, even on 8k axles. They are just way better in a single application. 215's are fine as dual's.

For serious hauling I would always opt for duals. I run under CDL, so singles work for me.

 

[TMGT]

There are changes in the bracing for the metal panel over the tires and the spare mount between the dual and SS models, so there are some manufacturing differences.

I prefer the 235 but the 215 is perfectly fine for 7k axles if you want the low profile.

Having pulled this trailer back to back with singles and duals I wouldn't go back to duals, singles pull/ride soo much better and run cooler. I haven't seen any stability difference with the singles.

 

[nisaacs]

What I found with my narrow trailer, is, with a wide top heavy load, it was a little rocky. With a heavy, narrow, wheeled vehicle it was fine even tho the grader is a lot heavier than the load of hay. My wide frame trailer does have the sway control pipe so that may make a difference, so not quite apples and apples.

 

[TMGT]

Did your narrower frame trailer have any sway control and what was the deck length? I've found that has more of an effect on the stability then the frame width.

One nice thing I didn't think of when going to the singles was the narrower track width keeps me from dropping a wheel of the pavement on the narrow back roads here.

Yeah, the duals inner would stay on the pavement, but most of the time it would lead to the inners being overloaded and scrubbed.

 

[Hay Dude]

What I found with my narrow trailer, is, with a wide top heavy load, it was a little rocky. With a heavy, narrow, wheeled vehicle it was fine even tho the grader is a lot heavier than the load of hay. My wide frame trailer does have the sway control pipe so that may make a difference, so not quite apples and apples.

View attachment 862384View attachment 862385

Did you switch to ford?
You loser LOL

 

[rice_harvester]

I too am already 100% sold on 17.5's
and 100% sold on tandem singles over dualls
(for this size range, under ~18k and under ~24ft)

I mostly will use it for equipment (farm, non cdl), maybe 20% of the time I'll be hauling a full wide/tall load of stacked pallets or bins, onroad not in the fields... not quite as top heavy as a maxed-out hay trailer, but same considerations

Thanks so much for all the input! the photos are very helpful, as are the comments about specific brands (although I'm mainly looking at much older,used trailers myself) and appreciate the comments about sway torque tubes as well.

 

[rice_harvester]

Load deck height is a real issue too. Smaller diameter is a good thing. The higher the deck, the more the loaded deck will roll.

215/75/17.5 are a bit shorter than dual 16's
235 (& 245) / 17.5 are essentially the same height as 16's
--so converting to singles doesn't raise the deckover height..

yes of course--singles will not get you very far before you get stuck in a muddy field, but on the flipside: the (17.5's) get beat up a LOT less than dual on ugly, rough gravel & dirt roads, close to twice the average lifespan and 1/3 of the sidewall or puncture issues

 

[nisaacs]

Did you switch to ford?
You loser LOL

Lol, leave it to you to notice. My brothers, he is blind Ford loyal. Just bought a F-150EV for their 45th anniversary. I sold him my old trailer and the grader.

 

[nisaacs]

Did your narrower frame trailer have any sway control and what was the deck length?

The old trailer was 102"x25' light weight 12" I-beam frame, 14lbs per foot I think, no sway control. 8k Spring axles.

The new trailer is 102"x28' light weight 14", engineered beam, with sway control. 8k Torsion axles.