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Light wiegth Trailer

14K views 91 replies 22 participants last post by  Haggar 
#1 ·
Been thinking about this for a while ,with gas prices going up I don't want to haul any more than I have to.
What do you guys think ,there was some other trailers on the site were I got this that were similar .
Do you think you could run with out springs?
Tying the axle to the trailer .
My rig weighs 3,400 lbs. and is pretty balanced( 60/40 close)
Could build pretty cheap ,use a old 14 bolt outers, could put shafts in maybe (storage for spare)
Also when I get home could leave it right on the trailer and not take up allot of space.

Thoughts???



Jeff
 
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#44 ·
You would have to do a lot of towing to make a significant difference. Good idea, but cant see the cost benefit. I own an 01 HD for instance that gets 10 to 12 no matter what i tow. And still only gets 12 not towing anything. Unless your making a couple trips out west each year or long trips in general, i don't see the savings being worth the effort. You might gain a mile per gallon, maybe two if your lucky.
 
#50 ·
I know you have your mind made up about the stubby trailer, but think about the teeter tawter(sp) effect of a single axle trailer, combined with the extended tail of the tow rig, add a bumpy snow covered corner, and you might have issues with it unloading the back tires. You might have a recipe for disaster with that combo.
 
#53 ·
Sure this whole concept makes little sense strictly from a numbers standpoint, but in this sport very little does! If someone enjoys fab work and is willing to put the time into learning how to make it right, then why not?


Jmdzuk keep the pictures coming! One of the things not discussed, unless I missed it, is narrowing the trailer track width like in the last picture. That will make it easier to maneuver and should reduce aerodynamic drag some, though the narrower track my hurt stability somewhat. I had considered converting my single axle bed over to something like that moon buggy trailer to tow my K5, though between having to source an 8k axle and all the fab work...well when a good deal on a used tandem car hauler came along that idea was shelved.

Whiterino, what did you tow the single axle trailer with? If in doubt I tend to go heavy on the tongue weight and it has apparently worked so far. Sounds like your setup was a bit finicky. Maybe a WDH would have helped. I’ve never used one, but guys that have tend to swear by them.
 
#62 · (Edited)
Whiterino, what did you tow the single axle trailer with? If in doubt I tend to go heavy on the tongue weight and it has apparently worked so far. Sounds like your setup was a bit finicky. Maybe a WDH would have helped. I’ve never used one, but guys that have tend to swear by them.
hahaha.... a bit finicky? I did the math for you. I also explained that by moving equipment around it affected the tongue weight significantly.

I towed that setup with 3 different vehicles. My 77 F150 extended cab 8 ft bed pickup, my father in law's full size 80 Bronco and his 24ft motorhome. The tow vehicle is not EVER the issue with sway UNLESS it is too short. It is the trailer setup.

Didn't have a WDH back then. As said earlier it would probably have helped. This would compensate for the extra tongue weight you suggest.


I like the low slung dual axle trailers shown.
 
#54 ·
Wow .........
Ok with all the info over the last couple of days this what I got out of it .

Flat towing a 4,500lbs jeep is better on gas less wind drag ect......than on a trailer

My rig weighs 3,400lbs loaded ,a 900-1,000lbs trailer would put me at 4,400lbs
Seems like I would get better millage than putting it on my buddy's 2,000bs equipment trailer.

Remember I started this tread so its all about me ::chiefwoohaw::sonicjay:

Tire blow out and not safe on a single axle ? I would say thats BS(It is dangerous but not any more than loosing a tire on your jeep or road bike or dump truck ,air plain :chiefwoohaw:).
I would worry more about a front tire on my tow rig than a trailer tire dropping out. I have seen tandem trailers loss 1 then the 2nd one right after because of road debris hitting both bumpity bump 2 flats :sonicjay:. and you just pull over.

Single axle being a pain in the ass to set up, sure some futsing around but not impossible .Worth it? maybe to me and not to a guy with allot of money and a big truck to pull a big trailer.

I have a buggy with no top, doors or license plate it has a low COG and would be nice to have a trailer to leave it on in the garage so when I wont run over to my buddys or the uncles farm all I have to do is hook on and go .( thats the bad part about having a buggy)
I think with a lite weigh set up it would help with fuel ,less rotating mass and mass to stop and keep rollin

Plus as stated in my first post I have some parts to build with /play around.It may end up 2 axle or single I don't know?
And a aluminum trailer is to dang expensive and a 16' weights 1,500lbs and cost about $5,000 .And will look like crap in a few years unless you acid wash it ,then cracks and you cant just weld a d ring on or a brkt. ect...(I have fixed to many horse and snowmobile trailers to ever own one).

Well thats all I got:usa:

Thanks again ,keep the comments coming and I will start a build thread when I get to it .Soon I hope .
Jeff:woot:
 
#64 ·
Although most of the pics look good, neither of these look real good. Both tow vehicles are squatting in the rear and the trailer is tilted back a little indicating not much tongue weight. I would suspect they are balanced fairly light in the front to compensate for weak tow rig springs.

The Zuk is especially scarey with the short wheelbase of the tow rig.
 
#58 ·
Wow .........

My rig weighs 3,400lbs loaded ,a 900-1,000lbs trailer would put me at 4,400lbs
Seems like I would get better millage than putting it on my buddy's 2,000bs equipment trailer.
Here is my little input. You wouldn't want one without any suspension on it, tows like crap. Bounces bad and is all over the road from the bouncing. And will start to break parts because of it. We have one at work like that, and after using it for a few years its being fixed constantly.
As for less weight better gas mileage, I'm not sure about that. One of the combos we tow with at work is a 20' trailer that can weight 4500-7000# loaded. We get the same gas mileage towing that trailer weather it weighs 4500# or 7000#. I would agree that keeping it lower might help save some gas mileage.

And the above pic doesn't seem too safe. I know you can tow a trailer behind a 5th wheel...but not sure the camper manufacture would agree towing 6-7000k behind it is safe.
 
#59 ·
The following thought is for a small lightweight buggy only...

One design I've considered, but not fully thought through yet is a "detachable" trailer. Kinda like a subframe something that attached itself to the vehicle to be towed. Or something like a tow dolly...

Another thought: maybe by unhooking the trailer, lowering the tongue to the ground, driving onto the trailer facing the wrong way. Put your front tires into pockets (on the rear of the trailer), and the rear onto a pocket thats on the ground, then when you lift the tongue up it lifts up the rear of the buggy. It would get rid of the wicked bump I see in most pics, the rear of the trailer would be taller than the front acting like a wedge (less drag?). You could backup on the trailer I suppose, I guess it would depend on your wieght distribution of the vehicle....

Just thoughts when I get bored at work...

I agree with you jmdzuk, I would probably just keep it on the trailer and it would be ready to move quickly.
 
#86 ·
its the build thread for this one:

There's good ideas in that thread, and good discussion. Its a tandem, so loading/balanace, and handling blowouts would be better than a single axle.

So, reading that thread, it towed well behind his V6 astro van. I would bet that on a standard deck 16 ft tandem, it'd be felt more. I definately like the idea of a 4000lb combined load behind a smaller tow vehicle.

How often are people blowing trailer tires, and why?

I would be interested to see how load range E 235/85/R16 highway rib truck tires would do on a trailer.
 
#91 ·
i dont see where all these tire blowing ideas come from either, and even if the do blow all the time (i guess im just always lucky, having never blown one.) i dont see how everyone sees this as a horror storry. the trailer isnt going to do anything at all, except fall down about 6 inches on one side. you will then notice it and pull over to change it.
 
#92 ·
Well, depends on the load, and if your tow rig is pushed to its limits.

Any time i've been in a truck when one went, it was not really noticeable, to me as a passenger, except by visually seeing it was bad in the mirror.
 
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