third axle for dry van?

The somebody that makes the third axle was the trailer manufacturer. You don't just add an axle on a trailer, yes, some people probably would, BUT when the trailer is made, it is made heavier to withstand more weight. Most trailers have a weight rating of 65000 lbs, quad axle and triaxle trailers are rated for more weight.

 

A friend of mine did that back in 1983, added an lift axle on a 48 foot reefer. The rear of the trailer (a Dorsey) kept cracking and he kept welding it up, until he traded it off and then pulled a 45 foot reefer and pulled a 20 foot pup for awhile.

 

Triaxles (even ones that lift) are not legal in all states. I have no idea why they would care if you're not running with the wheels down, but that's the state of affairs.

We run them all the time in Canada. Usually they have a heavier floor rating and we run 105,000lbs on tridem chassis/cans and trailers.

My father in law was a trucker back in the 70s and 80s and had a drop axle for running Canada. When cars were hanging out in the hammer lane beside him too long, he would flip the air valve and drop the third axle which created an insane plume of smoke and racket to encourage them to move along!!

 

Hello, I wanted to know what are the pros and cons of using a tri-axle reefer trailer versus a spread axle reefer trailer. The one I'm thinking about going with is Great Dane, it seems that a lot of people speak highly about those trailers.

 

40K lbs vs 43,500. After the extra weight of the third axle, very little net gain.

Spreads are not counted as two axles in some Canadian provinces, so tri's are more prevalent there. Both present problems going into Cali, unless you have a sliding spread that can get to 41'

 

Oh okay, I didn't know the gain would be that small. I was looking around on Google and from what I found it said 40K for spread axles or 65k for tri-axles. But if it's only going to be 43k, then you're right. It's no need to even mess around with it, no intentions on going into Cali I would prefer to stay east of 25.

 

Spread at 40k cause each is 20k rated

But even if you spread the 3rd xle another 10 foot, in the us for the most part thats only 60 k not 65, or am i missing something?

That said, if you arent going to run over 80k gross in the us, a spread axle is the laziest way to maintain weight distribution.

Bear in mind that with no dump axle your forward trailer axle tires will wear far faster than your rears though, so at least rotate them yearly

 

You're right I just double-checked LOL it is 60k, what I'm looking at is doing the loads I used to do back when I was with USA truck as well as Schneider national which was the giant rolls of paper, Clorox loads , beer loads and the occasional aluminum scrap loads in the dry van. So that's why I'm going back and forth. Trying to find out if I really need that spread axle or tri-axle configuration because eventually I will be hauling heavier loads than what I just mentioned.