Trailer Lift/ Truck Pusher Axle Idea

do you consider option to place trailer axles more closer because 100inch of wheelbase between them is real problem for tires

maybe put last lift axle on trailer this will improve your turning radius

or if you want to put ETS and steerable axle , or maybe selfsteerable axle on trailer

 

The only way this would be worth it is if your doing all the work yourself. If you had to pay for labor the savings would take forever to cover it or at all. There isn't any reason to swap the rear axle, your not talking big HP and you couldn't stack enough hay on there to hurt a 20k axle. Just pull the front drive axle and put a pusher in it's place I've got a lightweight W900 with a factory non liftable tag axle. The advantage of the rear axle being dead is you don't have the drive shaft to deal with.

As far as the trailer you don't have to remove anything, if it's a standard air ride axle all you need to do is buy the lift kit. Don't waste your time or money on a steerable axle. The "under beam lift" kit from Hendrickson is less than $500 and just welds on or you can make your own.

 

trailer pusher axes are popular in Europe, but usuallly they all are with the same load, 6000 kg, but you can use pusher axe with single tires and a half load.

 

i have a similar setup to the one you described.

1. you don't need a 23k axle.
i removed the front axle on the truck and replaced it with a drop center trailer axle. no power divider , less weight.
2. truck and trailer will need to be air ride though.
3. plumb your airlines so you can manually close off the front axle, bleed the air. 2 inch nylon straps will hold the axle up. dump the air out of the rear , tighten straps , "lift axle".
4. trailer the same way, steps 2 thru 3.

been running this system on my trailers for years. been running this system on my truck for 1 year. 50 bucks for a trailer lift axle. 2500 for conversion to the truck. i run new england weekly year round. heavy, light, i carry three ezpass transceivers, 3, 4 and 5 axle.

better tire life , better fuel economy , less weight, looks cool and the chicks dig it.

 

Here is the trailer lift kit. I paid $500 for the first one I bought and got 2 more for $300 each from Mac Trailer in Alliance Ohio.

 

no interference at all.

 

The only issue with the lift on the rear is the 10' of tail whip, not a big deal as long as you know it's there. To save some labor I would lift the axle that doesn't already have the leveling valve, since you don't care which one you lift it would save the work of moving it. 50k is still trivial, we used our KW with the dead axle to haul steel with 84k net. Sure it has a 23k drive axle but if a 23k can handle 84k I'm sure a 20k can easily handle 50k. Again your not talking big hp, a 450 detroit isn't known for being an axle snapping torque monster.

As far as saving fuel, lifting the trailer axle isn't going to make any measurable difference. It will save tires however the other axle may go through brakes a little faster but brakes are cheap.