Kingpin Setting

Not the greatest picture,... but it shows how shallow my king pin is. I can easily crouch and walk between my drives and the landing gear. My 5th is slid all the way to the end.



I love this setting as its absolutely brainless to center a load and keep axle weights in check.

For me with this configuration,.. my center is exactly the middle between my last drive axle and the first trailer axle. When ever I know my load will have me near or at gross,.. I have them load me from the middle out,.. or if a machine,.. thats where I put it.

Lots and lots of room for a front over hang if needed.


Hurst

 

Mr Hurst, you do know that the center changes when you close the spread, don't you? If you haven't tried it, put a load on the trailer, weigh it at a cat scale and then close the spread and reweigh it. Closing the spread will move the center foward towards the step.

 

I guess its a good thing I almost never close the spread.

Would it change even with say a single machine in the middle?

My axles are always dead even no matter what or how I load it. I can load end to end or have done partials spread on the trailer and each axle is always identical when ever I've done a split weigh.

Being that only the rear axle slides,.. I'm not getting the mental image of the center changing with say a small 20k load in the middle between the drives and my front axle.

I havent tried weighing the same load with the axles spread and then together as I've always been hesitant to slide the axle under a load. Reason being, on this Fontaine,.. when I pull for the pins to release it sets the brake on the last axle. I do not have to set my trailer brakes at all to slide it.

How ever thats not my issue,.. my issue is that I have to raise the rear suspension to slide the rear axle,.. the bags go all the way to the top,.. gives me the heebie geebies to try that with weight on them.

Hurst

 

It will move about 2500 lbs or better from the drives to the trailer tandem.

 

You've got me curious now. Not that I doubt you.. but I need to try this.

Hurst

 

If you don't mind, do the CAT scale and post both of them. Others will find it interesting.

This is why in another thread I told Mr Chewy to measure from the kingpin to the center of the trailer wheels to find the center of the trailer. If an axle slides, this changes the center for loading.

 

Will do.. picking up perfect load to experiment. 1 single pick up truck. That shouldnt hurt my air bags to slide axle with.

Hurst

 

If its not one thing.. its another.

I'm guessing from lack of use and sitting for so long.. the diaphram to release my pins isnt working. Cant slide my axle..

Still going to do a load and weigh the difference. Just going to be a few weeks as sliding the axle is not a priority right now.

Sorry.

Hurst

 

When you get it free, I would use it just about every time I was empty. Saves tire wear on that front axle and is much easier to maneuver.

 

I have 3 flats, all spread axle, my Mac is at 18" which I love because when hauling beams or sheet piling I can hang 4 feet off the front of the trailer and not interfere with my headache rack. Also when hauling 14 wide plat don't have to worry about hitting sleeper When turning even with the plate closer to the front of the trailer. My Fontain Revolution 52 is at 24" and my Great Dane is at 30".