Side boxes? SS door

$70k for a trailer???? DANG!!!

 

Yeah it isn't cheap. Just the curtain top was 25k. But worth every penny in my eyes. My customers require every load to be tarp everytime. Sometimes I have 2-4 stops. The curtains make it a whole lot faster. The current curtain van I have is a 1996 western elite. So I figure if that one lasted 20 years. I should get 20 out of this one

 

Conestoga has a tarp roof. Essentially the sides and top are all one tarp that will slide either forward or backward to expose the deck of the trailer

 

Ya, sounds like you are saving a lot of work and time going with this set up. Double Win!!!

 

All on the trailer...

The lift on the front trailer axle would pull the tires completely up off the ground, leaving the trailer riding only on the rear axle. If you're really light or empty then you're only wearing on 4 tires instead of all 8. Nice option, not many guys have this and typically you will see it on only flatbeds, not steps.

The dump on either axle would simply dump the air out of the bags on just one axle but not lift it off the ground, puts all the weight on the axle that still has air in the bags. This is for tight maneuvering. If you have the dump on the back axle there is a lot of tail swing as the weight is all on the front axle, if the dump is on the front axle then it corners much wider.

With these spread axles the front axle tends to scrub, or get drug sideways, on any tight turn. Take a look at the frot set of tires next time you see one parked and you will see the wear on the outside edge of the tires.

 

That trailer looks very nice. How much is a trailer like that?

---oh wait. Never mind.

 

So if one dumps the air on either axle then the tires are still in contact with the ground (as opposed to a lift axle) and will still scrub a bit but since all the weight is on the other set of tires the wear and tear isn't as great as if one didn't dump the air to begin with.

 

And sorry if I am high jacking this thread about SS Side Boxes with questions about the Spread Axles... I do appreciate all the answers.

 

You're not the only one learning...

 

Exactly. The dump is for short term...parking lot or real tight turns. Flip the switch, make your tight corner move, then flip it again and carry on about your business.