spec'ing 53' dry van

I've got about a year before I need it but I'm going to be buying a new trailer. Is it possible to get an air lift axle under the front tandem? Does it add a lot of weight compared to a typical van? Probably 80% of the miles I turn I'd be able to trailer around on a single axle cutting down on rolling resistance. I've seen a lot of spread axle flats with a front lift axle but never a van with tandem axles.

 

They are available. I saw an ad in Overdrive last month. Hendrickson has a fully automatic system called Smartlift. Link to the brochure.

Don't know about the weight, but I'd venture a guess it'd be a worthy trade off.

 

You can get whatever you want if you have $. But yes you could get a spread axle van with a lift. There is no real difference underneath so you can get it. Weight wise, it should not be drastic, just another couple of hundred pounds.

 

I was thinking more about something that was manual lift/lower but that is a really much nicer setup. This will be my trailer for the next 10 years from the time I get it and I know the payoff will be there.

Only catch would be is if my '03 truck has ABS with automatic lift control feature. Would almost prefer a manual setup for simplicity sake.

 

When you find out how much it costs extra, please share. I'm afraid to ask LOL

 

That's pretty neat

 

I'm sure it won't be pretty but I'll shop it and see what I can do. I'll have a trailer nicer and worth more than my truck lol. But the payoff is there I know it. Used 53' vans are a dime a dozen but the devil is in the details with specs. I need certain things for what I do and have a enough customers who will not load older than 10 years trailer. If I could get by with a 2000 year model $3,000 trailer I certainly would. Lift axle seems like a no-brainer to save a lot of fuel.

 

I remember there is a beverage cup manufacturer that has lift axles on their tractors and trailers. I think their rigs are black. In the midwest I think. So there's an example.

 

It's really not that big a job to retrofit any Air ride trailer Axle to being a Lift Axle..

Just get one of these.

http://www.abstrailquip.com/Single Arm Lift System.html

And then choose whether you want Auto/ Manual raise/lower..

http://www.abstrailquip.com/trailer Air Valves.html

And rollin' You can even get them to work with your ABS, EBS, brakes...
Or you can buy the complete setup..
http://www.abstrailquip.com/fabricated arm Lazy.html

http://www.abstrailquip.com/FULL SET 138.pdf

 

just out of curiosity

what type of floor and walls are you getting?

i spoke to a trailer repairman some years ago, he said the best thing out there is a wabash duraplate and a stoughton z plate


he also suggested keeping wood baseboards because once that metal starts to bend, its over