Trailers

If I was going to run 5 axle and run not in CA, I would look for a long well (33') 40 ton like MrBeast, I think, runs. There are pictures of it in other threads it's a blue XL.

I would like a west coast 9 axle, but need to grow into it.

 

If I was going to buy one I probably would to, given that the price and weight were not to far from the lighter rated one. A heavier rated trailer in my mind will last longer and be less prone to breaking.

 

The problem with buying too much trailer, is the weight associated with that capacity.
The smartest thing my company did was buy 45ton 3 axles, instead of the 50's they ran years gone by.
Versatile in that a 4 axle truck can load it up, and light enough that us baby 3 axles can still scrape a living with it.
I hauled multi axle years past, and can't tell you how many times some idiot in an office has spec'd out a trailer wrong. Either too light so it drags, or so heavy that you have issues with axle weights as well as gross.
I think 29'6" in the well on a 3 axle is good myself, never gone wrong with it and the extra came in very handy at times. Only downfall is Ca though, which needs an unladen to go in or leave empty. If I was to buy a trailer again, it would probably be one of those, along with some 2.64 rears so I can get 8mpg while pulling it (sarcasm in "respect" to a know it all, he thinks...).

Martin

 

I looked at the "off brands" a few years ago when I ws debating buying an RGN.
I kept coming back to Trail King though. In my opinion, they make a good basic trailer that the extra's cost money for. The "off brands" offered more extra's for a reasonable price I found, but I didn't feel comfortable spending that money on something that I didn't know.
I even debated buying a 1999 RGN from our company that I was pulling. I could put 64,000 on that 30 ton trailer, and it rode level with no sagging at all. A real good work horse. It had the adjustable king pin, a tool box built into the neck for chains etc, and the center rails were open with a full floor to allow easy storage of tarps, blocking, etc.

Martin

 

kauffman has increased there quality past few years and they have alot more options than proline for about the same money. If I was going to pay the extra cash for a name brand trailer Liddell, Rogers, Nelson, or Entrye comes to mind. Witzco challanger makes a fair trailer as long as you under stand their concentrated wt. rating is not as high as other manufactures.

 

That at is good info to consider!
Im also in the market for an RGN but am having a hard time getting to a decision on which model / make.

What I'm looking for:
CA legal (48'), Hydraulic full width neck, 16" deck height would be ideal but 18" would work so long as it doesn't have a huge bow when empty as a lot of our loads may be high but only weigh 4,000lbs or less, extendable, third axle flip.
Would like the ability to haul equipment up to 65,000lbs on it but that would be rare, 80% of the loads it will haul would be no heavier than 20,000lbs.

There would be a lot of extras I want installed:
tool boxes under the goose and in the floor of the main deck behind goose, excavator trough / dunnage storage in main deck at rear, all kinds of securing options from chain slots in the outer rails, drop chains outside the inside rails, flush mount d-rings throughout all decks, rub rail / removable outrigger combo on main deck, staggered winches on both sides of the main deck, sliding winches on one side of the goose, rub rail on goose.
Pony motor and tractor hydraulics plumbed.

My tractor weighs 22,500lbs 46K rear end and 14,6k front end, front end tires rated at 20k. Wheelbase is 216".
Obviously this will be a heavy trailer but what weight would I realisticly be able to permit on the axles? If I got for example; an XL 80 instead of an XL 70 do I loose most of the gained payload with heavier tare weight?
I know it's hard to build the perfect trailer but any advice would be appreciated.

 

The first thing that is going to hurt is that CA does not want you to run a flip axle - as it is a mechanical weight distribution system. Sometimes you can get a permit but no way to get an annual.

If I lived in CA again, I grew up the Bay Area, and following your criteria I would look at a cozad with a short well extendable. They build a non 16 tire extendable and you could order a fixed 3 axle with a well like 24' that would open to maybe 40'. And if you go with the small tires and large bolsters you can load a lot of the wheeled stuff that requires overhang . I even saw a guy load an articulated dump truck by loading the front axle over the rear bolster.

The trailers are spendy but if you have the customers....

 

Thanks Rontonio.
I already looked at cozad, we specked out something similar to what you are recommending but wouldn't finish it the way I wanted or at 48'. I was adding their flip tail also. I think they realized that if they built this trailer they would loose a lot of sales. A lot of guys here have a 16 tire and an 8 tire with a dovetail where as with this design they would have only needed one trailer.
I had two other guys ready to order this trailer also but Cozad kept dodging the spec till we all lost interest.
The only other issue with the Cozad is the main deck height, the camber leaves even the extendable at 24" high. I have only one drawing that was remotely close to the spec I wanted but it's 53'.
The whole thing just soured me to be honest.

I thought that the reg in a CA was once all axles in any axle group were equalized together whether it be air or walking beam they would pass it? Is the air pressure on a third flip axle not plumbed through the same equalizer valve the front two axles are?

Thanks for your input.

 

When you read the regs there are two issues.

The first is that there are not supposed to be any valves between the axles in the group.

The second is mechanical leveling - shims. Because you can change the axle weight on the flip axle by shimming it. It's the same reason you can't run an east coast stinger set up.

The regs are on the caltrans site and are moderately clear for CA legal-ease. I also called to ask about it 2 years ago. That is why so many 16 tires out there.

That is unfortunate about cozad as their 3x platform looks versatile.