Tri-Axle Vs Dual Tandems - The Ultimate Showdown

Nothing disastrous happens when a blow happens. Had to many of them on my 6car triaxle trailer.

I would go with the tandem tire setup, with triaxle setups the tire fight each other while turning sharply and just scrub like an eraser on paper. If your planning to do only local stuff, you'll be turning lots.

 

The 2 axles are usually stronger if not the same rating as the triple.with less wear and tear

 

For what's its worth, should I buy another trailer, it will not have three axles. Duals with tandems for me. Thanks, PK

 

I'm in agreement with the others. I'd only buy a triple axle if it was a smoking deal, or the type of trailer I needed to do the job required 3 axles. A wedge does not fit that category to me..

I'd also make sure to get the upgrade from 10-14ply tires. 10plys are straight junk in my eyes & caused me nothing but problems. They are so soft they suck up nails like hoover, like to blow apart on the interstate when it's hot out, & almost all (a few are higher) are only speed rated @65mph..


Another option you may or may not have considered is the super single 17.5". You can run two 10k or 12k axles with only 4 tires like this. 235/75 or 245/70r17.5 18ply rubber rated for 6005lbs & 75mph per tire. Might hold up better in your "high scrub" application since you mentioned running a local 75 mile radius..

 

I am by no means advocating a 3 single axle over a dual tandem setup, BUT, on some of those you can get (3) 8,000 or 24,000 and still stay under FET, However with a dual tandem you are in most states stuck at 20,000 that extra 4,000 may come in handy, jus saying.

 

Why would a dual tandem be stuck at only 20,000lbs? I can see that, if he were to get tandem 10k's. But what about 12k's, 15k's, & there's even some 16k electric brake axles out there now. As long as it has the minimum 40" spread between axles or whatever why would it be a problem.?

I have a tandem dual 12k axle mini float stickered @ 24,000lbs (no fet) & sometimes load the axles right up to max. I've had the trailers spread measured once at the Mt. Airy coop SB on I77. Mines 48" so I already knew I was cool..
Is there something I'm missing..?

 

Nope you are absolutely correct, I misspoke and was thinking he was comparing a single axle dual at 20,000 vs the trip 8's at 24,000, I think I wrote dual tandem out of habit.