question about length and balance for axle placement (3 Viewers)

[slickrock]

I have a question about length. My trailer is 8.5’ long. 2 feet in the rear to the axle and 6.5 from the front of the axle to rear. I am trying to work out balance. I was first thinking I would put the full size spare in front of the box. But, I was thinking that for proper weight balance, I should have a 3rd of the length behind the axle. I was thinking about making a bumper with a swing out carrier for the tire and put gas cans in the front of the trailer. The tire weighs about 75 lbs and the new bumper would probably be another 40 or so. What do you guys think?

 

[titanpat57]

She's looking dandy since you lowered it and got the wheels in place.

Is the carrier for the spare without the tire? Then you have to consider how the weight distributes when you swing it open and suspend the weight 2' behind rear. Kowboy had a good formula...he had a tongue box that he could load heavy or light depending on the interior load. Are you planning on drop down stabilizers on the rear? There's a few more varibles I think ya have to kick around, then refine a final plan. There's nobody with more mad skilz and knowledge then the guys your gonna deal with right here.

I'm a firm believer in at least a minimum of 75-100 lbs. (and 200-300 is better) of tongue weight...I don't want that beotch flying off the ball for any reason. If your front jack is set up properly, the weight won't be an issue. Some of the ladies here like alot less weight...but if they got the friggin purse off their arm, they'd realize it's not that bad to move around. I have a wheel and a sand foot for the jack, which allows the trailer to raised on the ball with relative ease.

Keep up the good work!!

 

[sseaman]

more tongue weight the better, what size the that trailer tongue and how long?

 

[slickrock]

I am cutting the tongue off at the blue tape mark. Over all lenght is 8.5'. THe axle at the is 2' from the rear and6.5' from the top of the tongue. there is 4'5 from the front of the box to tongue, but 15"s of that is for the spare tire.

I believe the trailer is small enough in CA that I do not need fenders on it. I had the old ones, but they are a bit too small so if I decide to make them, they will have to be fabricated.

 

[REZARF]

I'd be biased toward mounting the tire up front as well, I'd rather have too much weight in front than not enought. Packing will make another big difference on how it tows.

 

[slickrock]

Tire is mounted up front. Everything structural is tacked in place. Ran out of welding rod and the place closed at noon on Saturday for the weekend. Small town living sucks. I ordered a weld on lunette ring and waiting for that. I will also need to figure out a way to allow for a ball hitch to tow it. Might weld something on that I can slide the old tongue into it and run two bolts into it like a hitch insert. I'll post more pics of the progress soon after I see what damage was done to the wife's SUV after she was tailgated and she then was pushed into the car in front of her. SHe is fine, but I think the old thing will be totalled. It has a unibody (97 grand cherokee) and the rear bumper is pushed into the rear door. Cheaper to total than fix I'm afraid.

 

[Degnol]

Dan,
Minimum tongue weight is 10% of the total towed weight. Most of that can be determined by loading, but in the case you tow the thing empty, the same rule still applies unless you like the tail wagging the dog.


GL

Ed

 

[slickrock]

THat makes sense. Without the tire mounted up front, the tongue probably weighs about 35 to 40 pounds. Throw that tire on and it gets heavy. I finished up the major welding last night. Still need to clean up the slag from stick welding and a coat a paint. Hopefully I will get osme time to do it tonight and post progress.