2000 353 with Dual Axle Trailer
 

This seems like a big boat to have on dual axles. Anyone have any advice/first hand experience? I know the up side is less $$ on tires.

Technically you should spend the $$$ on the best tires out there!!
You can get 7,000 lbs axles with 8 lug wheels and a tandem will turn much better but even though it would have the proper rating I wouldn't go that route.

Only a triple under my 353!

Dave

Man that's a lot of weight to carry around on two axles - unless it's a dual wheel setup.

2 axles, one flat tire = running basically on one axle... I don't like that. I prefer to change tires once in a while, but if ever you have a flat, you can at least rely on 2 axles to help you out keep running... Plus I always carry 2 spare tires...

That's what I was thinking. Prefer triple axles and I didn't even think about the blow out situation... that would be scary. I was asking because I've seen a couple 35's for sale and of course the two I favor have dual axles (not duallys). Back to shopping, thanks guys.

I'm the type of guy that could sometimes go up to... 4 axles... just in case! Never did it but thought about it. also thought about having the 4th axle to lift completly like a 48 or 53 trailer when turning... but all idea are not always good!:D

You can't have too much trailer!

That said, I would only trust a 2-axle trailer under such a boat, made by ONE manufacturer... Myco.

slboatdrinks has a dual axle aluminum C-channel under his 33' Active Thunder.
Another friend has the same trailer under his 358 Sonic.
A Formula 353 is roughly the same specs, and should work OK.

I'll say it again though; YOU CAN'T HAVE TOO MUCH TRAILER. You may buy fewer tires, but you will buy them more often! That and one blow out or lost wheel will totally change your trailer's towing attitude, ESPECIALLY with torsion axles. Lose a front axle tire/wheel; your tongue weight increases, and you lose some/all steering control on your tow vehicle. Lose a rear axle tire/wheel; your tongue weight decreases, and the rear of your tow vehicle lifts. Neither is a good situation when cruising down the interstate at 75mph with 10-11K lbs. on a hitch ball. If you blow a tire, you are fixing it right there; not 3 miles down the road; where you could slowly limp to on two good tires on that side.

Electric over hydraulic brakes would be a MUST with disc brakes on both axles.

If the axles are speced for the load you will be fine. I can take a tire off my dual axel trialer and limp it along. You do need to keep up on the maintenence a little more diligently but they do tow better. Just make sure that the trailer is rated for the load.

One of the boats is on a Myco trailer so I like that part. I just question that even if the trailer is rated for the boat and I have a blow out at 60mph what might happen. 10-12k lbs is a lot of weight to take "chances" with. Just out of curiousity, why does a dual axle tow better than a triple axle? I know duals benefit in short turning radius' are there other benefits?

A triple will tow better going down the highway. A tandem will turn better. Do you have to make sharp turns regularly?

I've never had a boat over 30' on anything other than a triple-axle trailer. I don't care if I have to by 6 new marathons every season, there's no f-ing way. I've lost a tire at highway speeds with triples- it's squirrely. With a dual I doubt you'd get it under control and stopped on just one- it would probably pop.

If they're Myco steel trailers, my guess is a 3rd axle could be added- it would require a new fender too.

Thanks for the input guys. At my old house it was tight backing the boat into my drive so I used to have to make tight turns (also at a lot of gas stations). I'm not going dual axle, too much to risk IMO.

All the doom and gloom over a tandem...I don't get it. There's thousands of tandem axle enclosed car haulers out there with 10-12k ratings, I had one myself. If a heavy tandem was such a death trap, I doubt they'd continue to be built. Set it up properly, load it right, connect it right, inspect the condition and maintain the condition.

Tandem doom and gloom aside, a triple would probably offer a bit of an easier tow since there's one more axle trying to go straight. I considered a tandem, but there was no $ saved once the running gear was upgraded, and more importantly the boat would've sat higher meaning a deeper ramp might be needed. But I wouldn't avoid a boat just because the trailer wasn't ideal; work it in the deal.

True, but:

Most of the tandems are pulled with Weight Distribution Hitches, which adds weight stability and sway control when done right; along with electric brakes. --Majority of boat trailers are with Weight Carrying hitches, and surge brakes which only work well when going straight.

Most of the tandems should be, or are fairly easily adjusted for balanced load placement depending on where you strap in the vehicles. --Majority of boat trailers are tail heavy due to the engines/concentration of weight behind the rear axle(s).

You also inadvertently bring up another good point on the triple. With a triple axle trailer, you will be able to use a shorter ramp, since you will have an axle a little further forward than with just a tandem. With low water levels everywhere, and tides; short ramps are definitely a problem.

Hit the drag strip on a Saturday night...bet the count is less than 50%.

I'm no engineer, but tongue weight is tongue weight isn't it? 10% of 10k is 1k no matter how many axles you have. If the axle location is the fulcrum, more axles = more area you have to distribute weight and therefore the more axles you have, the more weight needs to be forward to get to 10% tongue weight. I think?

Nope, I meant to do that :D

A heavy tandem is not a guarantied trip to the nearest ditch. Even with a blowout, it's controllable. You want scary? Lose a front tire on the tow vehicle. THAT is a trip to the ditch...

:worthless_without_p

I've had a blow out on a 10,000lb tandem axle trailer on the interstate, and it was no big deal to control. Twice. And "No", my truck's not a dually.

Once even blew the rear tire on the suburban pulling the same trailer down a steep hill on I-70 towards LOTO. That was not a big deal either. In fact, the trailer probably acted like a sea anchor and stabilized the whole rig.

Yes, it is a steel Myco, but they use Dexter axles, like most other trailer makers do too.

I think that triples tend to sway much worse then the dual axel rigs I have towed. That includes box trailers for race cars, boats, and utility trailers.

Most utility trailers are also dual axel. Most of them are rated for WAY more then the boat you are looking at.

I had a bearing explode on mine at about 50 and it was not big deal. Just took off the tire and drove slow on the other wheel.

My 86 baja 320 is on na dual axle Myco, no issues, I was worried at first when I saw it thinking it was too heavy for it, then I figured if it was made by Myco to fit that boat then it must be safe, they are not going to make a trailer for a boat that is too heavy for it,usually a too big of boat on a small trailer is user error, not the people building the trailer.
Mine does have hydraulic brakes off the tounge, I will be going electric soon just because the hydraulics have no way to work if you start losing control, with electrics you can grab the controller to pull it straight if need be.

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