Tandem or Triple?
 

I'm about to pull the trigger on a new Loadmaster steel trailer for my Sonic 31SS. I'm leaning toward doing a dual 6,000lb axle trailer instead of a triple axle as I do find myself in tight situations where a tandem would be easier to maneuver. Is there any reason why a tandem trailer would be a bad idea?

on that size of boat I dont think you need the triple. That just means 6 tires to worry about and it also not going to manuever as well as tandem. I would guess your boat weighs around 8lbs youll be fine with tandem

I was told by trailer mfg. - when asking the same question-if you dont need it its a waste because when manuvering tight turns it just drags the third tire,eventually wears out.

The boat is about 8500lbs with fuel and gear. I know I'll be fine in terms of weight. But, why do new boats mostly come on triple axle trailers? There really isn't a cost difference.

Dual Axle is fine and make sure they are Dexter axles- the best.

Wannabe

I've thought this through a lot. The only advantage to a triple that I can think of is possibly being able to remove a tire and chain up one axle if you have a mechanical issue that you can't fix on the side of the interstate. Tandam would probably be my choice if I was buying a new trailer today.

The triple would possibly distribute the weight better keeping the hull straighter, 6 wheels braking in a panic situation might be nice with an 8500lb boat.

Not trying to steer you either but I have had two incidents in my life of consequence.

Once pulling my dad's boat home from connecticut. About 2am a just outside of Richmond a couple drunk college kids pulled up beside us yelling and pointing. We were running about 70 and I blew it off as drunks, but we pulled over "just in case" - one tire was completely shredded. We never even knew it!

The other we were pullling a bunch of logging mats on my father's trailer (about 12-14k lbs). Some guy in a lexus SC coupe pulls up and says "you're missing a wheel". I figured that yuppie was an idiot but we pulled over "just in case". One rim was completely missing and had torn off the lugs in the process. We never even knew it!

I like triples.....

I have a double because of all of the above cited reasons....plus the fact that 90% of my towing is local with round trips of 50 miles or less. If I towed long distances...say 300 miles each way regularly, I would go triple for the piece of mind and the extra axle security...no other reason to go triple.

I agree with Eric on the triple comments. I've completely lost a wheel on my last triple axle trailer; and had no idea until I was backing into the driveway. When the same thing happened to me on a tandem, I felt/knew it immediately. When I lost the one of the triple, it was a rear axle. When I lost the one on the tandem, it was a front axle, and immediately I had more tongue weight. The front end of my truck lifted, and I had lost some steering control/response.

That said, I've seen 35SS Sonics (33.5' boat) and 33' ATs on tandem axle trailers with 8 lug axles. Now, both of these instances were Myco aluminum trailers. No one builds a trailer as straight as Myco, period. Manning is right behind them. We also put a 33' AT on a tandem Manning as well for a customer.

2 Questions before you pull the trigger:

Do you plan to own the boat forever?
Do you ever plan on a road trip to Florida or salt?

If the answer to the first one is no, buy an aluminum trailer. You immediately multiply your resale market buyer with an Aluminum trailer.

If the answer to the second one is yes, buy an aluminum trailer; for obvious reasons.

Steel trailers are nominally stronger than welded aluminum C-channel trailers; especially for boats under 50'. There have many threads on this topic.

Would it be fair to assume that a triple with brakes on all axles would be better from a safety standpoint also?? there many +s and few -s as I see it. My 2 cents

I have no idea how much longer I'll own this boat, but probably 3 to 5 more years. It will not see salt with me. The Great Lakes are big enough! I did consider aluminum, but would like the rigidity and look of painted steel.

I originally planned on Manning because of their reputation. However, I did not get a good feeling trying to deal with them. They had an attitude like they were doing me a favor, didn't really answer my questions, and quoted me a price substantially higher than another OSO member paid for the same trailer earlier this year.

You guys got me thinking about sticking with triples, though.

I love all my previous and current trailers that are Triple axle. But your boat will work fine with Double axle IF you go with larger axles, at least 7000lb or super 7s. You will also want to make sure you have heavy duty tires. To often I see tires not even rated for what the axles are rated for.

Triples just look better and tow better.

Whats more common, a triple tossing a wheel because it's ben stressed too many times from those tight turns, or a tandem possibly ending up in the ditch when it looses a wheel?

Had same questions when I went to order mine. Decided the tandem with HD axles and wheels was the better choice for me and haven't looked back. It's not like we are discussing single axle trailers where a blow out is more likely to cause your butt cheeks to pucker.
Tight turns and maneuvering are unavoidable. Poor trailer maintenance is.

I went with a tandem with 5500lb axles. Straight elect brakes all fresh water. I have a tight turn getting in/out of my driveway, love it, stops and tows amazing.
Many 35 Fountains came from the factory with tandems.

Just an FYI, you can finish and paint and aluminum trailer just the same as steel. Myco has some great looking setups and you wouldn't know unless someone told you or you had a magnet in your pocket.

Great looking shop btw

I've read all the above, and have one question. Does it make a difference between a dual spring axle vs. dual torsion axle. Same again with triples. I have read the weight distribution is different between spring and torsion. Thoughts?

I've had both and prefer torsion; I had a leaf spring break under tow at 60 mph one time and things got really interesting for a few seconds. The whole axle cut loose on one side and ended up under the outdrive. I think torsion ride smoother as well, but my torsion axles are on a Myco and and the leaf springs were under a lesser brand, so it's probably not entirely due to the tosion. Myco rocks.

And my $0.02 to the OP - as trigger said above my 35' Fountain is tandem axle and pulls just fine. They're 7,000 lb Dexter torsion axles though. Triple axles are just more parts to fail IMHO.

My 27 was on an Eagle tandem with torsion
The 32 is on an eagle with springs

The torsions are QUIET, but the weight is constantly shifting between axles, such as the crest at the ramp.
I would lift a wheel off the ground just going over a curb. That puts the full weight of that side on the 1 remaining wheel. Trailer levelness effects weigh distribution between axles.

My spring trailer is noisier. This is when unloaded though to be fair.
Tongue height (trailer levelness) and uneven pavements do not effect weigh distribution. Both axles are always equally sharing the load. I prefer my spring trailer myself.

dexter only makes one special torsion axle approved to use in triple axle trailers. They just came out 1 year ago. That did not stop trailer manufactures from building triple axle trailers with axles that were not approved for it.

IMO torsion axles are only good for light to medium weight carrying.

Reason, when on uneven terrian it is possible for only 1 axle, or even 1 tire, to carry the weight of the entire trailer!

Thats why most heavy duty trailers have load equalizer style leaf springs

Heavy axle tandem would be my preference. It will be fine with the 10,500 gross and turn much better.
There should be no problem stopping with brakes on both axles and maintance will be less.

If the trailer is well built, load balanced and aligned properly, it should be a smooth tow.

I always try to do with the least moving parts that safely and effeciently does the job. My thought is less things means less problems also less maint and less money. You never want to skimp on towing but for your boat a either would do fine and and its your opinion.

My tandem only has breaks on one axle and stops fine.

Bought a 30' trailer for my 292 from Load Master last week.. Custom built. It will be a triple axle. Ive had way too many blow outs in my life to give up an axle even for a smaller boat. Plus we throw all the coolers for the weekend, our luggage, everything in the boat before we head out. Its a steel trailer that will be dunked in salt water maybe 5 times its whole life. Salt water will not eat a steel trailer like backing it into a vat of acid. Just rinse it really well and try not to store it where it can get salt from the wind. Rust is just a part of life! a grinder and some touch up paint will work wonders. The tough part is making sure you got all the salt out of the interior of the frame..

Nice! What are you pulling! and Where?

I have towed that trailer which is an continental with a 29 fountain with twins dry weight of boat 7k, to MICH and back which was 1200miles round trip. But Mainly tow within an hour. If I was doing long trips all the time I might consider a triple. But reall if you maintain your bearings and tires youll be fine and if you get a blow out on tandem youll get it on a triple. Although the triple is probably more likely to remain stable. And you could chain the axle up on a triple on a bind, but if thats your plan your plan you better have a jack/cum along, and two guys to lift that axle along with some good chain and plan on denting and scratching your trailer.

Anything closer to 10k dry I would definitely be in a triple or were making half day, day trips all the time.

I finally pulled the trigger this morning and ordered a tandem axle trailer. However, I upgraded to the 7K axles with 8 lugs and larger brakes for good measure. Not really worried about stopping it as I already have more truck than I need and the built-in LML Duramax exhaust brake really stops loads quickly.

I generally put about 3K miles on my trailer every year with one long trip from 750 to 1500 miles. I service the bearings and brakes every winter. I've never had a bearing or tire failure, just a whole axle failure that led to this purchase.

dont know what brakes you are talking but I have surge breaks with drums and if I had the choice Id put disk on them. Carried a hot rotor/axle all the way to mich and back and had to stop a hundred times to grease, adjust and what not. I serviced them before I left, and tore it apart in MICH, things are PITA. Probably going to look at converting them this spring to disk.

I went with EOH disc brakes. The 6K axle has 12" discs and the 7K has 13".

Once you tow with EOH, you'll never look back.

Sounds like you made a good overall decision. Thanks for updating us. Enjoy your new trailer and post pics when you get it!

You are smart to just repack your bearing from scratch every year. Pumping grease in through a bearing buddy just blows the rear seals out.

Plum,
I think you'll be very happy with your decision! I went through the same thoughts when I was deciding on a trailer for our 33 AT, which weighs a bit more than your Sonic. I went with a tandem with #7000 axles and EOH. I did go with an aluminum which I had painted. On our previous 26' Sonic, the boat came with a triple axle steel trailer. It came from the west coast, where they'll put a triple axle under a 18' boat! I really wanted to simplify things (as long as it was safe), and also have to deal with extremely tight turns to get into our driveway. Another 33' AT owner also has a tandem with good success, so I went with it. Couldn't be happier, great doing the hard cut into the driveway and has been back and forth to Florida couple of times and tows like a dream. The only thing I'ld caution you about are the "import" tires some of the trailer manufacturers use. I was concerned during the build process, and wanted to upgrade to an "American" tire. The builder didn't want to "upgrade" his tire of choice, and wasn't realistic in the upcharge for better tires, so I went with his "bullet proof" tires. Well, 2 years latter and maybe 7000 miles, I blew a tire 5 minutes out of the driveway and the tread separated like a banana peel. The steel belt whipped around and took out the aluminum fender which was welded on the trailer. Needless to say, I now have G rated tires (from Goodyear, to the tune of $340 a copy) on the trailer. They take 110 psi, and look like they're off a semi. I guess what I'm trying to say is be wary of what tires the trailer manufacturer is going to use. The Chinese junk they sold me was load rated for 3750 lb. per tire, the same as the Goodyears I replaced all them with at 3 times the cost. I was tempted to go with the LT truck tires that Myco uses, which I know people have good luck with in a tandem application, but the weight ratings aren't high enough to match the axle ratings. I know this will open the door for the "triple axle fans" to say see, you're pushing the weight capacity (which I'm not) and would have been better off with a triple. Maybe so, but I'm still happy I went the way I did. I attribute the failure to cheap tires, not a tandem. I just don't want you to experience the same possible nightmares with the "import" tires. By the way, my trailer brand starts with an M also.

Tires are a concern. When I was researching tires for my last trailer, I couldn't find any built in the USA. American companies have either gone under, sold out, or are now manufacturing in Asia. The tire size I'll be using is 235/80R16. What's best? What LT truck tires does Myco use?

I use G load Range on my 50ft Car hauler which is heavily loaded daily with no problems. One brand is Solid Trac and I will look at which other ones I have had success with. I strongly suggest the G load range tires. The cost is not that much more but will pay for itself when they last longer and do not blow out.

I have had a BAD experience with Carlie on both boat and car hauler trailers.

The Goodyears I switched over to are definitely made in the USA, they are the G614's. Not sure what LT tires Myco uses , either Goodyear or Firestone, I just wanted the higher load capacity rating.

I have a 10k lb tri-axle aluminum trailer and i am just trying to fix the weak links. Seems like this spring I got.my first taste of trailer mishaps on my trip to FL from NJ. I lost a wheel/tire like guys said they did above. The rig didnt feel any different but after pulling over it can get your nerves going. I went through checking everything as to why this would happen. Before my trip all axles were serviced and any bearings that showed excess wear I replaced. I set them perfectly, but still had some metal in my grease.

My questions to the tri-axle guys are what size wheel/tire combo are you using? Do you get excess tire roll maneuvering around ramp and parking lots? Also anyone have issues with their trailer floating at ramp?

I like being pro-active and enjoy towing, i have done trips to west coast Fl since I was a little guy and want to keep doing the same safely. I have all torsion suspension and even have the equilizer torsion hitch assembly. My truck is a 2010 GMC Sierra Denali and pulls amazing with no sense of it being controlled by the load.

Myco ships with Firestone TransForce tires now when they install E-rated tires.

Thanks for the tip. After researching the Transforce HT as a trailer tire, I decided to go with them. I couldn't find a single bad word on any RV or truck forums. I was warned, however, that truck tire sidewalls are not designed to sit for long periods of time without movement. Since I store my trailer up on jack stands over the winter, this isn't a problem.

I really only need an E-rated tire as the boat/trailer will only weigh about 11,000lbs. A G-rated tire would be way too hard and ride rough.

Around the ramps, I don't have any problem with my Tri-Axle. Doesn't float in VA, but I think typically people see taht problem in FLA.

Backing into my driveway puts some strain on my triple axle set-up but have done it 100 times with no issues. I don't love it, but it's part of the territory. I wouldn't worry unless you are one of these guys who is using a forklift or something to yank it at REALLY sharp angles.

Shiiii...
My P.O.S. Rocket aluminum trailer floated in FRESH water. I had to tie it off to the dock when I backed in; and eventually added dumbbells to it.

I flared out and widened the driveway 8' at the street so I could back in easier.
If you have a tight bend to make with the trailer semi regularly; just hit the area with a garden hose or throw a 5 gallon bucket of water out there before you make the turn.