jwatso8

i was wondering if anyone has made there own lift axles. i have a ProTrak gooseneck trailer. its a over the wheel flat bed 20+5 dove tail, with 2 7000lbs axles with slipper springs. i was wanting to add a pusher type lift axle to the trailer to make it a triple axle trailer. the lift axle would be air ride. so i could lift the axle when not hauling really heavy. i was going to add a 6 or 7000lbs axle so all the wheel match. i guess my big question is can anyone tell me if the frame would support the extra weight. the main frame is 12" I-beam 14lbs hi-tensile. riser is 12" I-beam 19lbs. neck is 8" channel iron 13.75lbs.

i know it would be easier to buy a different trailer (one with 2 10000lbs axles), but this one is paided for. and i can put an extra axle on there for less than a thousand, vs. 6,500 for a new trailer. thanks.

chaikwa

I think the frame should take it ok. If I were in your position, I would be looking at the Dexter suspension before building something from scratch. They make a light duty air ride that I think will accommodate almost any axle. I'm not sure if it will lift or not, but even if it doesn't, it might be easier to modify it than to build the whole thing from the ground up.

NE frmhnd

Even if that suspension doesn't lift the axle, you can still dump the air and get the weight off it. If you went to three air-ride axles, you can pump up the center, or deflate the outer bags to make it turn easier in tight quarters.