Ive been looking at GN flat bed trailers lately and had a thought.

Can I get a trailer with a sliding axle set like the semi-trailers have? I haven't found anyone that makes it, not even really sure it would be of benefit, but I think it would be nice to have some adjustment depending on how the trailer is loaded.

 

I think you have found a niche that could make you a million or so.

 

I doubt it... but I think the extra weight when empty (having the wheels farther back) would make a better ride. not to mention make it easier to reverse.

 

Watch...within 1 year, trailer man's will have it on GN's.

 

Is that luxury worth the extra weight needed to support and operate the sliding tandems?

 

depends on how much weight your talking...Im kinda picturing the spring mounts on a piece on channel located inside the I-beam on the frame with a pin or spring loaded pin to hold it in place.

I have also thought about a triaxle with the first two axles spring loaded and air bagged so they can be carried giving less rolling resistance.

Yes, I get bored and think about these things...

 

Years ago we used to run a sliding tandem 5th wheel trailer with a 30 ft deck. It was a homemade job.

The tandems actually slid for loading and unloading. You would pull the lock mechanism, lock the trailer brakes and back the truck up. The bogey's would stay where they are and the deck of the trailer would slide back and lower to the ground so you could load or unload whatever it was.

The bonus of the sliding bogey was you could place it anywhere along the frame just like a semi trailer.

It was a real simple arrangement construction wise. Basically the main frame rails were a large I beam down each side. The bogey was built as it's own assembly and it was attached to the main frame with what looked like a roller setup that you would see used for mounting a hoist to an overhead I beam.

The locking mechanism was just notches cut into the I beam frame rails at whatever interval you wanted. It was just and up and down lever.

I'll try and find some pics of it. It was a sweet trailer.

Jeff

 

An older gentleman I know used to have a setup like that on his tandem axle leaf sprung trailer, he was telling me about it a while back... He made it himself. I'm pretty sure he sold that trailer.