Cargo trailer suggestions

[kd4hvz]

[quote pid='31612' dateline='1536076097']
I'm sure everyone would agree; by simple observation the #1 breakdown you drive by is a flat tire.
[/quote]

I have made the same observation so bought a new tire, hand pump, lug wrench, and Jack to keep in the trailer.  I didn't want to bank on the tow vehicle having what I needed.

[TrainChaser]

I was going up to Olympia yesterday with my sister, and she had a flat on her Ford Focus -- the first, ever. She's never changed a tire, but I have. She opens the trunk and we get the stuff out. One of the 'things' is a thin, little toy jack. I've never seen such a wimpy little piece of junk. One thing I'm not familiar with is where to put the jack on modern cars (the last time I changed a tire was on a '72 Ford Van, sometime back in the last century). I pull out the tire and then find a couple of rocks to chock the wheels, and loosen all the lug nuts. I'm looking in the manual where to put the jack, when a younger man stops and takes over. He did it quickly and easily, and refused any payment. I told him that we would try to pass the favor along, and he said that would work. I'm glad that there are still a few gentlemen around. I don't get up and down as fast as I used to.

[Snikwahjm]

In the last century I had a flat tire and I did know how to change it. My daughter and I changed it. Just as we finished it a couple men stopped to help. We told them we almost had it. Then we watched as we lowered it down. The spare was flat.... but we did manage to change a tire.

[Matlock]

One of the many things in this life I didn't really notice until I owned one (or about to) is the number of trailers stopped at the side of the road with a flat tire. The times I have paid attention usually involved pieces of rubber strewn across the road accompanied by wiggly skid marks. Lately quite a few trailers and a couple campers in various stages of tire repair or they dropped it and went looking for something that would hold air.

Oh joy, I can hardly wait until that's me..... so who makes a battery operated impact with 600 inch lbs of unscrewing torque, or whatever ?

[MN C Van]

an impact wrench like that would ensure that you never get a flat tire!

One of the reasons tires come apart, to my understanding, is that the length between the tandems is so short it puts extreme forces upon the tire in shorp turns and causes belts to fracture. That is why some are going from 16 in tires to 17.5 wide base commercial tires.

[MN C Van]

the roof of my the roof of my van is curved. I simply mounted the solar panels with spacers, or standoffs. That way you don't need to have the roof racks sticking up.

[tx2sturgis]

One of the many things in this life I didn't really notice until I owned one (or about to) is the number of trailers stopped at the side of the road with a flat tire. The times I have paid attention usually involved pieces of rubber strewn across the road accompanied by wiggly skid marks. Lately quite a few trailers and a couple campers in various stages of tire repair or they dropped it and went looking for something that would hold air.

Oh joy, I can hardly wait until that's me..... so who makes a battery operated impact with 600 inch lbs of unscrewing torque, or whatever ?

Most of those are due to lack of tire checking and inspections, and/or low inflation for the load they are carrying. 

Make sure they are at rated pressure (or just below that if your loads are always light). Then check the tires whenever you start or stop driving, such as at fuel stops or before a trip. You can gauge them, or kick them, or bump them with a tire buddy or ball-peen hammer. If one is low, it will sound different than the rest.  

After a long highway drive, when you stop to get gas or stretch your legs, bump them and put your hand on each tire. They should feel warm but NOT hot (unless you are driving thru a very hot climate and on very hot pavement). Also, feel the hubs to make sure they are not hot. Warm is good, hot is not (unless you just desended a steep grade and the brakes are hot). This will take all of about 30 seconds. 

BTW, a 4-way lug wrench, (common lug nut size on these trailers is 13/16") a 4-ton bottle jack, and short piece of 2x6 lumber will make tire changes on a trailer actually quick and easy.

[TrainChaser]

Matlock: "... so who makes a battery operated impact with 600 inch lbs of unscrewing torque, or whatever ?"

Whenever I've had tire work done, I insist that the guys NOT use the impact wrench for the last bit of tightening. I've been stuck by the road when some of those lazy fools have done that. A guy stopped to help on one of those; he was built like King Kong, and HE had trouble getting the lug nuts loose.

[Roadtripp]

Good thread to bump up on cargo trailers:
 I got a 6x12 Lark in Florida a little over 3 years ago. It was a 2015 so only slightly over a year old. It was in great condition so I was tickled to buy it for $1600. However it is single axle and has no brakes. But it’s such an asset. I use the solar energy system a lot and great to have a locking space for things out of the weather. 
 I drove maybe 30K miles with it and it was fine. I’ve repacked the bearings and replaced the tires. I will say it seems trailer tires don’t last long. Then I didn’t see a deep pothole. The van missed it but one trailer wheel hit it. The leaf spring broke and the trailer frame was dented where the axle hit it. I made it to a city to buy a leaf spring then went out to my mining claim to camp and work on it. I’m glad I bought two Springs because the other one failed months later. If it was a tandem axle I don’t think the springs would have broke or the frame dented? What do you think?. 
 I’ve been wanting to reinforce the trailer frame, add a second axle, raise it higher, and add brakes in one big project but it keeps getting postponed. It’s a big project but I like the trailer well enough and have a lot invested in the solar and cabinets. Now I can’t find the Florida title and need it to get new tags. Best laid plans of mice and men. 
 But I really like a 6x12 trailer. It’s a nice size imho. Oh and it stays surprisingly cool with bright white paint and the solar panels. No windows helps with temperature.

[Everyroadleadshome]

Good bump on this thread Roadtripp. If you have 30k under your belt towing, your trailer is doing great and you're a seasoned pro with one now!

I've only had one trailer flat all my years towing, but I see many on the side of the road with a perplexed owner staring away at it. I prefer double axle trailers because they handle better and in the event of a blowout you still have 3 tires on the pavement and a less drastic outcome is likely to occur. I also run Load E trailer tires which are rated for a bit more weight. You can also tow on three tires if needed to get out of a tight spot or to get to a repair place. I always always always carry a spare tire and jack with me if towing.

I'm not sure if you would have had a spring break or a blow out hitting that pothole with your set up. Depends what tire was on it, what condition it was in and how much weight is in your trailer I suppose. With a single axle trailer all the weight of it and it's contents funnels down the the axle and ultimately the two tires so I'm guessing it played a role vs four tires on a double axle trailer or vehicles.