# Air ride trailer recommendations



## BMAC (Jun 23, 2009)

Is your 9100 single rear axle?


----------



## dtp (Jun 4, 2013)

It is a single rear


----------



## BMAC (Jun 23, 2009)

65 foot max length. My bees always do fine on my spring gooseneck, but am told air ride all the way. Personally i would go with air brakes. Appalacian trailers does pintle with air or electric. Not sure if they do air ride. I dont have any thoughts on steer axle for trailers. You might look at drop rear axle for truck. I have heard you can have one installed for under 5k.


----------



## goldenmeadowhoney (Apr 14, 2009)

dtp, We have the setup you are thinking about. 2005 Freightliner with 24ft flatbed with a tag axle that we drop when loaded. gvw of truck on door jamb is 51,000 lbs but legally you can only put 34,000 on the rears 11k on drive. we pull a heavy 24ft steel spread axle trailer with air susp. and brakes. Bought this setup from a beekeeper. Our problem is the front axle on the trailer that will wear tires down. the trailer is old and is probably out of alignment, but we are now looking into a new trailer 26ft long single axle in rear attached to a converter dolly so we don not have the tongue weight that over loads our drive axles. the height of the dolly is 47inches unloaded so the deck would still be rather high. I will be calling a dolly man. this week on getting a custom made one to drop that height. changing to 255/70 22.5 lp tires will bring it down another 3inches. i am concerned about being top heavy and the handling of the trailer. Our current set up hauls 384 colonies on 4-ways stacked 3 high. Loaded weight is in the 60-70k range. truck has a 330hp mercedes that drops to 30 mph in the hills but cruises at 70mph on the flats. This project is a work in progress so if anyone has more info in the setup please chime in

Thanks
Andy


----------



## Nick Noyes (Apr 28, 2005)

We run a 24' Western air ride pull trailer with a 3' extension. They are made in Boise , Idaho I may know were there is a used one for sale if your intersted.


----------



## goldenmeadowhoney (Apr 14, 2009)

Nick, can your tell me about your trailer and how it rides, is it a spread axle? tire size? My spread axle has seen many lives and needs replacing. any info on the one for sale would be helpful

Thanks
Andy Reseska
Boston Honey Co.


----------



## goldenmeadowhoney (Apr 14, 2009)

Nick, Did you have your trailer custom made? just looked at western trailers website.


----------



## Clev (Oct 24, 2020)

dtp said:


> I am looking at a future trailer purchase to haul bees south. I would pull this trailer with an international 9100 that was converted into a straight truck with an 18 ft flatbed. I have the air hookups already in place.
> 
> What style of trailer would you recommend? I do want it to have air brakes and air ride. And be approx 25ft in length. I was considering a trailer with a steerable axle so I wouldn't have any tongue weight. (The con being that it wouldn't be easy to maneuver if I need to backup at all). The other option is an equipment trailer with spread tandem axles to help eliminate some tongue weight. I have had a difficult time locating a used trailer of either style. What do you guys recommend? Thank you.


I would suggest locate a dual wheeled dolly, jiff lock. As used by the major freight haulers pulling doubles. Fruehauf or Strict trailers used to build them. 28ft air brake/air ride trailers are common place. If you can increase the length desired.


----------



## JWPalmer (May 1, 2017)

Six year-old thread. I hope dtp is not still weighing his or her options.


----------



## Clev (Oct 24, 2020)

My bad! Just joined the group 
and stumbled across the thread.


----------



## JWPalmer (May 1, 2017)

No problem. Old threads get reactivated all the time. Welcome to the group and I hope you continue to join in the discussions.


----------

