Trailer weight limit..

onion said:

So I bought a trailer off the lady next door who's dad died a few years back. It is rated at 1990 lbs I think (not at home now). Can I increase that simply by putting a new axle and leaf springs on it? I looked and a new 3500# axle is pretty cheap at $150 or so. The structure of the trailer is in good shape and I replaced the decking.

I hardly paid anything for the trailer but it is 6x10 and seems like it would be much more useful to be able to put more than a ton of wood on it.

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I think you would need to also look at the capacity on the coupler/tounge, and does the trailer have brakes? (A cord of green wood could run 3000-4000 lbs depending on species/moisture, and that might be a bit sketchy without breaks)
Any year/make model on the trailer? Sometimes mfg's post their specs online)

Higher capacity axle wont improve the load carrying ability of the frame or toungue (hitch). If the trailer was/is designed for that load I would stick with it. Prob cost you more to strip it all down & beef it all up than another used trailer designed & built for heavier loads.

2 things to keep in mind. Is the frame strong enough? What is weight requirement that your state requires brakes?

As others have said, you can't assume the axle is the weak spot on the trailer. I could put a 10K axle under my 4x8 HF trailer, but....

Is 1990 the GVWR or the capacity it can be loaded with?? If it is how much you can load onto it, It most likely already has a 3500# axle!

New axle would probably require new tires and wheels, Probably cheaper to look for another trailer (But what do I know)

Eatonpcat said:

Is 1990 the GVWR or the capacity it can be loaded with?? If it is how much you can load onto it, It most likely already has a 3500# axle!

New axle would probably require new tires and wheels, Probably cheaper to look for another trailer (But what do I know)

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If the GVWR is < 2000 lbs, I highly *doubt* it has a 3500 lb axle...since the entire weight, including the trailer, wasn't designed to go above 2000lbs. The "G" is for gross, not net (how much can haul).

Tires may be interchangeable, but the lug pattern on the rims is probably different. This may not be the case for every example, but 1-2k axles have a lot of 4 lug patterns and 3500 have a 5 lug pattern.

Give us a picture?

What's the brand of the trailer? If was one carried by someone locally, I'd check to see if there are two versions of the same trailer, one with the heavier axle. Never know, you might get lucky, otherwise.....

Differences I have spotted at a glance with TSC/Lowes/HD trailers.

2000 Lbs

Usually a mesh deck or plywood.
Straight tubing used for tongue
4 lug 12" wheel & tire setup
Axle does not have flange necessary to add brakes
1 7/8" ball coupler usually used (although a 6x10 version might have a 2")

3000 lbs/3500lb axle

2x decking
A-frame tongue
5 lug (usually the popular 5 on 4.5" pattern)
Axle has square flange required to mount brake assemblies
2" ball coupler usually used

Most of the "box store" trailers I've seen with 3500lb axles under them are downrated to 2990 to avoid state regulations for titling and brakes.

Converting a 2000lb trailer to a 3500lb trailer would at the very least entail the axle swap complete with new wheels and tires rated to handle the load, some kind of decking upgrade, reinforcing the tongue or converting to an A-frame design (easy but $$ and a trip to the welder's if you aren't able to DIY) unless the tube used is very thick walled. Then there is the re-registering and titling as a "homemade" trailer if you really want to make it legit. Should you get stopped by DOT (unlikely for homeowners with single axle utility trailers but....) they will go by the nameplate specs unless you have proper documentation to show otherwise.

Most states require the trailer to have it's own brakes for GVWR's of 3000 lbs+ so if you really want to legally use all of that 3500lb axle rating then you'll need new backing/brake assemblies, drums with integrated hubs, possibly new wheel bearings and seals, upgrading to a 6 or 7-way plug, and installing/wiring a brake controller in your vehicle.

Selling the 2K and upgrading is starting to look real attractive eh?

I'll bet you could put an 3500# axle, add appropriate gross weight tires, beef the tongue (and probably the jack too) and be OK. I google mapped Bethel and that is not the hilliest part of the world but I would still want brakes. I think that will set you back another $200. FWIW I paid ~ $1500 for my tandem axle landscape trailer with brakes.

MM's post pretty much says it all. Most states require brakes at 3000 lbs. It could very well be a 3500 lb axle, minus brakes. How many lugs?

You may find that moving a tom in a day is enough! (Unless you have extra help) Guys around here with one of those epa things there happy with a ton.

onion said:

Ohio requires brakes for an empty trailer weight of 2k lbs. I got it weighed before registering it and it weighs right around 1000 lbs empty.. Thinking about it I am pretty sure I was wrong initially and the plate says 2990 not 1990. 1990 would be ridiculous, I could only just get my mower on it at that weight.. I'll have to dig up the paperwork the lady gave me on it.

It has an A frame tongue with a 2" hitch and the structure of the deck is 3" angle. Decking is 2x6 lumber. Getting the steel beefed up wouldn't be a problem if I wanted to, my brother runs a welding shop. It is definitely solidly built, not like some of the ones I've seen at TSC. If I remember Ill get some pics of it tonight.

I only paid the lady $300 and then another $50 for lumber and $10 for spray paint so I'm not into it for much. I cut her 5 acres for her and she gave me a generator and knocked a few hundred off what she wanted for the trailer. She also has an old woodstove in one of her sheds she said I could have lol.

The trailer was made by International Machinery (Bethel, Oh) which was a local place right down the street. It is closed now, in fact it is ground zero for the infestation of Asian Longhorned Beetles which is terrorizing the township I live in. Right now the place is the marshalling yard where the government is running their tub grinder shredding all the trees they are cutting down.

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onion said:

I've towed boat and trailer combos upwards of 5000 lbs with the same truck and only surge brakes (which we added ourselves) and had no problems going to Lake Cumberland and Norris over the mountains. I don't plan on hauling wood over any mountains so I'm not too worried about electronic brakes, I may add surge brakes if I change things on the trailer.

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Sounds like there should already be a 3500 lb axle under it. Especially if the GVWR is 2990. Should be just a tad over $200 to add the elec. brakes (surge will be more $$ and less effective) to the trailer plus the wiring and a controller in the tow vehicle if you don't already have one. If it's a newer truck with a trailering package, then adding the controller is plug & play easy.

Here's a good place to look for trailer parts.

http://www.etrailer.com - Free shipping once you make $150 on the order.

etrailer.com is the bomb for trailer stuff of all kinds. Ive done business with them a bunch of times and I've always been very pleased. Rick

fossil said:

etrailer.com is the bomb for trailer stuff of all kinds. Ive done business with them a bunch of times and I've always been very pleased. Rick

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Just did new brakes, hubs/drums and bearings on my shop trailer. Tomorrow is the re-wire and LED lighting conversion. All possible thanks to etrailer.com