We are putting a 6,000 lb axle on our '67 Globe Trotter, removing the Load Range "C" Carlisle 205X75X15 the PO put on. After our rennovation, our Globe Trotter weighs a more. Originally, from the factory trailer weighed 3,091lb. Now loaded it weighs 3,980 lbs.
I would strongly advise against a 6000lb axle on a Globetrotter.
I firmly believe that going over the factory rating by more than about 500lbs makes Airstream trailers ride very poorly.
Too stiff an axle is as bad as a worn out axle.
If it weighs 4000lbs loaded, you will be fine with a 4000lb axle, because you can deduct the tongue weight from the axle weight. ( assuming you weight the trailer as a whole, not just the axle weight)
So theoretically, you'll have and axle only weight of about 3500lbs or so, plus 500 lbs tongue weight, give or take few.
Uwe, Too late, the axle is in. We will be weighing the trailer at our rally this weekend. With all we have loaded since the last weighing, the Globe Trotter is going to weigh more than four thousand pounds. We are also thinking of re-enforcing the frame to accomodate a bike rack for 2 bikes. We saw a Bambi at the vintage rally last year that had an additional steel run the length of the frame to carry more weight. R
Remember before you proceed with a bike carrier as you proposed, that the Airstream shell holds the frame "up".
Therefore you will increase the stresses on the shells ability to hold the frame "up", which is the big cause of rear end separation, along with lack of proper running gear balance.
Andy, what would you recommend as a reinforcement to support such a modification? (bike-rack or other weight added to the bumper/rear-end).
I've seen this description before, about the shell holding up the frame; seems to me that adding steel to the frame would actually be counter-productive. it would just add more weight, which would pull away from the shell even more. unless something around the wheel area, like those plates made for repairing the frame-sag problem would counteract such forces in the rear....
Andy,
Point taken, however let me add this. We already suffered from rear-end separation from rotton wood in the floor. While repairing the separation, we ran a 2 inch square steel re-enforcing beam under the house. Then attached bolts thru the "C" channel of the house thru this beam that is attached to insides of the main frame rails, making sort of a box end at the bumper. The Globe Trotter came to us with a spare tire carrier. I believe that's what helped the rearend separation with the tire vibrating. After our completed reapairs, the spare tire carrier was "rock solid" and didn't move. Even with this carrier at the rear, our tongue weight is 600 lbs.
What your saying, is nothing can be done to help the structural integrity of the airstream to carry anything canti-levered over the bumper, including a grey tank?
Coloradobus, just let me stick my nose in long enough to say that those stiff 10 ply tires will increase the shock impact to your GT and could result in more damage.
I 'm sure that I'll be corrected if I'm wrong, but I don't think Airstream has ever condoned tires more than 8 ply.
If the intent of using bigger and stiffer tires is to avoid blowouts, why not use solid rubber tires instead? That would be ridiculous of course, but sometimes we have to carry theories out to the extreme to understand the equation.
__________________ Rog
May you camp where wind won’t hit you, where snakes won’t bite and bears won’t git you.
Roger0525,
I won't be using Load Range "E" tires on our Globe Trotter. Load Range "D" should be fine for ours.The LR "C's" I have now are barely adequate per the chart, 1830/tire. Static weighing the GT weighs 1,990 per tire. Of course I can subtract 600 lbs hitch weight, then its 1,690 lbs. Our GT was manufactured with 9.00X15 size tires. With a more closed in wheel opening, the LR "E"'s most likely won't fit being 9 inches acrossed at the side wall and 29 inch diameter. LR "D"'s aren't much smaller. I'm suggesting that Bob Thompson above should look into them, instead of truck tires. As one of our local unit members, who blows at least 1 Marathon tire EVERY trip with his a 30ft International single slide unit. Our member has bent several hitch receievers on his Excursion so far, gave up and went Hensley for more beef.
It may prove the 6,000 lb axle I have waiting for me maybe tooo stiff for our GT, it will be a hard lesson to learn when it comes time to re-construct the GT.?????? Time will tell. I've already spent the money.-------
It's very doubtful that your wheels would take the extra rigidity from the side walls of an "E" tire. It will cause them to split.
The 6000 pound axle is spelling out considerable trouble for you.
We would suggest that you load the trailer with extra weight, and have the running gear in absolute perfect balance.
Then and only then, will you most likely get away with the heavier than necessary axle rating.
Hitch bars don't bend unless there is a problem.
The most common problem, is to have a heavy duty tow vehicle, with overload springs, and use hitch bars that are rated at 1000 or 1200 pounds.
"The weakest link then becomes the hitch bar".
All heavy duty tow vehicles, on the contrary, should use a very light weight load equalizing hitch.
The idea is to have enough strength in the torsion bars to move the tongue weight properly, AND" offer enough resiliency to allow the tongue of the trailer to bounce up and down, when you jump on the A-frame.
If there is little to no give, the the hitch bar will bend, "every time". The hitch bar being the 2 inch square metal bar that connects the platform to the ball mount.
Adding a heavier duty platform on the tow vehicle, won't stop the hitch bar from bending again.
Smaller rated torson bars, will solve the problem, "every time".
Resiliency, is the key. Your rig must have some. Some other damage, as an example, for a rig that is over hitched and coupled with a heavy duty tow vehicle, is shearing rivets on the front hold down plate.
Ok, ANDY< WE ARE NOT USING LOAD RANGE "E" tires on our Globe Trotter. I said this atop page two. We will use load range "D".I was suggesting that Bob Thompson on the first page, try them instead of "Truck tires" With our GT to weigh in over 4,000, we felt a 4K axle was not enough. So....., are we really going to do that much damage to the trailer utilizing a 6,000 lbs axle?
Is there any way we can carry 2 light weight mountain bikes on the back of Globe Trotter without teariing the back of the trailer apart? If our trailers are sooooo delicate, how did Wally take them around the world, without them falling apart during the first 100 miles across Africa?
If our trailers are sooooo delicate, how did Wally take them around the world, without them falling apart during the first 100 miles across Africa?
Apparently they did fail, regularly. I understand from watching videos and reading up on it, that frame and axle failures were commonplace during these monster caravans.
Sorry, I guess I missed that.. We have ordered this axle(6K lbs) and its now in. I need to go and pay for it and bring it home for installation. If it tears the GT up, oh well. It can't be any worse than our current original. The excitement of a new axle install surely has been deflated. Glad we have an SOB motorhome. Its not so delicate.
Rog0525. We now have a Chevy 4X4 X-tend'd diesel. I have tried to change the towcar profile with no luck. Will carry our dogs in the back of the truck for local rallies. For the International, we will use our vintage caddy(not dog friendly, a husky and schnauzer on leather seats? Not) as the tow car. We hear bikes would be nice in Springfield because of how the layout is.
Tim Fry, senior development engineer with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. in Akron, Ohio. Says: "As an estimate, in about three years roughly one-third of a tire's strength is gone, just because of the normal process of aging," Fry claimed. "We believe three to five years is the projected life of normal trailer tires."
To me, this means you should build in a 33% safety factor if you plan on keeping your tires up to 3 years.
For the record, I also read what he had to say about LT tires. I submit that there is a vast difference between tires for a Ford F-150 pickup and commercial tires used on delivery vans or Ford F350's.
If you like Carlisle tires, Google this "Carlisle blowout" and read on……….
__________________
2002 Toyota Tundra Why is it Levee's built by volunteers with sand bags hold better than Levee's built as directed by the Corps of Engineers with millions of taxpayer dollars?
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