tandem axle or single?

[short stuff]

Thankyou all for the replies. It looks like the tandem is the way we are going to go. We are looking forward to moving on this soon. Again thankyou all very much it is really nice to have this forum to use.
Happy Travels to you all.

[Airwave503]

Sounds like you've made up your mind. I've never had a tandem axle, but here's what I like about single with my '61 22' Spaceliner.

1. Cheaper, less weight.
2. I've heard the back tires with a tandem take a beating from road debris ejecting off the front tires.
3. Easier to level side to side

[dgsteele]

Originally Posted by short stuff

We currently have a 16 ft Bambi and are going to upgrade to either a 2020 23' Flying Cloud or a 22 Caravel. We just need a bigger bed. My Tow vehicle is a 2020 Tundra Crew max. I've never towed anything this large a just am wondering the advantages to either the single axle or tandem. I do plan on putting on the Dexter lift to either since I have it on my current unit and like the additional clearance. Thanks for the input.

23ft. Safer and more stable at higher speeds. You’ll appreciate the space and storage. Walk around queen bed.

[jcanavera]

While I don't know the weight difference between the 23' trailer and the 22' unit, you usually will find that the tandem axle trailer's load on each wheel may be heaver on the single axle trailer than the load on the tandem axle's wheels.

A good example was that my 30' Classic slide out with tandem axles, carried more weight per tire (2,432 lbs), than the triple axle 34' Classic with slide (1,750 lbs), built in the same model year. So typically distributing the weight over 4 tires will mean less load per tire than a single axle unit.

Looking at the specs on a 22 ft Caravel you will carry about 2,100 lbs per tire. The 23' Flying Cloud will be carrying about 1,500 lbs per tire. Both trailers use the same sized tires.

Jack

[safaridave]

I faced this same decision a number of years ago. We had a classic 50's Streamline 27 footer with tandem axles and loved it. As we began doing more and more boondocking, the size of the trailer became a problem getting into some of the more remote places we visited. After much research and searching, we found a 1968 22 foot Safari with a single axle.
I immediately installed 16" wheels with Michelin heavy duty truck radials and have never had any tire problems whatsoever. With the single axle, the trailer is much more maneuverable in tight places and is light enough to be easily towed by our Grand Cherokee. Sometimes the places you want to go will make choosing a single axle over a tandem one the best choice.

[short stuff]

I love the forum for this reason......just great advise from people who care.
Thankyou all very much my wife and I have read all the input and will order the 23ft tandem axle.

[One Smith]

We have same truck, 2020 23FC FB, queen bed. Traded 2 month old 2020 19ft. Caravel for the same reason...more sace and more bed. 2 week trip in 19 was ok, but LOVE the 2 axles for more capacity, less hitch weight because 2 axles. Don't think twice, just get tandems.

[Silver.Sanctuary]

Originally Posted by BigSxyWhtGuy

Tandem usually indicates a heavier trailer. As long as your TV isn’t maxed out on payload and towing weight, I say tandem as well. GL

Tandem. By the way, your tundra won't have any problem with either a 22 or 23 foot trailer. I have a 22 foot Safari (two axles) and my Tundra doesn't even know it is back there. Some have criticized the Tundra's brakes, but with four electrical brakes, I have never had an issue, even going down steep grades.

The decision on which trailer you get should be one of which you like better.
A few years ago (don't know about now) Airstream offered a 22 foot (single axle) and a 23 foot double. The interiors were similar, but not the same. The 23 foot had a problem with refrigerator access when the table was set up... I really preferred the 22 foot interior, even though I wanted double axles.

I solved the problem by finding a used Safari 22 with two axles, rock guards, patio light, step light and a few more bells and whistles. Airstream had left the rock guards off to save money (of course they were $500 each if you ordered them plus the "ordering fee" for not getting a stock unit.

Just saying...

[AlbertF]

We have a 22FB that replaced a mid-70s 27 foot tandem axle. I haven’t noticed any appreciable difference in towing stability. I’m happy with it. Hitch set up is a larger factor for me than an extra axle.

The OP mentioned wanting a bigger bed. That deserves a comment. Here are my observations.

The 16 has a 48x75” bed - what old friends in the furniture business called a three-quarter. It is not a true double. The 22 has a true double - 54x75 or maybe 78” long. The 23CB has the same 3/4 size bed as the 16. The nicest bed is in the 23FB which has a typical RV short queen (60x75 rather than 60x80) up front.

I find a double is as comfortable as a queen if it’s against a wall. Logically, a 3/4 will feel like a double when it’s against a wall. That’s probably why Airstream has done 3/4 beds for decades - when they started doing this most people were still sleeping in double beds at home, not queens. However, somebody still has to do the crawl over to get to the bathroom.

The advantage of the 23 FB is the ability to access the bed from the end. No, you can’t walk along the front wall. That’s a bit of an illusion on the floor plans.