Camper Trailer Axle Location!

[Witchdoctor Oz]

Im just about to start building a camper trailer , is there a formula used to work out the location of the axle position?

Cheers

David

[skersfan]

Normally 60/40 is the standard.

I normally figure the axle by what and where things are located. My main rule of thumb is one inch behind center for every foot of box. It will allow for excellent handling on highway or off road. Some believe you need tremendous tongue weight, but it is not true, also set it up so the front of the trailer is two inches below the rear, this will allow for less tongue weight, and still tow properly. I normally have no more than 85-100 pounds of tongue weight, makes the trailer easy to move around when needed. My trailers weigh between 2200-2500 pounds.

Besure you look at where things are going to go before you build the trailer. Water at the axle level gives you a better towing trailer and a much lower center of gravity. To the front, your tongue weight will be high, but will go down normally on the trip home, changing the characteristics of its handling. Putting water on the front, is the worst place for it I think.

[Saiyan66]

^ Yep what he said. 60% front weight bias/40% rear weight bias. Also what vehicle are you going to be towing with and how much do you expect the trailer to weigh loaded? Skersfan is right that you don't need a lot of tongue weight, and im guessing since you are in OZ that you probably don't have a huge truck. Hitch height when loaded should be a consideration. Figure out what your receiver height will be after the rear of the truck squats so you build everything to the right height as well. The less drop/rise you have at the hitch the better.

[Witchdoctor Oz]

The camper when complete ready for a trip will weigh some were between 1000 & 1300 Kg as it stands with the design now.
I had been told about the 25mm back for every 300mm but i was looking for confirmation that is what is being done in the real world.

My design is using independent suspension with air springs with a centre tube that everything hangs off.
Will post a drawing as soon as i work out how

Cheers

[Witchdoctor Oz]

side view.jpegside view.jpegThe camper when complete ready for a trip will weigh some were between 1000 & 1300 Kg as it stands with the design now.
I had been told about the 25mm back for every 300mm but i was looking for confirmation that is what is being done in the real world.

My design is using independent suspension with air springs with a centre tube that everything hangs off.
Will post a drawing as soon as i work out how

Cheers

[Saiyan66]

Depending on where your heavy items will be at, it looks a little long from hitch to axle. Might have some ground clearance problems depending on hitch height and tire size.

[skersfan]

Kinda looks like Rockman's trailer.

I agree it looks a little long from hitch to axle. Also I find it hard to believe that weight, unless all aluminum. Your tongue weight with all that upfront, and water it appears will be very high. Excessive tongue weight is not good.

High centering looks likely on the drawing, but I realize you do not run the same type of trails we do here in SoCal so it may not be a problem.

See if you could draw it up on the 1 inch to every foot and see if it changes much.

Good looking design for sure.

Bob

[Witchdoctor Oz]

The bulk of the weight will be from the two front doors back. The hitch hight is 500mm from the ground with 32 X 11.5 R15

The camper is all aluminium & it has already built & normally sits on the tray of the ute but we are upgrading to a Defender 90.
Water tank will be moved out of the main box & sit low around axle area. The drawing has been done using the 25mm/300mm for the axle location.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/foru...my+ford+camper


Cheers

[Witchdoctor Oz]

Found a formula that keeps popping up on searches on the inter-web.

The length of the load area excluding the draw bar (for me 2900mm) x .4 =(1160) measured from the furtherest rear point of the trailer to the centre of axle.

Hope this helps some.

Cheers
David

[goodtimes]

It's all about the weight - particularly, 10 - 15% of it should be on the tongue.

A nose heavy trailer is going to have the axle in a different place than an otherwise identical trailer that is tail-heavy.