flboy wrote:Loaded trailer is 3500 lbs, but only 2990 on the trailer axle and on sticker.. This gives some margin to the trailer axle. I could be wrong?
Ya... I think you could be wrong on that. GVWR would be the total weight of the trailer sitting on a scale NOT connected to the vehicle. So a 2990 tag with a 3500lb axle means no more than 2990lbs. The 3500lb axle gives the manufacturer the headroom necessary to be able to say in a courtroom "we went above and beyond"... "so, not our fault". Please let us know what your Tag says when you get yours.
Hankaye's was a 5000lb w/ Brakes and they still tagged it at 3500! This kind of tells me that even if you bought a 6x12-3500lb axled trailer from the mfg w/brakes, it would still not be tagged at 3500. It's a bit strange, but I can see the mfg's concerns again, especially with aluminum framed rigs that generally do not "bend" as much is they just want to crack and break. I've got an Aluma utility trailer rated at 2200lbs and frankly the way the tongue bounces along with cracks I have had to address already, I'm uncomfortable with anything past 1500. Sure like rolling it around the yard by hand though compared to my steelies.
The best discussions I could find on the web yesterday was personal examples of what people admit to have done. Things like the occasional 10,000 lbs on a trailer with two 3500lb axles. That's a 42% increase. And, at that increase, they indicated plenty of unease and in some cases, visible bending or,... permanent negative camber. Seems no mfg will go near making any statement on either axle safety margins OR any actual "load testing" done on their trailers.
I feel that if I have a 3500lb axle under a trailer, I can load that trailer to 3500lbs without any issues unless I have concerns about the springs they used, the coupler they used or the frame build quality. I do not regret the full gutting of my new trailer because I did get a mental note on how good the welds were. BTW, I could very easily see that there were two different people welding on each side of their frame jig... and it looked like the even less experienced got to weld the box framework. All good welds, but you could tell.
MY converted 6x12 with insulation, upholstered walls, TV, bed, cameras, Cooking, heating, bathroom, Cooler/fridge, awning, blah, blah, blah...personal gear ! etc... runs right around 2800 currently. Drop in one of the SMAX scoots and I'm up to 3125ish, 325lbs over sticker. That is why I added brakes, but they by themselves added 70lbs to the Gross weight !! You just can't be watching the weight concerns enough IMO.