I have a 32" travel trailer toy hauler I haul a 4 seater rzr in the back, fuel station and 2 fresh water tanks all basically behind the axles, are first trip the thing about rolled over so I bought the Reese load bars for it and it got 80% better but on the way to the destination it's all over the lane hard to keep between the lines. On the way home I drain the water and it's about 90% but you still need a two hand grip on the steering wheel. Now I'm not trading it in on a fifth wheel because it's paid for I'll add a 3rd axle and make it fifth wheel before I do that. Don't tell me it can't be done I'm a very skilled fabricator. I cut the first 8' off the front last year and rebuilt everything I would post up some photos if someone would tell me how. Now would I be better putting the 3rd axle behind the 2 or in front. I'm thinking behind but the two now are 2' off center to the rear and I would think with the 3rd axle behind them it would be a lot of tongue weight. Lastly I'll probably be converting it to a gooseneck this summer so it will track better. My total weight truck and trailer is in the ballpark of 25,000+ that's a lot to spread out over 4 axles.

It's all over the road because you don't have enough tongue weight, so add the axle behind the other two. My guess is you are going to kill the resale value of camper though.

You need to get it on the scales and see where the weight actually is.Your problems could be too little OR too much tongue weight. Too little and the back of the trailer is wagging the truck. Too much and it is making the front end of the truck too light causing lack of control. (The more probable synario is too little tongue weight)Once you know (for sure) where the excess weight is put the axle on that side of the others.

I remember reading about a guy who had added a 3rd axle to his 5th wheel, so it can be done. It looked pretty normal when he was done. I would think the axle behind the other two would be the way to go. That would help support the weight of the load behind the axles. It would be good to know what you meant when you said "I cut the first 8' off the front last year and rebuilt everything". Were you repairing the unit or remodeling? And yeah, you really need to get it weighed so you know what the numbers are.

If you cut 8" off the front you took all that weight off the tongue.

Being a fabricator doesn't necessarily mean you know how to properly add a third axel if it can be done safely at all.

Adding a 3rd axle | Good Sam Community

Sprink-Fitter
Explorer
May 07, 2017
It's all over the road because you don't have enough tongue weight, so add the axle behind the other two. My guess is you are going to kill the resale value of camper though.
momentum_rv
Explorer
May 07, 2017
You need to get it on the scales and see where the weight actually is.

Your problems could be too little OR too much tongue weight. Too little and the back of the trailer is wagging the truck. Too much and it is making the front end of the truck too light causing lack of control. (The more probable synario is too little tongue weight)

Once you know (for sure) where the excess weight is put the axle on that side of the others.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
May 07, 2017
I remember reading about a guy who had added a 3rd axle to his 5th wheel, so it can be done. It looked pretty normal when he was done.

I would think the axle behind the other two would be the way to go. That would help support the weight of the load behind the axles. It would be good to know what you meant when you said "I cut the first 8' off the front last year and rebuilt everything". Were you repairing the unit or remodeling?

And yeah, you really need to get it weighed so you know what the numbers are.
Tyler0215
Explorer
May 07, 2017
If you cut 8" off the front you took all that weight off the tongue.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
May 07, 2017
Being a fabricator doesn't necessarily mean you know how to properly add a third axel if it can be done safely at all.
Wild_Card
Explorer
May 07, 2017
You want to add the 3rd axel to the rear. Or move your existing axels back a foot ot so. Neither is rocket science for a skilled fabricator.

I was goimg to do just this on my last rig for the same problems bit had so many other problems I traded in on 5th wheel
Trxracing
Explorer
May 08, 2017
It's a pretty simple operation to add a 3rd axle and buy new wheel opening moldings and it would look factory.
I cut the front off and rebuild it due to water damage I purchased it from a insurance company so I'm not worried about resale.
I would say it has very little tongue weight I'm hauling it with a 97 f350 single wheel and it doesn't hardly squat when I set it on there.
Trxracing
Explorer
May 08, 2017
Just doing some thinking if I would change the front over to a gooseneck design the tongue weight would increase significantly and the 3rd axle would help even the load.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
May 09, 2017
"It's a pretty simple operation to add a 3rd axle..."

Simple to add...and engineer? Simple to determine how adding a third axel affects pin weight? Load affects original two axels?
Sprink-Fitter
Explorer
May 09, 2017
Tyler0215 wrote:
If you cut 8" off the front you took all that weight off the tongue.

I doubt 8 inches would make a difference.

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