Looking at a new trailer, wondering if a rear steer axle might be worth the money,
The trailer well be a 13.6m tri-axle step frame box trailer, running on 17.5inch rims.
Just wondered if a rear steering axle would save tyre wear, reduce the risk of blow outs because of the heat and wear on small wheels. Would there be other advantages, what are the disadvantages?
On my second rear steer axle trailer, and would recommend without hesitation. Current trailer is four years old, and still has three original tyres on. I always specify BPW axles, and it is serviced every six weeks. Trailer is run on container work at 44t.
The reduction in drag going around corners is noticeably better. You will notice it more if you use a normal triaxle after using rear steer for a while. You will clip a few kerbs!
Also there is added manoeuvrability that can be really helpful in tight situations. Never known a maintenance issue with them, and if there is one negative, it is remembering at first to make sure vehicle is straight as possible when you engage reverse gear, to make sure axle locks properly.
Isn’t it a race team? Can you not just have a tandem?
The stepframe is going to add an extra layer of complication, to my mind you would struggle to see the benefit over the cost outlay.
As for cost effectiveness and return value, I couldn’t comment as I’ve never been an OD
But I will say that a company I worked for had a full fleet of Lawrence David rear steers also with liftable front axles, and imo they are the dogs dangleys, never had an issue with them they’d get in anywhere and you could feel they weren’t scrubbing compared to fixed tri’s.
As for the rear steer locking when reversing (or prior to reversing i should say) that was never an issue either, you don’t need the unit and trailer straight for it to lock you just need to make sure the steered axle wheels are straight, if they start turning when you reverse (very noticeable very quickly) just shunt forward a couple of feet and they should straighten enough to lock on the next try.
If shunting space is at a premium or you know that you have to start your reverse with a curve on then you can manually lock them before you go into the tight yard/area.
Own Account Driver:
Isn’t it a race team? Can you not just have a tandem?The stepframe is going to add an extra layer of complication, to my mind you would struggle to see the benefit over the cost outlay.
Mostly race team, but with a bit of other associated work but you’re right in theory a tandem axle would be ok, but from what I’ve seen in practice race car transporters with tandem axles on small wheels do seem to have more than their fair share of blow outs.
Most race car transporters are stepframes, because of the volume of kit and because at the circuit you can use work in the bottom deck and use the top deck as storage or vice versa. At present we use 2 artics one double deck race car transporter and one boxvan (both straight frame) to get all our cars and kit to a race, with a bit of thought we could get all this onto one stepframe trailer, saving the running and ownership costs of a second artic.
For just racing I doubt a steering axle would make much sense, but our own premises is very tight and you always see loads of tyre scrub marks when I’ve finished parking and other places I now go also seem to involves tight manoeuvres.
How much extra does a rear steer cost? Surely not much more than a couple of pairs of tyres. If you plan on keeping the trailer a fair time it would make sense to have rear steer.
I run this short flat trailer with Tridec active rear steer, it works forwards and in reverse, so no need to lock the rear axle, it also has a front lift axle and autolube
The fastest wearing tyre is the middle axle on the n/s, I know this as a new set of 6 tyres were fitted on the same day, I can only put this down to scrub due to the steering action of the rear axle on roundabouts etc
I know in 2004 I had a new montracon 33 ft flat and they wanted an extra 5k to fit the tridec system, though there are more around today so I don’t know what they now cost, back in 2004/5 SDC were building step frame trailers with a rear steer set up though I’ve not seen many around of late
Thank you for the replies, seems to be positive feedback. Considering the cost of the trailer, the extra cost of adding a steer axle wouldn’t be a major factor, and saving of damage to tyres might make it worth thinking about.
Moose is active steering the ones that work from the fifth wheel?
yes on mine there is a wedge in the back of the fifth wheel and the pin is mounted on a turntable, the rear axle is also on a turntable with a long rod connecting the two together, not had any problems yet as apart from the 2 large ball joints there’s not much to go wrong and v little that can be checked at mot !
Had the opportunity to look at a stepframe with rear steer today and they seem to use an hydraulic arrangement from the fifth wheel wedge to operate the steering rather than the normal big mechanical drag link affair. It was only with the driver not the operator so couldn’t get any info on cost or tyre savings etc.
IIRC there is a post on Tnet mentioning that Tesco were not planning to order any more active-steer trailers because the maintenance costs were becoming too high.These are worked intensively on routes and deliveries that require their manoeuvrabilty so this will not be the same for lighter use. I worked for a company which had several D/D passive-steer trailers. These suffered from problems with the steering locking pins failing to engage reliably. Once these had reached a certain age it was found that the cost of renewing the steer axle kingpins was so eye watering that the trailers were sold off and renewed, as soon as it became clear that attention to these would be necessary in the near future.
Get this company to quote you a rear-steer stepframe:
They are very experienced in the rear-steer trailer market. 
We have some tandem trailers with rear steering axle using a cable linkage from a wedge in the fifth wheel. Can’t comment on tyre wear etc, but I don’t think we’ve had any reliability or maintenance issues from the steering linkage. One point that might be significant though is that you should only couple/uncouple with the outfit in a more-or-less straight line with this sort of arrangement. That’s the instruction from the manufacturers at any rate - I suspect you might be OK coupling/uncoupling at an angle provided you coupled-up at the same angle as you uncoupled (as the wedge would be in the same position).
Reer steer is well worth it I just sold a Kelberg trl fitted with the tridec system but you need need to say up the overall cost yes tyres will last a lot longer but the initial outlay for the trl is a lot more than for a standard tri also the weight penalty if your work is weight sensative you will genraly lose around a tonne in payload
When i had an artic i used to lift the front axle (boggi ) on my trailer when i was turning a tight bend,saved lots of rubber,and i wouldnt have a trailer without backend steer,i think they are brilliant,
Chris
If you’re still looking for a trailer Muckles…
billybigrig:
If you’re still looking for a trailer Muckles…
Thanks billybigrig, I have already looked at what Marussia are selling, the problem with secondhand race transporter in general and F1 trailers in particular is they’re very much made for the needs of the team who had them built and it can be very difficult to adapt them for your own needs unless you’re starting from scratch.
The whole thing has became a bit academic now as the powers that be have changed their mind so we’re not getting a new trailer, not sure if the £300,000 price tag put them off. 
