What Is The Difference Between Single Axle & Tandem Trailers?

 

Trailers are investment purchases, so it’s important that you get the right one for your needs, wants and budget. With that in mind, here’s a quick guide to single-axle trailers and tandem trailers.

A single-axle trailer has one axle. This holds two wheels, one at each side. Single-axle trailers can have a braking system but many do not. Most single-axle trailers are manufactured in one of four main sizes. These are:

• 6×4 trailer
• 7×4 trailer
• 7×5 trailer
• 8×5 trailer

A tandem trailer has two axles. Each axle has two wheels, one on each side. This means that a tandem trailer has a total of four wheels. Tandem trailers always have a braking system. 

Both single-axle trailers and tandem trailers can be used with or without a trailer cage.

Single-Axle Trailer Benefits

Here are the key benefits of a single-axle box trailer as compared to a tandem trailer.

1. They are lighter and smaller.
2. They are more maneuverable. In particular, they’re easier to reverse and park.
3. They can be easily towed by regular cars.
4. They can be moved by hand (when empty)
5. They are more affordable.
6. They are more fuel-efficient.

 

Tandem (Dual Axle) Trailer Benefits

Here are the key benefits of a tandem trailer as compared to a single-axle box trailer.

1. They can cope with much heavier loads.
2. They are able to handle rougher roads.
3. They are more durable and robust.
4. They provide a smoother ride.
5. They are more stable and less likely to sway or overturn.
6. They can handle burst tyres better.

 

Choosing between single-axle and tandem trailers

If you’re choosing between single-axle and tandem trailers, here are the five key points you need to consider.

 

What size loads are you carrying?

Regular single-axle box trailers can generally cope comfortably with loads of up to 500KG. You can usually upgrade single-axle box trailers to the tandem trailer which has 2000KG ATM. However, once you go over 2 tons, a tandem trailer is your only option. Tandem trailers (with the right features) can handle loads up to 3.5 tonnes.

 

How often do you plan to use the trailer?

Every time you use your trailer, you’ll be subjecting it to wear and tear. Single-axle trailers generally show the effects of this quicker than tandem trailers. This is because a single-axle box trailer has one set of wheels (tyres, bearings and possibly brakes) sharing the work. A tandem-trailer, by contrast, has two.  

This means that single-axle trailers will generally need their parts replaced more frequently than tandem trailers. If you’re only using your trailer infrequently, this is unlikely to be an issue. If, however, you’re using it regularly, then it could become a major inconvenience. With that said, the overall running costs of single-axle trailers tend to be slightly lower.

 

What type of towing vehicle do you have?

If your towing vehicle is a regular family car, then it usually makes sense just to buy a single-axle trailer. This is because you’re only going to be able to tow fairly small loads anyway.  

If you have a more robust towing vehicle, then it could make sense to pay the extra for a tandem trailer. This will give you more flexibility in how much you can carry.

 

What kind of roads will you be driving on?

If you choose a single-axle trailer then you’ll need to stick to roads that are in good condition. Single-axle trailers are simply too light to handle rough terrain. In particular, burst tyres are a major safety hazard on single-axle trailers. For completeness, they aren’t good news on tandem trailers either but they don’t necessarily mean total disaster.

You’ll also need to be careful to drive on fairly quiet roads. If people overtake you at speed then a single-axle trailer can easily be destabilized. In fact, it could even tip over. Tandem trailers are much more likely to keep all their four wheels on the ground. Also, tandem trailers always have brakes whereas many single-axle trailers don’t.

 

What is your level of skill and experience?

If you’re new to driving trailers, then you’re likely to find a single-axle trailer a lot easier to handle than a tandem trailer. To begin with, you can actually maneuver it by hand when it’s empty. In fact, if you’re using it for smaller loads you may be able to maneuver it by hand when it’s full. Even if you need a bit of help with this, it can be a lot simpler than maneuvering tandem trailers.

On the other hand, if you need the extra capability of a tandem trailer, you should still go ahead and buy one. Just be prepared to put in a bit of extra work to get the most out of it.