Ultra-Tow trailer: axle placement in relation to doors

[Deepwoods]

I just put together my Ultra-Tow trailer.  It looks like the fenders will get in the way of the doors.  The fenders sit very high.  If I place the forward corners of the quarterpanels at the rear corners of the trailer, the fenders will stick up right by the doors.  How have other builders solved this problem?  Reduce the height of the fender supports?  Move the axle forward or aft?  Move the camper forward on the trailer?  Thanks for any ideas.

[smithn00]

I have a Northern Tools trailer.  I moved the axle back several inches and relocated the fender on its support bracket to solve this problem.

[Deepwoods]

Thanks, smithn00.  Can you quantify how far back you moved the axle and how much you lowered the fender.  Since you already have a working solution, I don’t want to reinvent the wheel.

[smithn00]

Exactly, I don’t remember.  That was over a year ago.  About 6″ I think.

[western_flyer]

I positioned the U brace for the springs 19 1/2 inch from the end of the trailer frame. That gives about and inch clearance for the door from the fender front edge.  With the tongue box and small vestibule I added, this put the tongue weight at around 60 pounds with the TD unloaded, which is in the 10 to 15% to the overall weight that is generally recommended.

An added note the stock fenders would rub and rattle against the TD sides. I put a strip of foam weather stripping between them and solved the problem.

Hope this helps.

[Deepwoods]

Bunks?  The Ultra-Tow trailer is 5 feet wide.  Would I be correct to assume that I won’t need to install the bunks?

[western_flyer]

Deep woods,

I cut them up and used the strips as structural supports on top of the trailer beams. I added some hard rubber strips to shim the difference between the cross members and the side rails.

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