Off Topic- Trailer fender to tire clearance.

[ozarkhippie]

I'm putting new fenders on a tandem axle car trailer that I have rebuilt and need to know how much clearance I should have from the top or the tire to the fender. If I measure from the axle to where it would bottom out (3 to 4 inches) and then use that for the clearance it looks like too much, I am wanting to keep them a low as poss. for opening doors ect. Anyone care to measure thier trailer or ideal.

[O'l Buck]

I don't have a trailer handy to measure, but it seems like the ones on my father in law's trailer are about 2" from the top of the tires. I just went out and looked at my boat trailer, it's got about 4" to the stops and about 4" between the tires and the fenders.

[kingparts]

I had two tires blow out on me at the same time on a sunday night at 10 pm. The problem I had was the clearance between the tire and the frame. It seemed that the road was in not to good of shape and my trailer was loaded and the tires rubbed on the frame of the trailer. Ripped my fender off too. There must be a certain frequency on changing the tires, is there?
David

[ozarkhippie]

Thanks for measuring, Ol Buck. I mounted them a little lower than the distance from the axle to the frame. I think with the equalizers and being a tandem it won't bottom to the frame. I doubt I will have a load that heavy on it. I made my own fenders out of 1/4 inch thick flat iron. This trailer will have to work until I can get a gooseneck like I really want.

[GMC Jim]

WOW!!!! ozark...those 1/4 thick fenders must weigh a ton !!!! I have used 16 guage metal ( approx 1/16 inch thick) and work just fine.....similar thickness for commercial fenders....

[ozarkhippie]

They weigh around 60 to 70 # each. I wanted them heavy because I'm always hauling wierd stuff like pipe, logs and such, and also if I haul a 4x4 especialy with big tires it will roll over them instead of smashing them flat like most original fenders do.