What is a TAG axle?

[JWBoothe]

Wifey and I are in the market for a used trailer less than 25ft. Occasionally I see a trailer in the paper that has a TAG axle. What is it?

 

[E7mack96]

Well, it depends on who you ask. We call them Tags. They are an axle that runs in the up position when empty, and you can put it down for heavier loads. Ours have 2 airbags per side (one to hold it up, and one to control the amount of load pressure you want. ) some of my dumps have 4 of these setups in addition to the tandems and steers.

 

[bmoeller]

Also, like on a tandem axle truck, and only one axle is "live". The tag would be the one that isn't powered.

 

[BigEasy]

Also, like on a tandem axle truck, and only one axle is "live".

absolutely untrue... on a tri-axle, usually ONE axle is a tag, but on a tandem, both axles are powered... except on coaches, which use one drive and one tag...

 

[NIsaacs]

What bmoeller said was, "if" the tandem axle truck only had one live axle the other would be called a tag. He didn't say all tandem axle trucks used tags.



JW, what kind of trailer are you talking about? If you are talking about an RV type, I am not sure of the tag axle thing, I have never seen one. Maybe they are just talking about a tag along trailer as in a bumper pull, not fifth-wheel.





"NICK"

 

[JWBoothe]

Sorry guys I shouldve been more clear.



I've seen RV type bumper pull trailers in the local paper that are said to have a "tag" axle. Maybe it was a misprint I saw.

 

[bmoeller]

absolutely untrue... on a tri-axle, usually ONE axle is a tag, but on a tandem, both axles are powered... except on coaches, which use one drive and one tag...

I have driven a tri-axle dump before that was a single screw. No power divider. And yes, I am NOT counting the steer axle on the truck.



Have seen some old grain trucks setup the same way. The last one I saw had 2 airlift tags. The rearmost tag axle had duals, the front tag did not.

 

[GFritsch]

My undrstanding is that a tag axle is non-powered axle on a truck or coach. A trailer axle would not be powered and thus could not have tag axle.



Could be that "tag" has a different meaning for a trailer, but I havn't heard it before.



Greg

 

[BigEasy]

I apologize if I'm mistaken, but in 30 years I've never seen a truck that came out of a factory set up like that...

 

[Turbo Thom]

Good Lord folks, the "tag "axle would be the same as the "idler" axle. That would be the axle with no brakes. It dosen't work, just tags along. if your trailer had 2 axles with brakes on both, there would be no tag axle.



. . Preston. .

 

[E7mack96]

Every axle that comes in contact with the roadway must have brakes. If no brakes, then not allowed (disclaimer: Based on CMV laws... your laws may differ)

 

[Joe G.]

Every axle that comes in contact with the roadway must have brakes. If no brakes, then not allowed (disclaimer: Based on CMV laws... your laws may differ)

I don't think that applies to an RV trailer. Lots of them running around too small to require brakes. This thread is supposed to be about tag axles for trailers. I've seen trailers with brakes on only one axle, but didn't know that the non-braked axle was called a tag.

 

[Turbo Thom]

Now that you talk about the big trucks, I have seen an axle that is "air activated". In other words, it only is put in contact with the ground when the load dictates. Gives a dump truck a third axle That have heard that called a "tag "axle.



And Joe is right, there are many trailers on the road without brakes on every axle. E7, I think you stated a point, before you thought it through.



. . Preston. .

 

[bmoeller]

Now that you talk about the big trucks, I have seen an axle that is "air activated". In other words, it only is put in contact with the ground when the load dictates. Gives a dump truck a third axle That have heard that called a "tag "axle.

Yep. That is the air- lift tag I mentioned earlier.

And Joe is right, there are many trailers on the road without brakes on every axle.

I know a lot of older trailers were that way, depending on the weight rating. My boss had 2 old trailers that were made that way, just one now. Although, if I'm not mistaken (may be, not sure), I think all new trailers are required to have brakes on all axles.

 

[10-9jc]

Wow - good stuff

Don't see the "air lift" tag axle on the

West Coast much (if at all) -

think someone advertising their trailer

is simply using a term which to him means

"tandem" axle.



It would be great if you would call the ad you

saw with that term - and ask,

"What do you mean by - tag axle?"

Then come back and post!

JC

 

[PToombs]

The way I learned it was if the non-driven axle is in front of the driver(s), it is a tag, if it is behind, it is a pusher. They are usually air ride, with a regulator in the cab to control pressure.

My . 02 ! :-laf

 

[GWBourne]

Every axle that comes in contact with the roadway must have brakes. If no brakes, then not allowed (disclaimer: Based on CMV laws... your laws may differ)

kinda going off topic here... .



my tripple axle GN come standard like most tripple axle GN's with two braking axles and the third being a Tag or just a load supporting axle. however you like to look at it.



i see TAG most of the time refering to bumper pull trailers. a lot of bumper pulls have only one of two axles with brakes.



i ordered my GN and any other trailer i order will ALWAYS have ALLaxles as braking. even with my exhaust brake... its just extra insurance. i can use less pedal or less gain on the controller and spred the load a bit more this way.

grant

 

[Excessive Force]

The way I learned it was if the non-driven axle is in front of the driver(s), it is a tag, if it is behind, it is a pusher. They are usually air ride, with a regulator in the cab to control pressure.

My . 02 ! :-laf

Actually, it's the opposite. The pusher is in front of the drives,and the tag is in the back. Clear as mud right?? :-laf

 

[Dual EE]

I once saw a bumper pull tri axle trailer that had a single wheel up front. The guy selling it referred to it as a "tag" axle. It looked just like a aircraft wheel and tire. It was used to help support the tongue weight of the trailer.



Anyone else seen one of them?

 

[PToombs]

Actually, it's the opposite. The pusher is in front of the drives,and the tag is in the back. Clear as mud right?? :-laf

This actually makes more sense than the way I learned it! Push the front one and the rear tags! Duh! :--) :-laf