Need project advice

[Reyer Farms]

A thought is weld your spindle into a hole on a piece of channel iron. This will allow you get good welds, easier to square, in the event they need to be replaced the channel can be clipped of cleaner than the rod or pipe. First class would be a sch 80 pipe welded to channel. Spindle pins in pipe for easy repair. Looking forward to your progress!

 

[BHD]

take a plate and drill holes in it, to match a rim, or take a rim center, put some spacers, so you can get behind it to fasten nuts to it, and bolt on some hubs, and let the spindles stick out, and attach your hitch to the spindles,


basically making a reverse wheel if needed you can service it,

 

[Ruark]

OK, different approach. Forget running a pipe through the tank. Here's a picture of something that might work. All welds would be done with 1/8" 7018AC stick, which I'm fairly good with and is my standard go-to rod around the farm.

Weld a short length (say 3 inches) of 3 inch pipe (maybe just plain oilfield-type pipe) on each end.

Weld a short length of a slightly smaller pipe onto the frame. This goes inside of the pipe welded to the end of the tank. Keep a good glob of grease inside there.

Wouldn't this work? I'm open to advice on specifics, e.g. - should the frame pipe be inside the tank pipe, as in the drawing, or outside? Would 3" and 3 1/2" be good enough, or should it be larger or smaller? What about the frame? I'm thinking something like 3 inch square tubing. In any case, this would be a helluva lot easier and cheaper than messing with spindles, or running rod through the tank and using pillow bearings.

 

[r8nger]

I recently returned to a project I've been working on: converting a 250 gallon propane tank to a pasture roller.

The tank is empty, and all the fittings ground off and covered with 1/8" plate. The water fill/drain plug has been installed.

The next step is some kind of axle. The most obvious way is to drill a 2" hole in each end and run a 2" round bar through it. Then weld each end where the bar comes out of the hole, to make it solid and so the water won't leak out. Then build the frame around it, using pillow bearings on the round bar.

Thing is, that's a pretty expensive and somewhat "fancy" way to build it. That 2" steel bar alone will run $100 - $200. I've thought about welding the head of a 1" bolt to the end, but I'm afraid that would break off under the strain of pulling a 3,000 pound roller over uneven ground.

Any creative types have a better way to do this?

Could always use hollow pipe thru the middle, and use shorter pieced of bar on each end, plug welded into the tube , that will help lower the cost

 

[SPIKER]

The biggest problem is ANYTHING welded to the ends of the tank are depending on the ends of the tank to become structural to the dragging & banging and rotating off center forces. Something that will quickly fatigue metal is not done correctly. Most manufactures do it with a Thru Rod that supports both sides and center of the roller. The forces become mostly shear rather than offset bending motions.

the drawing above has a frame all around the tank which is done with a thru rod is not required only a "A" frame with the back open.

You can buy "Stub Axles" at most TSC or Trailer Stores (here Carry-On Trailer Spindle Kit, 1-3/8 in. - 0175203 | Tractor Supply Company ) and weld them into a HW Pipe that is THRU the roller. Install either flat 4 bolt flange bearings to the axle size or go with 5 bolt hub like this ( Carry-On Trailer™ 5-Bolt Hub Assembly Kit, 1750 lbs. - 0175009 | Tractor Supply Company ) attached (revers) to the A-Frame hanger that is pulling the unit.

Then have FUN...

 

[Ruark]

Could always use hollow pipe thru the middle, and use shorter pieced of bar on each end, plug welded into the tube , that will help lower the cost

That's looking like a better and better option. Put 3" holes through each end, run hollow pipe through it and weld in place. Then the frame can have inserts like in the drawing.