Nyone have a homemade trailer with MH axles?

[uchytil]

I have a 17' and the MH tires are 7 x 14.5 Load Range D. Got this witha L235 Kubota I bought. The trailer has been used for years without trouble. I want to replace the tires. Anyone have any leads on a decent tire? Any feedback on this type of rig?

 

[Diamondpilot]

Lots of discusion on here about this subject. You could not give me a trailer with MH axles and in some areas they are illegal to re-use. Most of the MH axles I have seen are clearly marked "one time use".

Are you sure they are MH axles?

Also watch the tires you get. Many are not DOT approved for MH's. This will get you impounded very quickly.

Before dumping a bunch of money in it make sure its all legal. There is a guy on here now that had the same setup as you and had to upgrade axles, brakes, tires, wheels, springs, hangers, ect. He has said at this point he could have bought a new trailer cheaper.

I am in the part time trailer business and have seen it over and over.

Chris

 

[JakeBrake]

I inherited a flatbed trailer with MH wheels and girders from my FIL. He used it to haul hay out of the hayfield offroad or very short distances on backroads behind a tractor. It never had a tag. Now, it has been in the barn for several years. the tires are flat. I use it as a flat, raised surface to pile stuff on.

 

[Mickey_Fx]

Legality is clearly a local thing, not national. Mobile home axles are not a generic, one size fit all, thing.

Here's a link to a Co that specializes in buying, selling, rebuilding & parts supplier of mobile home axles.

::*Hughes Wheel & Axle, Inc.

They sell new tires and available in several different ply ratings.

Many yrs ago when I had a small haying operation I had a custom made 5th wheel trailer made using mobile home axles. Carried my tractor and 2 hay rakes. Also did duty as a hay hauler. Seem to recall I'd haul 4T hay on the trailer. Never had any problems with axles/tires while I owned it. Saw the trailer a few yrs back and still being used.

 

[uchytil]

Well, thanks so far. The guy I got the trailer from used it for 30 years hauling the L235 and 5-6 3 pt. hitch implements through different states. Not saying it's the best but he never had any problems. I'll take a better look and decide. I can always ask the State Police here in Michigan to see what they say. Anyone else with MH axles?

 

[Deere Dude]

I have a 12' trailer with tandem MH axles. I made it from an old trailer house about 35 years ago. I replaced the bed a couple times, the hitch I changed to a pintle hook and one axle last year and the u-bolts a couple years ago. The axle bent eventually because I hauled 5-6 ton of wood on it for quite a distance 3 or 4 times and the original axles weren't the best to start with. The axles were spliced in the middle to get the right width and I didn't do a very good job, but they worked for 33 years. Ya, I know, don't overload trailers but I just can't help myself.

I put on a newer MH axle with Electric brakes and load range G tires and I think I will change the other one this summer to the same. Tires are easy to find and cheap, so are the axles. I think I bought 2 axles and G tires for $300 or so. I was stopped by a State Boy for not having a license on the trailer because here it is required for over 3500#. He never said anything about MH axles. They are common in Wisconsin.:thumbsup:
I always wanted a car hauler type of trailer, but this thing keeps on tickin' for me so I'm sure I'll have it for life.
I you do buy axles make sure they have electric brakes.

 

[crazyal]

Around here you can get tires + wheels and axles from the MH dealers. They sell them cheap. The problem with mobile homes is they usually have lots of axles and when they turn they tend to roll the tires off the wheels so they put a lot of pressure in them. So they use them once, pull the axle and wheels if the customer doesn't want them and then sell them. Last time I checked it was $100 for an axle and $25 for a wheel + tire.

Some people don't like MH axles but I know several friends who have used them for decades with no problems. If you go to any of the local race tracks about half the trailers there will have MH axles under them.

 

[MillWeld]

There is a guy on here now that had the same setup as you and had to upgrade axles, brakes, tires, wheels, springs, hangers, ect. Chris

I think Chris is talking about me. I put a tandem trailer together with MH axles/tires even though I was leary of them and their legality is questionable and pinch rims are a hassle. They were cheap and that was attractive. I hauled the load limit that I had planned and all was fine - no problems. Then I noticed one of the drums had a crack and then I gave in to all my misgivings about MH axles/drums. Found a set of 5200# AL-KO axles on craigslist and bought them plus leaf springs, etc., and now am about to buy tires/wheels - lots of $. I'm committed to replacing the MH with the AL-KOs but just haven't done it yet and I am not yet convinced that is the best decision: I could not tell a bit of difference in the MH axles and the AL-KOs by appearance or weight! (I'm wondering if they were even MH axles - but they did come off a mobile home.) Anyway, they will be for sale in the coming months with four new 8 x 14.5 commercial tires and someone will get a fine set axles with almost all new innards and will have only to replace 1 drum for about $50. I think some day I will be glad I did this but I do not see it yet.
Bob

 

[Diamondpilot]

I think Chris is talking about me. I put a tandem trailer together with MH axles/tires even though I was leary of them and their legality is questionable and pinch rims are a hassle. They were cheap and that was attractive. I hauled the load limit that I had planned and all was fine - no problems. Then I noticed one of the drums had a crack and then I gave in to all my misgivings about MH axles/drums. Found a set of 5200# AL-KO axles on craigslist and bought them plus leaf springs, etc., and now am about to buy tires/wheels - lots of $. I'm committed to replacing the MH with the AL-KOs but just haven't done it yet and I am not yet convinced that is the best decision: I could not tell a bit of difference in the MH axles and the AL-KOs by appearance or weight! (I'm wondering if they were even MH axles - but they did come off a mobile home.) Anyway, they will be for sale in the coming months with four new 8 x 14.5 commercial tires and someone will get a fine set axles with almost all new innards and will have only to replace 1 drum for about $50. I think some day I will be glad I did this but I do not see it yet.
Bob

It was not you Bob but I remember your issues.

There is another guy, Iplayfarmer, I think that is going though this. His axles did not have brakes and other issues. He decided to upgrade to trailer axles and that led to tons of issues. He needed new axles which lead to new wheels and tires. The the springs would not work so they needed replaces along with spring hangers. This led to fenders in the wrong spot, and the list grew.

He is doing a good job on it but he has now realized that a new trailer would have been cheaper.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/trailers-transportation/177216-what-axle-do-i-have.html


Chris

 

[slowzuki]

I've got an equipment trailer with mh style axles but they are construction equipment axles. Its a factory built float, dexter axles, all replaceable bearings and brakes.