Car Axles used for Utility Trailers

[firefighter9208]

Rob,

Yeah the second picture is of a Dynatrac in a 4WD but it's basically like a Ford 9" rear end but without the removeable pumpkin.

Chris

 

[LBrown59]

*****

You need to throw that shovel away and get a Load Handler for this trailer.

 

[tony123]

What's that? one of those roll up floor dohickies? Not a bad idea? anything to keep that shovel in the garage! Actually, I'm hoping that a FEL is in the cards this year. If so, that shovel just might get rusty.

 

[LBrown59]

What's that? one of those roll up floor dohickies? Not a bad idea? anything to keep that shovel in the garage! Actually, I'm hoping that a FEL is in the cards this year. If so, that shovel just might get rusty.

Yep .
I bought one for my little Dodge D-50 pickup .
Best 84 bucks i ever spent.

 

[scgargoyle]

I make my own axles out of car parts. I get spindles, hubs, and wheels from AMC cars at the junkyard (they're getting hard to find!). The AMC spindles bolt on. I weld a 1/2" plate onto a 2" square tube, with however much drop I desire (usually 4"), then bolt the spindles on. I've hauled a 3500# machine, plus the weight of the trailer without any problems. Bear in mind, I'm a skilled machinist and welder. If you can get the parts cheap enough, and like to make stuff, it's worthwhile. I can also make the axle to the exact length I want, instead of building the trailer around what's available. You can buy a similar axle with hubs and springs for $250 or so, so it's barely worth it unless money is an issue. In fact, it's pretty hard to build a trailer for much less than you can buy one, unless your labor is free. I like to build my own, both because I like to build stuff, and I can make it the exact size and type I want. Many commercially made trailers I look at are made of angle iron, and seem very flimsy. If you stand on one corner, they twist a lot. I use 4" channel all around. They don't move!

 

[montanaman]

I make my own axles out of car parts. I get spindles, hubs, and wheels from AMC cars at the junkyard (they're getting hard to find!). The AMC spindles bolt on. I weld a 1/2" plate onto a 2" square tube, with however much drop I desire (usually 4"), then bolt the spindles on. I've hauled a 3500# machine, plus the weight of the trailer without any problems. Bear in mind, I'm a skilled machinist and welder. If you can get the parts cheap enough, and like to make stuff, it's worthwhile. I can also make the axle to the exact length I want, instead of building the trailer around what's available. You can buy a similar axle with hubs and springs for $250 or so, so it's barely worth it unless money is an issue. In fact, it's pretty hard to build a trailer for much less than you can buy one, unless your labor is free. I like to build my own, both because I like to build stuff, and I can make it the exact size and type I want. Many commercially made trailers I look at are made of angle iron, and seem very flimsy. If you stand on one corner, they twist a lot. I use 4" channel all around. They don't move!

Another good place to find the bolt on stuff is from old four wheel drive trucks. The straight axle trucks had spindles that bolted on and the bearings were pretty large because the axle shaft had to fit through the hollow spindle. You could get them in 5, 6, or 8 bolt depending on the brand.

You can either grease the bearings and put the lock out hubs back on, or build a bolt on plate to seal the front of the rotor with a pipe plug in it and fill it with gear lube.

I've wanted to use four of these to build some nice sturdy walking beams for an off road dump trailer but my project list is already much longer than I will live to see!!

Ken

 

[jimmer2880]

.... If you stand on one corner, they twist a lot. I use 4" channel all around. They don't move!

When I made my 6.5' wide x 10' long, That's what I did. 4" C channel all the way around. 2"x2"x1/8" angle railing around the top. I also recessed all lighting for WHEN they get hit by either a gator, or a snow bank. That makes one stout trailer.

I have as much into it in materials as I could have bought one for. But, I believe I have twice the trailer. I had 2 tons of mulch on my trailer. Then, drove our MF 1020 onto the trailer while I was unloading (granted, the entire weight of the tractor wasn't on the trailer, but a good bit was)

 

[scgargoyle]

I was looking at trailers at Northern Tool yesterday. Yes, they were pretty reasonable, but FLIMSY! They had a 5X8 with no floor or sides (just a frame on wheels) for only $319, but it was made out of thin 1-1/2" angle. Some of them were already twisted out of shape. A similar trailer with a floor, made out of 3" channel, was $1300. You get what you pay for. I'll have about $400 in a 5X8 made out of 3" channel. I can also put on all the extras, such as armored lights, and wiring conduit.

 

[jimmer2880]

If I remember correctly (wich, is really a stretch)... I had close to $600 in my 6.5x10 including paint, lights, jack, coupler and junkyard trailer wheels/tires. Paint alone was $200.00

 

[scgargoyle]

That's some fancy paint! I'm more of a Rustoleum type of guy.