Shipping container axles adding?

[Buzzard7]

Reading through the post reaffirms my policy of when you see someone towing a trailer on the highway today, get as far away from them as possible.

Yikes! I think I'll take your advice when I see one in the future.

 

[kpsp50]

I just used mobile home axle under mine if you want to get fancy you can use the springs and hangers

 

[mgstevens]

No idea if anyone mentioned this (tl;dr), but those who move manufactured homes and site offices use dollies. Depending on the weight, that could be anything from tandem singles to HD tri-duallies. The dolly gets bolted to the frame and a hitch gets bolted to one end and away they go.

OK, after seeing this happen twice with a 66' home, there is anything but "away they go" happening...

In any event, if this was worth it, get/make a dolly and hitch, or find someone with one to do the move. Someone suggested a roll-off truck, which would be the simplest solution unless you want a DIY solution.

 

[ArlyA]

Gee guys,. Building trailers is not a black science or theoretical.

I just used mobile home axle under mine if you want to get fancy you can use the springs and hangers

Do you have pics? We will use springs and hangers.

 

[California]

Gee guys,. Building trailers is not a black science or thoery

Do you have pics? We will use springs and hangers.

Is this for highway use, or for simply moving the container - slowly - down some back road?

 

[ArlyA]

Folks, here is some do's and don'ts for us.

Its getting axles so we can move it. It you are hoping some volunteer might come out and move it for you. That might take all summer, then its fall and it needs to go back out. I've driven rollbacks before.

It would definitely get springs, hangers, equalizers added. Trailers do need them in my book.

Adding axles to something is not a black or a theoretical science. If you follow the basic principles, it won't blow up and fly over some cliff on you.

Its not going to be tagged as a trailer for 5 miles each spring and fall. Someone posted the Maine state trailer information web site! (still laughing about that)

Won't get brakes either because we can drive 20 MPH for these two trips. Brakes would add what. another $1000?

Hope that helps

 

[K5lwq]

I personally like the idea and hope to see what you come up with. Things like springs and brakes are just options and personal preference for the intended use.

I liked the running gear idea because it would be solid when parked and no need for jacks. Also no tongue weight to worry about. But I also can back one with no issues and have pulled many configurations on the roads. I do understand the reasons why Arly would rather build it the way he wants.

 

[ArlyA]

I personally like the idea and hope to see what you come up with. Things like springs and brakes are just options and personal preference for the intended use.

I liked the running gear idea because it would be solid when parked and no need for jacks. Also no tongue weight to worry about. But I also can back one with no issues and have pulled many configurations on the roads. I do understand the reasons why Arly would rather build it the way he wants.

It will of course have tongue weight, like most trailers and no need for jacks (other than its hitch)

People who go without springs need to have larger tires with less PSI to keep from breaking or bending something.

 

[LouNY]

Well heck, back in my younger days when I was living in West Texas and running a stock car.
My trailer had a pair of MH axles, one axle did have brakes. I just used used MH tires and ran thousands of miles with that trailer and those tires one track that I ran at most weeks was 70 miles from the house. So those MH tires got a work out. For a while I was throwing threads often on those hot Texas and New Mexico roads, the carcass would still be good just throwing the threads. I tried a lot of different tire pressure then an old timer told me to just air'em up to 90 PSI I did that and quite throwing treads, the centers did wear fairly quick.
When I moved to Colorado they gave me static over the MH tires so I ended up with low boy tires they did work a bit better but not that much better. When I ended up moving back to NY I scaled that trailer and truck the trailer was right at 12,000# I shifted some loads around and ended up with 11,000# on the trailer axles.
If I was doing it all over again the only real difference would be that I wouldn't use an equilizer between the springs, I'd go with just a pair of sprung axles I ended up replacing the equalizers every couple of years.

So I'd say yes what you want to do will work fine, I wouldn't be surprised that you might end up cribbing up the front and rear depending on what all you do with it while it's parked.
Good Luck

 

[bcp]

Make a unitized axle assembly like boat trailers often use, that clamp to the frame wherever needed for balance. It can be used with several containers.

Bruce