On Thu, 03 Apr 2008 21:41:23 -0500, Ignoramus18496 wrote:
On 2008-04-04, Trevor Jones wrote:
mark wrote:

My local trailer building supply house has "high speed stub axle
assemblies" with a stub 4"long and 1/3/4"in diameter made so you can
build your own axles. I assume they are designed to go into some type
of pipe or tubing and welded in place but what kind. The u bolt spring
hangers they sell are for 2 3/8"dia . This leads me to believe maybe
2"schedule 80 pipe which is 2 3/8"OD but 1.90"ID. Is 0.015" play too
much, should they be wrapped with shimstock? There is 2 3/8"tubing
available but the ID is 1.749" so they won't fit that. The seller
(princess auto) has no idea either. Thanks

They are for welding onto square tube to make a rocking axle dual
wheel mount, or for a solid set-up, welded to the trailer frame members.
They get used on a lot of farm equipment, too.

Just buy the built axle if you are looking at a standard single wheel
axle design. You can't build a decent safe axle for what they want for
one, unless you have an exceptional scrap pile and the know-how to do it
safely (which, if you are asking....)

Can you jig up the stub axles to keep them in line? Reliably? And weld
them in place accurately?

Just askin'. Better to realistically assess the chances now, than to
spend a bunch of money, then have to do it all again for the next try.

Axles are critical and very inexpensive. Buy a Dexter or some such,
made to your spec, and be happy forever.

Go get the axle made by Dexter or another axle mfg. company, and it
will come the way you need it, including pre-assembled 7" or 8"
electric brakes and even a set of wheels and tires. The premade axles
include installation kits - all the spring saddles, springs, u-bolts,
shackles, frame saddles and brackets needed to install it safely.

There's way too much fabrication involved, and you have to get ALL
the little details right - or you will deal with failures that could
have multi-fatal consequences.

And fabricating a suspension from scratch is reinventing the wheel
and will cost you dearly in parts and time. The axle company buys all
these pieces in bulk, and you will save in the long run.

The axle tubing has to be the right steel for strength, the welds
holding the spindles on are critical and tricky, and the axle needs a
2 or 3 degree bend in the middle /at an angle/, to provide a bit of
toe-in and camber so it tracks right. They know how much to tweak it,
you would have to experiment till the trailer tracks true.

Save your effort for making the trailer frame and body.

-- Bruce --