View Single Post
  #14   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
mark mark is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 80
Default building trailer axles

On Apr 4, 1:21*pm, clare at snyder dot ontario dot canada wrote:
On Fri, 4 Apr 2008 05:16:24 -0700 (PDT), mark
wrote:





On Apr 4, 3:21*am, Bruce L. Bergman
wrote:
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 --- Hide quoted text -


- Show quoted text -


So nobody know the answer then.
I like how you all give advise but have no idea what I am doing with
the axles. I am building a boat trailer that will never leave my yard
as I live on the water and have my own launch, I don't want brakes, I
don't want suspension. Toe in/out etc doesn't matter, it will never be
on pavement. These spindle are on sale right now and I can build the
axles to the exact width I want.


So for YOUR APPLICATION the 0.015" oversize of the Sched80 is not an
issue. Go for it. Just make sure the trailer is never used on a public
road, for liability reasons - when you don't need it any more cut it
up, don't sell it.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


Get this, I phoned the manufacturer directly canadian tool and die
http://www.ctd.mb.ca/index.html and they don't even know the answer.
They just make the spinles, not the entire axles. They said these type
of spindle have been around for a very long time and they are simply
copying them and manufacturing them. They said just to put them in
tubes and weld them. Princess auto is the retailer. After much thought
I am just going to get dodge mini van hubs/spindles from the wrecking
yard and make axles from 3" pipe with 1/2" plate flanges and weld them
directly to the frame $150 bucks all said and done. On a side note I
already built a 3 axle trailer this way and and haul my 8000lbs
tractor on it for 4 year now with no problems. I always drill and tap
the hubs in between the bearings for grease fittings and keep them
nicely greased. Thanks to all