It is called an "axle slider". Maybe someone can correct me if wrong,
but all it looks like is a section of angle iron with spring hangers
welded on it. This seems like it would be handy when building a
trailer to "slide the assemply with the frame upside down to the exact
spot where the centerline of the axle is the same distance from the
tongue on both sides, then weld the angle.

I am just throwing out questions trying to learn. I may or may not
build this thing anytime soon but I wonder since this is a critical
weld area if I could get a pieve of angle, say 2x2x3/16, have an
experiecned welder weld the bracks to the angle after I have tacked
them in the proper position, then, once the "sliders" are in the right
place, drilling and taping theangle through the bottom part of the
frame tubing, bolting it, then also welding around the angle?

Just thinking out loud here. Is there any advantage to using one of
these "sliders"?

Sliders are commonly used on boat trailers where there is need to adjust
axle to match the center of gravity of the boat/trailer combination.
It also adds a bit of extra material at the spring perches, distributes
the stress concentrations somewhat.

Many 18 wheeler trailers have user adjustable rear bogies. Tell tell
sign is a row of 2" diameter holes in the frame above the rear bogies.
Pull the locking pins, set the trailer brakes, drive the tractor forward
or backward. Lets the driver adjust the weight on the trailer tires and
tractor tires to meet the 18,000 pounds per axle max.



stryped wrote:
It is called an "axle slider". Maybe someone can correct me if wrong,
but all it looks like is a section of angle iron with spring hangers
welded on it. This seems like it would be handy when building a
trailer to "slide the assemply with the frame upside down to the exact
spot where the centerline of the axle is the same distance from the
tongue on both sides, then weld the angle.

I am just throwing out questions trying to learn. I may or may not
build this thing anytime soon but I wonder since this is a critical
weld area if I could get a pieve of angle, say 2x2x3/16, have an
experiecned welder weld the bracks to the angle after I have tacked
them in the proper position, then, once the "sliders" are in the right
place, drilling and taping theangle through the bottom part of the
frame tubing, bolting it, then also welding around the angle?

Just thinking out loud here. Is there any advantage to using one of
these "sliders"?

On Apr 24, 8:30*am, RoyJ wrote:
Sliders are commonly used on boat trailers where there is need to adjust
* axle to match the center of gravity of the boat/trailer combination.
It also adds a bit of extra material at the spring perches, distributes
the stress concentrations somewhat.

Many 18 wheeler trailers have user adjustable rear bogies. Tell tell
sign is a row of 2" diameter holes in the frame above the rear bogies.
Pull the locking pins, set the trailer brakes, drive the tractor forward
or backward. Lets the driver adjust the weight on the trailer tires and
tractor tires to meet the 18,000 pounds per axle max.



stryped wrote:
It is called an "axle slider". Maybe someone can correct me if wrong,
but all it looks like is a section of angle iron with spring hangers
welded on it. This seems like it would be handy when building a
trailer to "slide the assemply with the frame upside down to the exact
spot where the centerline of the axle is the same distance from the
tongue on both sides, then weld the angle.

I am just throwing out questions trying to learn. I may or may not
build this thing anytime soon but I wonder since this is a critical
weld area if I could get a pieve of angle, say 2x2x3/16, have an
experiecned welder weld the bracks to the angle after I have tacked
them in the proper position, then, once the "sliders" are in the right
place, drilling and taping theangle through the bottom part of the
frame tubing, bolting it, then also welding around the angle?

Just thinking out loud here. Is there any advantage to using one of
these "sliders"?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Think it is a good idea for a utility trailer? Would threading the
3/16 frame tubing and installing a grade 8 bolt be strong enough? (One
on each end of the angle?

On Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:04:10 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:
On Apr 24, 8:30*am, RoyJ wrote:
stryped wrote:

Just thinking out loud here. Is there any advantage to using one of
these "sliders"?

Sliders are commonly used on boat trailers where there is need to adjust
* axle to match the center of gravity of the boat/trailer combination.
It also adds a bit of extra material at the spring perches, distributes
the stress concentrations somewhat.

Many 18 wheeler trailers have user adjustable rear bogies. Tell tell
sign is a row of 2" diameter holes in the frame above the rear bogies.
Pull the locking pins, set the trailer brakes, drive the tractor forward
or backward. Lets the driver adjust the weight on the trailer tires and
tractor tires to meet the 18,000 pounds per axle max.

Think it is a good idea for a utility trailer? Would threading the
3/16 frame tubing and installing a grade 8 bolt be strong enough? (One
on each end of the angle?

A slider assembly is not a good idea on a plain utility trailer - if
you have the trailer loaded full of firewood and the tongue is too
light, you simply shift some of the wood forward, problem solved. If
you have a small tractor in it and the tongue is too heavy you either
shift it forward or back and adjust the tiedowns, or back the tractor
onto the trailer to put the engine block at the other end.

Sliders are used on boat trailers where the exact CG isn't known
before building the trailer and loading the boat, and the load can not
be adjusted - so you have to adjust the trailer instead.

The EZ-Slide axles on trucks are because some states have different
maximum wheelbase rules, and other states say they have to be farther
apart to carry more load. (Spread it out over a wider chunk of road.)

And we already covered through-bolting on a tubing frame... You
/have/ to weld a tubing sleeve in the hole, or you collapse the tubing
and seriously weaken the frame.

-- Bruce --

On Apr 24, 9:47*am, Bruce L. Bergman
wrote:
On Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:04:10 -0700 (PDT), stryped





wrote:
On Apr 24, 8:30*am, RoyJ wrote:
stryped wrote:
Just thinking out loud here. Is there any advantage to using one of
these "sliders"?

Sliders are commonly used on boat trailers where there is need to adjust
* axle to match the center of gravity of the boat/trailer combination..
It also adds a bit of extra material at the spring perches, distributes
the stress concentrations somewhat.

Many 18 wheeler trailers have user adjustable rear bogies. Tell tell
sign is a row of 2" diameter holes in the frame above the rear bogies.
Pull the locking pins, set the trailer brakes, drive the tractor forward
or backward. Lets the driver adjust the weight on the trailer tires and
tractor tires to meet the 18,000 pounds per axle max.

Think it is a good idea for a utility trailer? Would threading the
3/16 frame tubing and installing a grade 8 bolt be strong enough? (One
on each end of the angle?

* A slider assembly is not a good idea on a plain utility trailer - if
you have the trailer loaded full of firewood and the tongue is too
light, you simply shift some of the wood forward, problem solved. *If
you have a small tractor in it and the tongue is too heavy you either
shift it forward or back and adjust the tiedowns, or back the tractor
onto the trailer to put the engine block at the other end.

* Sliders are used on boat trailers where the exact CG isn't known
before building the trailer and loading the boat, and the load can not
be adjusted - so you have to adjust the trailer instead.

* The EZ-Slide axles on trucks are because some states have different
maximum wheelbase rules, and other states say they have to be farther
apart to carry more load. *(Spread it out over a wider chunk of road.)

* And we already covered through-bolting on a tubing frame... *You
/have/ to weld a tubing sleeve in the hole, or you collapse the tubing
and seriously weaken the frame.

* -- Bruce --- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I was not talkign of bolting through the whole tube, I was talking of
going through only one side of the tube by threadding the metal and
also welding.

On Thu, 24 Apr 2008 08:14:40 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:



I was not talkign of bolting through the whole tube, I was talking of
going through only one side of the tube by threadding the metal and
also welding.

Bad idea. Not enough thread engagement, too much stress
concentration.

On Thu, 24 Apr 2008 05:27:11 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

It is called an "axle slider". Maybe someone can correct me if wrong,
but all it looks like is a section of angle iron with spring hangers
welded on it. This seems like it would be handy when building a
trailer to "slide the assemply with the frame upside down to the exact
spot where the centerline of the axle is the same distance from the
tongue on both sides, then weld the angle.

I am just throwing out questions trying to learn. I may or may not
build this thing anytime soon but I wonder since this is a critical
weld area if I could get a pieve of angle, say 2x2x3/16, have an
experiecned welder weld the bracks to the angle after I have tacked
them in the proper position, then, once the "sliders" are in the right
place, drilling and taping theangle through the bottom part of the
frame tubing, bolting it, then also welding around the angle?

Just thinking out loud here. Is there any advantage to using one of
these "sliders"?


If the "slider" is a channel, you COULD make it adjustable (fasten the
"slider" to the frame with clevis pins) so you could adjust the axle
position to balance different loads.
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

On Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:35:58 -0500, Don Foreman
wrote:
On Thu, 24 Apr 2008 08:14:40 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

I was not talkign of bolting through the whole tube, I was talking of
going through only one side of the tube by threadding the metal and
also welding.

Bad idea. Not enough thread engagement, too much stress
concentration.

The boat trailer sliders I've seen use U-bolts to clamp the slider
to the frame channels, and when they have it in the right position
they tighten the clamps and make a couple of tack-welds between each
end of the slide and the frame, so it doesn't move on it's own.

If they make changes to the boat and move the CG, you grind off the
tack-welds, loosen the U-bolts, and slide the axle as needed. They
are not meant to be easily field adjustable every time you reload.

-- Bruce --

That's how my utility trailer is build. When I bought it the axles
were too far forward. I moved them back and life is good. Mine has a
series of bolt holes so it only takes a few minutes to move it.