Should I go with 46" or extend the width to 5 feet?

[Mark Mckeeman]

Maybe I should remove that axle and put a new one on with leaf springs.

I agree with Steve H. Get some suspension under that trailer. Either cut the axle free and reinstall with leaf springs or buy a torsion axle and bolt it to the frame. The added bonus is you have the option to raise the frame clear of the wheels and not have to build a raised floor deck.

I'm afraid the lack of suspension will shake your trailer apart over time and not being able to drink the bear on arrival would be a bummer too!

Mark

[Charlie Chops 1940]

Have you considered a Torflex axle? You can get them with 22 degrees down, 10 down, zero, 10 up and 22 up. Look at Dexter's site.

Charlie

[KZ76017]

Have you considered a Torflex axle? You can get them with 22 degrees down, 10 down, zero, 10 up and 22 up. Look at Dexter's site.

Charlie

I was looking at those on the internet. I didn't know much about them but they look like a very easily installed and viable option to the leaf springs.
I found those at Redneck Trailers just down the street from me. I will go look at them this weekend. Thanks for all the suggestions folks! It is much appreciated.

I might even just buy a whole new trailer. For the price of a Torflex Axle I can buy an entire new 4X8 Harbor Frieght trailer.

[Charlie Chops 1940]

I bought a couple fairly narrow 1300# Torflex axles last spring at the automotive swap meet in Jefferson, WI. for $60 each. The guy had bought 10 or 12 to get a good price and was selling the excess and I screwed him into the ground a little.... I had in mind to put one under my Mullins trailer and one under a someday TD build. I ended up using one under the TD I just bought. It had stub end torsion axles but they had been welded on at the wrong clocking position and under the weight of the trailer pointed straight up. They were 500# each so they were a bit shy of capacity anyway. They were also rubbing the cabin skin.

I widened one of the Torflex 1300# units by cutting it in the middle and making my own telescoping tubing out of some 10ga steel bent into right angles at the sheet metal shop, I drilled a couple 1/2" holes in each end of the new right angle pieces for rosette welding. I jigged up the first one with a 3" overlap on the stubs, tack welded and then fit the second right angle and did the same. I spent a few hours moving around so as to not warp the assembly and it turned out perfect. The reason for only a 3" overlap? That's how far in to the tubes that the rubber started so I was careful to not overheat that area. Just finished bolting the new unit on today.

This also gave me a good excuse to clean and paint the frame, drill a few more mounting holes and put some pine strips on the crossmenber to support the floor better.

Not to steal the post with my activity but I guess I just wanted to offer my opinion to you to not be afraid to cut, refit or refurbish what isn't workong correctly. It sure won't heal itself.

Good luck.

Charlie

[KZ76017]

Finally got that @#% axle cut off. I didn't have a torch so I had to cut it off will a grinder. It took a while but I got it done, Now I can order a Dexter Torsion Axle.
Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3
Previously looked like this.

[SteveH]

KZ,

I know that was a PITA, but I also know you will be glad you did it.

[Charlie Chops 1940]

Ah, that looks better. I used a die grinder and a sawsall, so I know what you were up against. Good job.

[KZ76017]

Thanks for the encouragement, yes it was a Royal PITA and it took me most of the weekend and about 5 trips to the Lowes/HomeDepot/Walmart.
I'm keeping track of all the costs and it seems that I am spending as much for tools as I am for building materials. It seems like I'm wasting alot of time but I'd hate to build a nice teardrop to have it shaken apart on the road so I guess putting on a Torflex Axle is the best way to go.

[Charlie Chops 1940]

I know what you mean about trips to Lowes. Mine is just a couple miles away and some weeks I'm there 4 or 5 times. The money is well invested in tools, though.

Charlie

[KZ76017]

I ordered my torsion Axles and hubs yesterday from Northern Tool
Total Cost=$208 with shipping Here's the Link
What do you think is the best method to attach them to this frame shown here
Should I:
A. Weld them to the 3" channel frame.
B. Use four of the six mount holes and bolt them to doubled portion of 3" channel frame.
C. Weld a piece of 3" channel out at a 90 degree angle on the frame and then lay the mounts inside the channel and use all three bolt holes to attach them.

[SteveH]

KZ,

My opinion, and it is just that, an opinion, is that I would do what ever is necessary to adapt the frame to the axels and bolt them on. Even if I had to weld in another cross member.

My reason for this is I would be afraid of damaging the rubber inside the axel housing with the heat of welding.

I'm very interested to see how your frame works out with those stub axels because I considered using the same ones.

[KZ76017]

my main concern is strength and keeping them square to the frame. I thought that welding them on would be the strongest and keep them straight but you make a good point about the heat and the rubber inside. I guess I will wait until they come in and see how they slide into a piece of 3' channel. I have the pieces that I originally cut off of the sides of the trailer that were there originally to hold up the side wall boards. I could always cut one of those to use as a mount to weld on the the frame.

[An Ol Timer]

I had considered these stub axles before buying my HF trailer. Take a good close look them when you get them as most of these units can be disassembled to change the rubbers in them. If your's can then take them apart, weld them on and then reassemble. FWIW

[McTeardrops]

KZ

It's hard to advise without dimensions, but I believe I'd pre-drill four short sections of angle iron, sandwich the frame with them, stitch weld, then bolt on the attachment plates using the outer four holes, This should allow you to get the alignment spot on, get the frame mobile, and build in some adjustability to correct the tongue weight later on.

[Arne]

You need suspension... period..... Sometimes I see one of those construction cement mixers being towed from site to site and it looks like it is trying to tear itself off the truck......