The Honu

[parnold]

I think you'll need more detailed pictures to get good suggestions about moving the axle. Specifically the mounting. Also, a sketch of your plans would help in suggestions as to where to move them to.

If you are not building a heavy galley, you may get away with them where they are. I built my tear on a HF frame, and did not move the wheels at all since my galley is very minimal. I have a well balanced trailer with no towing issues whatsoever.

Your progress is looking good!

Congrats on the 25 years also!

[Papi]

Thanks! As for the galley, I plan on having a stove top, sink, and mini-fridge, plus some storage space. As for balancing it out, I plan to put an a/c unit up front on the tongue, as well as a battery and a propane tank. Spent another $3.50 just now on a cutting blade for my circular saw, and hacked off some unnecessary bits like the rear bumper, frame sides that conflicted with bigger tires, and various brackets, the steps, and the winch mount. (By the way, it works now that I freed it up from the cables!)

As for detailed plans, um...

[Papi]

Been going slowly due to surgery recently, but like many of you I'm sure, I just can't sit around bored when the house is empty and I am off work! Unbolted a few of the things that were just dead weight (winch and mount, the steps, etc) and scrubbed the frame cleaner than it was. Had a lot of gravel and Georgia mud in the frame! I found the axle tag, with the following stamped into it:

1860 LBS MAX CAP
SERIAL NUMBER 6015617
PHILIPS/ (OBLITERATED)

That info may come in handy some day when I try to buy bearings and whatnot.

I also slapped some paint remover on the frame (it apparently has been painted over at some point). Add another twelve bucks and 2 hours to the project. Not a bad day's work for a man with a dime-sized hole in his knee!

[Papi]

Ok, so I'm slow. But there's a good reason for it: surgery, then a car accident, then trying to get caught up with all my chores/grandkids/friends/going back to work, and the fact my health insurance went up 120% all contributed to my snail's pace! Plus, we're facing near-arctic temperatures here (low 40s-high 30s) at night and Winter temps of 60s during the day. No me gusta! Soy tropical!

But I've managed to eek out 2 hours this week, and it's only Tuesday. I hauled off the rest of the hulking mess leftover from the popup, then started the tedious task of grinding, sanding, grinding, pressure washing, and sanding some more before paint. Toss in a flat tire to boot. Who am I telling? Those of you who have utilized a used trailer as a basis know what I'm talking about!

How do you get rid of some leftover, unopened Rustoleum paint? Easy, mix it together! I actually planned that when I bought it for another project: two quarts gloss sunburst yellow and one quart gloss sunrise red. It made a color somewhere between Chevrolet Hugger Orange and the University of Tennessee orange. My wife wants the visible parts of the frame to be Hunter Green, which is OK by me. I just need to cover the exposed metal so it will not rust. Here's where I am as of now:



So, toss in another 2 hours and $13 for the tally. I know, I know, gotta move the axle centerline back and lengthen the tongue a bit. It's like eating an elephant, one bite at a time.

[Papi]

I haven't abandoned my project, but lacking a garage has really slowed things!


Plus, I had to rebuild this for the tow vehicle:

It's a 1984 Dodge Ram with a slant six, Holley 350 cfm carburetor, cast iron headers, and a really hot ignition system. Ate up all my teardrop budget (and good weather).

[Cliffmeister2000]

I'm certainly not envying you Georgia folks. What a cold winter so far!

We need a better shot of that tow vehicle! (please)

[Shadow Catcher]

Heck we are having a heat wave it will get up to 30 today, it isn't cold till it gets to -20 (which it fortunately doesn't much around here) and there are folks on the forum for which it gets a LOT colder.
This gives you planing time anyway and you might use a tarp to keep wind off so you can work.

[Cliffmeister2000]

We are having the weather that brings the snowbirds. 74º daytime high, 44º overnight low.

[Papi]

Ask, and ye shall receive!
Actually, this is somewhat of an old and misleading picture. The camper top is long gone and she has been cleaned up a bit. This is when I first got it, complete with manure under the bed liner!
It was my grandfather's farm truck. Despite having only 88K miles, the motor was flat worn out from towing a tractor, hauling feed and manure, and generally going 5 years without an oil change!

[Cliffmeister2000]

Despite having only 88K miles, the motor was flat worn out from towing a tractor, hauling feed and manure, and generally going 5 years without an oil change!

We could be related. My dad did that to his trucks, too!

[Papi]

My outdoor workshop finally defrosted, and after a busy weekend of family visiting I carved out a few minutes to work on the frame. Tristan approved the progress (but was not present when the sparks were flying!)

That's lunch on his face; he just had chicken noodle soup.

Decided to use that old free bumper metal. I knew that diamond plate would come in handy!


Cut off the original leveler because it was ugly and broken:

And viola!

I also got the axle carriage unbolted partially before the bolts stopped spinning. Would have been all the way off but my hacksaw blade was dull.

[Papi]

While my wife was having fun at her photography club, I got to take advantage of a break in the weather (we narrowly missed a snowstorm!) and played with the trailer frame. I also learned how to add pics to the album!

Here are the little nibs I cut off the tongue. I figured they would just be shin catchers anyway, plus they are too weak to be used for safety chains.


I got the axle carriage off finally. The front bolts were sprayed liberally with PB Blaster, but even then it took a 24" breaker bar. I cut the rear ones off with a grinder. By the way, is a dexter axle supposed to be bowed in the center? Mine is bowed upward relative to the ground about an inch.


And I got some 2X2 square tubing at the local metal place, and chopped it to length. Plans are to weld these to the bottom of the trailer frame so I can move the axle centerline back 7" and lift the trailer an inch.


That's all the time I had today. Now I have to do all the little things around the house the wife is really after me to do. As soon as I can, I want to get all this welded up so I can start on the floor!

[Papi]

Managed to carve out a few minutes here and there, but decided to wait until I have major progress to report before posting pics. Got the hubs soaked in Pine Sol (don't laugh, it's a great degreaser) for a few days and then hit them with my old standby, Easy Off. Grease dissolved off of there like butter. Post mortem, it was about what i expected; the original bearings were toast and one of the grease seals was missing entirely. It did appear the original owner tried to eke out a few more miles on the old bearings by packing the spindle and hub pretty much solid with grease! It didn't work. Had to do some major work on the tow vehicle/daily driver so that ate up most of my Saturday but I got my plan coming together now so I am excited.

Also got some rusty bits soaking in molasses. Stay tuned!

[Miriam C.]

Yes I think your axle is supposed to be bowed in the center. Keeps the wheels aligned right! You are doing a good job. Just keep plugging at it. Can't be cold forever!

[Papi]

Spent some time today before work playing with the hubs; I bought some good quality bearing$ in$stead of the cheap HF bearings I could have bought. I don't want a wheel falling off halfway on a trip! I'm really liking my paint scheme, sort of a metallic hunter green just like the one I had in high school on my `72 Gran Torino (exactly like the one in the movie, but without stripes). My wife wants to go camping, so despite the cold weather, I gotta get cracking!