Thoughts on building a trailer

[Shdwdrgn]

Does anyone have info on taking regular truck axles, stripping the brakes, and rebuilding them into a new minimal housing without the diff?

The idea I'm shooting for is a small utility trailer with a heavy-duty load capacity (more on that below). It seems that it would be ideal to use axles with the same 6x5 bolt pattern that we have, and run the same size tires so I wouldn't need to carry a spare (or I would have three spares in a real emergency). If the axle conversion wouldn't work, the other idea might be finding a front wheel drive with the same bolt pattern, and grabbing the rear axle where I could shave the parts and weld them directly to a cross-beam.

I'm probably stretching the limits here, but I would like to build something with removable sides so I could go between hauling landscape materials or tree branches, and using it as a flatbed for carrying my motorcycle or other things. Building a bed for such purposes is easy, the real problem I see would be in the spring rating, and adjusting between a 200# load and a 2000# load. The easiest thing I can think of to accommodate this would be to add air shocks, but I'd be happy for input.

All of this is just theory right now, but I'd like to get something put together within the next couple years. The axle is the hard part for me, everything else is cake.

[BC backroader]

It would probably be easier to buy a trailer axle, complete with brakes, springs, and shackles, and have MarkMC make you an adaptor from the axle bolt pattern to our 6x5 pattern.

[HARDTRAILZ]

Truck axles are big and heavy and you are better to do as stated above. Or you can likely get a trailer axle drilled to our pattern pretty easy.

I often think I should just swap my s-10 trailer from stock truck axle to a regular trailer axle when it actually gets work done to it.

[bartonmd]

Yep, just get a 3500, 5000, or 7000lb trailer axle. As mentioned, electric brakes, lighter, more ground clearance, cheaper, etc. Last I checked, at Johnson Surplus Trailer Parts in White Pigeon, MI, a braked 3500lb trailer axle with springs was $190, a 5k (6-lug) with brakes and springs was $250, and a 7k (8-lug) with brakes and springs was $275.

Mike

[Shdwdrgn]

OK that's not a bad price. For the size of the trailer, I don't think I'd need brakes, but at that price it couldn't hurt (and I already have the module from towing my 20' dual-axle trailer). I know there's a few trailer places out by the interstate, I'll have to check with them to see if they can set me up with the 6x5 bolt pattern. Then its just a matter of scrounging some square tubing for the frame.

Unfortunately my to-do list includes a new mattress and a new driveway first... Like I said, it might be awhile before I can actually start building, but at least I have a better idea of how to get started now. Thanks!

[bartonmd]

The ones by the interstate will be quite a bit more, I suspect. This is a surplus place, but all the stuff is new. The axles are typically the spindle-greasable Dexter ones. They also have wheels/tires, and good 2x3 rectangle tubing that's surplus, for like 1/2 of what the company that I work for can get it for (IIRC, it was like $0.30/lb or something), and RV stuff like sinks/air conditioners/cabinets/inverters/dual-mode fridges, etc. They ship stuff, but if you're getting a bunch of stuff there, you might just load up your trailer and drive to southern Michigan to pick it all up. Easy for me to say, living like 3 hours from them, but still.

IMO, you will want brakes, especially if this is an off-road trailer!

Mike