Triple Axle Trailer Build

[NASTYZEN]

It's been all mig welded. I do have an arc welder thats not wired for my garage. Hoepfully i'll build a real shop one day with a big enough breaker. This is an A.O. Smith industrial welder that came out of general motors. Has tig leads and arc leads, water cooled. Can be 220v or 440. Way over kill but was priced right.

Nice old machine. Just in case you ever need parts, that's a Lindy 350 amp.tig welding unit under the paint. I have the same one, only mine was yellow and had an H&P logo on it. Looks like the post flow timer is missing. Oh yeah, Do NOT PLUG ANYTHING IN THAT 110V. outlet in the bottom of the machine!!! I did and blew the transformer....Had to hand rebuild it myself because they are no longer available...!
Nice fenders too, btw!

 

[Silver6.0]

how much did the hub conversion cost? I like the fenders.

I think the hubs were $65/ea with the drum, and $35 for the rear axle idler hubs.

 

[racer55]

There seems to be some confusion between commercial UTG axles and mobile home axles.

The 14.5 Dayton style wheel does not automatically make an axle a mobile home axle.
Dexter made 2 different axles with that wheel configuration.
Some places rate them at 6000lbs and others at 7000lbs?
http://dexteraxle.com/hub_kits_5_2k_6k
http://www.dexterpartsonline.com/page/399179532

Mobile home axles may be identified by welded brake backing plates vs bolt on backing plates,1/2 backing plates or none at all.
They have softer forged semi finished axle snouts and are de-rated to 4500lbs.
The normally also only have single leaf springs vs a proper spring stack.

"The Dexter MH (mobile home) type axle is designed for limited usage in the delivery of manufactured homes and has a one-time limit use. The axle has steel forged spindles that are not precision ground. The brake assembly is welded onto the beam and not intended to be field replaced. Additionally, the bearing package is smaller than the more expensive service type axle. Most MH axles are also equipped with a single leaf spring suspension for very heavy loads. We do not have components that would convert MH axles to serviceable assemblies."

 

[Silver6.0]

thanks for the info. Ive done research myself and concluded these axles are worthy of using for long term use.

 

[cyamaha2007]

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Silver6.0]

Haven't done much to the trailer lately. Tonight I started on the pass. side front angle piece. I haven't finished the driver side fender yet due to the back sheet of diamond plate isn't bent yet and haven't started on the beavertail frame rail. Here's a pic of tonight's progress

 

[Silver6.0]

Some more work on the front end last night. Welded on the stake pockets and made a front headache bar. 1 1/2" x 1/8" square tube.

It doesn't seem that cluttered when i'm out there but dang my shop is messy!!

 

[Silver6.0]

Little bit of an update. Cut out the the rear frame rail angle for the beaver tail and welded the angle in. Added the rear bumber and supports for the rear top angled sheet. There is a 1" space between the bumper and the start of the deck for the top end of the ramps to "sit in." Finally got the rear deck piece bent and cut.

Cutting the rear deck to length.

 

[Silver6.0]

Here's the sheet in place. Now I'm on to finishing the left side fenders.

In post #11 I mentioned "some day when I grow up I'll have my own tractor" well I guess I finally grew up or christmas came early. My dad decided to buy a new Kubota since his old one was having hydraulic problems. He found out what they would give him on trade and offered the tractor to me for that price, which was a helluva deal. I fixed the hydraulics and shes good to go. It's a 1986 Kubota L4150 4x4, 50 hp w/ all four tires loaded.

 

[jhn9840]

Fantastic deal on the Kubota. Trailer is shaping up nice too.

Jhn9840
John

 

[MQ Unlimited Media]

Nice trailer project. Looks stout!

 

[Silver6.0]

Nice trailer project. Looks stout!

Fantastic deal on the Kubota. Trailer is shaping up nice too.

Jhn9840
John

Thanks and thanks.

Here's tonights work. Left side fender welded in corners front and rear and added angle iron on the edge.

This picture shows with a tire on. The tire sticks out 1/2" to 3/4 of an inch.

 

[Silver6.0]

Latest update. Passenger fender is on. A couple more small stitches here and there and a few more stake pockets and she should be ready for paint. I seam sealed the top sheet edges and fender welds even though the fenders were fully welded, just in case of pinholes. It now sits outside again as of last night and is a good feeling have garage space again. I'd like to get the top and sides painted in the next week then wiring and underside paint to follow. This has taken A LOT longer than I expected but oh well its been fun and plan to complete before summers end. Here's some pics from moving it out .





















Some of my friends were doubters thinking it wouldn't come out the front doors. Even had one guy offer to bring his chainsaw over to "knock out the side wall" for me haha.

 

[jayrush13]

Looks like there's going to be a lot of tongue weight

But looks like it with haul a tank as long as the tow rig has the power and suspension

 

[deltaphisig]

Lots of tongue weight there. Make sure you load any 4x4 trucks with the front end facing back to help help distribute that weight. Same for other heavy loads--center it over the axles. Of course, you probably know more than I do since you can build a trailer and I just look at yours with envy.

 

[CNGsaves]

Turning out really nice!!

Curious what you're doing for a winch??

Also, do you have chain-down connections built into the floor of trailer, or do you plan on chaining to edge of trailer??

 

[metal1313]

i saw this before and gotta ask, after all that work why not move the axles foward? even if you just flipped the rear axle to the front it would make the trailer tow better and be easier to load properly

 

[Silver6.0]

Maybe without the front wheels on it looks like there will be tongue weight but I have a few examples of why the front is a touch long. My truck pictured above broke down about 8 hours from home and I had a friend tow me back with my dads tandem axle 14,000 lb trailer. My truck wouldn't fit with the front end forward like normal so we towed it backward on the trailer. His truck was also a 2004 f250 diesel 4x4. It would not go over over 55 mph without swaying the whole rig . Ex 2. When I haul the Kubota with dads trailer the brushog goes up front then the tractor is loaded with rototiller or whatever else on the 3 pt. The back wheels of whatever vehicle being hauled will placed above the rear and center axle of the trailer distributing the weight nicely. I appreciate the concern and plan to test when i get the ramps.

 

[Silver6.0]

Haven't looked into winches yet but definitely need to. I welded 3 D ring tie downs on the front. The back will probably be through the stake pockets.

 

[Worsedog]

Something I have found to be useful is a length of 3/16 flat bar the length of the trailer on the outside of your stake pockets. That way if you tie down an awkward size/shape load with ratchet straps you can hook them anywhere, not just in the pockets.

 

[Silver6.0]

Something I have found to be useful is a length of 3/16 flat bar the length of the trailer on the outside of your stake pockets. That way if you tie down an awkward size/shape load with ratchet straps you can hook them anywhere, not just in the pockets.

Now that you mention it ive seen that before but never really thought about using that "rail". Great suggestion.

 

[joe49]

Shouldn't the center axle be single pivot at one end, not on shackles at both ends. I would think the axle could wander and move out of line. Maybe trying to steer the trailer. This is just my thought, I haven't really researched this, so I am wondering. Have you done it this way before or seen it done.

 

[Silver6.0]

Shouldn't the center axle be single pivot at one end, not on shackles at both ends. I would think the axle could wander and move out of line. Maybe trying to steer the trailer. This is just my thought, I haven't really researched this, so I am wondering. Have you done it this way before or seen it done.

The set up it has on it the axle doesn't move front to back only up and down. So there isn't any wandering. The only way ive seen was to have all 3independently suspended or all 3 linked together like mine.

 

[quietsailor]

Sorry this is coming so late in the thread, I rarely come on GJ (located in Ireland) as I get too jealous of the workshops you lads have

In the photo of the hitch it looks like the hitch/drawbar is in two pieces - the white painted outside the frame and the black painted inside the frame with both welded - is that so?

I've recently seen a trailer constructed that way pull the "white" piece of the drawbar away from the trailer as the penetration on the welds didn't go deep enough into the frame, have you checked the welds here are deep enough?

 

[Silver6.0]

yes, they look to be very well fused together. I could still add some gussets underneath for peace of mind.

 

[Silver6.0]

Updates- Ive painted it black, added some lights, and built some ramps. it pulls great but the ramp angles are too steep. Thinking about building some short extensions to hang off the bumper at less of an angle for the ramps to sit on to give it a better approach. Heres some pics, weight distibution shows tongue heavy but it pulled great, also the airlift airbags were not inflated which would have helped imo.







Ramps made from 2" angle and 4" channel.

 

[blazentrout]

I like the build. i built a 20 plus 4 goose neck with the same rails and it worked good. As for it looking tung heavy, move the ball up, i have the same issues (ball to low)when i bring a mobie home frame home behind my '99 f350.

 

[mebuildit]

Nice buildup, might weld in some inconspicuous place your trailer title number or your name or some way of identifying way to show that it is yours if someone ever tries to steal it. I welded my information under my flatbed trailer really thick welds so it would not be worth trying to grind off the numbers. I don't trust anyone, so if I have a way to show that the trailer is mine, then I'll do anything to prove it.

 

[PCO6]

^^^ - I agree. I stamped my trailer registration number in 2 places. One is in "plain view" and could be removed with a little grinding. The other is "hidden" on the frame. A thief may think he removed all ID after removing the obvious one and not think of looking for the second one. One thing he'll never have is the build pictures.

 

[Alchymist]

^^^ - I agree. I stamped my trailer registration number in 2 places. One is in "plain view" and could be removed with a little grinding. The other is "hidden" on the frame. A thief may think he removed all ID after removing the obvious one and not think of looking for the second one. One thing he'll never have is the build pictures.

NSA already has copies!

 

[PCO6]

Hopefully not. It's a Canadian trailer!

 

[rockinacummins]

Subscribed for future reference.

 

[mikes02ls1]

Your already ahead of me lol. Didn't think about adding spot lights , great idea. Yes this kit charges off the truck battery to keep it charged in the event of break away. Here's a pic.

And here's my truck, I added airlift air bags to the back when I bought it.

7.3 for the win!

 

[Silver6.0]

2004 6.0 lol