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OK guys, Paul (4Shorts) has inspired me to start my trailer build for my engine drive welder. I have a donor trailer that is 18' long and 7 ft wide that used to be a camper. It has two 3500# axles under it.Saturday I stripped it down. I took off the pieces that expand it from 5 to 7' and cut it down to 10'. The two axles are free spinning, one has brakes and the other does not. Not sure if the brakes work or not. Should I use the axle with brakes or the regular axle?I will be putting a Hobart Champion 10,000 on the trailer as well as a box to hold leads and a tool box. I will also add a spot to mount my mig if I want to take it. I would also want my gas rig on there as well.I have a couple questions that you guys can help me with.First: I plan to move the lief springs from below the axle to above the axle to give me more height. Unfortunately there is a bolt preventing this. I was considering adding a plate with a hole in it to raise the axle above the bolt and put it all together. Anyone see a problem with this?I also plan to add a 2"x4" tube below the 2"X4" frame to give me additional height so I can run big tires on it, kinda like a 4X4 trailer. I will weld the tube below the frame and then add 1/8" plate to both sides to give more strength. Anyone see issues with this? Overall the height addition excluding tires would be about 6".As for the Acetylene tank (oxygen can lay down) I was thinking of cutting a hole in the floor and recessing the tank about a foot below the trailer floor (with a skid plate to protect it). Anyone see issues with this?Your feed back is going to direct my build to any other suggestions will be helpful.Paul has been a great help already with the answers to the painting.Pictures will be provided down the road a bit.Thanks,Bob
Reply:An off-road lift-kit for a welding trailer? Bob, a lot depends.Regarding the trailer brakes, it depends on what applicable DOT regulations apply to the trailer. Most of the time brakes are needed once the trailer weight limit reaches a certain weight. Not how much weight is -on- the trailer, but what the weight rating of the trailer is. How much weight is on a lightly loaded trailer would affect the brake operation/bias/threshold/etc.A bit too late now as you say you already cut the trailer down in size, but did you consider leaving the trailer 'long' and thereby have the ability to haul long stock on it? Drawbacks would be having a long trailer and moving/storing same.Single axle versus double axle? Double usually tracks better, but you probably don't need 7000 lbs of axle rating to haul around an engine drive welder and some tools. Unless you also use the trailer for material hauling (see previous paragraph).I'd probably say that if you are going to have an acetylene tank which MUST be mounted vertically (unless you are going to haul the tank in one orientation and then shift the tank vertical and wait XX hours before use, and also deal with DOT and highway patrol hassles about a non-vertical tank), you may as well have all the tanks be vertical. IMO. Acetylene, oxygen, C25, argon, etc. Make them all vertical, make a 'cage' around the tanks for protection from theft or bumps or etc.If you want 6 inches of frame lift, then run a 2x6 under the frame and fish-plate that to the existing 2x4 frame. Don't run a 2x4 spaced off the frame by 2 inches and rely on flat 1/8 inch fish-plate to tie it all together.Add up the weight of all the equipment and tools you want to put on the trailer and then add the weight of the trailer itself and see if it will all go on a single axle. I see so far about 500 lbs for the engine-drive, plus 100-250 lbs for the MIG (depending on the unit), plus another 250 lbs for the oxy-acet tanks, plus another 100 for the MIG tank, plus a few hundred pounds of welding leads. Plus tools. That puts the load so far at about 1200+ lbs not including tools, fuel, tool boxes, welding rods/wire, and the trailer itself. The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:The Acetylene tank will be mounted vertically. I want to recess it a bit through the floor to lower the height. I will lay the oxygen tank down. It is too tall to recess enough for my plan. Trust me, it will be locked down solid.As for the 6" lift. I plan to get that by adding 4" below the frame with NO GAP between the frame and the additional 2X4. That will give me 4" and then depending on how things go, I can move the springs from below the axle to above the axle and get 2" more if I need them.As for weight. 500 for the welder and leads. 250 for the gas rig, 50 pounds for rods (I am not a pro welder living off this rig). Couple hundred in tools and a 5 gallon can of gas is another 40# or so. A couple of tool boxes so I am just over 1000# plus the trailer weight of (I am guessing) 1000# or so. My son and I flipped the trailer over when it had both axles under it (no floor, just the skeleton) and before I cut it down and I am not nearly as strong as I used to be.That is about 2100# as I plan on it to sit normally. I may add an overhead rack to carry a few light pieces but that is all, no heavy stuff, have another trailer for that. That should leave plenty for the mig on the outside chance I need to take it with me. I think the weight should be OK.As for the brakes, I do not know if they work or what shape they are in. May just leave them for another project and use the axle without brakes.Bob
Reply:Bob,I looked up a quick trailer/axle reference from Dexter Axle. They indicate the cut-off for requiring brakes is at 3000 lbs trailer axle load AND the hitch load is less than 40% of the tow vehicle's GVWR. And they also reference federal DOT regs that call for brakes on all wheels and all axles on commercial vehicles.I think you should use the axle with the brakes. The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:I'll second the brake recommendation, better to have them. Actually, I would not have a problem using both axles if it were mine, brakes on the back axle probably. The skid plate is a good idea! The reason I would consider both axles is for future expansion, (you mentioned a rack), and for ride quality and safety, (trailer tire blowouts happen all the time). The other failure that we see a lot of is bearing failure. The second axle has allowed many trailers to make it into our shop with a chained up, bare spindle."Anybody see a 15" tire and wheel, there was a hub on the inside...?" City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Originally Posted by tanglediverI'll second the brake recommendation, better to have them. Actually, I would not have a problem using both axles if it were mine, brakes on the back axle probably. The skid plate is a good idea! The reason I would consider both axles is for future expansion, (you mentioned a rack), and for ride quality and safety, (trailer tire blowouts happen all the time). The other failure that we see a lot of is bearing failure. The second axle has allowed many trailers to make it into our shop with a chained up, bare spindle."Anybody see a 15" tire and wheel, there was a hub on the inside...?"
Reply:Sounds like a good work trailer.Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Welcome back,Bob. Haven't heard much from ya. I never gave much thought to a mig on a tlr. Will the internals take a beating like they can on a tlr. if it goes airborne as tlrs will sometimes do on an unanticipated speed bump,etc.? MikeOl' Stonebreaker "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:why cant you turn the axle over when you move it below the spring?
Reply:Originally Posted by boatbuoywhy cant you turn the axle over when you move it below the spring?
Reply:The only problem with jacking the trailer up, is raising the center of gravity, and making it more subject to sway.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:I've put the sprins over the axles a few times and never had a problem. But it raises it more than two inches though. More like about 5".When you build it you might want to do the decking like a trailer that I helped build for a young fella that was starting his own welding business. It's built like the bed on my welding truck. You can hold a lot of tools under the bed and you wont have to have so many boxes on top of the bed. You frame across your beams with 3" x 1/8" flat strap with flat strap on the bottom for drawer guides This way you can have drawers all the way down the sides of your trailer. This young man does repairs on emergency vehicles and has to carry a lot of different small parts with him so he put dividers in the drawers for parts as well. Attached Images
Reply:The drawers were made out of 8' purlines so some of them were left one piece to hold short pieces of common stock that he may need on the jobs. Welding leads and torch leads are also under the bed and every thing is lockable. These pictures were taken before it left my shop. It now has an over head rack and is painted. I havn't seen it but I hear it's a beauty.
Reply:The axle is one that is not straight, it is bent after passing the springs.I guess I could run two axles, I was hoping to save one for future projects but not a big deal.Bob, I was wanting to do drawers of some kind. That is a great idea with the purlins, I may need to copy that. Everything I was coming up with was complicated but that is simple and pretty darn cool. Unfortunately dual axles will make the drawers hard to do due to lack of space available, may not get very many.Does that trailer work well with only one axle? Does it have brakes?
Reply:Originally Posted by tanglediverI'll second the brake recommendation, better to have them. Actually, I would not have a problem using both axles if it were mine, brakes on the back axle probably. The skid plate is a good idea! The reason I would consider both axles is for future expansion, (you mentioned a rack), and for ride quality and safety, (trailer tire blowouts happen all the time). The other failure that we see a lot of is bearing failure. The second axle has allowed many trailers to make it into our shop with a chained up, bare spindle."Anybody see a 15" tire and wheel, there was a hub on the inside...?"
Reply:Originally Posted by BobThe drawers were made out of 8' purlines so some of them were left one piece to hold short pieces of common stock that he may need on the jobs. Welding leads and torch leads are also under the bed and every thing is lockable. These pictures were taken before it left my shop. It now has an over head rack and is painted. I havn't seen it but I hear it's a beauty.
Reply:I talked to a local trailer manufacturer and told him what I was doing. He told me that he would use one axle and no brakes. I am considering using one axle with brakes. I am sure I will not overload the trailer so the brakes are really the question. I have to take them apart and take them to him and he can help me get the pads needed.Anyone seriously disagree?I do not make my living off of welding unfortunately and if it ever progressed to that I could build another larger trailer.Bob
Reply:Use the axle with the brakes. Tis generally better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it. The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:Originally Posted by MoonRiseUse the axle with the brakes. Tis generally better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.
Reply:to get to the area behind my shop, i have to back over a ditch so I built my trailer with the srpings on top of the axles for additional clearance. I haul a full size John Deere tractor on it and it has never felt top heavy. I used square axles but i ran into a problem with a locator pin which was meant to fit into the hole on the plate used to clamp the axle to the springs. I ground it off, then drilled and tapped a hole on the opposite side of the axle and installed another pin to locate the plate.
Reply:This trailer does not have brakes. He registered it for 4000#, so wasn't required. I dont think he will ever get that much weight on it, even with some material on the rack. You also might want to weld some expanded metal in the V of the tongue on the bottom edge, a good place to lay coils of extension cords and a block for the jack leg. He did that on the trailer before he had it painted. He said he was glad he did.My wife did give me some grief over helping another weldor get set up in business as he would be competetion. I gave him all the framing metal, the purlanes and half the decking. He's probably the tenth that I have helped get started. He's probably 50 miles from me and has already sent me a job close by that he couldn't get to. Every time I help a new guy it has always come back to me ten fold. I had somebody help me like this when I started and have always done the same.
Reply:Originally Posted by TractapacTanglediver, just curious as to why you'd probably use the braked axle on the back? Down here, regs say brakes mustn't be fitted to an axle that would "unload" under weight transfer of braking, hence front axle is braked."Anybody see a 15" tire and wheel, there was a hub on the inside...?"Yeah, don't they take off like a motherless kangaroo. I've seen people searching paddocks at the side of the road, while the boat and trailer sits there down by one side.
Reply:The braked axle on the trailer prior to disassembly was the rear axle. I don't remember seeing any trailer with the brakes on the front axle.
Reply:Originally Posted by Bob WarnerThe braked axle on the trailer prior to disassembly was the rear axle. I don't remember seeing any trailer with the brakes on the front axle.
Reply:re: brakes and axles and trailersI recently had to move/drive a double-axle utility trailer. It has electric brakes on both axles. FWIW. And it was somehow wired wrong such that as soon as I plugged in the electrical connector to the trailer, the brakes went to FULL brake power. So I had to trace the wiring, and figure it out, and change the wiring so that the modulated braking signal went to the electric brakes and not constant 'full' 12V power.You should be OK with the single 3500 lb axle (use the one with the brakes though!) for what you say you will put on the trailer. Just remember what/where the 'weak' part of the whole thing is and use that to 'rate' the trailer. Example: axle is 3500 lb rated, springs are 3000 lb rated per pair, tires are 1800 lb load rated at max inflation per tire or 3600 lb load per pair, and the trailer frame/coupler/structure are heavy-duty and stronger than any other component on the trailer would mean the trailer should be rated at 3000 lb MAX GWR. These numbers are made-up but reasonable numbers, your specific numbers would have to be checked.See www.dexteraxle.com for some hints and tips and guidelines on trailers. The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...I took the hub off of one side of the axle with brakes. Pads are pretty worn but the the rest looks pretty good. I put 12V to the magnet and nothing happened. It may no work anymore. With 12V on it it would not hold a small steel plate. Have not looked at the other side.Anyone have experience with the magnets? Anyone have any idea what it would cost to replace?Hove some more cleaning up to do and steel to acquire before I can do much more.I got lucky today and picked up an oxy/acyt set (FREE). The tanks are a lot smaller than I regular set and would go good on the trailer and weigh less so I am happy about getting them, I don't usually use it that much anyway. Not sure the tank sizes but will find out when I take them in for exchange. Oxygen tank is about 4.5' tall and skinny, the Acetylene tank is about 3' tall and not as thin.
Reply:The reason for putting the brakes on the front axle is that the the weight should be more on the front half than on the back half of the trailer also if you lock up the brakes on the trailer the axle with the wheels locked wants to lead not follow just the same reason your brakes on your car are proportioned so that the front are stronger than the rear.
Reply:Anyone have experience with the magnets? Anyone have any idea what it would cost to replace?
Reply:My magnets are round but I have no problem changing them out with ovals. I will go to tractor Supply Monday and see what they have, maybe they have the brake pads also but I have never seen them.Also, I had a friend tell me that my axle was 5000# but I seriously doubt it. I was always told that 4 lugs is a 2000#, 5 lugs are 3500# and 6 lug were 5000#, anyone know otherwise?My axle is square and has five lugs. It is not straight, the cross member of the axle is lower than the spindles Like this: ................ |
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发表于 2021-9-1 00:15:13
