Which Axles for Trailer?

[cjcocn]

Hello all

I just picked up an old 14' x 6 1/2' dual axle utility trailer, but it has old house trailer axles on it (illegal here). I knew that going in, but the cost for the trailer was only $350 so I figured that I could spring for a pair of axles.

The trailer is solidly built and probably weighs over 1500 lbs, so once I put 3' walls on it I will be able to load 2.13 cords of wood.

I mainly burn jack pine which has a dry (seasoned) weight of 2,669# per cord. 2.13 cords of dry jack pine weighs in at ｱ5,685# (the wood is seasoned before I bring it home).

The weight of the trailer and the wood would put me at 7,185 lbs (at least), so a pair of 3,500# axles will not be enough.

That leaves me with a choice of 5,200# axles or 6,000# axles (the next available sizes up).

If I go with 5,200# axles I will have a capacity of 8,900# (10,400 - 1,500). With 2.13 cords of wood on the trailer I will have 3,215# of available load capacity remaining.

If I go with 6,000# axles I will have a capacity of 10,500# (12,000 - 1,500). With 2.13 cords of wood I will have 4,815# of available load capacity remaining.

I do not plan on hauling much else on this trailer except for my current tractor which is less than 4,400# and probably some junk/scrap/etc from clearing operations around the house. The heaviest load that I need to carry should be the wood.

Here are my questions.

Which axles do you recommend?

If I go for the 6,000# axles, will the extra 4,815# of capacity make the ride too rough when I am carrying my maximum weight (the firewood)?

Would I be better off with the 5,200# axles as this would put me nearer my capacity and give me a smoother ride and less wear on the trailer? (I figure there would be less wear since the 5,200# axles would be less stiff and would absorb bumps better)

The price is negligible (the 6,000# axles are actually $50 cheaper for the pair), so it is just a matter of which axles would be better suited to my purpose.

Thanks

 

[grnspot110]

Personally, I would go with the 6000#, I don't think you'll notice any difference in ride or wear. You never Know when you might need the extra capacity.~~ grnspot110

 

[JiminGa]

I don't think the difference in capacity is your major concern as either will do the job you want...braking would be a bigger concern to me. Do either come with built in brakes?

 

[cjcocn]

Sorry, I should have included that info.

Both sets include brakes all-round (I skipped right over the single brake sets as they are not a consideration).

 

[JiminGa]

I'm with grnspot then, get the 6000lb ones, heck they're cheaper. and I doubt there's a noticable difference in ride.

 

[chh]

Go with the 6000lb axle. I doubt you will be able to tell any difference in the ride and you can just consider the extra capacity a safety margin. Good brakes on both axles is definitely the way to go.

 

[podagrower]

I recently upgraded my trailer axles to 6000# with brakes all around. I didn't look at the 5200#, so cannot offer much opinion on them. Ride quality would be more a result of springs, not axles. I opted for 7000# springs to insure there would not be any sag on my deck over trailer. When empty, it is rough, but when loaded, it inspires confidence. Mine are Dexter heavy duty with EZ Lube bearings. I believe the heavy duty uses larger bearings, and there is nothing more convenient than using a grease gun to lube the bearings.

 

[RollTideRam]

Don't forget tires that match your axle rating. JC

 

[cjcocn]

Don't forget tires that match your axle rating. JC

I am pricing those out and just came up with some potential totals. I will know for sure once I check another source or two.

They ain't cheap!

 

[Diamondpilot]

I had 2 5,200# axles on a boat trailer and some items are harder to come by than 6,000# axles. Things like seals and bearings were a little tough to find but do able. I never had to work on the breaks but I am guessing it would be the same story. The 6,000# axles ares so common the parts are a dime a dozen so with that I would do as the others said and get the bigger ones. If this trailer does not work out or you want to build a bigger trailer in the future you have the bigger axles and running gear to get you started.

Chris

 

[George2615]

I'll just throw in my 2 cents.
Go with the 6000 # axles. (at 7K or more weight load you won't notice any difference over 5200# axles in fact it will ride better loaded than empty.)

Make sure you use the correct trailer tires for the weight load.

Brakes on both axles would be a must.

Really look at the trailer frame. If it is a factory 7K rated trailer can it actually support an additional 5K if you swap in the axles?

 

[cjcocn]

I'll just throw in my 2 cents.
Go with the 6000 # axles. (at 7K or more weight load you won't notice any difference over 5200# axles in fact it will ride better loaded than empty.)

Make sure you use the correct trailer tires for the weight load.

Brakes on both axles would be a must.

Really look at the trailer frame. If it is a factory 7K rated trailer can it actually support an additional 5K if you swap in the axles?

LOL ... well, actually the cost of the wheel assemblies may have made up my mind for me.

The cost for suitable (rated) wheel assemblies for the 5,200# axles are $300 less than the cost for suitable wheel assemblies for the 6,000# axles. Considering that the size of the trailer will not really allow me to put larger loads on it, I am now leaning towards the 5,200# axles.

As for the trailer frame itself - that is an excellent question! I am off to search the www for information on this, but before I go .....

The frame is constructed out of 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" rectangular tubing, with the same size tubing used as cross members. I saw four cross members, but did not dig all of the snow out so I will have to double-check that on Saturday when I can be home during daylight hours. The rear of the trailer is made from slighter larger C-channel or I-beam (again, I will check again on Saturday when I can do so in the daylight).

I could not find an open end to measure the tubing, but every other exposed piece of metal is 1/4" thick. Overall it does not look like the regular duty landscape trailers that I see around here, but instead looks like something that you can park a house on.

Accurate measurements will be taken on Saturday (daylight) and in the meantime I will search the www for trailer specs to see what this one matches up closest to.

Thanks!

 

[chrpmaster]

Chris

I found a similiar trailer for sale by a local farmer. I lucked out and got it for $85. The deck was completely rotted out but the axle and frame were good. I had to add a cross member in the middle cause there was a 4 foot gap so I added one between them. I added a deck of 2 x 8 treated lumber and attached all of it with deck screws. It ended up able to haul way more that my truck could handle. It is only a single house trailer axle on it which is legal here. It ended up being 6.5 ft wide and 10 ft long. I added removable sides.

Andy

 

[ampsucker]

i would take a really close look at frame, hitch parts, etc. take a look around at your local trailer dealers and see what they are using. a good DOT certified trailer builder will be using the right stuff. i think i have 4 or 5 inch c channels for a tongue on my 7k lb trailer and they extend from the hitch all the way to where the first axles connect.

check for broken or questionable welds on cross members, axles mounts and all along tongue channels.

problem with using mobile home axles and wheels is they are designed for one time or very occasional use. (moving a mobile home). they can carry the weight, but long term reliability is an issue. also, they are designed to go fully under the trailer, so center of gravity is much higher than car-hauler type trailers where the bed sits down between the wheels. in my opinion, they do not provide a nice towing experience. be careful!

amp

 

[cjcocn]

i would take a really close look at frame, hitch parts, etc. take a look around at your local trailer dealers and see what they are using. a good DOT certified trailer builder will be using the right stuff. i think i have 4 or 5 inch c channels for a tongue on my 7k lb trailer and they extend from the hitch all the way to where the first axles connect.

check for broken or questionable welds on cross members, axles mounts and all along tongue channels.

problem with using mobile home axles and wheels is they are designed for one time or very occasional use. (moving a mobile home). they can carry the weight, but long term reliability is an issue. also, they are designed to go fully under the trailer, so center of gravity is much higher than car-hauler type trailers where the bed sits down between the wheels. in my opinion, they do not provide a nice towing experience. be careful!

amp

The trailer is solid, with great welds (I can't make 'em, but I can recognize them!) and the tongue is built much like your 7K trailer is. As far as the bed/tongue go, this trailer is 100%.

As for the current axles, I agree 100% with you on their limited life expectancy. That's why I am replacing them with good axles.

btw, these axles are set up so that the trailer sits like a car hauler (i.e. not built like a deck over).

Thanks

 

[Mahana79]

problem with using mobile home axles and wheels is they are designed for one time or very occasional use. (moving a mobile home). they can carry the weight, but long term reliability is an issue. also, they are designed to go fully under the trailer, so center of gravity is much higher than car-hauler type trailers where the bed sits down between the wheels. in my opinion, they do not provide a nice towing experience. be careful!

amp

You may want to double check your info. Dexter offers 6K and 7k axles with UMH (Universal Mobile Home) hubs. they are DOT approved and they use the same bearings and backing plates as any of their other 6k and 7k axles. As a matter of fact i have three trailers for a total of 6 axles and they are all Dexter 6K axles. 5 bolt 2x12 backing plates. all UMH hubs. the oldest one being 14 years old. Bearings are cleaned and repacked every year. Seals are the standard 6K size, i pick them up at my local trailer place that stocks Dexter parts. im sure the bearings are the same too but havent had to replace any with proper maint schedule.

Everybody bashes them, just means that i can keep getting them because everybody thinks they are bad. i get complete Axle assemblies (axles, electric brakes, hubs, wheels, Load range "G" tires springs and hanger parts) for $200. all the tires, wheels and axles are DOT stamped

 

[cjcocn]

You may want to double check your info. Dexter offers 6K and 7k axles with UMH (Universal Mobile Home) hubs. they are DOT approved and they use the same bearings and backing plates as any of their other 6k and 7k axles. As a matter of fact i have three trailers for a total of 6 axles and they are all Dexter 6K axles. 5 bolt 2x12 backing plates. all UMH hubs. the oldest one being 14 years old. Bearings are cleaned and repacked every year. Seals are the standard 6K size, i pick them up at my local trailer place that stocks Dexter parts. im sure the bearings are the same too but havent had to replace any with proper maint schedule.

Everybody bashes them, just means that i can keep getting them because everybody thinks they are bad. i get complete Axle assemblies (axles, electric brakes, hubs, wheels, Load range "G" tires springs and hanger parts) for $200. all the tires, wheels and axles are DOT stamped

Here is what the Dexter website states:

Dexter Axle - Trailer Axles and Running Gear Components - FAQ'S

[BOLD]AXLES - Can mobile home axles be reused?[/BOLD]
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 servicable assemblies.

As well, I made some initial inquiries with the local autopac (insurance) agent regarding the pending registration of my trailer. When I mentioned that it currently had house trailer axles and that I would be replacing them prior to registering/insuring the trailer, her response was something along the lines of, "Good, because they are illegal to use."

I still see some utility trailers using them, but every piece of literature that I have read indicates that they are for limited and/or one-time use. I will not be using them as I will not risk having them fail and hurting someone (or worse).

Thanks

 

[podagrower]

Mahana, I hope what you meant was UTG, which I think is the same five spoke hub as mobile home axles. I have seen that most, if not all, mobile home tire and wheel assemblies say "for mobile home use only" and are 14.5" or 15.5" so you can't get standard tires to fit them. There are plenty of UTG tires and wheels out there that are perfectly acceptable for use up to their rated capacity.
Please don't take offense, I'm just trying to clear up UTG versus mobile home axles.

 

[MikeD74T]

cjcocn, If you're not going to haul a fixed weitht object heavier than 4500 lbs , then why don't you go for the 3500 lb axles & haul less wood per trip. In my area heavier trailers can get you into CDL territory and cause more agrivation than benefit. DOT looks at trailer capacity, not load, & regulates accordingly. MikeD74T

 

[Mahana79]

Mahana, I hope what you meant was UTG, which I think is the same five spoke hub as mobile home axles. I have seen that most, if not all, mobile home tire and wheel assemblies say "for mobile home use only" and are 14.5" or 15.5" so you can't get standard tires to fit them. There are plenty of UTG tires and wheels out there that are perfectly acceptable for use up to their rated capacity.
Please don't take offense, I'm just trying to clear up UTG versus mobile home axles.

yes UTG but i could have sworn i have seen them refered to as UMH either way they are still demountable hubs UTG is still the hub with 5 bolts and rim clamps. i find what Dexter states in that link as funny. it sounds as to a way to cover their asses. in the following link you will see where you can get service parts for the UMH or UTG "demountable" hubs and notice that they call for the same bearings and brake parts for 5500#-7000# they say that they arent servicable but yet they have parts listed. they say the backing plates are welded on yet the illustrated parts breakdown shows it using the same 5 bolt backing plate. with the bearings being the same part numbers and the brake asseblies being the same it seems to me that the axle beam itself is the same including the spindles and the hubs are interchangable from the UTG/UMH demountable type to the standard 8 lug brake hub or the 8 lug idler hub. all of mine are the "servicible" type and i use the 14.5 wheels and they are DOT stamped


Im not saying that all mobile home axles are the "servicable" type but alot are. i would say that if they have a bolted on backing plate instead of a welded on one then they are meant for more than "one trip" and they are field servicable.

attached are some pics of the wheels and tires that i have in use. I will get some of the axles after the holidays.

Maybe the ones i get are actual UTG but i know they come out from under mobile homes ???????????


Podagrower: What is the differeance between UTG and "mobile home" axles??