building trailer axles

I'd go with 2" Sched 80 in a pinch, but IIRC there is a DOM tubing that fits them exactly. Try metal supermarket. I think it is 2 1/4 inch DOM (1/4 wall). A lot of these axles have been used un "U" chanel axles too. And in square tube. In Sched 80 I'd just put a few "weld blisters" around the shaft to make them fit snug, and drill a few 1/2" holes through the tube and plug weld them. In DOM I'd fasten them the same way - at least 4 good plug welds. Keeps the HAZ away from the end where the axle tube and stub join.

Only problem with the 2 1/4"DOM is that the spring u-bolts are made to fit 2 3/8" dia. pipe/tube.

They are for welding onto square tube to make a rocking axle dual wheel mount, or for a solid set-up, welded to the trailer frame members. They get used on a lot of farm equipment, too.

Just buy the built axle if you are looking at a standard single wheel axle design. You can't build a decent safe axle for what they want for one, unless you have an exceptional scrap pile and the know-how to do it safely (which, if you are asking....)

Can you jig up the stub axles to keep them in line? Reliably? And weld them in place accurately?

Just askin'. Better to realistically assess the chances now, than to spend a bunch of money, then have to do it all again for the next try.

Cheers Trevor Jones

Axles are critical and very inexpensive. Buy a Dexter or some such, made to your spec, and be happy forever.

i

Go get the axle made by Dexter or another axle mfg. company, and it will come the way you need it, including pre-assembled 7" or 8" electric brakes and even a set of wheels and tires. The premade axles include installation kits - all the spring saddles, springs, u-bolts, shackles, frame saddles and brackets needed to install it safely.

There's way too much fabrication involved, and you have to get ALL the little details right - or you will deal with failures that could have multi-fatal consequences.

And fabricating a suspension from scratch is reinventing the wheel and will cost you dearly in parts and time. The axle company buys all these pieces in bulk, and you will save in the long run.

The axle tubing has to be the right steel for strength, the welds holding the spindles on are critical and tricky, and the axle needs a

2 or 3 degree bend in the middle /at an angle/, to provide a bit of toe-in and camber so it tracks right. They know how much to tweak it, you would have to experiment till the trailer tracks true.

Save your effort for making the trailer frame and body.

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So nobody know the answer then. I like how you all give advise but have no idea what I am doing with the axles. I am building a boat trailer that will never leave my yard as I live on the water and have my own launch, I don't want brakes, I don't want suspension. Toe in/out etc doesn't matter, it will never be on pavement. These spindle are on sale right now and I can build the axles to the exact width I want.

That was exactly my experience. New 6,000 lbs axle, new tires, new electric brakes, new mounting hardware, new springs, made exactly to my spec, just appx. $600 delivered. It works great and does survive

6,000 lbs of weight, at least it did so the last 2 times I tried (both times with power supplies that weighed 4,500 lbs each).

Making my own axle? Not for me.

It would have cost me a lot more to make homemade, and I would have missed some gotcha that would ultimately cost me dearly.

Yes.

And they know exactly how to put them together so that the axle does not fall off if you hit a speedbump.

They also heat treat their axles after welding, not something available to a typical home shop.

The main reason why my trailer works so well for me, is that I started off with two very well made items, the bed and the axle.

i

15 thou matters very little. Shims will make no difference once the unit is welded together.

You plan on cutting the trailer up when you are done with it?

Otherwise, it may well end up on the roads.

Better to have the standardized (and proven) axle.

Fill yer boots.

Cheers Trevor Jones

Ah, ahem, Mark. You failed to mention that in your OP.

It was an interesting thread anyway. Fun to watch all the answers you got. Unfortunately nobody asked what you were going to do with the axle. Seems like everybody assumed you were going to put it on the road.

B

Mark, for your situation then, I would use a piece of metal pallet strapping as a shim, drive the stubs into the pipe, and weld around. Adjust fit as required in a local area around the shim with a die grinder.

RJ

So nobody know the answer then. I like how you all give advise but have no idea what I am doing with the axles. I am building a boat trailer that will never leave my yard as I live on the water and have my own launch, I don't want brakes, I don't want suspension. Toe in/out etc doesn't matter, it will never be on pavement. These spindle are on sale right now and I can build the axles to the exact width I want.

So buy 2.25" U bolts, or reform the 2.1875s to fit

So for YOUR APPLICATION the 0.015" oversize of the Sched80 is not an issue. Go for it. Just make sure the trailer is never used on a public road, for liability reasons - when you don't need it any more cut it up, don't sell it.

Get this, I phoned the manufacturer directly canadian tool and die

and they don't even know the answer. They just make the spinles, not the entire axles. They said these type of spindle have been around for a very long time and they are simply copying them and manufacturing them. They said just to put them in tubes and weld them. Princess auto is the retailer. After much thought I am just going to get dodge mini van hubs/spindles from the wrecking yard and make axles from 3" pipe with 1/2" plate flanges and weld them directly to the frame $150 bucks all said and done. On a side note I already built a 3 axle trailer this way and and haul my 8000lbs tractor on it for 4 year now with no problems. I always drill and tap the hubs in between the bearings for grease fittings and keep them nicely greased. Thanks to all

If the axle does not have to be tremendously strong, just use the rear axle out of a front wheel drive car. Some models would make great light trailer axles, and they're all but ready to use.

RJ

Get this, I phoned the manufacturer directly canadian tool and die

and they don't even know the answer. They just make the spinles, not the entire axles. They said these type of spindle have been around for a very long time and they are simply copying them and manufacturing them. They said just to put them in tubes and weld them. Princess auto is the retailer. After much thought I am just going to get dodge mini van hubs/spindles from the wrecking yard and make axles from 3" pipe with 1/2" plate flanges and weld them directly to the frame $150 bucks all said and done. On a side note I already built a 3 axle trailer this way and and haul my 8000lbs tractor on it for 4 year now with no problems. I always drill and tap the hubs in between the bearings for grease fittings and keep them nicely greased. Thanks to all

Hmmm... Wouldn't 2" id 1/4" wall pipe be 2.5" in diameter?

What are you commenting on? I am the original poster and I was looking for 1 3/4"id heavy walled pipe/tubing, the closest I could find was

2"sch 80 pipe which is 1.90"id and 2.375"od.

What is DOM?

The OP was looking at the usual pipe size tables. Typical one looks like:

40 pipe is designed to have an ID very slightly larger than the nominal pipe size. So 2" schedule 40 is 2.067". Schedule 80 was a "extra heavy wall" pipe, uses the same fittings (OD related), sothe ID is well under 2"

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