Interesting item I found in trailer parts catalog

There is another advantage, as well as simply keeping the spring brackets in line and supporting this higher stressed area--if these are welded or bolted on right, then they'll also be able to be UN- welded or bolted, and then moved if you find that you need to reballance the trailer for some reason--like you decide to cut off 2' or add heavy folding ramps at the back end. I think they're an excellent idea. --Glenn Lyford

Does my idea of drilling and taping the 3/16 tubing for the frame seem like it is doable and will be strong enough to hold? (I cant see how I would get a nut insde that tubing so the only way I could see was to tap and thread.

Speaking of back gates, if a person added one later and it was heavy, I assume you would need to move the axle even farther back to the rear?

I'd be worried about it. I'd be more likely to weld a nut on the angle and go through both sides of the tube.

Yes.

--Glenn Lyford

To add: the most force here is the weight of the trailer and load straight down, keeping the tube resting on the angle. The joint is then only involved in keeping the pieces from sliding, which is why I think you can get away with bolting this joint. Also, the hole through the middle of the angle will be about 1" up, where the bolted joint is getting some support from the tube wall perpendicular to the two side walls the bolt is going through, making it less likely to crush. If you can look for other places like this in your construction where the bolt or weld is not taking the whole force but is merely keeping pieces in place, you're better off.

--Glenn Lyford

I thought of that. You would need to put some type of pipe in the tube to keep it from colapsing I guess. I dont know how I would drill through it. All I have available is a hand drill.

If I could figure out a way to get a nut on the inside of the tube, would that be better than just threading the metal? Maybe I could drill the required hole in the bottom of the frame tubing, and somehow fish a nut welded onto a small 3/16 plate into the tube to the hole. Run the bolt through the angle axle bracket, into the hole of the box tubing and screw it into thenut/plate inside the tubing.

What do you think? I can see an advantage of using angle in this case if a person were to do that.

Do I have to drill thought the whoe tube or can I just one side as discussed previously? WOuld this "sliding action" as you described be the same principle as placing the A frame under the actual trailer frame,touching bothe the trailer sides and trailer front? (If that makes sense).

Would drilling a hole in the center of the spring hanger and bolting just the spring hanger to the trailer tubing be a good/bad idea?

Welded on the surfaces parallel to the lentgh of the trailer only.

Here's the Dexter Axle service manual for common axles:

Also, check this out: Study up, quiz on Monday!

Where did you see that about only welding the parallel surfaces? I could not find that.

Is it still a good idea to have the brakets welded to a piece of 2 x2

3/16 angle then weld the angle to the frame? Would the "weld only the pareallel surfaces to the frame" still apply?

I read it in some Dexter info when I built my trailer. It's somewhere on the site. The hanger brackets will probably be 3/16" or 1/4" steel. I'd go with an angle thickness of 50% or greater. Lots of stress on potholes.

What kind of trailer did you build?

So if 50% 3/16 would be ok? Maybe I should not use angle?

(Warning: BIG pictures)

I did the trailer and the kid. Wife helped with the kid.

Today's bounty:

?v=aVjtZBr Let the flames rise about not removing the head...now.

Sorry, I meant 50% greater. Maybe 5/16"?

?!?? I can understand on a turret head, with the head way out on the end of the overarm, but for a CNC? Why?

Note to Stryped: notice what he's using for hold downs--straps are nice, the 3" ones hold pretty good, but when you really need to keep a few tons in place, there's nothing like chains... --Glenn Lyford

Why didn't I, or why was I worried about it? I've always heard you remove the head for transport. I got the machines for a steal, with limited load out time & resources, so I winged it. I felt comfortable about the load & rigging.

That's really why I posted the pics, the seriousness of proper trailer design. That sinking feeling in your gut just thinking about loosing this load should keep you scared enough to do it right.

The only reason I used the web strap was to keep the shaper from scooting forward when braking. Plus, I was out of chains. Web straps are good for lighter, easy shapes to tie down. Loads of wood or steel stock. I'm breaking the rules by using the strap at an angle. Should just be straight over. SteveB has plenty of rigging experience; he can tell you more about it.

Why were you worried. I've heard of a lot of people flipping the head over to get the height (and center of gravity for easier trailering) down. If the trailer is stable and you don't need the height to get under a door or whatever, why worry?

I could see, though, if you were worried about the forces on the knuckles of a regular J-head. But even then, I think it's mostly a judgement call thing. Some people support the head with a piece of wood between the head and table. Others say that puts too much pressure on the table jack mechanism.

Was out driving one day and saw a flatbed truck with a 1/2 dozen J- heads on it. All had the heads on, upright, unsupported.

--Glenn Lyford

Damn. I was feeling like a cavalier badass by flouting convention, too. Oh, well, we got home safely. I was suprise that there wasn't the slightest bit of settling/relaxing of the rigging.

This is the first time I have moved machine tools with my trailer. Forklift to load and forklift to unload. NOT like the good old days of gantry and pickup truck. This is getting too easy...

Always put a block of wood under the knee. and lock the knee.

The possiblity exists that the bouncing will blow out the acme nut holding up the knee, particularly if its an older machine with a well worn knee acme screw and nut.

I saw this happen one time. Drove the knee screw through the top of the trailer deck. Very rare, but a chunk of wood is cheap.

Gunner

Political Correctness is a doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical liberal minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.

Yikes! I'll do that next time, for sure. Unloading yesterday was uneventful, but the shaper is much heavier than I had estimated. I guessed

2500#, but after feeling the load on the lift, I would say 4000# easy. They stacked that little machine tight!