Wanting to build a trailer. Axles?

yoder519

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2010
Location
Abingdon, VA
I got some steel from work the other day, the plant manager normally hooks me up if its scrap and then donates teh money to Santa Pal, so with that said, I got under $40 bucks in this, and me and a buddy have been pondering on the idea of building a car trailer, I would like an 18ft. And I know this is not enough metal, or not the best to use, but my question is, if you got this metal at a deal, and could get more, would you build it? Also, VA does not allow donut type mobile axles on a legal trailer, and the only axle Ive seen are pretty high. Any ideas? The channle I know is overkill, but I coudlnt beat the price. Metal specs:

(8) 8' pieces of C-Channel, 8" tall, 3" wide, 1/4' thick in the smallest part (4 not pictured)
(4) 7 1/2' pieces of angle, 2x3, 3/8" thick
(12) triangular shaped pieces 3/8" thick, about 11" long x 7" tall (Are these to short to be used as fish plates? Im thinking they are, but it was a package deal)
(4) 6' pieces of 2x3 C-Channel, 3/16" thick (got this to build a bumper on my toyota, but I may use it for a trailer)

Like I said, I got it all for 40 bills, so I would like to use it. But the C-channel is gonna be way over kill and the trailer would be extremely heavy. And its all galvanized, which is dangerous to weld if you don't have a good ventilated area, which the triale rwill be built outside.

Opinions?
Good place to buy axles?

ai213.photobucket.com_albums_cc272_kxrider519_IMG_20130326_190330_zps3a7704ae.jpg
 
Well, my moms neighbor sold me this trailer at a price that I couldnt pass up. 16ft flat deck, a little over 7.5ft wide. Its homemade, 8in I beam, and 4 in channel welded on the outside to make it wider. ONly thing about it is, Its a TN trailer, and in TN, you don thave to have them reigstered if they stay in TN when you own it, So Im gonna get a app in VA for a home made trailer title. I would like to change out axles, Ive never been been a fan of Dexters. I worked for a guy moving and setting up mobile homes and Ive seen them come off the rim many a times. Im gonna weld a stop up front, put more braces underneath it, add some weight to the tongue cuz its a little to light in the fron tend b/c of axle placement, and put regular trailer axles under it. But for the price, I couldnt pass it up. Anybody interested in some of that 8in channel? Im gonna keep a few pieces, and keep all the other stuff.


ai213.photobucket.com_albums_cc272_kxrider519_IMG_20130408_173943_zps5bf3292c.jpg
 
BTW Dexter is a manufacturer that makes axles. They make traditional wheel patterns as well.
They are actually one of only 2 that are still made in the usa.

SO you dont like ring clamp axles, may help in your search.
 
Yeah the axle placement is a little goofy and the tongue looks short, otherwise I would use it. Dexter makes some of the best trailer axles you can buy (the ones used on mobile homes are on the lower end) but they make and sell other HD axles that use california wheels/donut rims/whatever, and looks like it at least has brakes on the rear axle? The only reason you've seen the wheels come off a mobile home is because some dumbass that could care less installed them.
 
Thanks for the link Bruiser!! Ill check that out.

Ron- I looked at Dexters, and Ialso seen a place called trailerplans.com that sell them. fairly resonable.

Braxton- The tongue is way to short, and yes it has working brakes on teh rear axle. Me and a buddy thought about cutting the tongue off and welding some of that 8in channel I got to it and make it a 20 ft. That will help with the axle placement to, and make a longer tongue for it.
 
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