Weld in centers for demountable trailer axles??

[Van-go]

So I have dexter axles with demountable 14.5in wheels.
Everyone knows that they only make crappy bias tires for these and mounting them is little sketchy the way they clamp.

has anyone thought about making a weld in wheel center that you could weld into a 15 or 16in wheel that would allow you to bolt it directly to the hub on these? I guess you would use a lug bolt that is conical at the head to center the hole.

I am sure the center could be cut out on a table, but I am not having luck finding 16 inch wheels with no centers in them.

Anyone have any ideas or am I being dumb?

Thanks

 

[NC-V]

For the cost and labor involved, why not just look into swapping hubs or even replacing the axle assemblies?

 

[jeepinmatt]

I drew an adapter up in CAD that would allow you to bolt onto that pattern and give you an 8 lug pattern, but it would have made my axles way too wide. then I started digging into the price of just getting new axles, and it seems like they were about $300 each. So decided if I was ever motivated enough, I would do that. And that was about 4 or 5 years ago. So you can tell how that went, haha!

 

[GCncsuHD]

Wouldn't it be easier to just swap the hubs/brakes to a 5/6 lug setup? Last time I looked into it I think it was about $100 to convert an idler axle and $200 or so for the parts for a braking axle.

I was going to suggest MRW wheels for a bare hoop, but I guess they aren't in business anymore?

 

[NC-V]

I swapped both my axles out to 6k dexters with brakes, new hardware, equilizers, springs, 6 new wheels and 6 new tires for just under $1200. Axles were $292 each

 

[Van-go]

Thanks guys. This is what I figured.
It’s probably just cheaper to continue to buy bias tires and keep rolling

 

[paradisePWoffrd]

I looked at this exact thing.... the main issue is, the wheel mounting surface isnt flat; it is tapered to the outside. so is the wedges that clamp on to your rim.

I had planned to swap a trailer, it was going to be ~$250 per axle to add brakes, plus the cost of wheels/tires. I decided it was just easiest to get more 14.5s.

I have thought that it might be easiest to carry a whole hub with wheel on it.... get the wheel/tire centered on the hub and just swap the whole thing if you have a flat.... i believe that it is likely quicker to do that vs swapping just the wheel/tire.

 

[Croatan_Kid]

My vote is for swapping axles.

 

[Van-go]

My vote is for swapping axles.

I probably will down the road. I was just

My vote is for swapping axles.

One day maybe. I really just want a gooseneck anyways