Got my Trailer parts..car hauler in the making!!

You could also look at the bearing sizes. IIRC, a 1 3/8" inner bearing and 1 1/16" outer bearing = 3500 lb axle.

X2. bearing size will tell more than axle tube size.
 
I'll just about bet if you look all over that axle it will have a part number stamped in the tube somewhere.
Enter that part # in Google and viola
 
You could also look at the bearing sizes. IIRC, a 1 3/8" inner bearing and 1 1/16" outer bearing = 3500 lb axle.
you mean the size inside to inside of bearing hole or the full size of the bearing outer diameter. good info to know though..i will check tomorrow when i finish the last step to replace 4more u-bolts.
 
alright here's "my new hauler". i'm sooo happy to have this done and my own trailer that's mine to keep and now it looks good, should be more than plenty sturdy and well, here it is:
steel added.jpg
steel added 2.jpg
painted open.jpg
painted complete.jpg
rear 2x2.jpg
painted complete 2.jpg
 
the 2x8 in the middle is there to straighten out the boards (which it did) since they were so badly bowed..held in with 4 6" screws. i just have to put one more piece of flat iron over the back to hold the board down back there but she's done>>>>WHOO HOO!! might weigh 900 if lucky cause i can still lift one corner almost (almost) 1" off the ground so can't be over a thousand for sure. dropped a lot of weight not putting the other 4 2x10s on it so that helped a lot with weight too.
any tips on anything that "should" be done besides brakes..those are coming soon hopefully as soon as i get the 140 for all 4 but for now i think its ready to go!!! gonna take the jeep to local trial with it next weekend so i'm exited for that trip test.
 
you mean the size inside to inside of bearing hole or the full size of the bearing outer diameter. good info to know though..i will check tomorrow when i finish the last step to replace 4more u-bolts.

Should be spindle diameter where the bearing rides once installed, or inside diameter of the bearing
 
I think you will ultimately regret not putting all the board in for a couple reasons.
Just one man's opinion.
 
I think you will ultimately regret not putting all the board in for a couple reasons.
Just one man's opinion.

x2. did you screw the boards down to the crossmembers? If not, I would do that atleast every other one.
 
The first time you step through there and twist the crap out of your knee you will put all those bored back 200 or 300 pounds won't make any difference in your towing
 
yeah i'll probably put some treated plywood down eventually but for now, i'll just watch my step lol. my jeep is barely going to fit width wise so i don't see reasons to ever have to walk in the middle so i'll manage. too much work today to check bearings...got lots of work all of sudden so no more piddling with my own stuff lol
 
3/4" PT plywood is about 90 pounds per sheet whereas a PT 2x10x16 is about 70 lbs. You aren't saving weight, you're losing strength and rigidity. You'll wish you had the center in there when you need somewhere to work on it.
Listen to others in this thread who have some experience and wish to share it with you.
 
3/4" PT plywood is about 90 pounds per sheet whereas a PT 2x10x16 is about 70 lbs. You aren't saving weight, you're losing strength and rigidity. You'll wish you had the center in there when you need somewhere to work on it.
Listen to others in this thread who have some experience and wish to share it with you.
...didn't realize the weight similarities. i only left the center open mainly for money purposes but figured the 300lb loss was added bonus. money is tight right now and when i get some back up, trailer brakes are my next buy. the center being open is the least of my concern and as far as strength and rigidness...with all the extra angle iron i put on, according to metal shop too, the floor is now stronger than i would ever need it to be for any purpose i ever will put on it. they told me that floor should withstand 8k pounds no problem (just floor itself). for a jeep probably overkill but figured better overkill than not, without being so heavy. once i get at least one axle break installed ($60), it will be a great lightweight hauler. today i bought a 29spline 8.25 off a 00xj which could've been one set of axle brakes but couldn't pass the deal on that diff (my turdyfive took/handled some beating but still taking a chance with it lol).
 
Two braking axles is nice but most trailers only have one braking axle. My trailer is similar in weight to your carrying an xj and one set of brakes is plenty
i figured since the law is just one but eventually why not both for extra 60 down the road!! i'm just so relieved to not have to borrow that 2300lb tank (lol) of a trailer for my trips... the ford done it but it wasn't happy coming up the mountain lol pullin 43mph steady though, but flat ground was doing 70 no problem so with my trailer weighing 1/4 of that, i'm sure the ford will have much more breathing room along with smaller tires, upgrade the exhaust and intake, maybe a chip and i should be plenty. Surprised it done half tank a gas from Boone to Marion and back with that heavy load!!
 
well I had to borrow a trailer since I loaned a trailer to a buddy to pull his Toyota down. didn't realize it till I plugged the trailer up on the way down that a ground (most likely) wire had broke, the brakes have a default lock up if something like that happens. so consider that as well double the amount of something causing them to lock down
 
i figured since the law is just one but eventually why not both for extra 60 down the road!! i'm just so relieved to not have to borrow that 2300lb tank (lol) of a trailer for my trips... the ford done it but it wasn't happy coming up the mountain lol pullin 43mph steady though, but flat ground was doing 70 no problem so with my trailer weighing 1/4 of that, i'm sure the ford will have much more breathing room along with smaller tires, upgrade the exhaust and intake, maybe a chip and i should be plenty. Surprised it done half tank a gas from Boone to Marion and back with that heavy load!!

Power to stop> power to accelerate
Keep that in mind
 
I'm of the mindset that you can never have enough brakes. Coming down some of those hills to and from Harlan, I was VERY glad that I had both axles braking on my 1100 lb trailer that was loaded with a 3100 lb rig.
 
Are you sure the truck wasn't happy. We have a f350 with a 5.4L and it will pull just abut anything. I've towed my old fullsize bronco many times on a equipment trailer.

You have to keep in mind old v8s like the 460 and 454 made gobs of torque low in the rpms. And now modern v8s get compared to desiel engines.

The 5.4 makes power pretty high in the rpms.

That truck has plenty of motor to pull an xj.
 
Are you sure the truck wasn't happy. We have a f350 with a 5.4L and it will pull just abut anything. I've towed my old fullsize bronco many times on a equipment trailer.

You have to keep in mind old v8s like the 460 and 454 made gobs of torque low in the rpms. And now modern v8s get compared to desiel engines.

The 5.4 makes power pretty high in the rpms.

That truck has plenty of motor to pull an xj.
X2. Don't be afraid to let that 5.4 live near the redline on hills.
 
X2. Don't be afraid to let that 5.4 live near the redline on hills.
hey thanks for the input on the 5.4 I took it easy and kept rpms low not wanting to cause any damage/stress...i'm not a ford guy and don't know much about them but glad to know it can handle some rpms. thank you.
 
Are you sure the truck wasn't happy. We have a f350 with a 5.4L and it will pull just abut anything. I've towed my old fullsize bronco many times on a equipment trailer.

You have to keep in mind old v8s like the 460 and 454 made gobs of torque low in the rpms. And now modern v8s get compared to desiel engines.

The 5.4 makes power pretty high in the rpms.

That truck has plenty of motor to pull an xj.
thank you also for your feedback on the ford..glad to know i can get on it when needed. it did pull surprisingly well with really good gas mileage for the amount of weight it was pulling but up the mountain i kept slow just cause new vehicle for me and until i get to know it, i take it easy. thanks for input!
 
On the trailer deck.
1- We all understand lack of funds, we've all been there.
2- When you have a trailer you invariably use it for stuff you never intended. Moving a couch, or a pool table for a friend, or bales of pine straw or, or,or. In every case a full deck is preferable. That said not a deal killer
3- Regarding rigidity, think about this from a common sense stand point. All the metal you add runs left to right across the trailer. This makes the "floor" of the trailer much stronger from folding in half cross ways. However there are only 2 pieces of metal running front to back keeping the trailer deck from "folding" The additional boards would actually add structural stiffness front to rear and if screwed in properly would serve to "tie it all together" and make all the metal work off each other structurally.

I am not saying it is unsafe without the extra boards, nor am I telling you not to run it without them. I am saying, if I were you, whenever I got $40 extra I would add them in.

Good luck either was with it.
 
once both axles have brakes on them, i will finish the floor then. yeah....never gave thought about hauling couches/household items and such....my brain doesn't go that far sometimes lol. good points.
 
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