Off Road Axle

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Off Road Axle

Postby Broncoboy » Thu Jul 27, 2006 12:33 am

First off I am completely new to this

I have a 68 Bronco, and I want to build a trailer for it. I have the plan i want, I'm kinda copyin' the genious with the cabin car he built :applause: . I'm gonna start to weld up the frame. I was wonderin if a torsion bar axle is heavy duty enough to withstand off-road abuse. Or if it has enough flex to folly my bronco.

I'm not a big fan up trailer sites so most of my travelin will be done off-road. any suggestions for maken a suspension that'll last?
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Postby madjack » Thu Jul 27, 2006 12:54 am

BB, welcome to the board...while I am a major fan of torsion axles for most uses, a really serious off-road tear should have a spring suspension since it gives more travel/articulation
...if you want a serious off-road unit, start with a 3500# axle with 2000# springs onit
...the reason
...the 3500 has a thicker axle tube and heavier running gear to start with
...used with lighter spings to give a better on road ride and possibly add shocks if you do a bunch of washboard or higher speed forestry or desert roads
...spring suspension will generally give you more frame to ground clearance
...it will also be easier to fix/find parts for if you bust it
...if you want a torsion axle, do the same
...get a 3500# axle and have them de-rate it to 2000#s and have it built with a pretty good down start angle
...what ever you do, take lotssa pictures 'cause you will want proof you built it and we wanna see 'em
...pictures are what we charge for more advice that you can use
...we luv da pics 'round here :D ;)
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Postby PaulC » Thu Jul 27, 2006 4:37 am

Hi Broncoboy and welcome to bored(not :lol: ) Pic below of my rig with leaf sprung suspension. I figured with the amount of remote area travelling the handbrake and I do it was the safest bet. No shockers but they do have an anti-rebound spring incorporated in the design.
Image

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And don't forget to keep Madjack happy with heaps of pics of your build etc. 8)
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Postby Sonetpro » Thu Jul 27, 2006 5:34 am

Broncoboy
Welcome, Mine is setup about the way Jack describes. I was going to go with a flex ride but didn't think it would hold up.
I have a 3000 lb axle with 2000 lb springs and the same shocks my Jeep has.
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Postby angib » Thu Jul 27, 2006 6:49 am

madjack wrote:...used with lighter spings to give a better on road ride and possibly add shocks if you do a bunch of washboard or higher speed forestry or desert roads

I was just reading about fitting dampers to a leaf spring axle over on the Fiberglass RV forum: Boler Shocks Retrofit

Image

You would need to check that the stroke on the dampers wasn't less than the travel on the leaf spring.

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Postby madjack » Thu Jul 27, 2006 12:48 pm

...any one who wants to put shocks on, here is a link to info on ordering the Monroe retro-fit kits................ 8)
http://www.shockwarehouse.com/site/mon_retrokit.cfm
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axle

Postby KA » Thu Jul 27, 2006 1:04 pm

Hi Broncoboy,
I just talked to Southwest Wheel on the phone about my chassis plans and the super helpful sales rep told me that they can downsize a 3500 pound Flexiride axle to 2500 pounds. We were discussing brakes. He suggested this route for my teardrop if I decide to add brakes instead of using the 2000 pound flexiride axle (doesn't come with brake option). He said that 2500 pounds was as low as they could go in downsizing this type of axle. My car owner's manual says I need brakes if I tow more than 1000 pounds. I think my trailer will be slightly heavier than that when finished with box and bikes and stuff.
I'm getting another chassis headache.
Kris :roll:
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Postby madjack » Thu Jul 27, 2006 1:16 pm

:thinking: hmmmmmmmmmmm...our 2000# Flexride(derated to 1500#s) came with the backing flange for brakes and it came from etrailerparts(Southwest Wheel)...and we didn't even order it thatway....
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Postby KA » Thu Jul 27, 2006 1:27 pm

Hi Madjack and all,
I think the salesman at Southwest Wheel was telling me that it would be cheaper for me to add the brakes by going with the larger axle and downsizing it instead of using the 2000 pound axle. I told him that I was going to use 15 inch wheels and had some big, heavy fenders. He was thinking about what I had to add to my car as well. Hopefully I was understanding him correctly. I, being mechanically challenged, may have misunderstood what he said. Hope I didn't confuse anyone. I didn't ask him about downsizing the 2000 axle so what you have, Madjack, may still be an available option. I guess I'd just discuss what you want to do, Broncoboy, with the axle company and work out the details that way.
Still have my chassis headache. :?
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Postby Broncoboy » Thu Jul 27, 2006 5:40 pm

Thanks guys, I think i will use a spring setup, lots of loggin roads in Oregon 8) . I'll get pics as soon as i start the build, I have to finish my bronco first.

Does anyone here frame the entire trailer with metel then cover with wood? any advantages/disadvantages with that setup? If u don't how do u attach the wood to the metel frame? i have some ideas but what u guys use will probably work better.
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Postby Chris C » Thu Jul 27, 2006 5:46 pm

Sure, metal wall frames have been used here................but frankly I don't see the advantage. 1x2 fir, sandwiched between two sheets of 1/4" plywood, with 3/4"' foam insulation, makes for both a lightweight and rigid wall structure, known as "stressed skin". I dare say, every bit as sturdy as a steel frame. :thumbsup:
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Postby madjack » Thu Jul 27, 2006 6:15 pm

...BB, the best known practitioner of the metal wall framing is "Alaska Teardrop" (a.k.a. Fred, the worlds furthest north teardrop builder)...you might wanna drop him a line if he doesn't pipe in here. I believe BG, and a few other have also used that method...
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Postby Broncoboy » Fri Jul 28, 2006 12:29 am

I make model airplanes n' stuff as a hobby, so i get the stressed skin, i was just wondering if there was any advantages to a metal frame. So heres the next question... (ready for it :twisted: ) how, is the most reliable, strongest (most common?) way to attach the wood walls/ floor to the metal frame rails?

Once again I really appriciate u guys givein me all this advice.
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Postby madjack » Fri Jul 28, 2006 12:50 am

BB, there are about as many ways as there are folks here...they all work pretty well and really depend on the specifics of your build...we built using 3/4" ply walls and floor bringing the wall down over the frame and attached the wall/floor using 1"x1/16th Al angle as cleats...glued and screwed 'em together...don't get me wrong here with this suggestion, but EVERY question you have asked has been asked and answered many times...I suggest you use the search button at the top of page and do a little more research and a little more reading...also look carefully at folks build journals and albums...I mean you haven't even posted any pics yet and that is the charge for all this advice... ;)
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Postby Broncoboy » Fri Jul 28, 2006 4:33 am

I have been readin alot of the posts :? , and just now found the ones that answered my questions. I'm intreged by the laminateing idea. I have no pics cause i'm just tryin to get it all built in my head before I actully build anything, i'll re post when i have pics and start building
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