PWC trailer conversion

[oakinteriors1]

I have a question about lengthening this axle.... It appears the shaft runs through the box steel...Could I cut it in the center and add a pc. Of box with a bigger ID to slip the axle into? As is the frame is 38'' wide....I'm out to make a 5X10 trailer out of it.

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It's present use....

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[KCStudly]

Very common to weld stub axle shafts into the ends of a longer square "axle" tube. You will find that the middle of the square tube is hollow.

Yes, you can extend the middle (I did it with round tube axles on my car hauler, however, I did it by making a spud insert that slipped inside). Best to add some plug welds in the outer tube near the ends of the cut inner tube, as well as the welds around the ends of the outer tube.

Before you go down that road be sure that the axle is rated for the loads that you intend to put on it with that size camper (those little axles always make me a little nervous).

Also, you should move the springs with the stubs/hubs (i.e. make the main rails farther apart, do not increase the distance from the wheel hub to the spring mount). The spring perch is where the most leverage occurs from the reaction force at the tire and you do not want to exceed the mfg.'s limits on this spacing.

[oakinteriors1]

Thanks KC...this trailer hauled around a 600 lb jet ski....The axle tube is 11/2'' OD box and the frame is 2'' box....

[lilgription]

Ive done it many times without an issue. just use a tight fitting piece of tubing over whats already there. Also for a piece of mind drill a few holes in the new tubing and do some button welds. This way you add more welds than just around the perimeter of the tubing

[oakinteriors1]

This is my other option to increase this 5X8 to a 10 footer....But a lot of stuff to cut off.....

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[CarlLaFong]

I haven't seen a tongue that long since Gene Simmons

[KCStudly]

Yeah, and his is more stout, too.

Need to beef that up before use. Bob Henry has a nice tension strut design that would be easy to add, along with some angle braces on the side.

[bobhenry]

Here is a bit of the old post......

Had a major engineering rebuild on the tongue. It had bent as some of you said it would and I jacked it back into position but it needed more so we trussed it by using 1 1/2 flat stock and a 4" piece of 1 1/2 square tube. Placed the tube at the front rail of the trailer frame under the tongue and the flat strap was welded to this tube and 3 feet forward and another 3 feet to the rear. A saddle was placed over the square tube and welded to each piece of flat stock to connect them and relieve some of the strain on the tube weld. Then we tensioned the strap by mashing with a monster "c" clamp and welded the edges at both ends. This effectively makes a truss out of my extra long tongue As the tongue load increases the front strap tensions and actually lifts the leading edge of the frame while the rear also tensions to assist the front strap. I know clear as mud but it worked and you can play a tune on the straps.
I'll try and get some pics because this was a very good repair method.

Here is a peek at what it looks like Remember the body is cantilevered 2 foot forward of the front of the frame.

[oakinteriors1]

That is the old tongue off the jet ski trailer, really heavy being 1/4'' thick wall X2'' square tubing.....extending 7' past the frame...

[oakinteriors1]

Does anyone know what the TS trailer pictured will weigh when you cut off the unwanted steel?
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/c ... d-capacity

[bobhenry]

Does anyone know what the TS trailer pictured will weigh when you cut off the unwanted steel?
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/c ... d-capacity

http://www.carry-ontrailer.com/docs/sal ... D_LRES.pdf

This says it's 325 - 350 pounds I am guessing the tail gate to be 40 # ????

2x2 angle is 2.44 pounds per foot for 3/16" and 3.19 for 1/4"

So guess how many feet you are removing and just do the math.

By the way the little vee that is left if you just cut them off flush with the floor makes a great place to bolt the wood members on, you just need some monster washers.



It's a little out of focus and hard to see but I just bolted to the little vee and I was able to get a full five foot inside by crowding the bottom plate out a bit.