a tandem axle quandry...

[Team Varekai]

I have access to an old travel trailer with tandem axles, a friend and I are both wanting to build a teardrop so my question is: can the axles from a tandem be used as singles once they have been removed from the existing trailer. I understand we'll need new hangers and shackles an all but can we use what were tandems as singles.....I hope I make sense. I hope one of you Guru's out there can get me an answer..lol. Thanks, I appreciate everyones input and help, Darin.

[PaulC]

G'Day Darin, You shoulkd be okay to use one of the axles on a TD. I would be checking widthn etc before I committed to it, though.

Cheers
Paul

[eamarquardt]

Things that you might consider:

Do they have flanges for brake hubs. A must IMHO.

Are they the right width (it's easier to make them narrower than wider but both can be done). Round axles are easier (IMHO) to modify than square axles but I've done both.

What is the bolt pattern of the hubs. Are they a standard size and what size rims are available.

What size are the rims and tires or do you have to replace them.

Axles are only about $125 without brakes and about twice that with brakes. Buying an new axle with brakes is cheaper than buying an axle w/o brakes and buying the brakes later.

Hope this helps. Good luck. I love scrounging and buying second hand but sometimes it's false economy.

Cheers,

Gus