Worth the price?

[TJinPgh]

So, while still looking for the right deal on a frame, I come across this axle on CL.



Says it's 5' between the springs. Good 14" tires. Asking $100 obo.

If I were going to have a frame welded up, anything wrong with this for the rest of it. And, if not, is it worth what they're asking for it?

[M C Toyer]

I'd jump on it. I just paid the same amount for a boat trailer just to get the same axles, springs, wheels and tires.

If you look at its value from individual parts it would be in the $400-500 range new.

If it is not the right width for your build the axle an be easily shortened or lengthened.

It would also give you the ability to temporarily attach it to a box frame then adjust the axle location later in your build for balance and if necessary to clear your side door openings.

If you do not intend to buy it and if it is not already sold let the rest of us know where it is listed.

M C

[48Rob]

Maybe?


Are the tires as good as they look, or are they 10 years old with nice tread?
It looks like the springs are 4 leaf. What rating though? 2000# 2500# 3500#?
What weight will your trailer be?
Will you want, or need brakes? No brakes on this one.
The "bolt on" feature is nice, but doesn't really save you money.
How wide will your trailer be? If the axle is cambered, it will be tough to shorten, or lengthen and keep the correct camber.

Sorry, but you need to answer a lot of questions before anyone can answer yours.

If it will work for your project, it is a good deal.

Rob

[TJinPgh]

I'll post it anyway, since I'm not quite sure either way.

No since somebody who's certain they want it missing out.

It's on the Pittsburgh Craigslist.

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/grd/3134543571.html

[TJinPgh]

I can't answer every one of these questions since I haven't made a final decision on the design, but, I can give some general responses.

Are the tires as good as they look, or are they 10 years old with nice tread?

No clue. Good question, though.

It looks like the springs are 4 leaf. What rating though? 2000# 2500# 3500#?
What weight will your trailer be?

For my purposes I don't think axle rating is going to be a huge issue. The final product needs to be well under 1000 pounds, including gear.

Will you want, or need brakes? No brakes on this one.

Not if I can help it. Brakes, if I'm not mistaken, will require anual inspections from the state. Maybe somebody who lives in PA can verify that, though.

The "bolt on" feature is nice, but doesn't really save you money.

Agreed.

How wide will your trailer be? If the axle is cambered, it will be tough to shorten, or lengthen and keep the correct camber.

For most of the ideas I've been looking at, a 5' wide trailer works just fine. I might be able to go smaller to 4', but certainly wouldn't go any longer.

Sorry, but you need to answer a lot of questions before anyone can answer yours.

No problem. I just wasn't sure how much would be normal for a presumably good axle setup.

If it will work for your project, it is a good deal.

Rob

Like I said, I'm not 100% certain on that, which is why I went ahead and listed the link so, if somebody else knows they can use it and are close enough to take advantage of it, it's there.

Was just trying to get a general idea of pricing.

[48Rob]

TJ,

A light duty sprung axle will cost around $100-$150
14" Tire/wheel combination around $30-$40 each.
Springs spring hangers bolts and shackles another $50-$80
Around $180-$270
All I'm trying to point out is, If you jump too soon and buy one that won't work, add another hundred dollars plus your time and effort..

Rob

[TJinPgh]

Understood.

That's why I asked.

[working on it]

If the listing is near to you, why not pay the seller a visit and test the springs in person. Looks like it would be a simple matter to flip the assembly upside down, axle up, and push or sit on the tube. If it doesn't have enough "give" with one person on it (not to mention the weight of tires,wheels,hubs,etc.)...try two. I've used a variation of this test on automotive leaf springs at a scrapyard, to determine their worth. I would think that an average person's weight wouldn't budge it, while two should have about 1/2"-1" of give. Since you stated that you're aiming for under 1000 lbs overall, and the rest of your trailer would only be 2-3 times the two man test weight, then that would put it in the ballpark as a good range of travel for a sprung suspension. If no give in the springs is noticed, then you could use the tires (by varying air pressure) as a "suspension" on a very light trailer (I'm going to do that on mine).

[eamarquardt]

You are not ready to buy an axle or springs yet, IMHO. You need to determine the dimensions of what you're going to build and then make sure your axle and springs are matched to your design.

If you buy this axle your trailer is going to sit fairly high as there is no "drop" in the axle. Most axles have a 4" drop to allow the trailer to ride lower.

I can't see why the state would need to inspect the brakes. Especially if they didn't know about them. If you want brakes but don't want to deal with the state, have the trailer registered (and inspected) w/o the brakes then add them. Aside from the wiring, it only takes about an hour. If you can legally get by w/o them why couldn't you legally get by with them. Here in the People's Republic, no one from the state has ever been interested in the brakes on my trailer. One of my trailers has both electric and hydraulic brakes as I like separate redundant systems when hauling 5,000# behind a vehicle that weighs less than that.

I doubt that the axle pictured has the flanges to install brakes. Brakes are a good thing. If your trailer weighs more than about a third of what your tow vehicle weighs, you're pushing the safe envelope of what your car is designed to stop. Remember you have to weigh all of the passengers, cargo (both tow vehicle and trailer), and trailer to determine if you're under/over the maximum your vehicle is rated for. Do you "pack lightly" when you go camping or bring along the proverbial "kitchen sink".

I the past I've calculated about how much a custom axle, springs, brakes, etc would cost and it's about $500. Good tires and rims can be picked up on Craigslist. I picked up 4 nice Chevy alloy rims for $50 including all special lug nuts and hub caps. I think it is wiser to buy exactly what you need/want rather than compromise on the part of the trailer that is most important as far as safety is concerned. If you can't afford the $500 sell your wife or one of your children (if you have them available, but I'm not in the market right now). If you don't have a wife or children to sell, kidneys are always needed and can fetch thousands of dollars (you could buy an axle and several spares). Finally, you could get a part time job, work about 50 hours, and pay for exactly what you need/want.

At this time, I'm not convinced that this axle meets your needs. It is cheap and if it doesn't work out (highly likely, IMHO) you're only out $100. Perhaps the rims and tires are worth that and can be reused. Perhaps not.

Too many questions to be answered before you leap.

Just my thoughts.

Cheers,

Gus

[72FJ40]

A quick answer to your query on value was yes. But several excellent points have been made as to whether or not this is the best choice for your future build. The more I look at the assembly, the more I doubt this is what you need. As the axle is presented, your floor will be higher than the norm; reason is axle is mounted SOA (spring over axle). You could drop the floor level by swapping to SUA, but not enough room for axle tube. The springs do no appear to have a shackle mounted end; they are slipper springs -- very common on light weight boat trailers. Is that a single U-bolt per side holding the axle to spring? I would suggest you continue looking for a better axle assembly.

[TJinPgh]

I've already decided to pass on it, but, I wanted to respond to the question that was asked, anyway.

I can't see why the state would need to inspect the brakes. Especially if they didn't know about them. If you want brakes but don't want to deal with the state, have the trailer registered (and inspected) w/o the brakes then add them. Aside from the wiring, it only takes about an hour. If you can legally get by w/o them why couldn't you legally get by with them. Here in the People's Republic, no one from the state has ever been interested in the brakes on my trailer. One of my trailers has both electric and hydraulic brakes as I like separate redundant systems when hauling 5,000# behind a vehicle that weighs less than that.

Well, like I said, I'm not certain. However, a couple of things of note.

First, PA won't title any trailer that doesn't already have one (home built, HF, etc.) without an enhanced inspection. So, if it has brakes on it, they'll know it. If it requires brakes, they'll know it.

As for whether or not they can be added after the fact, that depends. From what I was told by the inspection station when I had the enhanced inspection done on my canned ham, whether or not the trailer needs brakes depends, in part, on the weight of the trailer and, in part, on the rating of the axle.

My canned ham is a 1968 and did not come with brakes. It weighs about 1800 pounds, empty.

The threshold, as I recall, is 3000 pounds. Which is certainly not an issue. However, as I understood it, he needed to list the rating of the camper's axle as less than it likely was to keep me from needing brakes. Take that for what it's worth, I guess.

Otherwise, it cannot weigh more than 40% of the TV. Which means that, technically, anything that weighs more than 1100 pounds is going to need brakes. Like I said, not sure whether or not they will require anual inspection or not.

I use a different TV with the trailer I have now, which is a good bit heavier. Even then, though, it's pushing the limits of the vehicle.

My preference, like I said, is to be under 700 lbs on the build, itself.

[Oldragbaggers]

It sounds like the State of Pennsylvania keeps you guys wrapped around the proverbial axle.

[KCStudly]

It sounds like the State of Pennsylvania keeps you guys wrapped around the proverbial axle.

Had a chuckle over that one. Thanks, I like your style!

[TJinPgh]

Oh, there's no doubt that if PA can be a PITA about something, they will be. And it doesn't stop with the DMV.

Heard a stat the other day that PA has the largest state legislature in the country. Not that this was a major surprise to anybody around here.

Those guys need to come up with ways to keep themselves busy.

[Wishbone_aaa]

If you're in Pennsylvania, beware.

If you construct a trailer you will have to undergo an enhanced inspection.
The axle must be stamped with its load rating.

Without a stamped rating, you will not be able to register the traialer with Penndot.


Don