by Nitetimes » Thu Mar 03, 2005 1:23 am
When you are ready to mount those axles you need to put your hubs on do some measuring from hub face to hub face. Put a bolt in one corner hole of each axle, have a couple of clamps handy and a little help would make it easier. We usually used 2 two foot framing squares, hold them across the hub face centered horizontally and measure out at the end of the square both front and back until the number is exactly the same then clamp them down and measure again, adjust (hammer) til they are even again. Now if you really want them to be right, as that would be bowed if it were a full axle, do the same thing with the square in the verticle postion only now you should be an 1/8" - 3/16" wider on top of the axle than on the bottom, shim it to get what you need, try to get both sides as close to the same as possible. This allows for flex when a load is put on the trailer, thus the wheels come to an upright position rather than leaning in on the top.
While you are at it, measure from a line centered on your coupler to the center of each hub and make sure it is square to the trailer, forget about squaring off the trailer, it is more acurate and the trailer will track better if you do it this way. Don't count on the original axle mounts being right. Remember, if the trailer is a little bit out of square and you square off of the trailer it won't run down the road straight.
Sounds like a lot of work, but it isn't that hard and in the long run it will save you a pile of money on tires. It doesn't need to be off much on the toe in/out to chop your tires off.
Rich
-
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to
keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves
against tyranny in government.
- Thomas Jefferson -
Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take a butt kickin'.
