relocating axle harbor freight 1800

[seahorse]

Has anyone moved the axle back 4"or so, on a harbor freight 1800# trailer? any welding etc....... Looking for suggestions. Thanks......Rob

[toypusher]

You should not have to weld anything. Just drill new holes to mount the brackets that the axle is mounted on.

[seahorse]

Thanks, My worry is the splice on the trailer, where the front rail meets the back. The axle angle looks like overlays this splice for support???????

[toypusher]

True, it does. You can take the two crossmembers at that joint and put them lengthwise inside the side rails to joint the two halves together and do away with the folding part. You then use a wooden crossmember to replace the two that you used. Check out the 'Generic Benroy Plans' at the top of the page. The trailer used in the plans is not the HF, but the principle is the same.

[seahorse]

Thanks Kerry, U DA MAN!........Rob

[IndyCubby]

Seahorse:

As I recall, the trailer is kind of built in two halves (according to the HF instructions) and then you are supposed to bolt them together in the middle. Most people here will take the two center cross members out and insert one on each side (inside the two side rails) and bolt them in so that the sides are stronger. If I remember correctly, I had to cut them down a bit to fit between the remaining cross members.

Then, you make your own center cross member either out of wood or angle iron to replace the two you used on the sides (I made mine out of angle and had my dad weld it in for me). Then you can mount your axle/spring assembly anywhere on the sides by drilling new holes.

Does that make any sense?

[IndyCubby]

True, it does. You can take the two crossmembers at that joint and put them lengthwise inside the side rails to joint the two halves together and do away with the folding part. You then use a wooden crossmember to replace the two that you used. Check out the 'Generic Benroy Plans' at the top of the page. The trailer used in the plans is not the HF, but the principle is the same.

You beat me to it, Toypusher....and said it way more clearly than I did!

[seahorse]

Thanks Gentlemen, Same answer.........must be the way to go!

[Ira]

Seahorse, I did it exactly as described above, but you don't have to cut anything. Just drill new holes for the spring hangers in the new position--but be careful:

I set my axle 36" from the rear, and per the Cubby plans, first I inserted those cross members into the side channels instead of using them as cross members. I drilled my holes and bolted those mothers on. I'm living large now, right?

Wrong.

A few of those bolts now interfered with placing the spring hangers, so I had to remove and move them to a different position.

It was an unecessary extra pain.

[mikeschn]

Seahorse,

How far is the center of your axle from the rear of the trailer?

Mike...

[Ira]

Isn't the axle like dead center on all of these HF trailers?

[seahorse]

42 inches