14FF as trailer axles

[CyberSniper]

Has anyone used 14FFs as a trailer axles on a tandem trailer?

Or has anyone used a 14FF as a trailer axle at all, especially with electric brakes?

What about electric brakes?



I'd like to have a decent-sized trailer to use both as a generic utility trailer and a trail rig/car hauler. Probably a 16' flat deck with driver over wheelwells. I don't like hauling tandem axle trailers but single axle trailers suck to load. Not to mention finding tires that'll handle the load safely.

Basically, I'd like to be able to haul up to 4500lbs on the trailer. The trail rig will weigh less than that. With any luck the trailer will weigh no more than 1500.

I'd really like to keep it single axle as that makes springs and shocks simple. Not to mention turning nicer.

Is there a way to put electric brake solenoids into standard backing plates out of a 14 bolt?

Would I be able to get away with Load Index 120 (roughly 3300lb) tires on it in the single axle configuration? Or better yet, Load Range E (3000lb) tires?

I know the brakes themselves are more than sufficient and the 14 bolt is more than sufficient for the load but I'm worried about the tires and stock 1 ton springs and electric brakes. Not to mention the single axle configuration. I don't know anything about building trailers.


My Dad keeps telling me to go buy a used one but anything I find in my price range (under a grand) I won't be happy with. Not to mention I'll probably have to buy tires.

/forums/images/graemlins/1zhelp.gif

 

[sled_dog]

Trailers that are used as car haulers the axles are much wider than a 14 bolt. 14 bolt doesn't really make sense to use. If you have one I guess, but you'd have to adapt your own electric braking system which may not pass state inspection(at least in PA our trailers have to be inspected). Also trailer axles sometimes have a bend so the trailer is lower, a 14 bolt will make a slightly higher trailer. I just went and measured dad's car trailer. The bottom of his axle tubes are about 5-6" off the ground. Now imagine a pumpkin sticking down below that. I'd be pretty pissed if I was always high center my trailer when I went off the edge of the driveway to park it. I've seen tons of the trailers made from old truck beds, frames, and rears, they are great for towing wood or scrap but I really don't think your idea will work out.

 

[BadDog]

I think your Dad is correct, buy one.

Like was said, the 14FF will not be wide enough as it sets. However, you could take the spindle/hub by cutting the tube, then sleeve/extend the tubes to connect the 2 spindles and make a more traditional trailer axle. The center diff is just weight, size, and clearance robbing, not needed at all. Ditch the axles too by making cover plates just to seal the hub. But I don't think you would ever get electric brakes to work without a small machine shop to fabricate the whole assembly. Electric brakes work quite differently than hydros. Do some searches online and you can see the difference. Maybe a hydro surge brake though?

In any case, the only thing you would want would be the spindle/hub assembly, and maybe, the drum if you could work out the brakes. It would make a heck of a non-braking axle though...

[Edit] Obviously, if you cut the spindles off, you could do a sort of reverse portal axle type offset to create a very low deck trailer.

 

[ntsqd]

That bent housing I mentioned cutting up in another thread? It was saved for it's spindles etc just for this purpose. The project fell flat b/c the guy found a trailer that was already 8 lug (common spares) for a good price. His plan though, was to go with surge brakes and use the stock 14bff drums. Building of the axles was planned as BadDog suggested, graft the spindles onto axle tubes.

For Project: Cheep Trailer MISF & I used a old 19 spline D60 and did the same thing. We cut the spindles off the housing leaving about 10" of tube still on each spindle. As it happened the large tube MISF was given to use across the back of the seat in his Dest. Derby car almost fit over the housing tubes. I chucked them up in my lathe and turned the tubes untill we had a slight press fit. We cut the the shafts off the flanges (19 spline = NFG anyway) and reused the flange as a cap to seal off the bearings. Then I drilled the large tube for Rosette welds and pushed it all together. In the middle of the large tube I put in both a fill and a drain for gear lube. I kinda overfilled it a little and now that axle has about 3 gallons of 90wt in it. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Doubt those bearings will ever get hot. The fill plug has a vent hose built into it so it will seek it's correct level over time. Pic is b4 we got the free CUCV bed, that one had a Sawzall Accident.

 

[CyberSniper]

The intention is to cut the tubes off at the diffential case and then sleeve them. Then I could have the axle as wide as I want. Pull the shafts out and make new caps, one of them with a plug in it so I can put gear oil in it.

The stock springs would become spring-under units. I'd use the stock spring hangers.

In a tandem axle configuration I'd run one set of springs inside the frame rails and one set of springs outside the frame rails. Was planning on making the frame rails out of 2x4 box steel.

Think my idea will work?

 

[cybrfire]

I'm going to end up going the same route. My trailer will end up looking more like this one though-

from towing forum

Airbag suspension or something like that. Hydraulic surge brakes with discs more than likely. Not all together sure yet though. Just have to start playing with it I guess. After the winter I can start thinking about it.

 

[sled_dog]

I wish I could have a trailer that damn nice. and a rig to tow it /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif

 

[cybrfire]

Get some steel and bust out the welder. Tow rig, that's a whole nother project.

 

[sled_dog]

sooner or later... maybe when the rig rolls, no worry about trailering it anywhere right now.

 

[diesel4me]

I've seen quite a few race car trailers built with 3/4 or one ton full floating axles with just the axle tubes,most of them used schedule 40 or 80 pipe to join the tubes together,so they could widen it enough.
A few of them had surge brakes hooked up to the original axles brakes,that setup uses a master cylinder similar to the trucks stock one mounted on the trailer tounge. Not sure if they are legal in all areas--check before building--but if you could use a setup like that it would save you lots of money on the brakes.

 

[ntsqd]

[ QUOTE ]
The intention is to cut the tubes off at the diffential case and then sleeve them. Then I could have the axle as wide as I want. Pull the shafts out and make new caps, one of them with a plug in it so I can put gear oil in it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Our sleave is slightly narrower than the dimension from one inner U-bolt to the other. We made the caps out of the old drive axle flanges. Works great, little effort, & Zero cost.

[ QUOTE ]
The stock springs would become spring-under units. I'd use the stock spring hangers.

[/ QUOTE ]

Low trailer is a good idea. One issue is spring rate. Using truck springs usually results in too low of the spring rate. Will need either a sway bar or dampers, or both. The trailer above has Monroe circle track racing dampers on it (heavy/heavy damping rates). Don't yet know that is enough for all conditions & loads. Suspect not, in which case the swaybar off the front of my Sub will be grafted on.

[ QUOTE ]
In a tandem axle configuration I'd run one set of springs inside the frame rails and one set of springs outside the frame rails. Was planning on making the frame rails out of 2x4 box steel.

[/ QUOTE ]

That will work, but the reason tandem axles have the walking beam/equalizer btwn the springs is so that when you drive up a curb or a step the load stays equalized and doesn't overload one of the tires.