My dad and I are thinking of using a trailer house frame to make a ATV trailer. We have abought 6-8 people every year that go on a long trip to Colorado or Utah ATVing for a week. We have always borrowed or rented a trailer big enough to get all of us there on one truck. We dont need anything fancy just big. It would only get used once or twice a year so the cheaper the better. We have potentialy found a 80' trailer house frame that we can cut down to size. We thought we had 2 6000 pound torsion axles found to put under it but now the guy decided he dont wana sell them. What can be done to the trailer house axles to get them road worthy with out breaking the bank. The little bit of reserch I did dident turn up very much info other than the bearings are easly replasable but the breaks are not. The trailer has to have breaks as it will easaly weigh over 7000 pounds loaded. The reserch I did said the the breaks cost as much to replace as just buying entire new axle assemblies with breaks already installed. Is there any way to convert them to something newer? What abought the rims? I read that ther are 1 peice rims for them. Are they OK or is there anythingdiferent I should look for? Is there any convertion hubs for them where the hub and break drum are 2 seperate peices? Any input would be apreciated. I have never messed with them before and have never liked the idea of running a split rim. It wouldent be so bad but it is 1200 miles one way to where we go in Utah and I dont wana change a flat along the roadside with a split rim.

 

they should be 14.5 and all are tubeless one piece rims

 

Ya sorry I had a brain fart and said split rim. I dont know exactly what to call them but they are the stile that have the little wedges that hold the rim to the hub. Maybee they are not as bad as I would think they are but I dont know.

 

My understanding is that mobile home axles are built to be cheap and for limited use. Some may have had good luck with them but most will suggest to stay away from them. Probably best thing is to replace the axles, hubs and wheels with real trailer axles and not have to worry. Check e-trailer for replacement axles, they seem to have good prices and I have had great service from them on other items.

 

Find an old camper thats rotting away and tear the top off.They make great utility trailers.

 

as far i as know, on those tires it says for mobile home use only... just throwin that out there

 

If you are starting from scratch, it would be cheaper to avoid the trailer house axles and just start with new axles.

 

Ditto what these guys said... For the time, and materials and stuff you are likely to put into this, I wouldn't use mobile home axles.

If there is an RV repair shop or wrecking yard anywhere near you, you could probably get a salvage or burned down camp trailer on the cheap.

You'd be much better off with a pair of 5200# al-ko's or whatever that are likely to be under it.

 

There are no RV graveyards anywhere in this area. I have seen a few old campers stripped down to the frame but the person wanted a 6-700 bucks for them and they needed complete overhauls of the axles as well. We realy dont wana use the trailer house axles as they are, thats why Ime trying to figure out if there is anything we can do to upgrade them cheaply without costing as much as complete new axle assemblies. It is looking as if we will have to break down and buy new axle assemblies. We are trying to build it as cheaply as posible as it will only get used once maybey twice a year. I am gona look for some cheap replacement axles. Does anyone know what the axles are and what makes them not good to use. They have to be desently built to handle the weight of the trailer house. I realise they usaly only get used once then left sit for years on end but what exactly makes them bad?? I have been looking at complete break asemblies and it looks as if I can completley rebuild breaks and bearings for a little over $100 per axle. To replace them it will run $350-$450 per axle.

 

me and my dad run a modular building moving company here in texas. for us we will say run the mobile home axles. reason being is these axles are made to hold weight. we have a 20 ft utility trailer that we load with 2 pelats of blocks and supplys and axles hold up. but the axles are good for us because all are toters and trucks have atleast 4 spares at a time so if the the utility trailer has a flat we are good. and we get tires 10 bucks a pop. but mobile home axles arent for people who cant get tires thats the hard part for people ive come to find out.

 

Like most have said, you'd be better off starting with a travel trailer frame. These will be much cheaper to maintain, parts are readily available and easily upgraded.

How are you figuring weighing over 7k? 6-8 quads ain't gonna weigh 7k.

You'll spend a lot more money and time shortening a mobile home frame and axles just to end up with an over built, extremely heavy and IMO unsafe ATV trailer.

 

My Grizlys weigh just over 600 pounds dry no add ons on them at all. Add fuel, battery, oil, winches and all the stuff I have bolted to them and they are easly 700-750 pounds. My cousin rides a Polaris 700 X2 with a dry weight of over 750 pounds pluss all the add ons and fuel realisticly probobly 850-900 pounds. His dad has a 800 6x6 big boss with a dry weight of just over 1000 pounds. So as you can see 7000 pounds is not out of line buy time you figure all the crap we have bolted to the machines. We litteraly live on the machines for a week at a time in Utah so all of our food and camping gear are strapped on them. I am being conservative with the weight numbers. 8 machines could easly reach 7000 pounds if you add all the stuff we strap to them. As far as cheaper to maintain I dont see how as all the camper frames I have ever found needed as much work or more than the trailer house frames I have found. There will be minnimal up keep as the trailer will litteraly sit 51 weeks a year wich is why we dont wana get caried away sticking big money into it. We have all the mettal working equipment and welders to do the work ourselves so the only investment is gona be the frame and whatever parts are nesasary to get it road worthy.

 

I have a trailer with MH axles under it. I thought the same about hard to find parts, tires, etc... SO here is the low down...

-The brakes are the same as dexter brake shoes found on any other trailer, I know I personally went up to E-trailer and matched them up and replaced them myself... Same with the magnets...

-The tires can be alittle challenging, and I would recommend carrying at least 2 spares since they aren't easy to come by "on the road"... The tires that come with the MH's say "not for highway" usage. I am told that is because the tires don't have the added "road tax" applied that other tires do... I will give you a link for the tires that are 14.5"s and DOT legal. Another thing is that you won't find a trailer tire with the kind of load rating these things have for the price you can get them... These tires are as close to solid rubber as you can get... Not sure where else you could get load range F tires for $110ea.

-Bearing are kind of an odd ball the back bearing is very large and the front is about normal trailer size... Both bearings are not hard to find, but your best to take them up and match them instead of saying what they are for...

Do a search, there is about a 50/50 chance that the axles you have will have the correct flange on them that will allow you to convert them over to regular spindle/hubs if you feel the need to...

Now for the bad...

One pain with these wheels are getting them tightened down properly... Because your using those wedges you have to tighten them with equal pressure so you keep the wheel true, and also round... The best way I have found is to set something against the side wall tighten the wheel and spin, loosen and tighten until you get very little side-to-side from them. Then do the same against the tread side, it's a bigger deal to keep them round then it is to keep them from wobbling...

Make sure your wedges and bolts are in good shape, keep the paint fresh on the rims so you will notice anything that becomes loose quickly... Always remember it only takes one loose bolt/clamp to loose one of these rims...

Next problem is when you need parts your on your own when you walk into a trailer shop... Do everything in your power to take them the part and match it, because as soon as you tell them that they are MH axles, they will say "can't help you, no parts available"... I got this from every shop I went to, until I wound up at e-trailer.. Even they told me the same thing, BUT they forgot that thier parts where on shelves behind me, so after a couple of minutes I walked out of there with exactly what I needed (but it wasn't for MH axles )...

Here is a link for trailer tires...
http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/P...?Ntt=14.5+tire

I say if you can get the set up cheap then go for it, just make sure to measure very well when installing the tongue (that can make or break a trailer)...

Here is a link for parts if you need it..
http://www.redneck-trailer.com
http://www.marksrv.com/index.shtml

More links for you:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billav...er/Trailer.htm

 

I'm with Asher. I wouldn't be afraid of the MH axles at all. Aside from the bearings, there is no structural difference from any other axle. I'm sure there a backyard 'Bubba-Joe's Axle Company' somewhere that is turning out thin-walled tubing, cardboard brakes, unit bearing axles, but for the most part the MH axles are nothing to avoid.

As far as the brakes go; it is by far cheaper to get the whole backing plate with the brake assembly attached to it, than it is to buy all the individual pieces and replace them yourself.

chaikwa.

 

Thanks. Thats what I was looking for. Someone with actual experience with them. I know I have seen several trailers running around with these axles under them but I had no need to look closely or ask questions before. From the sounds of it we may just overhaule the axles and call it good. If we get the frame we are after we can have this entire trailer built for $600-$800. Then we wont feel so bad abought leaving it sit 51 weeks a year. Thanks for the links.