I've seen some cheaper decent iron on trailers locally with crap trailer house axles. 2wd F450 front axles are pretty cheap and I already have one. Combine the two and have a taller deck over trailer with dually axles. Probably will never do this but how dumb does does it sound
F450 steer axles are only rated for about 6000lb, especially in 2wd, some of the later 4wd frontends are 7000lb, but that's really not a particularly heavy axle, certainly not a dually axle. How would you deal with brakes?
Brakes? Who needs brakes......
Electric over hydraulic, probably would be the easiest thing to do with the whole thing. They are rated for 6k as a front end, I bet you can get way more weight out of them and certainly much more than I need. They are way bigger than a 7k torsion axle and I bet last way longer and that's kind of why I thought of it. Might be better to put singles on it too.
I forgot I was going to measure the distance between the frame rails before posting this, it might be too narrow
What is the plan to fix these steer axles straight?
You just take the rod end and hook it the frame somehow keeping the adjustment provision so you can adjust the toe. Can even use rod ends (heim joints) if ya want. Frame is somewhere around 34", what's a typical trailer frame spacing
My trailers are wider than the front of my F450. I don't see keeping the steering system in place as working very well, but that's just me, I guess. You are better off putting the energy into figuring out how to put radials on trailer house axles. Most of the trailer house axles are 8k axles, the weak point is the dayton wheels with the odd size that I can't remember right now, only available in bias ply.
There's lots of trailing arm rear suspension cars that do the same thing, it's very easy. Yeah I think the width is going to kill this idea early, you could cut the axle tube and put a sleeve over it to extend it but I was trying to keep it "easy" Here's a guy doing it with junk, and I think he put too much time into it really
I dunno, that whole thing looks scary. There is a very good reason not to trust too much weight on independent ball-joint suspensions. That whole cut-up, modified quagmire is dangerous from so many viewpoints
Easy Cheap Better ......least it's "cheap"
I agree I didn't like that build too much and the fact that it almost goes to the bump stops makes me think it's too much weight for it. I think ball joints that are no longer turning will do far better then ones that are still turning. I'm still going to probably plan this thing out in my head and see what cheap wheel options there is. I think is could make a excellent trailer that will last way longer and haul better than two 7k axles. Wheels and tires are not making this idea cheap along with a lot of fab time makes it less easy and less cheap.
It would be easy compared to a trailer axle. And it would certainly not be better.
Ball joint suspensions on light trucks are only rated for about 3000lbs or thereabouts. Thats why F550’s and others use beam axles. Also, the wheels are not usually rated for the same weight as actual trailer wheels as far as i know
Spotted this trailer, no not the tanker, and I forgot about pipe trailers. They are typically narrower because you can't fully load them and can be built out of junk pipe. This has increased the probability that I might actually do this.
That looks like trailers I see for pontoon boats.
They do make them new typically with two axles and maybe 3-4' between the axles. I've seen some hilarious home made versions with one pickup axle, no lights like not even a spot to mount them, no wires, no brakes, but a really good hitch do it won't run away from the pickup pulling it