Winter project: 10' tilt trailer convert to 18' double axle

D KRAGER · Nov 11, 2010

Winter turned into all year project: 10' tilt trailer convert to 20' double axle

So I've got this 10' tilt trailer that's about as old as I am. (31 years)

It was built for the farm to haul our small kubota tractor (245 dt, 25 hp).

Original trailer specs:

6' 3" x 10' deck
Single Dexter UTG 6k axle (Mobile home axle)
1" plywood deck

It originally had only a pin hitch and wasn't licensed. In high school I wanted to haul my ATV around on it. So I added lights and a ball hitch and got a homemade trailer title for it and put tags on it. Anyways the old girl has served her purpose. The deck was getting rotten, so it was time for a rebuild.

The problem with the trailer is that it's too small. It's hard to haul the tractor with any implements on, especially if the loader is on the tractor.

D KRAGER · Nov 11, 2010

The new plan:

Basically will be building a new trailer, but using the current frame, and axle.

New trailer:

18' (14' tilt deck, 4' stationary)
Add a second 6k axle (We had a spare Dexter UTG laying around) You can see the other axle in the left of the pic sitting on the saw horses. It is a true Dexter UTG, not a mobile home axle (Yes it looks the same, but has bolt on brakes). I'm going to put new brakes on that axle and make it the rear axle.

Current trailer is 8' wide, I'm adding sub-framework on the outside of the tilt part to make it 8'6" wide.

I'll be using mostly recycled materials for the project to keep costs down.

Keith_MN · Nov 11, 2010

OK, so if I understand this correctly, you are going to modify your trailer to make it longer, wider, and with more axles. It sounds like a completely different trailer. Wouldn't it be easier to just start over? Why not just sell the one you have and start over?

D KRAGER · Nov 11, 2010

Keith_MN said:
OK, so if I understand this correctly, you are going to modify your trailer to make it longer, wider, and with more axles. It sounds like a completely different trailer. Wouldn't it be easier to just start over? Why not just sell the one you have and start over?

Yea basically. But can't really sell something that has a rotten deck and needs work. So I'm using all the pieces from it on the new one. I know sounds crazy to most people, but most of the metal will come from old farm implements and stuff laying around. I'll be able to do this for around $500 as most of the metal will be free.

D KRAGER · Nov 11, 2010

Some info on the difference in hubs.

One axle is a true mobile home axle.

The one I'm adding is a dexter demountable hub UTG type.

The pics show the difference in the two. Mobile home hubs are not precision ground. After you break them down you can tell. The true demountable hub has a bigger grease cavity in the middle and slots to let you drive the races out. The mobile home hub nothing, although I was still able to drive the races out. Both hubs take the same bearing and seals.

The mobile home axle still had the original bearings. They held up for 30 years for us. Now I'm not traveling cross country with this trailer. Most runs are local so after a new set now, the bearings should last a long time.

Here's the pics:

The yellow one is the demountable hub (the hub can unbolt from the brake drum). The black one is the mobile home style hub.

D KRAGER · Nov 14, 2010

Scored some 6" channel iron from work. It was an old belt conveyor in the grain elevator. Was suspended overhead and was starting to be a safety hazard, so it had to come down anyways. Now it's getting put to good use.

I can also use the metal on top to make my fenders.

The pic:

I'm in the process of cutting it apart. Yea some time involved, but still way cheaper than buying new 6" channel.

Ign · Nov 15, 2010

Very cool. I've taken a close look at a quite a few trailers over the past couple years, and 99% of the time build quality is downright scary. I really don't know how some of them hold together, and they must pay high school kids $10/hr to weld.

Point being there's little doubt that if you have any fab ability you're gonna wind up w something stronger and safer than most of what's sold today.

That said, I looked into building a 20' car hauler for a client. By the time I purchased all the materials and charged even a fraction of my labor I was well above what a similar model would sell for. A good coupler, axles, wheels/tires, LED lights..........it all adds up in a hurry. At least you have a good source for steel.

D KRAGER · Nov 16, 2010

Ign said:
Very cool. I've taken a close look at a quite a few trailers over the past couple years, and 99% of the time build quality is downright scary. I really don't know how some of them hold together, and they must pay high school kids $10/hr to weld.

Point being there's little doubt that if you have any fab ability you're gonna wind up w something stronger and safer than most of what's sold today.

That said, I looked into building a 20' car hauler for a client. By the time I purchased all the materials and charged even a fraction of my labor I was well above what a similar model would sell for. A good coupler, axles, wheels/tires, LED lights..........it all adds up in a hurry. At least you have a good source for steel.

I've been looking at the trailers at a nearby dealership to get ideas. The trailer I'm building would be around $4-5k new. Yea there's no way I would be doing this project if I didn't have a lot of the parts laying around.

Funny also that my local welding shop had those cheap 16' trailers for sale at his shop. Not sure where he bought them, but he said he couldn't even purchase the materials for the price he bought them for. :shocking:

I helped my neighbor last winter rebuild his 16' utility. After all was said and done, he should have just bought a new one. But it was a great project that gave us the experience, and sometimes that's what it's all about.

D KRAGER · Nov 20, 2010

Cutting the axles.

One axle was too short, the other one is too long. So have to cut them and re-weld. New trailer will be 102" wide. Old one was only 96" wide, and the other spare axle was on a farm trailer that was over 9' wide. Both axles had been cut before, which makes it a bigger PIA.

Also the springs on one axle were the mono-leaf style. They ride terrible, so I found a couple old springs laying around work on a junk axle that I'm replacing them with.

D KRAGER · Nov 20, 2010

Here is one of the axles welded back together. This is one I had to take out 12".

Big Rick · Nov 24, 2010

dont feel alone. Ihave reused steel on a lot of jobs around this shop. A little paint and nobody knows the dif. Check caster & camber on axels make sure there a little neg caster it will pull better

D KRAGER · Nov 24, 2010

Big Rick said:
dont feel alone. Ihave reused steel on a lot of jobs around this shop. A little paint and nobody knows the dif. Check caster & camber on axels make sure there a little neg caster it will pull better

Ok never heard those terms before, but I sort of tried for this. I used some old oak boards and standard 2x4's gave me a slight "neg caster" as you call it.

Spareparts · Nov 25, 2010

The axle will bow up just a little and when loaded it will dlatten out giving you "O" caster. I would suggest capping the weld in the center of your axle with some slightly larger tubing about 12" would be fine, seen to many of these axles break in the weld after some years and heavy loads. A lot of race cad trailers that have used this method and break, welded several at the track just to get them home for the guy and suggested the same fix, good luck with your project.

D KRAGER · Apr 29, 2011

Re: Winter project: 10' tilt trailer convert to 20' double axle

Ok, I'm finally making some headway on this trailer. I changed my mind on the tilt part. Just too much extra work, when I can build ramps much easier.

Gonna end up being 20' now, just how it's working out. Still a lot of work to be done, but It's a good start.

OccupantRJ · Apr 29, 2011

Spareparts said:
The axle will bow up just a little and when loaded it will dlatten out giving you "O" caster. I would suggest capping the weld in the center of your axle with some slightly larger tubing about 12" would be fine, seen to many of these axles break in the weld after some years and heavy loads. A lot of race cad trailers that have used this method and break, welded several at the track just to get them home for the guy and suggested the same fix, good luck with your project.

This is not caster. This is camber.

rburke65 · Apr 29, 2011

I still have my 245 DT tractor...1979, 1650 hours on it and still going strong. Love it.

D KRAGER · Apr 30, 2011

rburke65 said:
I still have my 245 DT tractor...1979, 1650 hours on it and still going strong. Love it.

Yea, mine has maybe around that, but the hour meter quit. So not sure how many hrs on the old gal. 1021 when meter quit, that was around 10 yrs ago.

diesel research · Apr 30, 2011

Trailers or standard non rear steer cars do not have any caster, nor can it be measured. Caster is for steer axles.

What you want for a trailer is camber (tilt) toe, and dog tracking (differences in length to ball hitch coupler)

Once toe/camber is set by welding the spindle, it shouldn't need messed with unless you bend a spindle/axle. Since the trailer wheels aren't turning, they likely need 0*

The tracking is the one to concern yourself with.

D KRAGER · Apr 30, 2011

Yea I'd say getting the spring hangers set correctly will be the most important part to it tracking correctly. In that case, measure twice, WELD once.

LIVELY · Apr 30, 2011

You might want to check on the DOT on your house trailer type axles--i have seen some guys in my area get stopped by the state for these. I am in south/ central ILLINOIS and maybe my area is tougher on these but you might ask around.

D KRAGER · May 1, 2011

LIVELY said:
You might want to check on the DOT on your house trailer type axles--i have seen some guys in my area get stopped by the state for these. I am in south/ central ILLINOIS and maybe my area is tougher on these but you might ask around.

Dexter UTG demountable hub axle. One axle is a mobile home style, but not a mobile home axle. Yea the other one came from a mobile home. I think the difference is that the brake assembly is bolted on and not welded. Guess if I have problems I'll have to swap the hubs.

I see these type of axles all over on older deck over trailers.

D KRAGER · May 5, 2011

Post a little progress.

Hitch and jack mounted.

You will also see some emt conduit in a couple pics. That is to protect the wiring for lights and brakes.

D KRAGER · Mar 24, 2012

Well a year later and I finally finished the trailer. Ended up not doing the tilt part. Ended up 20' long. Still need to build some ramps, but feel good to be at this point as I can actually start using it!!! :beer:

steel 35 · Mar 24, 2012

Nice and clean, I like the fenders...

D KRAGER · Mar 24, 2012

steel 35 said:
Nice and clean, I like the fenders...

Thanks, 95% of the trailer is recycled metal, so wasn't sure what to do with the fenders. I was going to buy some, but to buy heavy duty ones are over $200. So I just made my own. Left the back open so I can still tie down.

mike13u · Mar 25, 2012

Very nice job. Congrats!

Outlander · Mar 25, 2012

Neat project! I love seeing trailers brought back to life.

Winter project: 10' tilt trailer convert to 18' double axle

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member