Trailer House Axles on Flatbeds?

[Nordby]

Is this a good idea? Looking for a 20' gooseneck flatbed to haul around hay, my tractor, and misc nonsense. I've bumped into a few of these with trailer house axles/wheels on them. The hubs are spoked, and clamp to the actual rim like some of the old tractors do.



What are the drawbacks of such a setup? The benefits seem to be price - these seem to be far less expensive than something with two 7000 lb regular trailer axles.





Thanks guys, jon

 

[Eric_77]

Well some good; some bad. I had them on my trailer and had to switch out. The highest load capacity on the 14. 5 tire is 2900. The rim is easily "spun" in the rim clamps if not properly torqued. You must be carefully to torque in 5 to 6 steps so wheel is straight on axle. Rims cannot be balanced. Good news the trailer sets real low. If you decide to go that route I have 4 good tires and 5 good rims. I have one rim that may be repairable it spun on the axle when braking and wore a hole threw inside of rim and will not hold air. I may also have 4 drums. Hope this helps.

 

[Rattler]

As far as house trailer tires go,i keep hearing that they are going to be outlawed around here. I do know that they are very prone to dry-rot. Before buying you might just ask your local cops if they are okay to use. Might save some headache in the future.

 

[RON'S RAM]

I used to work at a metal fabrication company that used those axles alot. The only downside to these axles that I can remember is the brakes are very thin. The're designed for just a few trips, not everyday driving. Also usually the same deal with the tires, temporary use only. But the brakes and tires can be upgraded if the trailer is cheap enough to make it worth while.

 

[Ray Torresdal]

While we are on the subject of trailer tires - would there be problems using worn tires off our trucks for trailer tires?? They should be a heavy enough rating. My thought would be to put new tires on the truck @45,000 miles, and put the tires w/10-15,000 miles live left on the trailer. (I put 45,000 miles on in a year. ) Trailer tires wouldn't have time to rot and I could justify new tires on the truck a little earlier. Thoughts??

Ray

 

[QRTRHRS]

Ray,



That and recapping are standard procedure with most trucking companies. As long as your getting good service why not? If I used my trailers more, I would go that route.

 

[bigkid59]

I had a conversation with a Tennessee DOT officer several years ago about using these type wheels and tires on the highway. He informed me that it was against the law to do so due to the tires not having DOT approval. He explained that these tires were "purpose built", that is, they were only intended for limited use in delivering house trailers only and any other use would be grounds for a fine.

If I remember correctly, these tires are an odd size, like 14. 5" diameter. I heard at one time that one of the tire companies was planning to start making DOT approved tires in this size, but I don't know if anyone ever did.

I would check on this before I would risk getting a ticket. Your state DOT would be able to tell you if they are OK to use.

Hope this helps!

 

[Bob Horrell]

Jon,

I have a 14,500lb equipment trailer that I use every day with these wheels. I use it primarily to tow my tractor but also to haul 96 bales of hay. I have never had any problems. I use a Highway approved Hercules G rated tire (3030lbs). The sidewall on these tires is almost 1 in thick - a very heavy duty tire. Once a year I check bearings and brakes. I don't find the brakes any thiner, just smaller diameter since the wheel is only 14. 5 in. My brake wear is low mostly due to the Pac Brake on my truck. I don't have to use the brakes that hard. Have had to make a few panic stops and never spun the rim on the center piece. I think proper torquing prevents any problems here.

I like the set-up since this puts the trailer lower to the ground and towing a top heavy tractor is easier. 96 bales of hay makes for a top heavy load as well.

Let me know if I can answer any other questions for you.

 

[Nordby]

Thanks for all the awesome info. Sounds like with a little bit of homework on the legal side, and some preventative maintenance on my part, these could work out well if the price was reasonable - it is actually. $800, 8'x16', gooseneck. A little short perhaps, but I know my tractor fits on 16', and so will 100 bales of hay stacked 5 bales high.



thanks, jon

 

[Alan Reagan]

My brother in law has a tri-axle equipment trailer that came with those axles and wheels. He has just changed out the #1 axle and said he will change out #2 and #3 when the weather gets cold and he has some down time. There has always been a problem with his keeping bearings in them. They loosen to the point where they pop the bearing cover off if he doesn't do monthly PM on them. With the newer style axles, his maintenance will be a lot lower. I check mine (18ft whale tale, 10,000 Gross) alot for play but only pack them once a year. He said he would never own that type of axle again. Plus, just hauling a Bobcat and tractor, he has flats like you wouldn't believe.

 

[Okie-Go]

My dad had one with these axles. had lots of flats. Changed to 8 hole 16 inch wheels and 10 ply tires and no problems since.

 

[FAB]

shady axles

Just a few more words of caution! I built a two axle car trailer around these 'mobile home axles' (6000 lb. Philips/Dexter) To make a long story short- these axles are throw away or one trip axles, new shoes are available but expensive and just as thin as what I was trying to replace. The shoes and hardware are not designed to be serviced-one way 'retainers' hold them together. The backing plate is welded to the axle tube so replacement brake kits from Northern Hyd. etc. will not just bolt on! The bearings are made in Hungary or Yugoslavia? but looked ok. AS far as bearing adjustment-there is only one cotter pin hole so it's either too tight or too loose. Leaf springs are one thick leaf per side,more popular multi leaf are direct replacement. Tires are not an issue ,14. 5 D. O. T. are made by all major mfg. and used on many current utility trailers. Good luck!

 

[Alan Reagan]

FAB, You may have hit on why my Brother in law has the bearing problems with the caps getting popped off. I've never looked at the things but if there is only one hole for the cotter pin that explains a lot. I'm assuming you mean through the nut. Anyway, I run the 16 inch, 10 ply on mine and the bearings are easy to adjust when I pack em.

 

[Bob Horrell]

After reading all of these responses, I am beginning to think that there are other axles out there using the mobile home type 14. 5 inch wheel. My trailer is manufactured in Maine by a company that makes heavy duty equipment trailers among other types. This is a very strudy trailer rated at 14,500 lbs gross with multiple leaf suspension. The axles are dexter. When I first bought the trailer used, I changed bearings, races, brakes, etc. My local small town parts store had all the parts I needed, and the guy even commented that they were the biggest trailer bearings he had ever seen. The brakes were two inch and not the thin variety mentioned.

I believe the manufacturer of the trailer uses these wheels due to the low trailer height it gives. The trailer comes with a pintle hook and is the type usually towed behind a dump truck hauling a tractor or bobcat etc.

It sure doesn't seem like I would get as many trouble free miles with all the weight I tow if these were the mobile home axles described.

 

[Alan Reagan]

Bob, there are some old flatbed trailer axles where the wheel have no centers (like the mobile home axles) that are good axles and are heavy built. Sounds like what you have.

 

[FAB]

Bob, having a trailer with 14. 5 wheels does not mean you have 'mobile home axels'! Axles in this weight range are available with many different wheel styles. When I discovered I had 'mobile home axles', I called a local axle distributor for replacement cost of 6000# axles, and found that 14. 5's are readily available.

Just out of curiosity I checked out some new 2 axle utility/equipment trailers today. They all had 14. 5 wheels, all had a GVW of 10k or over. The axles had four wheel brakes with normal shoe lining thickness.

I seriously doubt any trailer manufacturer would stay in business very long selling new trailers with 'mobile home' take out axles! These axles are sold(cheap) to the general unknowing public (like me!), to make homemade trailers etc... Oh well,live and learn. Being in the welding/fabricating buisiness real brakes will be adapted to my trailer soon.

 

[Eric_77]

Yes as some of you have mentioned there are good "mobile home" axles. My trailer was built by Utilimaster they build semi trailers and the brakes, axles and springs were all top notch equipment. My only problem was that the tires could not handle the weight of a loaded trailer on a hot Texas day, Kaboom at 65 on 100 degree day.

 

[CCahill]

This is interesting... I have 5 trailers I use for different things... One of the trailers is a "car" trailer that I've had for about 12 years... . It has the mobile home axle/wheels... I use it for cars, and my tractor... I've replaced the tires once... they had something like 60k miles on'em... They are way cheap here where I live... I buy'em used for $20-25, the brakes are another matter. . constant PM... . just for that reason, I'd consider using Hyd/ tongue actuated system if I ever change out... One of my other trailers that I use for hauling sand, a box trailer, holds 1 ton of sand and the trailer alone way 900#... the MH wheels on this trailer have a 5 bolt pattern, I think chevy, but they are also 14. 5's... this trailer, I,ve had up to 60K miles on them before changeout... again, crap brakes... My other utility trailer also has MH axle/wheels... no brakes at all... ... One underlying advantage I've found, OK... two, #1... you can't wear the tires out, and they are cheap... . #2 The trailers sit low to the ground... . on my car trailer, I can even open the car door, once it's on the trailer... try that with some of the other trailers... .

 

[MidwestMotorman]

lots of variables

There are lots of variables with those "mobile home" axles. For those who have a triple axle trailer, you are going to go through tires at two to three times the normal rate of the single and double axle trailers. With the triple axle, there is lots more sliding and thus more side load upon the rim/tires/bearings.



Some of those 14. 5 tires won't hold up if you use too light a rating. Nothing new here, just common sense. These tires can be abused, but they will blow. I hauled a 26oooGVW dump truck on a trailer with four tires in the 14. 5 size, single axle with equalizers so it was four separate tires. Two tires were 10 ply, one was 12, and the other was 14. I lost both ten plys after three hours of driving on hot Oklahoma interstate. This was due to heat buildup. The tires were set at 80 psi in the 32 degree cold Iowa weather. Once loaded with the truck, the light tires were overloaded and heated up. After I lost the second tire 20 miles later, I was scratching my head as to why they blew (they were near new tires).

It dawned on me that they were overpressure and I was right. (Of course the whole works was overloaded, but this huge dump truck sitting on a 16" tandem hitch car trailer pulled with a 2500 Cummins dodge drew way too many stares for anyone to notice my trailer. ) The remaining two tires were at over 120psi when I checked them.



Needless to say, I aired them down and did not lose another tire due to overheating. I made it back home and learned lots of valuable towing experience. I am wondering off of the point, but the important thing here is to use the correct rating tire of 14. 5" tire and you will be alright. Just be aware of the limits of the trailer and axles and apply that to the type of trailer you want to buy.

 

[Eric_77]

wait a minute here on tire PSI [/B}



tire pressure is always set and checked on cold tires. Do not adjust tire pressure down when it raises due to use. The riase should be no more than 15-20% if memory serves me correctly any more indicates that tire is overloaded and needs to be fixxed, drive slowly until proper tire can be mounted or load adjusted.