swapping out axles

[01cummins4ever]

I picked up some 5000 k axles for my car hauler, swapping out the 3500 k axles. The deal is that the new ones are to narrow and I am hoping to extend them. I have a few options, one is to cut them in center and put a sleeve inside,or box the outside with a larger diameter pipe. Or option two is too cut the spindles out of new axles and weld them to a new pipe cut to the proper length I need to fit the trailer. being careful for a true alignment when welding on the spindles, also I know that some trailer axles are cambered and if I use new pipe I will not have a camber in the axle, so dont know if this is a good option or not. Or option three (which would be the most expensive) and the deal I got would no longer be a good deal, is to buy new straight axles with spindles already installed.

The trailer is a 2006 Top Hat 18' with dove tail, it is a very well built and very capable of handling the extra payload, but with the 3500 lb axles I'm limited with what I can haul. I bought this trailer new at an auction years ago and when going home I noticed the trailer brakes did not work and crawled under to find the wires had been cut and did not match up to the wires on axles, and led me to thinking some one may have swapped out axles before I got it ,and maybe it was built with heavier axles, I dont know, No tag for weight rating anywhere. but anyway its going to get the heavier axles one way or another, Just wondering if anyone has dealt with extinding axles or got any Ideas

[Ilikeoldfords]

99% of all trailer axles are cambered these days. They are all designed to flatten out as you put a load on them. As for extending them, I have seen it done lots of times. Most people use and sleeve and box the outside of the tube. It is almost impossible however to reset the spindles in the end of the tube without an alignment rack. Especially being a tandem axle trailer.

 

My question is, how much did you get the axles for? It may not be quite as good a deal as you think. Are they trailer house axles? Did they come with brakes and everything? The other thing to keep in mind is the leaf springs may only be rated for 1700 lbs each. That is very common on a 3500 lb axle suspension. You may have to replace those too.

 

There is a lot going on here. Dont mean to be pushy or anthing though. I sell a lot of trailer suspensions at work.

[01cummins4ever]

I got 400.00 in the axle assemblies, plus another 100. or so for new pipe and wet bolt kit and bushings. The axles are not mobilehome, they are 5200 lb. each and came with 2500 lb. springs and brakes on each axle. and tires are ST 235/80/16

I got about 90% of this project done, Ill get some pics posted of what I done, I did end up cutting the axles in half and adding a sleeve 3/12 OD with a 1/4 wall, that slipped just right over the existing axle tube.

 

I bought these off a co worker who hauled water to his place, He upgraded his trailer to 7K axles being he was over loading it with his large water tank, I think it was a 1000 gal. or maybe bigger, but he done it continuously for the last couple of years and by going the same route, same hills, and corners and 15 mi. of wash board road, it was finally taking a toll on the trailer, so there was a little damage but nothing bent, just wore out bearings and tires getting a little chewed up.