homemade axles for rough terrain log trailer

[Woodchuck53]

Morning, has anyone else made axles out of used 3/4 and 1 ton Ford rear axles. Do you think they will haul green wood out of the woods. Who knows what it will weigh. Single tire or dual tandem on a sliding bolster type rig. Just want some more thoughts before I cut up some iron. Chuck

[thecfarm]

I use old front drop axle out of trucks that I use in the woods.I have an old one my Father had done.He had metal put on the axles to make the tires straight.I'm talking about the older ones,like around the 40's-50's.Probaly been using it for 50 years.He  made the top out of wood.I flip the axle over so the low part that use to be down by the ground is up in the air.This gives me all the ground clearance I need.There is no way a rear axle out of a ½ or ¾ truck would make it on my woods roads.The pumpkin would be hitting and dragging.My land is to rough and rocky for that.There are a few stumps that I go over too.I myself would prefer a single tire axle.Less for the tires to run over and run into.I'm am making 3 trailers for my outdoor furnace.Two from a ½ ton and one from a ¾ ton.But these will never really see the woods.I would try to make the trailer no wider than whatever you are using to pull it with.I am putting tubes in all of the tires too.Don't want them to leak air.I run just old tires on them.My father and me would haul around a cord on the trailers that he built.Maybe the tool box button will help you on weight of green wood.Good luck. By the way what do you plan on pulling these with?If you had a skidder the dual wheels would not even slow it down.I'm thinking of a 40 hp tractor like what I have.

[Dan_Shade]

if the axles are in good shape, you could probably sell them for more than what regular trailer axles are worth.

[stonebroke]

Old wore out box type manure spreaders make really good woods trailers, high clearance, big tires, narrow and best of all cheap. Did I mention all you have to do is cut off the beaters. It a plus if the bed chain works but that is the reason most of them get junked.

Stonebroke

[Ironwood]

Woodchuck53,

I will be stripping some large (20" rims) axles off of some Army M-105 trailers soon. I was going to scrap the high quality Rockwell axles as I have no use for them. The tires are just too big for my use, I have a series of 16" 8 bolts I will be putting on the 3 trailers. I believe the Rockwells have air/ over hydraulic brakes on them w/ parking brake cables (I'll miss those parking brakes). You are welcome to them for the standard scrap rate, I can palletize and ship them.

Ironwood.

[Woodcarver]

I have a trailer constructed from a pick-up box and frame that I have used for years to haul firewood from the woods.  I stack as much green firewood on it as I can.

The frame was from a half-ton, not a three-quarter, but in more than 20 years of heavy use the only thing I've broken is the tongue which was made from a piece of steel pipe.  Reinforced the tongue and haven't had a problem since.

Also have a trailer made from an old manure spreader that a neighbor discarded.  It has more capacity that the "pick-up" trailer.  Most of the box is forward of the axle.  This puts much of the weight on the tractor drawbar and helps with traction when I'm working in the snow.  I have a hitch welded  on the rear and sometimes pull both trailers behind the tractor. Occasionally I hook the wood splitter on behind the second trailer and have a genuine train. 

[RSteiner]

A couple of years ago I made a rough terrian trailer to tow behind my Kubota for gathering firewood.  I can put a full cord of wood on the trailer without a problem.  I made a walking beam style axle to help smooth out the rough spots and to give more flotation on soft ground. 

I used a piece of 3 x 5 rectangular steel tubing for the beam, I think it is 1/4" wall.  In the center I made and welded in a bushing to accept a 1 1/2" dia. pivot, on each end I mounted spindles I got from a auto salvage yard.  Each tire has about 12" of movement up and down which makes it great for going over obstructions. 

Randy

[rebocardo]

If you use a Ford 9 inch you should be okay and you can use the small Ford pattern 5x4.5 wheels on the trailer, those axles will hold up better then a 3500 pound tube axle. If you want to get fancy, you can do a parking brake.

Otherwise the 3/4 ton Dana 60 or 10.25 pumpkin will probably drag on the pumpkin over stumps and the axles will weigh 100s of extra pounds.

If I was building a off road log trailer, I would go dualie boogie on each side by welding axle stubs into 1/4" wall short tubes and skip an axle going left to right.

I have used trailers with truck axles. They work just fine in mild stuff where any truck can go through, I just would not use the axle springs because they are usually too weak and allow the trailer to sit.
 

[Woodchuck53]

hEY GUYS, JUST GOT BACK. WHAT I FORGOT TO SAY WAS THAT I WOULD CUT OUT THE DIFFERNTIAL AND SLIDE THE STUBS UP INTO THE TIGHTEST HEAVY WALL PIPE I COULD FIND THEN JUST KEEP THE BEARINGS PACKED LIKE A REGULAR SET UP. I LIKE THE IDEA OF USING A WALKING BEAM ARRANGE MENT. I USE A FORD 3930 IN THE WOODS. IT HAS A WENCH MOUNTED ONTO IT AND A FRONT END LOADER. WORKS OKAY FOR NOW. HAVE PLENTY OF TIME STILL WORKING ON THE MILL AND THE WIFES HONEY DO'S. THANKS CHUCK

[Woodchuck53]

IRON WOOD, THE AXLES SOUND GOOD JUST TO FAR NORTH I THINK TO SHIP. THE PRICE IS GOOD BUT THE FREIGHT WILL KILL ME. THANKS ANYWAY. CHUCK