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Post by socal1200r on Jan 18, 2010 16:29:05 GMT -5
Is there a standard bolt pattern for trailer wheels, i.e. 4.5 or something?
The reason I'm asking is, I checked out a motorcycle trailer on Craig's List, but it has two mis-matched wheels/tires. One side has a 15" wheel, with a 205/75 tire, the other side has a 16" donut spare tire. I measured the distance between two adjacent wheel lugs, eye to eye, and it was 2 9/16". So what does that equate to in a "regular" bolt pattern?
The seller took his tape measure to his Cherokee, and the distance between two adjacent lugs was the same. But, I don't want to make the assumption that the trailer wheel bolt pattern is the same (i.e 4.5).
If I get this trailer, I'll have to put on a set of matching wheels/tires, plus get the wiring fixed (the connection was chewed off). It doesn't have any suspension or brakes, so anything up to 205/75-15 would fill in the wheel well nicely. Also, since it's a single-rail motorcycle trailer w/o brakes, with a GVWR well under 3000, it doesn't have to be inspected, correct?
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Post by A "CJ" on Jan 18, 2010 19:17:09 GMT -5
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Post by onzrocks on Jan 19, 2010 9:18:29 GMT -5
Most 5-lug trailer axles are the same BP, 5 on 4.5, at least in my experience.
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Post by socal1200r on Jan 19, 2010 22:57:32 GMT -5
The seller measured the bolt pattern, according to the link, and says it 5x4.5, which is good. I found a set of Jeep alloys on CL for $80 that match the ones on my MJ, but with the OD of the trailer wheel/tire limited to 26", I'll have to run much smaller tires than the 31's I'm running. I'm not sure if a 15x7 Jeep alloy wheel/tire combo will fit inside the trailer fender, so I'm thinking of going to pick and pull and seeing if they have a 15x6 wheel/tire setup.
A new set of matching wheels/tires, and the right trailer hitch ball is all I need to get the trailer home. I can work on the connector and check the lights at home, but need the wheels/tires and hitch ball to get it there. There's still hope!
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Post by socal1200r on Jan 21, 2010 17:54:57 GMT -5
Update - found a set of Jeep steel wheels at Pick N Pull, bought a set of low mileage tires (195/60-15) off CL for $30, got them mounted and balanced for $30, bought a new 4-pin connector, and a 5 1/4" drop hitch with 1 17/8" ball. So I head over to the seller to get things on the trailer so I can get it home.
Long story short - had to put the wheels on reverse, in order to clear some angle iron on the back side of the hub, ended up buying 6 spacer plates, new wheel studs, etc., but couldn't get the new longer wheel studs in, couldn't use the spacer plates, so I had to put the Jeep wheels on backwards in order to get the trailer home.
So, I'm thinking I'll probably have to pound out the wheels studs that are on there now, remove the wheel hub, and find some place that can press in the new, longer wheel studs, so I can mount the Jeep wheels the correct way.
Does any one know of a machine shop or some place that could press these new wheel studs into the hub?
Thanks
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Post by 87B2XLT on Jan 22, 2010 4:16:34 GMT -5
I almost want to say it'd be easier just to find some Ford wheels and mount them. I used my Bronco II spare on a U-haul trailer once.... just to get the unloaded trailer to the next town. I believe the Jeep wheels' backspacing is too deep (as you found out). If you have access to a vice, you can probably do the stud swap yourself....
Dave G
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Post by socal1200r on Jan 22, 2010 14:40:29 GMT -5
Called a machine shop in the yellow pages, and they told me how to remove the hub so I could bring it in. Wow, never realized it was that easy (pop the cap, remove the cotter pin, remove the nut, pull the hub off, catch the bearing cage, and viola!). So I dropped off both hubs and new wheel studs, and they're going to press them in. They said it looks like the shank on the new studs are slightly bigger than the old ones, so they'll have to drill out the holes to make them fit. I'll be out $60 when it's done, but hopefully that's all I need to get these Jeep steel wheels to work.
I bought the trailer for $175, and put another $175 or so into it: Jeep wheels ($20); tires ($30); mount/balance tires ($30); new wire connector ($5); new tail lights ($20); wheel spacer plates ($60); new wheels studs ($15). Now with the labor charges to press in the new wheel studs, that'll put me close to $250, plus the price of the trailer. Sheesh, at $425 invested, I almost could've bought a used utility trailer, lol!
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Post by socal1200r on Jan 25, 2010 20:01:26 GMT -5
Got the trailer hubs back today with the longer wheel studs pressed in (cost me $65), and got the Jeep steel wheels ($20 for the pair at pick and pull) back on with 195/60-15 tires ($60 for the tires and mounting/balancing). Ended up using three wheel spacers per side ($60 for spacers), plus 1 washer per lug on the right side, in order to clear the back angle iron brace for the fender. I dropped off the hubs on Fri, and over the weekend I took a wire brush to most of the angle iron and center channel on the trailer, and put down some bedliner protectant. During this process, I noticed the welds for the two vertical braces were broken, so those will have to be replaced. I'm also going to see what it would cost to weld a 36" long piece of angle iron on the front, with u-bolts on the ends, for tie-down points for the handlebars. Technical wheel question for the group. Is the backspacing on the Jeep steel wheels I have on there now the same as the Jeep alloys in my sig pic? If so, I might go back to the pick and pull and see if I can score a pair of alloys, so all the wheels will match. If the backspacing on the alloys is deeper than the steelies, that ain't gonna work, so I'll have to leave the steelies on there for now. If the steelies stay, I'll have to clean them up, and maybe paint them silver, or use more of that bedliner stuff on them...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2010 20:59:16 GMT -5
I've kept my mouth shut so far, but I can't take it anymore. I realize that this is somewhat of a light duty trailer, but 3 stacked universal spacers on a trailer axle is just a recipe for disaster.
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Post by jeeepxj on Jan 25, 2010 21:44:30 GMT -5
Correct me if I'm wrong, but... It appears that the trailer lacks suspension between the axle and frame? It looks like it just has bolt-on style spindles? You would have been safer by putting some sort of spacer there and probably cheaper also.
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Post by toynrnd on Jan 25, 2010 22:12:17 GMT -5
norfolk.craigslist.org/pts/1561169191.htmlThese wheels have about a 4-4.5 inch offset as best as I could measure in the dark. I think the alloys are 5+ inches. You should be able to get these dirt cheap - $10 for the set? I got a set of 5 of these, with tires (only 2K miles) for $125 off Craigslist.
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Post by socal1200r on Jan 25, 2010 23:40:38 GMT -5
I've kept my mouth shut so far, but I can't take it anymore. I realize that this is somewhat of a light duty trailer, but 3 stacked universal spacers on a trailer axle is just a recipe for disaster. I know as a general rule it's not a good idea to use spacers, but I figured since this was such a light trailer, and only designed to haul one motorcycle, the total load will be well under 1000 lbs. If I'm incorrect in this line of thinking, please let me know. The last thing I want happening is losing the trailer or the bike that'll be on it, should I have to make a trip to the west coast. And yes, there is no suspension on this trailer. I was thinking of putting some kind of spacer between the "backing plate" that the wheel hub is attached to, and the bigger plate that's attached to the frame. The second pic probably shows it best, where you can see the top two bolts. Would getting longer bolts, and some kind of spacer sleeve, eliminate the need for stacked spacer plates? Those three plates are almost an inch thick, so the spacer sleeves would have to be about as thick in order for the back of the tire to clear the angle iron support? It seems to me, that from a stronger support perspective, spacer plates would be better than spacer sleeves, since you've got 5 lugs on the plates and only 4 on the sleeves?
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Post by 87B2XLT on Jan 26, 2010 4:44:27 GMT -5
.... would have been cheaper and safer to go with wheels that would fit the unmodified trailer axles better, IMO. Neither option you're discussing is 'good' unless you like doing a thorough trailer inspection at each gas and restroom stop on the road trip.....
Dave G
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Post by Deleted on Jan 26, 2010 7:28:33 GMT -5
If just had to use spacers on a trailer, it would be something like these: cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/JEEP-WRANGLER-5X4-50-Wheel-Spacer-Adapters-1-25-2pc_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem5ad646c95eQQitemZ390142019934QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessoriesI'm not trying to pour salt in the wounds, but it would have been cheaper and better to go this route. If you decide to use these kind of spacers, use loctite on the hub studs. It's not just about the weight, it's about the harsh conditions a trailer axle sees. There's more leverage with spacers, the wheels hit harder, especially since those spindles are mounted on the frame. Then add in 3 stacked spacers, they can move and wiggle the tiniest bit and create a wobbling wheel and worst case scenerio the lugs break off or nuts come loose and you've got a sticky situation for you and maybe someone else. Maybe I'm just a worry wort, but that's my take on it. I'd use some trailer wheels and tires with the right width and offset. But I realize you want the wheels to match your tow rig, nothing wrong with having something nice. It presents a challenge with the lack of room you have to work with there.
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Post by socal1200r on Jan 26, 2010 8:56:59 GMT -5
Sheesh, wish I would've known about those spacers, I would've used them and saved some money. But the longer wheel studs I had pressed in won't work with those spacers, because they're too long.
Note to self - next time, ask the forum for some solutions, instead of being in a rush to make it work...better to get it done right, than right away...
Thanks man, that would've been a MUCH better solution...
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