Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 10:30 pm Posts: 9045 Location: Brisneyland
Vehicle: 2006 Jimny JLX
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 2:05 pm
I know I'm probably the last to see this but... Saw the new Army Gwagen with matching trailer today, trailer has some serious spring packs under it. Awesome round Australia rig straight from the army.
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 10:30 pm Posts: 9045 Location: Brisneyland
Vehicle: 2006 Jimny JLX
Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 7:51 am
I love it when my guesstimated measurements work out. My boat trailer is now sorted apart from a mast post which I'll get done in the next few days. The beach trolley fits perfectly on the trailer, just a couple of bugs to sort out when it comes to sliding it on.
At least now I only have 3 trailers to juggle and no more manoeuvring that heavy thing I had borrowed.
Considering swapping my trailer axle to a narrower one, so I can use same rims all round, for matching wheel track of car and trailer. Presently using different offsets on trailer to keep it close to Vitaras track. Could be good for any future rim/tyre changes, too.
May swap hubs for proper f100 type if they exist for 39mm axles.
My wms to wms is approx. 57"/1450mm\ by tape measure. Owners manual lists track as 55" so I guess with 25P stock rims wms would be 57"
But stoopid axle sellers list tip to tip, or lengths with no explaination of what they measuring. So waiting for some replies.
May have to move/lose the trailers shocks to achieve this. Not sure I really getting any benefit from shox. Could be just extra dead weight.
May have to move/lose the trailers shocks to achieve this. Not sure I really getting any benefit from shox. Could be just extra dead weight.
That's my feelings
I just removed and weighed my shox, bolts, bracketry and my hub conversions, total 16kg removed from trailer. With a shorter axle and 10kg less wheels/tyres weight, should help things.
Pricing proper f100 type hubs has led me to consider refitting my hub adaptors, but trimmed of all unnecessary metal. They are brake drums, so all the braking surface can go.
But I will keep hunting hubs after the new axle arrives, make sure everything is right before spendings.
But stoopid axle sellers list tip to tip, or lengths with no explaination of what they measuring. So waiting for some replies.
Add 110mm to your wheel mount measurement will give you close to tip to tip on the axle (using standard trailer hubs)
Axles are usually measured in inches. All my suppliers only list odd number length axles. I would say yours would be about 61.5" You will either need to go down to 61" or up to 63"
Thanks muchly, I worked that out with a bit of effort. Chose a 61" . Only works out 5mm narrower, which is easy to space out if needed. If I decide to re use my hub adaptors, they'd make up the difference anyway. There was a 62 listed but 61" seemed better.
Well sometimes ya win 61" axle was perfect, not a few mm too short as I was expecting. The F100 hubs are thicker, and thus wms to wms is an exact match to the Vit
Another win, maybe, somehow I got sent 2 axles, when I only paid for a single. Arrived a day apart I have let them know, but no response so far. So I may have a cheap axle to sell, see how it goes.
Now my tyres don't stick out from trailer guards, that's got to be good in many ways. Will keep an eye on bank, make sure a 2nd amount don't come out.
Decided I did want trailer shocks refitted. Luckily the crossmember was in the right spot to re use all my original brackets. With a bit of tweakings, and inverting shocks. Angle worked well, not too much dampening.
In my case, I only notice shocks function at lower speeds on and off road, as I too busy to watch it at hi speed. Large bumps at moderate speed bounced trailer 4 to 5 times, but with shox in present position, only 2 bounces on empty trailer.
My new rims fit the trailer nicely, just inside the guards. Even though they are 7"s they weigh 0.5kg less than the steel 5.5"rims.
I have found the larger tyres make trailer much easier to tow off road, but causes a small power/economy loss on road.
Bigger diameter and more weight is harder to get rolling, but a smaller tyre keeps dragging power trying to mount obstacles off road.
My pick on road would be a smaller tyre, with more axles if weight carrying is needed. Off road bigger is better, within the power capabilities of tow car. So I picked a medium 30"tyre for all round use (Trailer and Vit soon)
Joined: Sun May 03, 2009 11:30 pm Posts: 646 Location: Melbourne
Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 6:53 pm
Looking for some expertise from you trailer gurus!
I've got an old 6x4 trailer, only really used for firewood and tip runs. I'm guessing it's about 25 years old, and I've had it for the last 15 years. Never had any maintenance in it's lifetime, and always sat outside in the weather. Besides for new tyres, lights & wiring about 5 years ago, that's it.
Decided to check the wheel bearings today, and both had a bit of play in them. Will pickup some new ones tomorrow and fit them.
I also noticed that both tyres are wearing on the insides. Can this be caused by bad bearings? Or maybe a bent axel? Without removing the axel it looks pretty straight, what's the best way to check? I'll add here that it doesn't tow perfectly straight either. Regardless which tow vehicle i use, you can see the trailer in the passenger mirror much more than the drivers mirror.....I'd say about 2-3 inches based on the size of the wheel guards.
Anyways this is what i did...
Firstly i soaked the nutts in wd40 for a while, and needed a breaker bar to get them to crack...they were a bit rusty
In this pic you can see the general condition of everything
bearing cap and castle nut off
Back of the hub
Axel
Spring hanger
trailer
Despite it's condition, it's still VERY solid. It has a 100x50mm drawbar, and 15inch sides. The suspension sort of works, it's pretty stiff.
So trailer experts.....besides for replacing the bearings, and my questions above, is it worth fixing up a bit and keeping, or sell it off and get a new one?
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 10:30 pm Posts: 9045 Location: Brisneyland
Vehicle: 2006 Jimny JLX
Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 5:54 am
Fix it, to replace it with a similarly HD trailer wouldn't be cheap. The uneven tyre wear and off centre tracking is most likely bearings and spring bushes. I'd replace the u bolts too. Get a metal straight edge and check the axle when you replace the u bolts.
Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2007 11:30 pm Posts: 14498 Location: Here there everywhere
Vehicle: A manly awesome man jimny
Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 7:51 am
Hay christover, see if you can have a trial of some 700/15 tyres. They are about 31" tall but would be about as wide as a 195/70/15. Mine are on stock suzuki rims and work well, sierra can tow it at highway speed with out issue.
Hay christover, see if you can have a trial of some 700/15 tyres. They are about 31" tall but would be about as wide as a 195/70/15. Mine are on stock suzuki rims and work well, sierra can tow it at highway speed with out issue.
Thought about going 16's for car and trailer, but the mags came up at a good price. The tyres fitted are not remoulds, with no tubes, and are 10kg lighter each. Just did a highway and bush test, they have solved my issues. Look cool, too Vits going to get some cheap mags, with taller skinnier tyres soon, that will help, as well. Now with trailers new axle, I can easily swap around tyres and rims to suit trips. I will use my old rims for local, more serious play trips. Or sell them for trip money
Chris the alloys look pretty nice on the trailer. With +9 offset all around, should be kind on bearings too.
Weight savings were substantial, should be miles better on road
Did a test run with them fitted on the Vits front wheels, yesterday. Lots of improvement in power, steering and braking, so will be good when +9 all round. If new rims/tyres take too long to be available, these alloys will go on the Vit.
Thats probably one of the best mod for a tourer with a trailer ive seen.
Even if you stayed on 31s the driveability will be like night and day. Going to a lighter skinnier tyre with smaller diam, itlll be luxurious compared to what your used to. Better fuel econ, better handling etc Itll feel like.a.new car when towing on the highway. I bet part of you will wished you stayed on 31s after a while though.
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