Today: Removing the axle from the trailer, prepping the axle for flip.
Back in the day, with our first canned ham, we pulled with a 1971 Chevy Blazer. The tires weren't tiny, just a bit bigger than stock. But there was no need for a lifted trailer. So I had "lifted trailer envy" when side by side to DDIL's lifted canned ham, which he pulled with as tall of Ford trucks as he could.
Flipping the axle was a common practice in the western states when you were out-fitting you hunting rig, and allowed for accessing some pretty remote and rugged areas - you know - where the elk like to hang out.
Another benefit was all sorts of covered space for things like camp tools, and beer coolers and lawn chairs, etc. These all slid under the camper right fine, with easy access and all.
Now, due to DSIL's lifted truck and his nature - did I mention DSIL's black Chevy truck is lifted with big tires? Oh sorry - forgot I guess. But, I get to finally play with a lifted canned ham. Ain't life funny that way?
With tires and wheels out of the way, we can see the axle very clearly. Note the original mounting style here with the 4" drop tucking the wheel nicely up into the wheel tub. A very stable design, kind of like a cradle.
What we are going to do is throw caution to the wind and discard that stability. We don't need no stinking stability! It's kind of like taking off your flats and breaking out your stilts.
If you flip that axle, the "tuck up in" is angled down and tucked out. And since it is a 4" tuck, the tuck in removal is 4" and the tuck down and out is 4" and that equals 8" (and that's not even the new math!).
But here's the key, and it's an important one - the axle remains cradled on the top of the spring. That keeps forces more controlled than if you were to say.... put the axle on the bottom of the spring, or even put a block under the spring and THEN the axle below even THAT for that extra lift, like is done on less expensive 4x4 lift kits. These days especially, modern vehicles have less than simple suspensions and lift kits are well engineered. And that's good, because some of these 4-8 inch lifts of yesterday were pretty scary!
Me? I'm not so into that sort of stuff. I'm more of a Lil' Willy kind of guy. But this ain't my trailer, it's DD's and her family's. So the only thing worse than a lifted canned ham is one whose rear-end is draggin' - especially off pavement. Even some city pot-holes might point out a benefit.
So lets get those axle u-bolts off.
After letting the penetrating oil soak in for a bit, I broke out the socket set. All eight of the nuts came down right fine... well, except for that one. It was messed up from the beginning. I think it might have got torque just that last little bit of "too-tight" at the axle/spring manufacturer and jumped a thread. But I don't know. All I know is I need a new u-bolt - maybe we'll just do four with new nuts. So I'll slip over to the trailer parts store and see what I can find for replacements.
And when I find a hard one, I work it first, before the easy's. The hard's are always easier if you work it while the easy's are still holding things fast.
All fasteners off.
Then pushed back and allowed to fall.
Now here you see the spring pack centering pin, and the pin receiving hole in the axle tube. With pin in hole, that keeps the axle from shifting. Even though held pretty good with the fastening u-bolts, they ain't gonna keep it in place without that pin.
I noticed the hole was deeper than the pin height (that's good), and the diameter required for the hole is the next size drill bit up from 1/2". Most of my bit sets end at 1/2". So to drill a new centering pin hole on the opposite side of the axle I had to go to my "Misc Drill Bits" can. I found one that would work; it came out of my Dad's stuff.
But "wheel" get to that. First lets get the axle up on the bench where an old guy can work on it!
Oh No!!! The hub flange is too large to fit through the space between frame and spring pack!
Had to remove the hub. So that's simply getting into the wheel bearing stuff.
Check out the threaded axle cup with a hex head. Many just press in with a hammer.
And then the outer bearing and retainer pieces. A cotter pin and a nut and washer.
And don't let those things fall in the dirt.
Ahhh yes, now it'll fit.
Now held tight with my third hand, it's more easily worked.
I made some careful measurements on the original centering pin holes and transferred my findings to the opposite side.
Hard to see, but those are cross marks.
And then a center-punch to start off all young drill bits on the right path.
And these were too hard with a hand drill, so the whole shebang got taken over to the drill press.
Starting off small and increasing drill bit size a little at a time, here's the last.
I found a 3/8"+ depth to be perfect.
Okay check. Next, we'll do a bearing re-pack.
