Landcruiser stubs and hubs for trailer

Keith,
When I designed and built my off-road camper 35 odd years ago, I used the rear stub axles off a late series Landrover as the bearings were larger and stronger than any other 4by. I then had the ends of the square axle machined down to the length of the stub and the stub was then pressed onto the shaft. The flange is then welded to the axle.
A few years later drum brakes were added.
When I sold it 6 years ago it had done approx 700,000 kays and was on its third set of bearings.Yes they were serviced regularly.
The only problem I had were the "u" bolts. They broke. Get your self some 12 or 16mm HT plate [I forget the grade] cut to match the lower plate , drill 4, 16mm holes through all plates and use 16mm HT bolts and nuts to hold the whole lot to the axle. Once assembled tack the top plate to the axle to stop movement. No more brakages as there is now a direct pull. No curves on square axles or, 90 degree bends to fracture.
Forgot to mention you need Landrover rims.

Sounds complicated, but isn't.

Gees didn't know I could "talk" for so long!

Tony

Serendipity of Mandurah (WA)

Did you have the trailer wheels balanced?

Regards

Richard

Hi Richard

Yes. The first bearings I smashed where up in the Kimberley on a maiden journey. I had originally set up with standard axle with holden bearings but landcruiser hub pattern. Went fine for most of the trip and then one day I whipped the trailer around a corner. Didn't notice anything for a couple of Ks until looking in the mirror the trailer was tracking 6 inches to the right. Bearings were chewed out.

The wheels looking like the one above and the white sunraysia - well I just don't know. The white sunraysia just snapped all the studs off and disappeared into the bush. Took 1/2 an hour to find the rim. I think the nuts came loose to start with and then started to work on the holes and studs until - pop. Why did they come loose - My guess is the wheels are too heavy without the load of a landcruiser on them. Just a guess.

David

David

Thanks

I've been thinking of up grading the axle, hubs, and wheels on my old CT from the 14" wheels to 5 stub LC splits as per the Troopy.

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We have not used it since 2005 as it broke the chassis and it took me 3 years to get around to fix it (slack).

We decided that we would not take a trailer out in the desert again, so it's been retired to soft work.

I will take a trip over to Martin's trailer Spears and check them out.

The reason for asking re. balance of trailer wheels, when ever I ask to have them balance at tyre shops they look at me like its a waste of time.

But the bigger the wheel that is unbalanced the greater load on all the unsprung weight.

Cheers

Richard

Hi Richard

I traveled for years on split rims thinking they are tougher and easier to change if you had a flat.Well having flats is what I had all the time. Mostly from rust getting into the tube and cutting it. Destroyed a couple of good tyres by not being able to stop quick enough. I finally changed my car and trailer to white sunraysia rims tubelss and have been much happier. Much easier to fix puntures with the sticky rope and they look better on the car.

Last year I updated to the new cruiser and they come with mag rims.

I would recommend trading split rims for the white sunraysia rims any day. Having the same rims, leaf springs, hubs and bearings has been great for spare parts - especially for going into remote areas. One time I sheared off the axle studs on the hub while out in the middle of Arnhemland. Because I carried the spares I could fix them. The bearings you see me replacing was remote Kakadu. The damaged rim was remote Ningaloo on the side of the highway. Having those spares which were the same for the car and the trailer was real handy.


David