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Posts: 20269
Location: oswego, il | My bearings took a poo on one of my hubs on my small boat trailer. I wanted to upsize the hubs and axle and buy it as an assembly. Unfortunately the hub/spindle was so big it cut into the u-bolt spacing and the axle had a flange. That ended up saving me. Since I could not u-bolt around the spindle, I found a way to make j-bolts work on the outside. Should work ok and the j0bolts will keep anything from wanting to move. Bolts are tight after the picture was taken. Thoughts?
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Posts: 5874
| What grade are the J-Bolts? Pretty sure the U-Bolts are at least grade 5, but likely to be grade 8.
You might be OK, but I'd be checking the j-bolt nuts often to see if the j-bolts are opening up(bending). |
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Posts: 60
Location: Colgate, WI | I'd be uncomfortable with that setup, but I'm pretty cautious when it comes to suspension items.
Blair |
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Posts: 113
Location: Twin Cities | Seems like you wouldn't be able to set this up perfectly to get even wear on your tires.... |
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Posts: 532
| I would run that setup to get me home from a trip, or possibly a patch job to get me through a very short time. But no way would i feel comfortable with thinking that is a long term fix.
If that falls off at highway speeds think of the damage, and possibly killing somone... oh man bad news. Do it correctly it isnt worth the risk |
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Posts: 229
| Are you sure those bolts are tight? I see a large gap between the nut and the washer? |
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Posts: 20269
Location: oswego, il | I tightened the bolts after the pic was taken. The setup is very tight. I know it's not a traditional setup. The axle cannot spin nor can it move side to side. The perch is pinned tight between the flange and the ubolt. I am giving it second thoughts. The only possible failure I could see with it is a jbolt breaking for some reason. A ubolt wont work around the spindle as its curved there and would work its way to the hub. I never considered how much extra length the hub would take. |
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Posts: 2754
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | Todd - looks like you would have to break the inner U-bolt + J-bolt before you'd have trouble. Maybe carry a pair of spare J bolts/nuts and tools in your tow vehicle. Inspect them on trips, etc. I'd double nut the J-bolts to lock them from vibration, e.g., use a lock nut on top of the first one.
Good luck!
Al
Edited by ESOX Maniac 6/24/2014 7:21 AM
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Posts: 20269
Location: oswego, il | They are all lock nutted. Certainly not conventional. Took it for a trip this weekend checked it over several times so far so good. |
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Location: Not far enough north! | Those are not lock nuts. You have lock washers... I wouldn't run that setup but to each his own. The double nut advice is a good one, use it all the time on farm machinery. I would also get some higher grade bolts made up at a welding shop if you can't find any at stores... |
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Posts: 566
Location: Elgin, IL | Todd, I admire your NRigging skills.....that's Golden. As long as it works.
High five.  |
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Posts: 1120
Location: West Chester, OH | Old dirt tracker savvy. Tow it like you stole it! |
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