Home made trailer axles .... Show me yours !

[andi4x4]

Hi folks, owing to the cost and seemingly limited supply, I have decided to make my own trailer axles for a couple of builds I have going at the mo, but I need some ideas. I have a load of hex fitting super singles and duals which makes the job a little more awkward. Axles for bearinged wheels is a little easier, but I don't have any at the mo. I have a lathe and pillar drill and various hand tools, but no access to a milling machine.
So, show me your home made trailer axles !

[fhhhstix]

Traxxas stub axles with bushings pressed into a delrin tube.





1/2 in aluminum channel with delrin blocks and stub axles inserted.

Travis

[andi4x4]

Thanks Travis ! Your tube axle is what I have been working on myself - didnt have any stub axles though so I used m4 theaded rod sleaved with 5mm brass tube. I tried drilling through for the pin, but the rod is too weak and breaks when the wheel nut is tightened.

[tc1cat]

Andi, Try using a brass rod for the pin and solder it into the tube. If the threaded rod is brass, drill thru it also and solder the whole thing together. I have made a few trailer stub axles using all brass. They work out very nicely Travis has a few of them

[andi4x4]

Hi Cat,

Thanks for the tip, I think the problem is more to do with the amount of metal that is left when I have drilled through - I have been using stainless 4mm threaded rod with a brass sleave to bring it up to 5mm to fit the bearings, but, the weakness is where the hole is drilled in the threaded rod - it just snaps as soon as you start to pinch up the wheel nut. I am not making stub axles - I have been doing solid axles with both wheels on the same axle connected so that they both turn together. Just seemed easiest way at the time - now I'm not so sure ! lol !

[raiders32]

How did you keep the stub axle from sliding out of the delrin tube?

[fhhhstix]

The bushings are pressed in and the shaft has a lip on it to keep it from coming out of the bushings.

Travis

[raiders32]

That lip only stops the bearings from going inside the delrin tube. But what holds the whole axle (stub axles, bearings, and hex) from coming out of the delrin tube? Is it just the friction of the bearings pushed into the delrin tube? Does this also work if you use a metal tube?

[fhhhstix]

The lip is on the axle to stop it from coming out of the bushings and the bushings are press fit into the tube and yes you can do it with metal tubes.

Travis

[raiders32]

How big is the inner and outer diameter of the delrin tube to fit a 5x11x4 bearing?

Are the bearings really snug in the delrin tube?

Where did you buy the delrin tube?