"Pixel" (Improbcat)
07/19/2016 at 12:07 • Filed to: bell telephone trailer
1
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"Pixel" (Improbcat)
07/19/2016 at 12:07 • Filed to: bell telephone trailer | 1
| 8 |
For those interested in the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , it is still ongoing, but massive progress was made this weekend.
I pulled the wheels off the trailer. The driver’s side(above) had no brake drum, but did have recent lug studs & nuts, so that was a pleasant find.
The passenger side required a 2 foot breaker bar with a 3 foot cheater bar. However I didn’t snap any lugs, so it went easily all things considered.
A couple of hours hunting junkyards and used tire shops netted me two mismatched but similar 235/70R16 passenger tires. They should be fine as I’m not planning to do any heavy hauling with the trailer. If I start using it for heavier loads I’ll upgrade to proper heavy duty trailer tires.
Replaced 4 of the rusted lug nuts as autozone(the only place open at 5pm on Sunday) only had 4 so I need to find another. Or find 5 that are the same style as the far side(these take a different socket size).
I also installed a Harbor Freight trailer jack. I had to drill one new hole to match the pattern on the new jack. I would have preferred to mount it from underneath so it would be lower(it is at its maximum when the trailer is level, but this was the only way it would both fit and be able to be bolted in place.
So the trailer is now level front to back & side to side, and able to be moved for the first time since it arrived. I will need to add some sort of fold/crank down support at the back as it likes to tip back if you put weight on the bumper.
But for now it is installed & wired lights away from it being legal and safe to tow.
Prior cost: $211
2 used tires $85
mounting tires $35
lug nuts & valve stems $14
trailer jack $23
Total thus far: $368
HammerheadFistpunch
> Pixel
07/19/2016 at 12:13 |
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Not bad, I need to refurbish an old trailer we’ve had in our family for a long time. In needs a LOT of metal work, but the axle is good. It needs new bearings, probably new tires and a new gate hinge but it just keeps hanging on....I need to learn to weld...
Urambo Tauro
> Pixel
07/19/2016 at 15:18 |
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Rather than try to find a longer jack, I would just keep a short piece of railroad tie with the trailer at all times to set the foot on.
Sometimes old lugs can be saved by running some thread-chasers on them. After cleaning the threads on my truck’s lugs and lug-nuts, I can easily spin them home, and only use the wrench for tightening/loosening.
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Pixel
> Urambo Tauro
07/19/2016 at 15:23 |
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I wasn’t looking for a longer jack, as I said this one is enough to make it level, but just barely.
The lugs are fine. I bought 4 replacement lug nuts, but need to either find a 5th of that style or 5 of the style on the far side if I want them all to match.
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Urambo Tauro
> Pixel
07/19/2016 at 16:43 |
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Oh no, I didn’t think you were looking for a longer jack. It’s just that since a trailer is supposed to be level (or pitched slightly down in front) when hooked up to its tow vehicle, your jack doesn’t have enough reach on its own to clear the ball (unless you mount the ball too low). But it’s not worth locating a different jack, when a block of wood will do just fine.
shop-teacher
> Pixel
07/20/2016 at 09:50 |
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Not bad. If you ever need more height out of the tongue jack, just chuck a block of wood under there. A couple cheap scissor jacks from the junkyard should support the back just fine.
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Pixel
> shop-teacher
07/20/2016 at 10:21 |
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Yeah, I’m going to see if I can find some matched/similar jacks, and if not I’ll probably make a simpler version of this:
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shop-teacher
> Pixel
07/20/2016 at 12:01 |
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I have a couple cheapo jack stands that I stick under my flatbed utility trailer when loading it. Works in a pinch, but not as good as either this or the jacks.
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Pixel
> shop-teacher
07/20/2016 at 12:09 |
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Yeah, this thing is just a little too tall for my regular jack stands, so I’d have to get the trailer stands, which is one more thing to find a place for in the trailer, so I’m hoping for a self-storing solution.