Boat tail project based on a single wheel trailer...

[BamZipPow]

Originally Posted by aardvarcus

Looks good, I see from your explanation and the newer photos that you have the hitch angle and shock travel figured out. Hopefully getting the newer shocks installed will increase the damping factor to where you want it.

Oh, and did I mention it's looking good!

Thanks!

If things work out, I'll find out by this coming weekend on how much air pressure to load the shocks with the trailer empty and with the trailer loaded.

Tore down the axle hub and found a lot of silver flakes in the grease. There was a significant amount of play in the bearings before I pulled the hub off. Guess I'll be gitting a couple set of bearings and seals to rebuild it with. Time to go figure out what the part numbers are...

[BamZipPow]

Wheel bearing part number is L44643 which is a standard trailer bearing part.
Didn't pull the races out so I'm not exactly sure what the part number is on that. I would guess the part number would be L44610.
Seal part number is 12411 which looks like the equivalent part numbers are National 203029, National 204029, SKF 12506, and Timken 204029.

After cleaning up all the grease and bits from the parts, the bearings look fine with no scoring or pitting. The races seem to have some wear but no scoring or pitting on the surfaces. The seals were hosed and cracked. The shim (worn on the bearing contact edge) seemed to be the part that was flaking the metal bits into the grease but luckily didn't damage the bearings/races. I think the looseness of the setup was causing the shim to bang into the spacer washer and chip away.

After doing a quick reassemble of everything except fer the seals, everything was close fitting without any wobbling or wiggling. Looks like I might be able to git away with just replacing the seals, grease, and 3 cotter pins fer this hub rebuild.

[nemo]

Good you took care of it now. Far too many trailers have tire and wheel bearing problems on the road.

[BamZipPow]

Wowsers! My air shocks arrived this morning and I got free shipping!

Here's a quick install...I still have the air lines to run and find a place to mount the fill valve at. I cleaned up my silicone boots from my old shocks and just flopped them on top of the air shock to give some sort of protection to the air shock shaft. I will also be picking up some Nylock nuts fer the shock retaining bolts, too. I did have to lower the upper connecting point about 2.5" as the air shocks were shorter than the gas shocks.



After carefully studying my photos of the bearing and races, I found some pitted areas where water had rusted and pitted the surface of some of the tapered bearings and one of the races. So I picked up new bearings/races (A14 kit) and ordered new seals from O'reilly's Auto Parts since they were close. Seals should be here in the morning. I still have to pack the new bearings with new grease and git new cotter pins.

After I punched the old races out, I converted one of the races so I could use it to install the new races. I had to cut a gap into the old race so it would compress (similar to a piston ring) and I would be able to remove my "race install tool" easily. A few taps with a 2x4 scrap to set the new race in, I centered the "race install tool" on top, and tapped the new race all the way into the hub.


I can't wait to try this setup out...

[BamZipPow]

The air system lives! I still have to determine how long I need the lines and then trim them to length.



I figured out that I don't need the red boots so I'll pull those off before I git the seals installed tomorrow. That will be one less thing to worry about!

I did pump up the shocks to 50psi and I was able to barely push the tongue down to it's lower extreme with my body weight (~170lbs). This is when I figured out that I didn't need the boots as the air pressure pushed the top of the shocks to the top and crushing the boots.

[BamZipPow]

I think I figured a way to keep everything intact when removing the hitch with a minimal amount of tooling. My initial process was removing the lower bolt to the shocks but with all the spacing washers on there, it will make it more involved to remove the hitch. Once I git my final attachment setup, I might still keep that process as an option.

I reversed the bolts and installed a T-nut on the vertical 2x4 so I can keep the vertical 2" square tube support attached to the shocks. Just 2 nuts and washers to remove and the shocks stay attached to the square tube support. It will make the hitch that much heavier when it comes to attaching it to the trailer but I think I've got my process down on that setup. It will also give me the ability to secure the air shocks from being stolen when the trailer is sitting all by its lonesome.

[BamZipPow]

Removed the shock boots. Got the air lines shortened up and the fill valve mounted on the 2" square tube adapter. Filled the shocks with 45psi and it seems close to where it will be happy. I won't know fer sure until I git my axle hub grease seals installed and the trailer hooked up and tested. I was able to pump up the shocks just using a bicycle pump. I guess I'll git a foot pump to keep in the trailer so I can inflate/deflate the shocks without any air compressor support. Maybe I'll install an on-board air station later on.

[BamZipPow]

Got the hub seals installed and the wheel reinstalled on the trailer. No rattle coming from the wheel anymore.

Hooked up the trailer and went a few blocks. 45psi seems to work okay fer small bumps but no significant change at 65mph. Tried 60psi...no change. Tried 75psi...a little more bumpier at slower speeds but no significant change at 65mph. I think I'm at the limit of this bicycle pump. I wonder what I can use to git the air pressure up to 125psi or higher.

Did I fergit about factoring in the amount of trailer weight/mass, plus the speed, plus the length of the trailer providing leverage from the pivot point?

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by BamZipPow

Got the hub seals installed and the wheel reinstalled on the trailer. No rattle coming from the wheel anymore.

Hooked up the trailer and went a few blocks. 45psi seems to work okay fer small bumps but no significant change at 65mph. Tried 60psi...no change. Tried 75psi...a little more bumpier at slower speeds but no significant change at 65mph. I think I'm at the limit of this bicycle pump. I wonder what I can use to git the air pressure up to 125psi or higher.

Did I fergit about factoring in the amount of trailer weight/mass, plus the speed, plus the length of the trailer providing leverage from the pivot point?

You're doing just fine.Pretty soon you'll be BamZipPow/ Dr. Suspension!
We're all learning a bunch! Carry on Doctor!

[BamZipPow]

I wonder if a splitter on the front side of the trailer would do any good. Are there any trailers out there now with a front splitter?

Looks like I need to preload a spring (rubber torsion or metal leaf/coil) to handle the additional force. A coilover setup would be nice but it could git pretty pricey and the hitch becoming a hassle to hook/unhook from the hitch receiver with the preload of the coil spring in the coilover setup. I would have to carry around something to compress the spring while hooking up the trailer...like a spring compressor!