Sourcing axles from common vehicles ?

[UK4X4]

Guy's

here's a teaser for you, my camping trailer is great and fully what I need

but I've taken up off road biking I'm in the need of small motorcycle trailer
for the 60K drive to our local riding spot.

Locally seemingly there are no axle suppliers

You can get hitchs and small parts but not spindles or axles ...

so are there any small vehicles that would be able to donate me a set of suitable parts ?

independant is fine but not required.

Preferably bolt on...ie welding to vehicle tin is a pain

any ideas ? Toyota- Nissan- Kia - jeep-

 

[highlandercj-7]

Look into Mini van rear beam axles. The control arms are built into them, most are coil srung and hold a decent amount of weight.

 

[Root Moose]

Are you in the UK currently? I don't know but spidey-sense is saying there may be MOT hoops to jump through with respect to what axle you use if it is not a bespoke trailer axle.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I was also going to suggest a minivan rear axle. I know they made Chrysler Caravans in Austria for Euro markets, so they might be available around there. It's a lightweight beam axle and I think used leaves. Alternatively, a Ford Transit Connect also uses a lightweight beam axle with leaves. You might even be able to make a twistbeam rear axle from any watercooled VW work if you're clever. You don't need much axle for a motorcycle carrier.

In fact, some tiny carriers used for hauling dirtbikes available for purchase here don't have any suspension at all.

 

[njtaco]

Subaru

Here is a thread on using a Subaru axle... LINK

 

[UK4X4]

Not in uk - i'm in Oman -Middle east..

so no MOT's here

run what you brung -----with or without camel in the pickup bed

I've been searching minivan axles but can't find any Pictures.

are they a small non diferencial axle ?

or independants on a usable sub frame ?


Subaru thread- exactly what I'm looking for- a bolt on complete solution....nice

Any other vehicles with similar.......as subi's are here but I've not seen many older ones

Have to spend a day at the local vehicle recyclers ......

Everything here is re-used !!!

 

[highlandercj-7]

Dodge mini vans are indeed leaf sprung axles and a solid beam on the older ones for sure, the newer ones I think may have switched out the leafs. What are you pulling it with? IIRC the dodge is also a 5 on 4.5 like the Jeep.

 

[Root Moose]

IIRC the ChryCo mini-vans use a twist beam in the rear. Derived from the K car and probably copied from a Mk I VW Golf/Rabbit.

Think trailing arms with the pivot points fixed by a long solid beam that like an anti-roll bar. Very usable for a trailer. It may even use a bolted on subframe. The old K cars may be a worthwhile donor as well. And mid '00s Hondas (late are 5 on 4.5" IIRC).

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I'm pretty sure the Chrysler minivans are a true solid beam on leafs, at least up to some point. I know for sure the Ford Transit Connect is a solid axle on leafs, as I just looked at one recently and was shocked they had done that to a C1 chassis.

Chris, I know the suspension type you're talking about, where the beam is welded to the trailing arms, but the beam is inline (roughly) with the axle centerline. But that's not a "twist beam" technically. It's something else, I'll find the name. I think that's what I have on my GM minivan with coil springs.

A true twist beam is when the beam is not inline with the axle centerline, it's well forward, close to the forward bushings of the trailing arms.

I believe a Nissan Sentra also had a whatever-beam rear suspension.

Truth is... all of these suspension designs could easily be set up for a lightweight trailer. The only thing is if it has coil springs, you will have to do something to mount those springs, and the shocks. No way you can get away with running coil springs without shocks.

Heck, many modern independent rear suspension from a FWD car are built on subframes that could form the basis for a trailer suspension if you're creative. Here's a Focus rear suspension when I removed it. That whole subframe is held on with 6 bolts, and provides the coil spring seats too. Missing from the photos are the coils, the shocks, and the trailing arms. So, it's complicated with 3 lateral links per side, but really, the chassis interface is 6 bolts for the subframe, the front of the trailing arms, and something for the shock top mount. In fact... I believe the Focus wagon rear suspension has the shock mounts on the subframe itself. The wagon has no shock towers.

 

[Root Moose]

A true twist beam is when the beam is not inline with the axle centerline, it's well forward, close to the forward bushings of the trailing arms.

Yep, that is what I meant. Now, whether that is under a ChryCo mini-van or not is another matter.

 

[sjk99]

2003 caravan

Here is a 2003 Caravan. Looks to be more of a box tube between the hub assemblies, single leaf sprung and a panhard bar to keep it from moving around too much. Didn't measure WMS but it is 64" from center of tires. Probably not that suitable for dragging over rocks & such.

We did have a mid/early 90's Caravan with the boxier style, and I recall that having a solid I-beam drop rear axle, almost like a Model T style. I believe it also had a several inch drop down which, if reversed could yield the same inches of increased clearance.

 

[ntsqd]

SAAB 96's used the 'twist-beam' type rear suspension that would be simple to mount (3 points in-line + the struts), but I'm guessing those aren't all that common in Oman. Just a guess.....

Another oddball is the VW "Caddy" (pick-up), it used leaves and a simple beam axle. Actually, that might be your easy solution even if those specific parts aren't all that handy. The VW Rabbit (& Golf?) rear spindles BOLT ON to a flat plate on the end of the axle. At least the Caddy spindles do. I'd check my DD, but I didn't drive it today. Definitely worth looking into.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I'm quite sure no minivans have a twist beam. They would use the other type where the axle beam is inline with the axles. Twist beams are a little better for ride and handling, the trailing beam is better at taking a load.

 

[UK4X4]

Well after a quick 2hr trip to the local car souk zone......

I found the following---no minivans---nothing with leaf springs accept hilux's

I did find a few with straight-ish axles but they wanted my arms and legs as down payment.

So taking the economy -light weight route

Toyota Echo's ......a very small little car have a beam axle but multiple mounting points.

The hubs-spindle assembly however simply mounts with 4 bolts either side

ie they are a bolt on to the axle assy.

So today I'll be buying 2 complete hubs and wheels and two plain spindles

The plain spindles will be reversed and welded into a suitable tube and then the hubs bolted on flange to flange..

Done !

As a note there were quite a few straight beam axles and ones with torque tube suspension, but cost and weight not required on this lightweight trailer build.

A peugeut 205 had a nice 4 bolt on system suspension-shocks all in one lump
similar to the Sube but smaller scale

 

[Root Moose]

Interesting about the Echo's bolt on hub assemblies.

Trailer hub assemblies work the same way.

I have some here in front of me (going to convert the Starcraft to 5 on 5.5" to match the Jeep in the spring).

Measuring across the diagonal from bolt to bolt is 4". From bolt to bolt along faces is consistently the same distance so it is a square pattern (not diamond). The parts I have are NA spec trailer parts so I'm fairly confident the diagonal is 4" exactly.

It would be kind of freaky if the Toyota end was the same pattern. Makes you wonder what other vehicles they make use trailer parts. LOL

Seriously though, if the patterns match it would be ideal to get electric trailer brakes onto the trailer. That said, I think regs in your part of the world require/prefer hydraulic surge brakes? I may be wrong on that.

JAT