What are my options on an 8-Lug axle?

[TreeTopFlyer]

Doing some pre-lim planning on a expo trailer. While trailing arms are neat and all. I want to keep things simple and easy, i.e. straight axle. One thing I want is to have the same tires/wheels on the trailer as my vehicle.

I have been looking for a 3500lb axle with 8-lug hubs but have come up short. I know JDHolder had a nice trailer with 8lug wheels. His however had adapters on it. He said the axle was a 5200lb axle with "standard" jeep hubs with a set of adapters to fit the 8x170 pattern of the Excursion. I have found 8x6.5 axles, well hubs on an axle if you want to be specific, but they are in the heavy duty range of 5200lb and up.

Is it possible to get a 3500 with 8-lug hubs? I don't mind adapters. Do I have to go with the 5200lb or higher axle and just use lighter springs? I don't want the trailer to ride like a bread truck. I don't think it's ever gonna be close to that payload.

[njtacoma]

I took a quick glance at Redneck trailer supplies' online catalog and they don't offer anything that low with 8 lugs.

In addition the lowest weight rating axle they had that shared spindle and bearing size with the larger 8 lug axles was 4400#.

Why the issue with 3500#? is about the springs or the size of the axle tube?

You could purchase a 4400# axle without springs or hubs and then use the "lighter" springs, or custom length springs, and the 8 lug hubs you desire. (I reread your post, this might be the best option to keep it from riding too stiff. Soft lighter springs, probably off of jeep or toyota to keep the ride really smooth, and the larger tube and 8 lug axles.

Check out Redneck trailers Dexter axle catalog, or any local trailer company and you should be able to figure out how to make it work.

[TreeTopFlyer]

Why the issue with 3500#? is about the springs or the size of the axle tube?

Soft lighter springs, probably off of jeep or toyota to keep the ride really smooth, and the larger tube and 8 lug axles.

Check out Redneck trailers Dexter axle catalog, or any local trailer company and you should be able to figure out how to make it work.

Thanks, kinda figured that was the direction to head. Just wanted to make sure. I have read about several others using the Jeeps springs. That's what my plan was leaning towards if I had to do the springs myself. I'll check out the site and see what I can put together.(just checked it out, they have one a few hours up the road from me, score)

[jdholder]

My old trailer had adapters. Not an advisable solution for a truck with a ton of weight - but no problem with a trailer that weighed a couple thousand pounds at most.

Mine was setup only so it could have the same wheel/tire combo as my Excursion - no other reason. I like the added versatility/spares.

I'd look at adapters.

[TreeTopFlyer]

I'd look at adapters.

The only adapters I could find were 8x6.5 to 8x170. Hence looking at the heavier duty axles that come in 8-lug.

Do you know who made the ones on the trailer you had? I was looking at pics of it today.

[jdholder]

The only adapters I could find were 8x6.5 to 8x170. Hence looking at the heavier duty axles that come in 8-lug.

Do you know who made the ones on the trailer you had? I was looking at pics of it today.

Call Bond at RebelOffroad - he had them made. CLICK HERE

[lamontagne]

What about the possibility of getting an old Dana 60 rear axle, cut the spindles off and retube to the desired width, minus a differential of course!

[Martyn]

The 8 lug is not available in the 3500 or lower axles. They start in the 5200 and up range.

The great thing about the bigger axles is the bearings are huge, the downside is that everything is much bigger and much heavier. If you are thinking of running electric brakes the 5200 style drums are enormous and heavy.

The 3500 lb set up is much lighter and provide good solid bearings. If you want to go to an 8 lug the easiest thing to do is to go from a 6 on 5.5 to the 8 lug pattern using an adapter.

We have adapters made that are typically in the $275.00 region and they seem to work well. The only complexity is accounting for backspacing and tire width, and getting the right studs pressed in.

[ntsqd]

What about the possibility of getting an old Dana 60 rear axle, cut the spindles off and retube to the desired width, minus a differential of course!

We did exactly that under the Cheep Utility Trailer. Found a thin walled tube that fit over the old, square spline D60 axle tube and cut the tube about 12" inboard of the spring perches. I put a drain and fill bung in the center of the thin wall. We then slipped the axle tubes inside of the thin wall, set the perches on the spring center pins, centered the thin wall and tack-welded it in place. I did the full pen welding on the bench. With the fill and drain bungs in the tube we run 90wt. gear lube, about 2 gallons of it, in the axle for bearing lubrication. The fill plug has a built-in vent with an extension hose. It weeps a tiny bit when it sits for a long time, but we never need to worry about the bearings going dry and seizing on the axle!
Here it is looking like the Clampets borrowed it: