Mounting stock jeep rubicon wheels on my trailer hubs
- Thread starter HelaJames
- Start date
When I put them on my home made trailer, I had to machine out the center of a set of aluminum spacers(spidertrax) so that they would slide over the hub. I ended up pulling off the dust cap and just use the JK wheel as the dust cap. Grease didn't sling out from Iowa, to Vail, and back. I don't plan on deep water crossings either, but would need some silicone placed carefully if I did. BTW, I have 3500lb axle, with 5on 5" hubs. I think it would have been a bit easier with my 5 on 4.5" hubs that were on there when it matched my TJ.
mikE(good luck)
mikE(good luck)
Martyn
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Two ways to address this.
1) Use adapters to move the rims outward. When you have the adapters made spec the center bore large enough to easily slip over the spindle.
2) Bore out the center hole of the stock rims. Best way to do this is to have a machine shop take care of it. The crudest way is to use a hole saw, the hole doesn't have to be enlarged that much. Down side of the hole saw method is it's very easy to mess a rim up.
1) Use adapters to move the rims outward. When you have the adapters made spec the center bore large enough to easily slip over the spindle.
2) Bore out the center hole of the stock rims. Best way to do this is to have a machine shop take care of it. The crudest way is to use a hole saw, the hole doesn't have to be enlarged that much. Down side of the hole saw method is it's very easy to mess a rim up.
nwoods
Expedition Leader
I don't know much about what you are starting with, but for fairly low cost, you should be able to get replacement hubs to match your bolt pattern and wheel size:
Example:
http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hubs-and-Drums/Dexter/84557UC3.html
Example:
http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hubs-and-Drums/Dexter/84557UC3.html
mcneil
Observer
The problem with most trailer hubs is that they're designed for double roller bearings on a spindle. The jeep's using a unitary wheel bearing - larger diameter bearings spaced closer together in a sealed, non-rebuildable unit. So the jeep wheels are made with small center holes, that almost never fit over trailer hubs.
I had the same problem - ended up building a custom trailer axle that uses the jeep wheel bearing units. No spacers, and now I have a set of spare bearings when I travel. :sombrero:
Stouttrout
Adventurer
The problem with most trailer hubs is that they're designed for double roller bearings on a spindle. The jeep's using a unitary wheel bearing - larger diameter bearings spaced closer together in a sealed, non-rebuildable unit. So the jeep wheels are made with small center holes, that almost never fit over trailer hubs.
I had the same problem - ended up building a custom trailer axle that uses the jeep wheel bearing units. No spacers, and now I have a set of spare bearings when I travel. :sombrero:
How are you going to keep the unit bearing together? Does the Stub shaft mount into it?
ExpoMike
Well-known member
That would be my question. Without the stub shaft holding it all together, that hub is going to fail in very short order (as the wheel comes flying off with it).
mcneil
Observer
I was thinking about using a stub shaft, since it would then give me spare stub shafts, but it made the axle unwieldy, so I just figured I'd machine a bolt and spacer to hold it together.
Take any advice I give on this trailer with some grain of salt - this configuration is as yet untested. Previously it had torsion axles.. good handling, poor durability. This is the rebuild with leaf springs and a straight axles, with shocks. My goal on this was 1000lbs payload capacity with an empty weight of less than 300 lbs. So far so good..
I looked into this with my '07 wheels, but felt there wasn't enough material in the wheel for my liking. YMMV
mikE
Martyn
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Custom spacers will cost you around $275.00
You'll need the following information:
The bolt pattern on the trailer
The bolt pattern on the rim
The thickness of the adapter
The size of the center bore (the spindle diameter +)
The wheel studs are 1/2
If you want us to order them for you send me an e mail with the info.
You'll need the following information:
The bolt pattern on the trailer
The bolt pattern on the rim
The thickness of the adapter
The size of the center bore (the spindle diameter +)
The wheel studs are 1/2
If you want us to order them for you send me an e mail with the info.
Stouttrout
Adventurer
I would like to hear more about it when you get it done and tried. It seems like a good idea and would make repairs on your jeep easier but you would still need a way to get the trailer home. Spares are only good if you can still get it all home. Maybe machining the yoke off the shafts.
$275 seems reasonable. The Unit bearing idea would cost you that. I may be in for a set for the cargo trailer when it need larger tires
mcneil
Observer
Probably not. Just looking, these spacers here probably will not fit, they appear to have the centering lip for jeep wheels.
spidertrax spacer picture:
If you can find 5x4.5 spacers advertized as "generic" or "all makes/models", then they're likely ok. Measure the diameter of your hub, and make sure the center hole is big enough.
Also, if you do that, you'll need to get conical lug nuts to center the wheel. You probably already have them, but the spacers would need to have a cone at the bottom of the counterbore so the lug nuts will center the spacer on the hub. Otherwise, it'll run like a really out of balance tire.
Martyn
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Probably not. Just looking, these spacers here probably will not fit, they appear to have the centering lip for jeep wheels.
spidertrax spacer picture:
If you can find 5x4.5 spacers advertized as "generic" or "all makes/models", then they're likely ok. Measure the diameter of your hub, and make sure the center hole is big enough.
Also, if you do that, you'll need to get conical lug nuts to center the wheel. You probably already have them, but the spacers would need to have a cone at the bottom of the counterbore so the lug nuts will center the spacer on the hub. Otherwise, it'll run like a really out of balance tire.
The picture above are hub-centric adapters, the rim is centered on the lip around the center bore. Jeeps are lug centric, they are centered using a tapered lug nut, lug-centric adapters do not have the lip.
nwoods
Expedition Leader
In my situation, I was going from a trailer hub with a Jeep CJ bolt pattern (5x5.5) and wanted to go to a TJ bolt pattern (5x4.5). Spidertraxx doesn't make this, and I despaired. Quadratech, 4wheelparts, etc.. Couldn't find the right spacer/adapter...until I found this ebay shop. They had what I needed, under $100:
http://stores.ebay.com/tireshopsupplies/_i.html?_fsub=1412458012
Disclaimer: I have NOT mounted mine yet. I will have to double check the hub diameter clearance, but the units I picked up where specific for Jeep, so here's to hoping!