Boat trailer axel?

[sliverslinger]

How hard is it to make a trailer axel wider? I will get some pics of what i am talking about here in a bit. It looks like my trailer axel is made of 1x1 square hollow stock.

[Chetco River]

How hard is it to make a trailer axel wider? I will get some pics of what i am talking about here in a bit. It looks like my trailer axel is made of 1x1 square hollow stock.
Check a welding shop/black smith they may be able to put a extension in or a new tube axel as long as the base metal is OK.A lot will depend on the boat weight 1x1 should be for a small boat.

[sliverslinger]

My driftboat might weigh 225# or lighter. I can probally pick it up myself if it were more compact.

[sliverslinger]

well after looking at it some more I am just going to give the trailer a lift kit to get it above the fender wells. a 3" lift will do it good.

[sliverslinger]

well I did it the easy way. I measured the axle and divided it by 2 and cut it in half. I went down to the steel manufacturing place and bought a 3' piece of square 1/8 wall steel that the axle would fit into. I am going to put the original axles into the new piece 1' thus making the axle wider to accomodate the width of the boat without raising the trailer itself.

I need to weld the ends, but do you think it would be a good idea to put a bolt thru it also? Let me know. Now all I have to do is widen the fender wells also.

I made a set of rollers for the boat too. I have 14 round body blocks with a 1/2" hole thru them. I got a piece of 1/2 rolled steel, and I have to find a way to attach it to the trailer.

[James in Idaho]

1/8" is kinda light. You might want to go 1/4", axles seem to break at the worst times. Don't ask how I know that. Be sure to square everything up and recheck the measurement after you tack it up. I'd recommend welding with a stick welder, the little 110 mig machines are a little light in the amp department. 7014 or 6010/11 would be my welding rod of choice (most likely 6011 if you know how to stick weld). No need to bolt, but if you are going to stay with the 1/8" I'd get a solid square to put inside the cut axle.

[Flushing Bulls]

Welding the axles will be far superior but if axle was a torsion type your in for a bad experience. Your best bet would be to hit up a welding shop or find a good ol' boy with a shop to do the work for a half rack and some stories. I would definetly go heavier than 1/8" though. A little moisture will go to work on that from the inside and you'll be asking about relining the hull of your boat in a couple years.