#5 trailer axle swap with brakes

[Matt2650]

Hey everyone, I'm new to the forums.can anyone help, I'm wanting to swap out the axle on my #5 trailer for another with electric brakes to suit my landcruiser. Has anyone done it and. Have any tips as I don't know a great deal about these trailers. Finding it hard to work out my axle I need to match the wheel track to my 80 series.
Cheers 👍

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Hi Matt

The easiest way to go would be to get a whole new axle using Land Cruiser parallel bearings and AlKo electric brakes with Land Cruiser hubs. The axles are bought by length and cost a couple of hundred, and trailer suppliers will supply complete kits for under $1K including the axle, hub/drums and electric brake backing plates. I'd upgrade to the off-road brake kit.

DIY Single Axle Kits (http://www.marshall-eng.com.au/Single_Axle_DIY.html#electricbarkesinglealxe) you may also get a discount for no springs.

You may also want to consider lengthening the drawbar a little, they are designed for short wheelbase vehicles and are a little difficult to back, behind things like Land Cruisers, Patrols and 110 Defenders.

KLR Automotive at South Windsor, do a conversion to lengthen the drawbar.

In terms of track, you need to remove the rear wheels of the Cruiser and measure the wheel face to wheel face and order a kit to match. You will however find that the tyres sit well out of the mudguards of the No.5 (again they were designed for Series Land Rovers and are about the same track as a 40 Series Cruiser or even a little narrower)

[Matt2650]

Thanks for that, I am extending the drawbar 1mtr have a local guy doing it for $200 I'm making a drawbar storage box and trailer Is just for extra storage.i didn't like any of the camper trailers under $10k all Chinese imports. I've researched the parts I need a little, but what gets me is all trailer parts places want measurements off the chassis. And I'm not sure where to measure from? And all the trailer places I've spoken too have never heard of the no 5 trailers or seen one.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Hi Matt

What the trailer makers want is the distance between the centre bolt in the springs because they have to weld a plate onto the axle to fit over these bolt heads.

You could try this but it doesn't really give you the chassis spacing.:
http://remlr.com/documents/EMEI/H020%20-%20Data%20Summary%20Old.PDF

You can do a close guestimate by measuring from the inside of one spring to the outside of the other, this will be almost exactly the same as the centre bolt head.

BTW: Many variants of the 1/2 tone workshop trailers had shock absorbers. They are essentially the same chassis and the shocks are worthwhile for Off Road use.

[Matt2650]

Thanks mate, really appreciate your help on this! I have googled nearly every image I thought on the #5 trailers. But never seen one with shockies on it?
I will post up some pics of the trailer once axle is done! 👍

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Not all the W/S variants have them but you can just see the part of the shock in this image (in the circle)

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachments/military-trailers/104482d1453185623-5-trailer-axle-swap-brakes-ip_trailer-20machine-20shop-20detail-shock.jpg

Also this is a chassis drawing of the No.5.http://remlr.com/documents/Drawings/CAAOEAOO.tif

[towe0609]

I've just stripped a 1/2 ton workshop trailer chassis (with shocks) inc removing every screw and bolt, painted and put it back together (except the shocks which area a work in progress). Let me know if I can help with anything based on that experience.

[Don 130]

TryTrailers and more out at Richmond. I've found them to be knowledgable and helpful (See Tony)
Trailers And More (http://www.trailersandmore.com.au)
I would suggest taking the trailer with you.
Don.

[Matt2650]

Thanks heaps for the help everyone.

[Mick_Marsh]

What did you do?
Pictures please.

[Matt2650]

What did you do?
Pictures please.

Haven't done much, I've stripped the trailer down to nothing and I'm currently re spraying the chassis black. I'm still working out the axle situation. Work in progress! But I do know I am not cutting up the trailer, I'm extending the drawbar 1mtr and I am putting a alloy toolbox on the front with all my electrics inside.

[Benno1979]

Did you end up doing this. I'm about to buy a axle for a 80 series landcruiser, I will be using factory 80 series zero off set rims, and would like to know what Axle length you got.

I understand this post is 3 years old.