Tag axle

[Reserector [Veteran Member]]

I made some progress on Sunday afternoon. Still got some figgerin' to do.
At least it is beginning to look like the picture in my mind.

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[MarkyB [Veteran Member]]

How are you attaching it?

My own my mind imagines a pair or receiver hitches attached to the frame rails.
But that’s just me.


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[Reserector [Veteran Member]]

Attachment to the frame is very tricky. So much to consider. I ended up welding tubes and cap plates to the underside of the frame rails.
Actually, I fabricated the parts and tacked them in place, and had Dustin do the welding.

The sub-frame pins into those at the front. This allows the sub-frame to pivot and adjust up and down at the rear.

In the back I will use tractor hitch levelling links to adjust the amount of weight that the axle will bear. A third link will mount at an angle to act as a track bar that will halt any side movement while turning or backing.

Progress has been slow. I'm finally to the point of setting up the rear links.

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[MarkyB [Veteran Member]]

Have you considered the difference in suspension travel between the rear axle and the tag?

Gutters and other gradation changes could cause your tag to bottom out, leaving the drive axle dangling.

I’m sure you have... my wheels are turning looking at your pics.


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[Reserector [Veteran Member]]

The drive axle has a ton of droop. And if that's not enough, I can engage the front axle.

Today was a good day, Tater. I did all the final trimming, and finished the linkage.
I still have to clean up some edges, and modify some pins, but I was finally able to make a victory lap around the driveway.

Tomorrow I hope to drop the camper on it and give it the REAL test.

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[Reserector [Veteran Member]]

[Reserector [Veteran Member]]

Test run with the camper on, as promised.

I used to see a drop at the axle of a bat 3 and 1/2 in. Now I'm not even seeing one in.

I'm about to take it down the road and see how it does. I can already tell it's way way more stable as far as body roll is concerned.

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[Reserector [Veteran Member]]

As a baseline, the empty truck weighs 5100 pounds. The steer axle weighs 3100 lb while the drive axle weighs 2000 lb.

The first weigh ticket shows the steer and drive axles on one pad with the tag axle only on its own pad. It shows 1080 lb on the tag axle.

The second weigh ticket shows the steer axle on one pad and both the drive and tag axles on another pad. This shows that the front axle is bearing 3300 lb.
I've done the math. The drive axle calculates to weigh 2820 lb.

The camper used to lift about 100 pounds from the front axle and bear all of the rest on the rear axle. About 1,800 to 1900 lb. Now, with the tag axle. It adds 200 lb to the front axle, 820 lb to the drive axle and bears 1080 lb on the tag axle. The tag axle is rated at 2,000 pounds, so that is only half of its rated weight.

An added bonus is that the axles are barely into their spring travel oh, so there is plenty of allowance for articulation.

All of that worked out great because I didn't have to do any adjusting on the tag axle's connecting links. I simply hooked it up at ground level and pinned everything as it was.
I would call that a win, right out of the gate.

As for handling, it is 1000% better. Body roll is less than what I get in the empty truck without the tag axle. It is just incredible!





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[Reserector [Veteran Member]]

Further testing went great. I was grinning ear to ear, and almost home when this happened.

It later occurred to me that I never torqued the wheel nuts.

I guy following me showed me where the wheel came to rest. No damage except for the lugs, so it should be an easy fix.

It's not all bad, though. At least now I know that I can remove a wheel and continue knowing that the drum won't hit the ground.



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[Reserector [Veteran Member]]

I replaced the missing studs and wheel nuts. I put the tag axle back under and drove around some more with no problems.

I recently connected the electric brakes in the truck and on the axle which also went well. Here is the link to that: http://mississippi-mud.com/Thread-Electr...Controller

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