The standard wheel and rim specifications for the camper trailer are a zero offset. Whereas the rim specifications for the 4X4 are 33+. I wanted the rims on the trailer to be the same as the 4X4 giving me a total of nine rims and tyres. Four on the 4X4 and two on the trailer with three spares. The method the dealer used to achieve a 33+ offset was to fit a 33mm thick aluminium alloy packer between the trailer drum brake and the rim.
When I removed the wheel I realised the nuts holding the packer to the drum were only half on the thread.
The plan is for the trailer to go off road, consequentially I’ve decided to remove the wheels spacers. My plan is to extend the stub axle by inserting a 33mm thick steel packer between the independent suspension arm and the stub axle. I’ve already cleaned up the steel packers before priming and painting them with some surplus brown enamel spray paint.
Of course nothing is ever simple. The existing 12mm bolts need to be replaced with similar diameter bolts that are 33mm longer. Then I discovered the original 12mm diameter Chinese bolts are probably 11.5mm and my replacement hi tensile Australian sourced bolts wouldn’t fit. After overcoming that, I then discovered not all the new and longer bolts would fit through the suspension arm holes. I had to cut out some of the suspension arm in order for the bolts to fit. I also had to temporarily remove one of the two shock absorbers
A – Cut a rebate for the head of the bolt
B – Remove shock absorber
C – Grind some of the steel away for the lower bolt to fit into the hole
The new steel packer could then be fitted
Finally the stub axle assembly could be fitted.
Whilst I had everything disassembled I decided to remove the wheel bearings and clean them before repacking with a known quality bearing grease. I don’t trust the Chinese grease!
Now I need to repeat this on the opposite side.
Meanwhile……. Chip chip chip chip! Almost half done!
2 comments :
Should I take it that you had already fitted vehicle rims (33mm offset) to the trailer, and discarded the standard zero offset trailer rims?
Thus the spacer modifications, both dealer & yours, were to enable the 33mm offset vehicle rims to fit in place of the zero offset trailer rims.
Without that explanation the current post reads as though you were still using the trailer rims, but incorporating an offset to try and make them match the wheel rims.
Perhaps I've misread the post :-)
David,
Perhaps I should have mentioned I bought the standard trailer minus rims and tyres. I supplied my own and they fitted the spacers.
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