[NYrobbie77]

hey all, i'm usually in the bolens forum, but this seems like the place to be for this. I've been looking for a trailer for a few months. I had a 4x8 that was too small for my Bolens 1250. the tires scrubbed the sides of the trailer and any front or rear attachment would hang over the ends. no way to get on it with the mower deck on.

anywho, my step dad found this trailer for me. he has some land in Wellsville NY, his neighbor there made this trailer a long while back. Its about 6.5 x 10 feet, has 3" square tubing as its frame and axle beam. its been sitting for quite awhile but is still in amazing shape. the deck is awesome, he made it from one of those big green highway marker signs, the ones ya drive under and tells ya what route you're on or what exit you're at. looks to be aluminum and pretty thick so i'll prolly just leave it.

the tires are dryrotted and one rim actually was rotted through so i had to piggy back it on another trailer to get it home. thankfully the neighbor also had a large back hoe and just lifted it up onto the trailer for me.

i have a question though, i need new tires atleast, possibly rims. he welded the front axle/spindle from an old beetle and the rims bolt to the beetles drums. the rims are 4x130 bolt pattern and don't seem to find any trailer wheels that size. so question is, can i get new hubs to fit onto the beetle spindles or do i have to have new axles installed to run new hubs? the inner spindle measures 1 1/8" and then tapers down to 11/16"

oh i forgot to mention, got the trailer for free! course nothings actually free, i have to replaced tires/wheels, new wiring, jack, tongue coupler, paint etc... but it'll be a fun project and i'll get some welding experience i'm sure. i've already chopped the rails down, they were almost 4 feet high. just gonna make a small rail approx 16" off the deck.

so i know we all like pics, so here we go....

 

[bigplow]

I would just replace the axle with a good one that way you can get wheels easily and anywhere tsc has them for a decent price and have a nice trailer that you can take anywhere

 

[ar2stp48]

Think I would check the local u-pull it yards for 3 VW wheels first. That trailer frame may not be a standard size to match the axles at TSC, Atwoods, or Northern Tool. Been there with my first trailer; had a axle custom made when I built it. This turned into a PITA whn I wanted to upgrade it; had to cut and reweld axle which is not much fun to get perfectly aligned.

Check Northern on line for new hubs to fit the axle you have. May have a choice and can get same bolt pattern as tow vehicle.

 

[VlvtnRbt]

I'm going out and check my rabbits (VW) for bolt pattern VW used the same hub (wheel bearings and seals) on the Rabbit rear axle as on the front of the Beetle. Bunny rear also had bolt on spindles. You should be able to find all kinds of after market wheels for beetle's wheels Google : Parts Place, Auburn hills Michigan for anything VW not always the cheapest, but very good service and selection. BTW VW hubs (Beetle front, rabbit rear) were part of the brake drum

 

[NYrobbie77]

thanks for the comments guys. i think for now i'll just find some tires and run the vw wheels. two of the rims seem ok to use, just need clean up. one is rotted through. the spindles looked just fine, so no need to change them at this point. the only odd thing about the rims, seems like there are large washers welded to back side of rim around the lug holes. i don't think thats factory for the rims.

 

[VlvtnRbt]

I checked the Bunnies 100 mm bolt pattern, No the washers aren't stock, perhaps it was as a Gerry-rig offset fix.

 

[NYrobbie77]

so been messing with the trailer a bit... i found a new 3500# trailer axle complete with hubs and springs shipped to my door for $200... got some wheels and tires to fit as well.

now i have to replace the spring hangers to fit the new axle. i got a spring hanger kit from TSC
hanger kit

when i measure where to weld on the new hanger, do i just have them the same distance as when the springs are relaxed (i.e. on the ground)? or do i move them in/out slightly so the shackle has some angle to it?