swapping out hubs on trailer

Ben Up North

Ben Up North

can only hope to improve
Joined
Oct 1, 2017
Messages
2,115
Location
FNQ
Car Year
2004 | 1992
Car Model
SG Forester X MY05 | 92 SVX
Transmission
5MT D/R | 4EAT
Hi All,
Just in the process of swapping out the hubs of my trailer (square axle, nothing fancy) for 5 pin hubs compatible for my 16"Subaru rims.

As you can probably tell already, i've very little experience with this sort of thing.. Are all 5 pin hubs the same? I'm guessing not..

Basically, is this an easy thing to accomplish?

Mechanically wise I've got no problems doing it, the hubs come off the trailer easily and I appreciate that offset could play a part.

It's more the sourcing of the hub, are they readily available or am I better off finding compatible hubs from a wrecker and cleaning them up?
 
Hi,

I have done this, you will need to check the offset of your existing wheels vs the Subaru ones. You need to ensure that the distance between the hub face and the trailer is larger then the distance from the back of the mounting face of the wheel to the rear edge of the tire -- does that make sense?

You are supposed to have 30-40mm between the tyre and the trailer frame - didn't work out in my case and I have about 15mm. I have loaded my trailer in all sorts of odd ways and haven't had an issue - but you need to be happy. If they wont fit you will need a new axle - that is a whole new discussion

For Subaru stud pattern you will probably need to special order the hubs from the local trailer supply place, or ebay etc. I use martins trailer parts in WA I think they will post (helpful folks as well, will sort out the other issue below over the phone)

The bearings and seals now become an question if you are buying locally - order the stud pattern (it will take a couple of days) and then take your existing hub in and show them the bearings they will match and press in the bearings while you wait (at least the bloke in Perth does).

If ordering online you will need to work out what bearings you have if it is a 45mm square axle it probably has "ford" bearings if it is 40mm it is probably "Holden" bearings.

I am fairly sure the hub should take either type so if you get it wrong you can knock out the old and in with the new. You should check with the supplier that the hub can take either bearing set if you are not going to show a sample. If the hub wont take both bearing types you will have to pull out the calipers and start measuring shaft diameters etc to get to right.
 
Thanks for all the info, just got back from the local trailer place and have a couple of 5 x 100 hubs on order. $60 each though, hopefully includes bearings..!

It's still going to work out slightly cheaper than buying three new tyres for the old rims, except for the purchase of the spare (which will match the car - I've got two almost brand new tyres to go on already.

I'm also hoping that I'll be able to use second hand wheelnuts from the wreckers. will find out in a week!

Total cost of bits including rims & 1 new A/T tyre is going to be about $450.
Three new tyres would be about $400 - and wouldn't be interchangeable with the car (not that the existing tyres could go on the car as spares anyway, as they are 215/60/16 and I'm now running 215/65/16)

This way I end up with a spare on the trailer that I can use on the car, and will include in my wheel rotations, rotating all six.
 
Ben, I went into a lot of detail about all aspects of this in my trailer build thread (link in signature block). Might be worth a read for you.
 
Cheers Ratbag,
I can see the next thing I encounter is going to be to do with wheel nuts.
Unless I can't get the wheels on because of axle length..
In which case I'll probably do a cut and shut on it, sleeving the cut, assuming It's doable, gotta be cheaper than buying a new axle surely (haven't costed that out)

edit: My that trailer of yours had a transformation!

I noticed in there the guys working on the trailer guesstimated about $2500- $3000 to have it built to the same level as your original. They were pretty much on the button. That's what mine cost, fully galv, high sides, long drawbar, and ancient rims and tyres (used to keep the cost down below $3k.)
Oh, that price also included the fitting of an Austrack 12 Camper Trailer Tent on top.
I reckon I got a bargain, cnosidering my location. Unfortunately, the guy who built it has been locked up I think - he's vanished off the face of the planet, Hopefully he's Ok, bloody brilliant welder.
 
Picked up the new hubs yesterdau, had some tyres I had fitted to the rims (only supercats, but too good a condition not to use on the trailer)

Will put it all back together over the weekend.

'Then some time around Christmas I'll start building the new "Tent" to replace the current one.

Anybody interested in a camper trailer tent for Christmas? 12' (bloody massive) with Awning & awning walls. $2599 new will sell for $1300, but you've gotta pick it up!
 
Job done

Trj3Q5i.jpg




Unfortunately, the trailers now lower by about 50mm. If I hadn't put the lift in the car, they'd be level..


Once I do the conversion on the trailer, I'll put the same size trees as I have on the car on it. Then if it looks too uneven, I might lift the trailer slightly. :)
 
They look a little lost under those arches.
 
Put a lift on the trailer (moved the axle to below the springs), bringing the trailer pretty much up to level with the car.
Before I put the lift on the car, the trailer was high compared to the car, since the lift low.



ecLbgb1h.jpg


And I thought the wheels looked small before!

fJgVoKKl.jpg




Now the trailer's probably going to be a bit higher if I put larger tyres on it!
 
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