Aluminium Trailer Build Tandem Axle (On a budget)

[scottar]

I have stalled on this part of the project for months now because i hate drilling steel use to take forever 20-30mins a hole but got some good advice and now each hole should only take 5mins

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Sharp drills, cutting compound, slow drill speeds and as much pressure as you can apply without snapping the bit. If you can set it up in a drill press - better still. If it stops cutting - stop drilling - extra revs is only generating more heat and will only result in toasted drill bits. When you sharpen your drills - if you do, don't go in there bull at a gate. Try and keep the heat down. Some days that is near on all I do - sometimes in stainless which adds work hardening into the mix as well.

[blacklab]

Your getting there Gazza, Rome wasn't built in a day...
Some good advice from Scott to be had there...

Col

[gazza2006au]

Sharp drills, cutting compound, slow drill speeds and as much pressure as you can apply without snapping the bit. If you can set it up in a drill press - better still. If it stops cutting - stop drilling - extra revs is only generating more heat and will only result in toasted drill bits. When you sharpen your drills - if you do, don't go in there bull at a gate. Try and keep the heat down. Some days that is near on all I do - sometimes in stainless which adds work hardening into the mix as well.

Yeah i didnt know much about drilling before i was drilling a 12mm hole going flat stick on the drill on high speed...

Got some really good help, learnt how to sharpen the bits still making the odd mistake of a high relief on the bit but once it wont drill i know how to fix it

Picked up some second hand quality drill bits think the one i used today was SBordo or something like that

Drilled 7mm pilot holes and final 12mm holes was done in an hour quick as, previously i would be there for 20mins plus drilling one hole using cheap bits

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[gazza2006au]

Your getting there Gazza, Rome wasn't built in a day...
Some good advice from Scott to be had there...

Col

Yeah i was a bit deterred by all the drilling i never use to like drilling steel but with some solid advice and quality drill bits its enjoyable

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[scottar]

Try a smaller pilot - 1/8 or 4mm, then your 7mm and then 12mm final for a hole or two Gazza.

[gazza2006au]

I only used the 7mm so i could put some pressure on it if i used a 4mm might have snapped, im finding the tiny bits hard to sharpen

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[scottar]

I only used the 7mm so i could put some pressure on it if i used a 4mm might have snapped, im finding the tiny bits hard to sharpen

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They can be tricky if your eyes aren't spot on. I have to put glasses on now to do the small ones. The 4mm won't need anywhere near as much pressure as the 7 to make it cut. Techniques the same - if you can't see it cutting, stop. The other thing to watch is the seam in the RHS steel - try and avoid it at all costs if you can.

[gazza2006au]

Ahh since im drilling in both directions i will have to drill thru the shs seam should i off set the bolt?

Also are crush spacers needed or not?

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[shaungonemad]

Ahh since im drilling in both directions i will have to drill thru the shs seam should i off set the bolt?

Also are crush spacers needed or not?

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It should drill through it alright. If it is thick wall I don’t think It will need crush tubes but I guess it wouldn’t hurt to have them.


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[gazza2006au]

Its 6mm upper and lower Y plate with 3mm drawbar 100x100x3mm



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[stevej]

if you are unsure it is safe then go to the effort of doing it
every trailer ive had with any bolts through the drawbar has had crush tubes

most of the time its just a bit of 30mm square bar or tube with a hole through the middle, not hard to make or expensive.

[scottar]

Yep. I would fit them. The seam will drill - just be careful with the pilot drills though as it's more likely to grab and snap them.

[gazza2006au]

Been up all night my mum is sick again kidney failure more motivation to get things finished...

Will pick up the winch post and flat bar to make the top and bottom plates for instead of using the custom U bolts i have been pricing stuff 4 U bolts $180, 8x 8.8 high tensile bolts at 160mm are around $80 not sure if to weld the bottom bracket between bolts to the spring hanger steel or if just by have a bolt on each side clamping it down will be sufficent

Looking at getting some 75x75x3mm for my whinch post (drawbar is 100x100mm) need a shs steel smaller than the drawbars width so there will be no gap to weld over, if i went 100x100mm whinch post there will be a gap where the corner of the shs meets the which post i suck at gap welding/filling

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[gazza2006au]

Just found a company who sells the u bolts for under $12 each! and they are sixteen millimeters the other web site wanted $45 each and they were 12mm

http://www.cswproducts.com.au/content/

[ozscott]

Nice mate.

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