Re: Birdddogs '69 Baja and beam build
Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2017 9:44 am
Am I right in assuming this is not just a "new to you trailer" but a "new" trailer?
Some advice I was give when I bought my trailer was to immediately repack all the wheel bearing before you did anything else. The reason being that the manufactures buy the axles in large lots then stand them on end against the outside of the building where rain water can get in. My trailer was built in Texas and, one would assume from watching the movies, that Texas was dry but the problems they are currently having with water dispels that thought.
I did pull the drums on both axles and did find exceedingly wet bearings on one end of each of the axles so I replaced the bearing, races and seals on both sides of both axles. I also looked hard at the brake assemblies, drums and linings but they looked to the plus side of marginal so OK.
I would have liked to have a "covered wagon" but at the time I bought they were hard to find and very expensive so I stayed with a standard "Beaver/Dove tail" style of trailer. Yours has a front door making it easier to tie your rig in; good job as I have seen some w/o a front door.
I do not tie-down to the axle as the body can still bounce around that way. I also use the spring-line type of tie in; this is where the tie from the front end goes to trailer towards the rear of the car (I usually tow with the buggy facing to the rear so I can safely change the location of the weight, once loaded on the trailer, forward or aft to balance the tongue weight and the rear goes to the front. Its an old boating trick that works well with trailering).
Don't forget to cross your chains. Not required in all states but a good idea because if the trailer comes off the ball the front of the trailer' tongue will be caught and not dig into the ground. Some people also add a tie of the chains at the crossing for additional protection. Also, after my bad towing experience where the hitch itself broke in two, I do not recommend cable but use chains. When my trailer hitch broke and the dinks brakes were automatically applied the safety cables broke immediately even though they were correctly rated for the tow.
Some advice I was give when I bought my trailer was to immediately repack all the wheel bearing before you did anything else. The reason being that the manufactures buy the axles in large lots then stand them on end against the outside of the building where rain water can get in. My trailer was built in Texas and, one would assume from watching the movies, that Texas was dry but the problems they are currently having with water dispels that thought.
I did pull the drums on both axles and did find exceedingly wet bearings on one end of each of the axles so I replaced the bearing, races and seals on both sides of both axles. I also looked hard at the brake assemblies, drums and linings but they looked to the plus side of marginal so OK.
I would have liked to have a "covered wagon" but at the time I bought they were hard to find and very expensive so I stayed with a standard "Beaver/Dove tail" style of trailer. Yours has a front door making it easier to tie your rig in; good job as I have seen some w/o a front door.
I do not tie-down to the axle as the body can still bounce around that way. I also use the spring-line type of tie in; this is where the tie from the front end goes to trailer towards the rear of the car (I usually tow with the buggy facing to the rear so I can safely change the location of the weight, once loaded on the trailer, forward or aft to balance the tongue weight and the rear goes to the front. Its an old boating trick that works well with trailering).
Don't forget to cross your chains. Not required in all states but a good idea because if the trailer comes off the ball the front of the trailer' tongue will be caught and not dig into the ground. Some people also add a tie of the chains at the crossing for additional protection. Also, after my bad towing experience where the hitch itself broke in two, I do not recommend cable but use chains. When my trailer hitch broke and the dinks brakes were automatically applied the safety cables broke immediately even though they were correctly rated for the tow.
, just not as obvious. I think you made a good buy.
