5 lug to 6 lug hubs - why is this such a pain?

[ukaviator]

OK guys, I have a LV-416 explorer trailer (made by Sierra 4x4 trailers - not the current Sierra 4x4 trailer company, but the one that went out of business years ago).

I want to replace the current 5 lug wheels with a couple of 6 lug 80 series landcruiser wheels.
Every trailer place I called in the Nashville area tell me that if I just swap out the 5 lug hubs for 6 lug hubs, I wont be able to get a set of bearings that will fit.

Ive seen how guys on here have put 6 lug wheels on old M416 trailers and the like, so why does this seem like such a pain in the ass?

Do I have to get a new axle, should I just use a 5 to 6 lug adapter, or can I just change out the hubs?

Thanks

edit: Trailer also has trailer brakes - not sure if that matters or not

 

[Mace]

I swapped my old 5 lug to 6 lug hubs. It was not difficult at all.


call these guys..
(2) Idler Hub 6x5.5 Bolt Pattern 3500lb Axle Trailers | eBay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-Trailer-...ies&vxp=mtr&hash=item564473433c#ht_2798wt_905

 

[ukaviator]

I swapped my old 5 lug to 6 lug hubs. It was not difficult at all.


call these guys..
(2) Idler Hub 6x5.5 Bolt Pattern 3500lb Axle Trailers | eBay

10" Trailer Axle brake hub drum 3500# 6 x 5.5" | eBay

Thanks for those links. That is exactly what I was planning on doing, until these 'experts' said I would have trouble getting bearings for it.
Im going to call those guys at R and P Carriages tomorrow.

 

[Blueegg]

Ukaviator, please keep us posted on what you discover.
Thinking about this one myself.

 

[ukaviator]

OK this is what I discovered for those wishing to do the same. Noticed there is no sticky for this, so hopefully this will help

There are a few ways to get your 6 lug wheels to fit on a 5 lug hub:

1) Purchase an entire new axle assembly. ($$$'s, but the nice thing is, you just bolt it on)
2) Buy a 5 lug to 6 lug adapter
3) Send off your existing hubs and have the old studs punched out and new studs put in
4) Change out your 5 lug hubs for 6 lug hubs

I decided to go with option 4. Called the guys over at Redneck Trailer Supply.
They asked me to read off the numbers printed on the inner and outer bearings.
I was told that if the outer bearing number matched the inner bearing number, a 6 lug hub would not work and I would have to do a different route, but seeing as they were different, a 6 lug hub would be fine.

They were $84 a piece, because I have trailer brakes. If I didnt have trailer brakes they would have run about $44 each plus shipping.

I will post some before and after pics once they arrive

 

[Ebag333]

I'm confused.

1) Purchase an entire new axle assembly. ($$$'s, but the nice thing is, you just bolt it on)

You didn't want this option because it was too expensive...

I decided to go with option 4. Called the guys over at Redneck Trailer Supply.
They asked me to read off the numbers printed on the inner and outer bearings.
I was told that if the outer bearing number matched the inner bearing number, a 6 lug hub would not work and I would have to do a different route, but seeing as they were different, a 6 lug hub would be fine.

They were $84 a piece, because I have trailer brakes. If I didnt have trailer brakes they would have run about $44 each plus shipping.

So you went with an option that was just as expensive? Looks like you can get a whole trailer axle for $100 - $250 (depending on features) plus shipping.

Feel free to point out if I'm missing something here.

 

[Mace]

I'm confused.



You didn't want this option because it was too expensive...




So you went with an option that was just as expensive? Looks like you can get a whole trailer axle for $100 - $250 (depending on features) plus shipping.

Feel free to point out if I'm missing something here.

3500 lb trailer axle with brakes and spring kit

Where can you get a full trailer axle with brakes for $160?
Then you add shipping to a complete axle and the price goes up.

 

[Ebag333]

Quick Google search turns up:
3500 lb trailer axle for any trailer any size

No brakes, but I'd imagine you could find a trailer axle ready for brakes but without springs, hangers, etc (since you should already have all that, yes?) for a similar price.

They say they will build it to your spec, so I'd imagine a quick phone call and you could get exactly what you need.

 

[Mace]

No brakes, but I'd imagine you could find a trailer axle ready for brakes but without springs, hangers, etc (since you should already have all that, yes?) for a similar price.

Please do.

Plus shipping for an entire axle is considerably more than just the hubs.

 

[Ebag333]

Please do.

I think I e-mailed this place and they said they'd do a 6 bolt pattern for me no problem. Axles were also all ready for brakes.

Axle sold with five lug hubs with bearings, grease caps, seals, lug nuts and u-bolt kit cost $115.99

Trailer Axles - Trailer Axle Kits

Plus shipping for an entire axle is considerably more than just the hubs.

This is true, though the less expensive axle likely makes up the difference.


It's probably pretty close to break even, so it's certainly not a bad route that the OP went. Just pointing out that it's not like buying just the hubs saves a ton of cash.....

 

[Mace]

I think I e-mailed this place and they said they'd do a 6 bolt pattern for me no problem. Axles were also all ready for brakes.



Trailer Axles - Trailer Axle Kits




This is true, though the less expensive axle likely makes up the difference.


It's probably pretty close to break even, so it's certainly not a bad route that the OP went. Just pointing out that it's not like buying just the hubs saves a ton of cash.....

If you look into it, you'll see that buying an entire new axle would at least double what he spent on the hubs.

 

[Ebag333]

If you look into it, you'll see that buying an entire new axle would at least double what he spent on the hubs.

Well, I'll likely be going down this road myself in the not to distant future. I would like to replace the entire axle under my trailer as it's not in great shape. So that's why I'm curious about this, so far doesn't seem cost effective to R&R the axle as I'd be replacing a lot (not just hubs).

So, tell me, what defines "entire new axle" to you? Do you believe you need new leafs, for example? Should you replace the leafs when you replace the axle? Do you generally have to replace brakes, or are they interchangeable?

What I linked to previously on the site seems to me to be all that he'd need, assuming he doesn't need new leafs or brakes. Can't imagine it'd be more to ship than my 4x4 Labs bumper, as that was almost twice the weight of a trailer axle. But even if it was, it wouldn't be double the price of the hubs. (At a guess, ~$200 for new axle shipped vs $160 + shipping for hubs.)

Seems pretty likely he can source an axle locally anyway, will likely pay more than internet price but save the shipping cost.

 

[ukaviator]

Well if there was a local place like RTS I could just go pick a whole new axle assembly up, perhaps I would have gone that route. My bearings, axle, brakes are all in really good shape so decided to keep everything and save myself some $$$'s on the shipping as Mace pointed out.

Also I could have shopped around and got a better deal that $84 per pair, but the guys over at RTS were very helpful and I feel they deserved the sale.

 

[Ebag333]

Also I could have shopped around and got a better deal that $84 per pair, but the guys over at RTS were very helpful and I feel they deserved the sale.

Can't argue with that.

 

[ukaviator]

Seems pretty likely he can source an axle locally anyway, will likely pay more than internet price but save the shipping cost.

You would think so wouldnt you - Nashville seems to suck for this sort of thing! I called about half a dozen places in this area and they all acted as though I was asking for the impossible!
Said screw it and hit Google and the Forums

 

[Ebag333]

You would think so wouldnt you - Nashville seems to suck for this sort of thing! I called about half a dozen places in this area and they all acted as though I was asking for the impossible!
Said screw it and hit Google and the Forums

Guess Nashville isn't as redneck as they used to be. Seems there's a trailer shop on every street corner (that's not downtown) here.

I like Nashville, cool place. Weather sucks tho (at least it did in Feb).

 

[Mace]

What I linked to previously on the site seems to me to be all that he'd need, assuming he doesn't need new leafs or brakes. Can't imagine it'd be more to ship than my 4x4 Labs bumper, as that was almost twice the weight of a trailer axle. But even if it was, it wouldn't be double the price of the hubs. (At a guess, ~$200 for new axle shipped vs $160 + shipping for hubs.)

So do the research and let us know what you figure out.

As it stands, you are purely speculating on what the costs are.

 

[jasheehan]

I redid a M416 and went through the same thing with my hubs. I opted for a new axle from ABC trailer supply. IIRC, I paid about $170.00 with shipping. It took literally minutes to replace the M416 axle with the new one. Just make sure you measure the distances correctly so that the spring perch's line up correctly.

 

[Mace]

I redid a M416 and went through the same thing with my hubs. I opted for a new axle from ABC trailer supply. IIRC, I paid about $170.00 with shipping. It took literally minutes to replace the M416 axle with the new one. Just make sure you measure the distances correctly so that the spring perch's line up correctly.

with or without brakes?
That would be amazingly cheap with brakes..

 

[jasheehan]

no brakes. Brakes are a little more. I opted no for brakes as the trailer is only 500lbs....loaded maybe another 500lbs. It's nice having the parking brake, but I just did without it.