1987 V30 Dual rear wheel axles?

[Turbo Dog]

I just located a rear axel assembly at a local junk yard and of course I was told it only had about 45K miles on it. Have you ever been told that it came from a high mileage vehicle when buying parts at a junk yard? They always seem to come from 45K mile vehicles.

This one is from a 1970 motorhome, they are gonna pull it with the springs and wheels for me. I want to put it behind the drive axel on my 1987 V30 flat bed truck to carry more weight. Currently my stock axel has about 2/3 of the flat bed behind it because it is a short wheel base truck. This causes the front end to get light when I put more than 6K lbs of water in the tank on the bed. I am guessing that I can move the spring mounts inward on the axel, then box in the inside of the frame and mount the spring hangers on the inside while the stock axle is hung on the outside.

Has anyone done this to a truck? I've seen pictures of square body trucks with dual rear axels and I'd like to see how that was done. This is my current setup. I want to put the axel behind the stock axel.

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This one looks like it is using air bags.

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[AuroraGirl]

I think youre more screwed by the short wheel base than the spring/axle. but im not sure i quite follow your meaning 100%

if i understand you want to put a chase axle on your truck (trailing axle) which has no way to disengage from the ground so you will always be wearing it and such..?

 

[Grit dog]

Is this for a full time hauling service or just infrequent personal use?
And notice that hot rod truck isn’t using leaf springs. Idk how you’d make room for another set of leaf springs.
That’s a 1000gal tank looks like? Seems a bit much for a 30-50 year old frame on a truck with a gvw that is Less by tons.

 

[Grit dog]

And low or high miles is pretty irrelevant as this will not presumably be a drive axle. Presume you’d gut the carrier and axles out of the tag axle?

 

[dvdswan]

What about using a tag axle? That way its only used when there is a load on the axle.

And lots of places have done this lately...

6x6 light duty truck - Google Search

 

[wanderinthru]

A tag axle, why not just get a 7k trailer axle? Be eaiser to mount and do the same job. With a tag you have to pay attention where your going, or you won't get there.

 

[WFO]

I've seen quite a few trucks not be able to budge because the drag axle was on a curb or something, causing the drive wheels to just spin.

 

[AuroraGirl]

I've seen quite a few trucks not be able to budge because the drag axle was on a curb or something, causing the drive wheels to just spin.

So many names for these axles its cute,
here trailing axle, chase axle are the two things Ive heard, but Ive never heard of a drag or tag axle

 

[Big Chip]

Some of the ford E series class C motorhome chassis came with a tag axle. It used the regular dually wheel like the rest of the truck. Same bolt pattern as the GM stuff too. I used my ex father in laws Holiday Rambler class C with the tag a lot and it really helped stabilize it with that big heavy overhang behind the axle.

If I recall correctly it had some sort of swing arm/airbag suspension system.

 

[Nonstop]

Just throwing this out there - not sure the use of the truck, but I see 3 options. Try a set of airbags to raise the rear up, buy a trailer and mount the tank to that, or get a larger truck (safest option). Any of these options could put you time and money ahead. Adding a 3rd axle could also bump you into licensing issues.

 

[WFO]

So many names for these axles its cute,
here trailing axle, chase axle are the two things Ive heard, but Ive never heard of a drag or tag axle

A twin screw would be better.

 

[Turbo Dog]

Yes, that is a 1000 gallon tank on the truck. I have new HD springs with helper springs on that axel. Currently I can only put 750 gallons in the tank which is 6225 lbs plus the 350 lbs for the tank and fittings. But this is more about building a cool truck.

Yes the truck is overloaded, but since it was originally just a cab/chassis model it doesn't have a weight limit sticker from the factory.

It is personal use to haul water every other week and plow and grade my road. I might not gut the axel, was thinking about mounting it facing backwards and maybe use the pinion as a power take off while moving.

I don't mind the second axel contacting the road all the time because I only put about 6K miles on the truck per year. I think I could set it up to only contact the ground when loaded by using a different spring pack. Also the truck isn't doing any crazy off road exploring, the 4 wheel drive is used for traction in pastures when they have snow or are muddy.

I have a 14K lb flat bed trailer but I would rather have the tank on the truck in the winter time. Also buying a larger truck would just be $$ out the door, especially with the price of everything right now. So for now this mechanically sound fully rebuilt minus paint truck is going to do the work.

 

[Turbo Dog]

Maybe an air bag like this with normal springs would keep the wheels off the ground when unloaded, then increase the air pressure when loaded.

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[Vbb199]

The second axle could have wider or smaller spring perch spacing, just a thought.

If the rear axle is like say, 40" centerpin,
You could do the second axle at like, 36" centerpin

Or... the first axle has its hangers on the outside of the frame, the second one has its hangers on the inside of the frame... or whatever

Seems like a cool idea, but would suck steering


I say setup the 2nd axles perches like 1" above the first set.....
With air bags...

You wanna use it... pump em up and you have 6 axles.


You don't want to use it, let the air out and the axle is then off the ground and not touching.

 

[SquareRoot]

With a tag you have to pay attention where your going, or you won't get there.

The perfect quote from a guy named "wanderinthru".