New trailer project (Pack Mule?)

lowranger · Apr 9, 2020

Mikeygg917 said:
That's original axle mount. I had to join so I could respond to your post. I have a Packmule trailer that I purchased new in 1985 from the boy's in Marysvillec CA that made them. I wasn't totally convinced that having no springs was a good idea. The guys building these trailers had a small business building farm equipment trailers and built these for sale to their jeep club friends and public. Their argument against springs was based on their experience with off-road equipment stating that springs can work against you to upset our load on rough trails. It seemed reasonable and I had no experience to counter that. I figured I could always add springs if I really needed them. Their solution: drop your tire pressure to around 20 PSI and you'll be fine. Bottom line, I've still got my trailer and still use it. I have no issues running down the highway at 70 MPH with no springs. I run the tires at 20 PSI all the time. The tires are my springs. The boy's in Marysville offered to match your vehicle with wheel hubs on the axles. You can probably find a hub to match your jeep and swap that out. I take my worn tires off the jeep and run them on the trailer. Try running your trailer as-is and I think you'll be impressed with how it tows. My trailer came with a steel top and I ordered the gas can mounts for both sides. Below are current and old pictures when new.
View attachment 151491 View attachment 151492 View attachment 151493

You should come wheel with us sometime. We do exploring trips with a camp out in the Mendocino National forest sometimes, nothing crazy.

Brokeass Boater · Apr 9, 2020

If you want to update that axle setup, and I would, from a fabricators stand point, that axle setup is a joke. If you measure hub face to hub face to get your axle length, your spring perches will be already calc'd in based on the hub to hub dimension. Shop online for your parts, you can get a complete axle with new hubs, bearings, springs, shackles and hangers with free delivery really cheap. Nothing better then heading down the road knowing your trailers running gear is all new. Short of loading it full of dirt, a 2k lb axle should do nicely, figure in the 7-10 percent tongue weight giving you a decent load capacity. They are cool looking little trailers, great score,,,gregg

Mikeygg917 · Apr 10, 2020

MountaineerTom said:
Great info, thank you, and welcome to the site.

Thats cool that they offered matching paint and choice of hubs. I guess hubs ain’t to expensive, so I could try to locate a pair and try that.

I actually painted the trailer myself. It came primed. I also provided my own tires and wheels. But, I think my out the door price was about $600 and it has been worth every cent. I had never seen a hitch like that until I bought my trailer but it actually works really well. I don't think you'll have any problem finding and swapping hubs. Also, you could probably make a steel top for it or have one fabricated. It is a simple flat steel piece with a slight raised crease running between opposite corners to make it somewhat rigid. It's attached with a piano hing at the front. You can see the five holes in my first pic. The lid has two steel tabs that stick down through those slots in the top just forward of the tailgate. They allow you to put a padlock on each side for a totally secure setup. The locking steel top is the main reason I bought this trailer over some of the others out there at the time.

MountaineerTom · Apr 10, 2020

Mikeygg917 said:
I actually painted the trailer myself. It came primed. I also provided my own tires and wheels. But, I think my out the door price was about $600 and it has been worth every cent. I had never seen a hitch like that until I bought my trailer but it actually works really well. I don't think you'll have any problem finding and swapping hubs. Also, you could probably make a steel top for it or have one fabricated. It is a simple flat steel piece with a slight raised crease running between opposite corners to make it somewhat rigid. It's attached with a piano hing at the front. You can see the five holes in my first pic. The lid has two steel tabs that stick down through those slots in the top just forward of the tailgate. They allow you to put a padlock on each side for a totally secure setup. The locking steel top is the main reason I bought this trailer over some of the others out there at the time.

Mine has the 5 holes in the front where the piano hinge would go. I wondered what those slots near the tailgate were for. Thanks.

lowranger · Apr 10, 2020

Mikeygg917 said:
I actually painted the trailer myself. It came primed. I also provided my own tires and wheels. But, I think my out the door price was about $600 and it has been worth every cent. I had never seen a hitch like that until I bought my trailer but it actually works really well. I don't think you'll have any problem finding and swapping hubs. Also, you could probably make a steel top for it or have one fabricated. It is a simple flat steel piece with a slight raised crease running between opposite corners to make it somewhat rigid. It's attached with a piano hing at the front. You can see the five holes in my first pic. The lid has two steel tabs that stick down through those slots in the top just forward of the tailgate. They allow you to put a padlock on each side for a totally secure setup. The locking steel top is the main reason I bought this trailer over some of the others out there at the time.

Mine didn't come with a steel top, but a friend of mine and I made one. You can see it on page #1 here.

Mikeygg917 · Apr 11, 2020

lowranger said:
This was right after I had the top built then had the top, front and fenders bed lined.
View attachment 132644

Awesome job... I like that cargo top and those shocks. I still prop my lid up with two pipe supports that I made.

laterdaze · Jun 11, 2020

Reinard Helder told me "No suspension, nothing to break. This thing will follow you anywhere". I think he was right. I need to change hubs on mine to match my 2001 jeep Cherokee XJ. Is there a recommended vendor who knows what a Pack Mule is?

FireJeep · Jun 11, 2020

DrDmoney said:
For off road trailers a pintle hitch and lunette is more durable and articulates better.

That is similar to what I have on mine, however, mine has a swivel that allows for more articulation and no binding. This is what the US military use(d). The lunette is actually a threaded (very large) bolt that passes through a lumen or hole on the front of the trailer, then a large spring, washer, and nut. This allows the lunette to swivel (or the trailer to rock side to side or even all the way over with out side loading or binding the lunette in the pintle hitch.....

MountaineerTom · Jun 11, 2020

laterdaze said:
Reinard Helder told me "No suspension, nothing to break. This thing will follow you anywhere". I think he was right. I need to change hubs on mine to match my 2001 jeep Cherokee XJ. Is there a recommended vendor who knows what a Pack Mule is?

Etrailer.com has a good selection of hubs. I‘m getting ready to order a set of Dexter 5 on 4.5 hubs To match my Jeep. I was going to order a torsion axle, but I think I’m going to wait and make sure I can get the trailer the way I want it first.

MountaineerTom · Jun 28, 2020

Sloooow going on this trailer. Next week I start 4 weeks of furlough, so hopefully I'll get some more stuff done on this thing.

Got my Dexter hubs in and got one on last night. Took the spare off the Jeep and test fit it. Unfortunately, the center cap that comes with the wheels is to short to fit on the hub so if Pro Comp doesn't make a longer version I'll probably just spray paint the hub and grease cap black.
https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hubs-and-Drums/Dexter-Axle/84545BX.html
The spindle uses a castle nut and cotter pin. In one position I think it feels kind of tight. If I back it off one slot on the castle nut and re-pin in it rolls smoothly but with the wheel on, there is a slight amount of wiggle. I've always heard a slight wiggle is better than to tight, due to overheating. Anyone else have thoughts on this?

ranger101 · Jun 28, 2020

You’re correct, too much pressure on a bearing will make it wear prematurely due to increased heat/friction. I’d leave it with a slight wiggle like you said. Great project! I did a brief search to see if I could find one local after reading this thread.

Zorba · Jun 28, 2020

Very late to this party, but I'm surprised no-one here has ever seen that type of coupler. I've owned two trailers with that style, and have seen plenty of others. Frankly, they're far better than just about everything else in my opinion, and would be my first choice for a ball coupler - VERY secure. Although I too would be tempted to switch to a pintle/lunette, this particular ball coupler is very rugged if you don't need insane articulation. I "think" they're still made, they were up until a few years ago at least when I saw one on a new trailer. I think "Bulldog" may have been one of the brand names. I've never seen one that wasn't 2".

Oh, one of the two trailers I owned with that coupler was a small fifth-wheel - "Third-wheel" single axle.

Random comment: If 1-7/8" hitch balls all miraculously vanished tomorrow, I wouldn't shed a tear. As far as I'm concerned, all trailers short of house trailers (or other HD applications) should use 2" - those darn 1-7/8" should be outlawed!

Zorba · Jun 28, 2020

Nope, I'm wrong. Bulldog couplers are different - but probably just as good:

Brokeass Boater · Jun 28, 2020

Here's the way to set your castle nut. I use a long handle 1/2" drive ratchet to tighten the nut while turning the wheel to where the wheel has some drag when turning it. Back the nut loose and tighten it hand tight. Adjust the nut to the closest slot in the castle nut, forward or backward, just go to the closest one. Your set, it be right every time, there will/should be that slight movement that you want to feel when you shake the wheel back and forth,,,gregg

lowranger · Jun 28, 2020

Did you get a new axle or using the original axle?

MountaineerTom · Jun 28, 2020

lowranger said:
Did you get a new axle or using the original axle?

Still using the original axle for now, I just swapped the hubs out. Before spending that much on an axle, I'm going to make sure I can get the rest of the trailer the way I want it.

MountaineerTom · Jul 9, 2020

Started doing some scaly rust/flaking paint clean up on the underside of the trailer. Between my grinder with wire brushes, a large hand held wire brush and a toothbrush sized wire brush, the areas I worked on cleaned up good. I put a few coats of Rustoleum Rust Reformer on the areas I brushed. I only got the front section done and the tongue. I did get the jack disassembled, cleaned and lubed up and painted. Waiting on a new thrust bearing to come in before I put it back together. On the top wind handle, I wasn't sure if the pin that holds it on was supposed to be bent like it is or not. The sharp clean bends make it look like it should be. Was going to just replace it with a new pin and cotter pin or a bolt/washers/nut from the hardware store, but went ahead and ordered a whole new handle. The plastic knob is in pretty bad shape and starting to disintegrate so a new handle will fix it all. New wheels to match the Jeep are on the way so I need to get to work finishing up the underside so I can get them mounted and not have to be taking them on and off to